How √2 Became a Number

Plus: The Enduring Mystery of How Water Freezes; New episode of "The Joy of Why"; Across a Continent, Trees Sync Their Fruiting to the Sun

Math and Science News from Quanta Magazine View this email in your browser EXPLAINERS | ALL TOPICS   How the Square Root of 2 Became a Number By JORDANA CEPELEWICZ Useful mathematical concepts, like the number line, can linger for millennia before they are rigorously defined. Read the article EXPLAINERS   The Enduring Mystery of How Water Freezes By ELISE CUTTS Making ice requires more than subzero temperatures. The unpredictable process takes microscopic scaffolding, random jiggling and often a little bit of bacteria. Read the article THE JOY OF WHY   How Is Science Even Possible? Podcast co-hosted by STEVEN STROGATZ In this episode, the physicist Nigel Goldenfeld and co-host Steven Strogatz explore the deep foundations of the scientific process. Listen to the podcast Read the transcript CHRONOBIOLOGY   Across a Continent, Trees Sync Their Fruiting to the Sun By MEGHAN WILLCOXON European beech trees more than 1,500 kilometers apart all drop their fruit at the same time in a grand synchronization event now linked to the summer solstice. Read the article Follow Quanta Unsubscribe | About Quanta | My Bookmarks Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact Us   Copyright © 2024 Quanta Magazine, an editorially independent division of the Simons Foundation Simons Foundation 160 5th Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10010