![A Theory with No Strings Attached: Can Beautiful Physics Be Wrong? [Excerpt]](https://static.scientificamerican.com/sciam/cache/file/2BB46374-2DF6-47D6-89F31FE7D75D2F83_agenda.jpg?w=275&h=154&fit=crop)
A Theory with No Strings Attached: Can Beautiful Physics Be Wrong? [Excerpt]
A physicist decries the trend of chasing after aesthetically pleasing theories that lack empirical evidence
Math949 articles archived since 1845
Computers Predict Pop Chart Success
An evolutionary analysis of pop tunes revealed that over the past 30 years songs have grown sadder—but the big hits buck that trend. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Maria Agnesi, the Greatest Female Mathematician You've Never Heard of
Born 300 years ago this month, Agnesi was the first woman to write a mathematics textbook and to be appointed to a university chair in math
Radar Scans Detail North Korean Nukes
Scientists have added radar info to seismic data, isotope measurements and optical imagery to study covert nuclear tests. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Africa: Future Worldwide Science Hub
Thierry Zomahoun, president of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, talks about the potential and needs of science on the continent.
How Seashells Take Shape
Mathematical modeling reveals the mechanical forces that guide the development of mollusk spirals, spines and ribs
Robot, Make Me a Sandwich!
A surprisingly silly science activity from Science Buddies
The Same, Only Different
A column about the surprising cultural, structural, philosophical, and mystical features common to mathematics and food
Harnessing the Invisible Power of "Flutter"
Understanding this type of instability can prevent catastrophic failures and help generate power
Math Cracks a Knuckle-Cracking Mystery
The source of knuckle cracking sounds is much debated—but new mathematical models may reconcile two opposing views. Christopher Intagliata reports.
Momentum Isn't Magic--Vindicating the Hot Hand with the Mathematics of Streaks
Nearly every basketball player, coach or fan believes that some shooters have an uncanny tendency to experience the hot hand
"Grand Unified Theory of Math" Nets Abel Prize
Robert Langlands’ ideas unearthed connections within mathematics that have helped to solve centuries-old problems and aided researchers in disparate fields
Privacy and Counterfeit Coins
Do fake coins really need a lawyer’s protection in the courtroom?
What Is Pi, and How Did It Originate?
Steven Bogart, a mathematics instructor at Georgia Perimeter College, answers
How Much Math Do You Need to Win Your March Madness Pool?
Somewhere between the opposing forces of “favorites” and “underdogs” lies a winning solution
The Magic (and Math) of Skating on Thin Ice without Falling In
Congelation ice, unlike “snow ice,” grows slowly downward from the surface of a calm lake in a vertical, column-like fashion with horizontal interlocking grains
The Math behind the Perfect Free Throw
The fate of a free throw is set the instant the ball leaves the player’s fingertips
To Fight Fatal Infections, Hospitals May Turn to Algorithms
Machine learning could speed up diagnoses and improve accuracy
Physicists Harness Twisted Mathematics to Make Powerful Laser
High-quality beams could be among the first practical applications of the booming field of topological physics
