AI Is Nothing Like a Brain, and That’s OK

(This episode first aired in July, 2025.) Where does gravity come from? In both general relativity and quantum mechanics, this question is a big problem. One controversial theory proposes that the force arises from the universe's tendency toward disorder, or entropy. In this epis ...  Show more

By extending the scope of the key insight behind Fermat’s Last Theorem, four mathematicians have made great strides toward building a “grand unified theory” of math.The story The Core of Fermat’s Last Theorem Just Got Superpowered first appeared on Quanta Magazine. 

The abstract numeral that changed everything, according to mathematician Talithia Williams. Before the introduction of zero, mathematics was a tangible subject, where numbers held weight and substance. With zero came the concept of a mathematical “nothing;” it turned our solid un ...  Show more

Humans are awesome. Our brains are gigantic, seven times larger than they should be for the size of our bodies. The human brain uses 25% of all the energy the body requires each day. And it became enormous in a very short amount of time in evolution, allowing us to leave our cous ...  Show more

When math is based on abstract concepts, how do we know it’s correct? Dr. Eugenia Cheng takes on that question in a new book.

The concept of math has been around for a long time, developing independently in many different cultures. In 1650 BC, the Egyptians were ...

L'idée que le Moyen Âge ait eu "peur du zéro" est un raccourci souvent utilisé pour décrire l'appréhension et les controverses entourant l'introduction du chiffre zéro en Europe médiévale. Mais cette "peur" est-elle réelle, ou bien s'agit-il d'une simplification historique ? E ...