Why Are Rivers So Mathematical?

A simple scaling law brings order to the chaos of flowing water, rock, and sediment. New findings have extended the law even further. The post Why Are Rivers So Mathematical? first appeared on Quanta Magazine

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A New Framework for How the Brain Compresses Our Noisy World

An updated view of categorization reflects the modern understanding that the nervous system is more of a prediction engine than a filing cabinet. The post A New Framework for How the Brain Compresses Our Noisy World first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Conor Feehly·Aug 24, 2026

Quanta Magazine

‘Huge Breakthrough’ in the Math of Imbalance

For the first time in 30 years, computer scientists have found a better way to allocate objects evenly between two groups. The post ‘Huge Breakthrough’ in the Math of Imbalance first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Max G. Levy·Aug 21, 2026

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Are We Thinking Correctly About AI Intelligence?

Computer scientist Melanie Mitchell discusses why artificial intelligence doesn’t “think” or “reason” like humans, and how we can create better methods for measuring machine cognition. The post Are We Thinking Correctly About AI Intelligence? first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Steven Strogatz and Janna Levin·Aug 20, 2026

Quanta Magazine

Building a Quantum Computer, One Fragile Qubit at a Time

No one yet knows which technology will power the quantum computers of the future, but the race to create them has already produced some of science’s most intricate machinery. The post Building a Quantum Computer, One Fragile Qubit at a Time first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Ben Brubaker·Aug 19, 2026

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Theory of Fluids Enters the 21st Century

From the 1800s to the early 2000s, physicists used the same theory to understand the behavior of fluids. Now, using a modern insight, they have redefined fluids from the bottom up. The post Theory of Fluids Enters the 21st Century first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Charlie Wood·Aug 17, 2026

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Why Aging May Be a Program, Not a Breakdown

By deciphering the molecular signatures of millions of mouse cells, Junyue Cao has found that aging is not haphazard wear and tear but rather a “remodeling of the cell society.” The post Why Aging May Be a Program, Not a Breakdown first appeared on Quanta Magazine

Ingrid Wickelgren·Aug 14, 2026