
The mathematical mystery inside the legendary 1990s shooter Quake 3
Deep within the source code of this online multiplayer game lies an enigmatic number that puzzles and inspires experts to this day

The mathematical mystery inside the legendary 1990s shooter Quake 3
Deep within the source code of this online multiplayer game lies an enigmatic number that puzzles and inspires experts to this day

AI just got its toughest math test yet. The results are mixed
Experts gave AI 10 math problems to solve in a week. OpenAI, researchers and amateurs all gave it their best shot


Is AI on the precipice of revolutionizing math? It depends
LLMs have recently helped find solutions to a number of minor longstanding problems. But a new plan called First Proof is really putting them to the test

The physics of ‘Penisgate’ and how ski jumpers fly
A scandal involving allegedly enlarged ski suits ahead of this year’s Winter Olympics has highlighted the intriguing physics behind ski jumps

How ‘effectively zero-knowledge’ proofs could transform cryptography
A new tool expands the ways people can prove they’ve solved a problem without revealing the solution

Mathematicians issue a major challenge to AI: Show us your work
Frustrated by the AI industry’s claims of proving math results without offering transparency, a team of leading academics has proposed a better way

Mathematicians discover new ways to make round shapes
A new proof solves a long-standing problem about the doughnut-shaped torus

What ‘6-7,’ demons and The Big Bang Theory tell us about prime numbers
Prime numbers have fascinated humankind for generations—here are three of the most intriguing primes

How math can reveal lottery fraud
In one day, 433 people won the Philippine lottery jackpot. What were the chances?

Math puzzle: A winning loser
Pick an unusual winning poker hand in this math puzzle

The math behind a perfect poker deck
A traditional card deck happens to dodge a tricky poker paradox. Other poker variants aren’t so lucky

Why 2026 Is a Mathematically Special Number
Neither a square nor prime number, 2026 is still intriguing