What can we gain by losing infinity?

Physicists discover the most complex forms of ice yet; A treasure trove of Cambrian fossils rewrites the story of early life; The Quanta Podcast

Math and Science News from Quanta Magazine View this email in your browser FOUNDATIONS OF MATHEMATICS | ALL TOPICS   What Can We Gain by Losing Infinity? By GREGORY BARBER Ultrafinitism, a philosophy that rejects the infinite, has long been dismissed as mathematical heresy. But it is also producing new insights in math and beyond. Read the article MATERIALS SCIENCE   Physicists Discover the Most Complex Forms of Ice Yet By SHALMA WEGSMAN Scientists keep detecting new forms of ice. According to simulations, there could be many more left to find. Read the article IMAGE GALLERY   A Treasure Trove of Cambrian Fossils Rewrites the Story of Early Life By MARLOWE STARLING Remarkably preserved relics from southern China is transforming our understanding of organisms that survived the first mass extinction of the Phanerozoic Eon. Read the article SET THEORY   Why Math's Final Axiom Proved So Controversial By GREGORY BARBER Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory is so widely accepted that modern mathematicians hardly think about it. But believing in its core principles didn't come easily. Read the article THE QUANTA PODCAST   Quantum Mechanics Might Be a Secret Key to Secure Communication Podcast hosted by SAMIR PATEL with BEN BRUBAKER Why Charles Bennett and Gilles Brassard have been named the winners of the A.M. Turing Award for their foundational work in quantum information science. Listen (Apple) | Listen (Spotify) Read the article Follow Quanta Unsubscribe | About Quanta | My Bookmarks Privacy Policy | Terms | Contact Us   Copyright © 2025 Quanta Magazine, an editorially independent division of the Simons Foundation Simons Foundation 160 5th Avenue, 7th Floor New York, NY 10010