Recent news and analysis on Mathematics

Mathematics news covering proofs, fields medals, applied math, statistics advances, and foundational research.

• "Think you don't like math? These everyday puzzles might change your mind"

  This commentary argues that math is more accessible and enjoyable than many people think, using everyday puzzles like elevator wait times to illustrate mathematical principles. It suggests that readers who dislike math may change their minds by exploring these relatable examples.

• OpenAI AI disproves 80-year-old Erdős unit distance conjecture

  OpenAI's internal AI model disproved the Erdős unit distance conjecture, a famous problem in discrete geometry. Mathematician Will Sawin later improved upon the AI's proof. The unit-distance problem, posed by Erdős in 1946, asks how many pairs of points in a plane can be exactly one unit apart.