Stories by Manon Bischoff

A thought experiment that’s dividing mathematicians can help illuminate how belief shapes rational decisions

The Archimedes experiment will weigh the void of empty space to help solve a big cosmic puzzle

Information theory can help people mathematically calculate the best starting guess for a popular online game

A new shape called an einstein has taken the math world by storm. The craggy, hat-shaped tile can cover an infinite plane with patterns that never repeat.

Argentine mathematician Luis Caffarelli has won the 2023 Abel Prize for making natural phenomena more understandable and eliminating dreaded “infinities” from a calculation

Hairiness is the perfect way to demonstrate the math underlying the “pigeonhole principle,” first conceived in 1622

That prime numbers and powers of 2 fascinate many people comes as no surprise. In fact, all numbers split into two camps: interesting and boring

Some voting districts are tilted intentionally toward one party or another—a factor in the midterms. Geometry plays a critical role in gerrymandering

Mathematician Frank Ramsey showed how to discover coherent patterns among a multitude of number groupings

Some mathematicians have sought a logical proof for the existence of God. Here’s what they discovered

An expert explains how numbers can mislead and what she’s doing to help people understand them better