Friday, June 21, 2024

How √2 Became a Number

Math and Science News from Quanta Magazine
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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.

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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.


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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.

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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.

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