Mathematics

Less than a year ago we told you about the Tiroler, a titanium ring that's a rather clever alternative to the boring ol' tape measure. Well, its makers are back with a new take on the concept, which also performs calculations.

Fractals are a fascinating type of pattern for mathematics nerds, with their repeating, artificial-looking structures. Now, scientists have discovered the first known fractal protein – and it seems to be an evolutionary accident.

Historians have discovered what may be the world's first decimal point, in an ancient manuscript written 150 years before its next known appearance. There have been many ways to split integers, but this little dot has proven uniquely powerful.

We’ve all accidentally tied knots that we can’t untangle – but we don’t expect to win any world records. Now scientists have done exactly that, accidentally tying the world’s smallest and tightest knot in a tiny structure made of just 54 atoms.

Forget politics; if you want to divide a crowd, ask if anyone enjoys mathematics. But even the most maths-averse people may still be impressed by two researchers who have solved a problem that has been stuck in the same puzzling place since 1937.

A new study has found that number-based board games may improve young children’s math abilities, with the researchers encouraging further studies to see how these types of games can enhance other developmental skills.

A new study may overturn more than 100 years of accepted science about how the brain functions. Researchers applied a mathematical model to brain activity and found that brain function may have more to do with shape than connectivity.

A new shape has been discovered which would make for a pretty unique set of bathroom tiles. Nicknamed “the Hat,” the 13-sided shape can tesselate with itself without ever repeating a pattern, solving a 60-year-old mathematical mystery.

For the first time, UK researchers have used decades of information about sex to calculate a mathematical model for achieving sexual climax. They believe it can help with treating male sexual disorders. Ladies, your formula is coming up next.

The prevalence of prostate cancer around the world means that finding an effective treatment is critical. A new UK study has used mathematics to investigate the effectiveness of some currently available prostate cancer treatments.

Random numbers are crucial for computing, but our current algorithms aren’t truly random. Researchers at Brown University have now found a way to tap into the fluctuations of skyrmions to generate millions of truly random numbers per second.

Most of us can give Pi to four or five digits, but Swiss scientists have broken the world record. It took three and a half months and a data center’s worth of computer equipment, but the researchers calculated Pi to a staggering 62.8 trillion digits.