Stories by Manon Bischoff

The intermediate value theorem shows us how to find an even center on an irregular shape

You can track the start of spring and the phases of the moon—or you can turn to a formula by mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss

Simpson’s paradox demonstrates how counterintuitive statistics can be

A start-up has surprised the scientific community with a breakthrough: translating a modern proof into a programming language for verification using AI. But not everyone is celebrating

Whether 0.999... equals 1 is the subject of bitter dispute in countless online forums

No bad luck here—just lots of fascinating math that explains why the 13th of a month so often falls on a Friday

The science of the zodiac is more intriguing than astrology would have you think

This Oscar-winning classic set a surprisingly simple mathematical challenge

Deep within the source code of this online multiplayer game lies an enigmatic number that puzzles and inspires experts to this day

Prime numbers have fascinated humankind for generations—here are three of the most intriguing primes

In one day, 433 people won the Philippine lottery jackpot. What were the chances?

Neither a square nor prime number, 2026 is still intriguing

In geometry, there are surfaces that do without an inside or outside—and some need at least four dimensions to exist

For years, a French mathematician searched for a proof that a gigantic number is prime. His method is still used 150 years later

What would the world look like if we changed the value of pi? Whether in the real world or a game environment, the answer is complex

In certain circumstances, losses create a sure path to victory, an idea with implications for biology and cancer therapy

Is it really possible that half of all people who have ever been age 65 or older are still alive today? We explore the amazing mathematics of demography to find out

Card dealers create a unique deck with each shuffle, something computers cannot replicate

People in prisons and jails have contributed to some of the greatest ideas in mathematics

Can “finitism” possibly describe the real world?

How complex can a simple game be? Tetris pushes even supercomputers to their limits and amazes mathematicians

Why do computers only work with the numbers 0 and 1? There are machines that process three digits with more efficiency than you might expect

In the early 20th century, a mathematician and economist sought the optimal strategy for Holmes to escape Moriarty’s pursuit

Nothing in the cosmos is in equilibrium, which means entropy is on the rise