The Best Articles in Math
The most useful articles in Math from around the web—beginners to advanced—curated by thought leaders and our community. We focus on timeless pieces and update the list whenever we discover new, must-read articles or videos—make sure to bookmark and revisit this page.
Top 5 Math Articles
At a glance: these are the articles that have been most read, shared, and saved in Math by Refind users in 2023 so far.
What is ...?
New to Math? These articles make an excellent introduction.
What Is a Particle?
It has been thought of as many things: a pointlike object, an excitation of a field, a speck of pure math that has cut into reality. But never has physicists’ conception of a particle changed more…
What is a square?
If a shape has equal sides with 90 degree angles between them then it's a square, right? Well, not quite...
What is it to be Bayesian? The (pretty simple) math modelling behind a Big Data buzzword
If you’ve ever tripped up over the term ‘Bayesian’ while reading up on data or tech, fear not. Strip away the jargon and notation, and even the mathematics-averse can make sense of the simple yet…
How to ...?
How to Win at Wordle (Without Cheating)
Solve these puzzle questions to level up your Wordle game.
How to break a theory
When a theory breaks, you learn how to build it better.
«ASK WEIRD QUESTIONS Einstein had a wild imagination. He asked himself questions like: What would he feel if he rode an elevator through outer space? What would he see if he chased a beam of light?»
Trending
These links are currently making the rounds in Math on Refind.
Zeno's paradox
An ancient puzzle leads ultimately to a remarkable observation on the malleable nature of infinite sums
A Calculated Move: Calculators Now Emulated at Internet Archive
It’s time to add another family of emulated older technology to the Internet Archive. The vast majority of platforms within what we call The Emularity happens because of the work of MAME Team, which…
The Point Of The Banach Tarski Theorem
This page has been Tagged As Maths. One of my favourite Limited Audience Jokes (although technically it's actually a riddle) goes: Added after seeing some discussion ... This is not intended to…
Elliptic Curves: The Great Mystery
A surprisingly beautiful blend of algebra, geometry, and number theory
The cult of maths has brainwashed our schools
The arts, sport, acquisition of complex life skills: all must be sacrificed on the altar of the easily measurable, says Guardian columnist Simon Jenkins
Short Articles
Short on time? Check out these useful short articles in Math—all under 10 minutes.
AI Reveals New Possibilities in Matrix Multiplication
Inspired by the results of a game-playing neural network, mathematicians have been making unexpected advances on an age-old math problem.
Posits, a New Kind of Number, Improves the Math of AI
Training the large neural networks behind many modern AI tools requires real computational might: OpenAI’s most advanced language model GPT-3 required a million billion billions of operations to train, and cost about US $5 million in compute time. Some researchers now think they have a better way.
Mathematicians Surprised By Hidden Fibonacci Numbers
Recent explorations of unique geometric worlds reveal perplexing patterns, including the Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio.
Why Mathematicians Study Knots
Far from being an abstract mathematical curiosity, knot theory has driven many findings in math and beyond.
Discovering novel algorithms with AlphaTensor
In our paper, published today in Nature, we introduce AlphaTensor, the first artificial intelligence (AI) system for discovering novel, efficient, and provably correct algorithms for fundamental tasks…
Long Articles
These are some of the most-read long-form articles in Math.
Paraconsistent logics find structure in our inconsistent world
When logic fails to make sense of a world noisy with inconsistency, paraconsistent logics hold out (im)possible solutions
Comparing Linear and Logistic Regression
Discussion on an entry level data science interview question
A mathematician, a philosopher and a gambler walk into a bar
If philosophers and mathematicians struggle with probability, can gamblers really hope to grasp their losing game?
«The mathematics of the games, including their rules and payout schedules, assures the house will profit in aggregate, regardless of individual behaviour.»
Solve Math Equations That Are Stubborn as a Goat
Math teachers have stymied students for hundreds of years by sticking goats in strangely shaped fields. Learn why one grazing goat problem has stumped mathematicians for more than a century.
How Do Mathematicians Know Their Proofs Are Correct?
What makes a proof stronger than a guess? What does evidence look like in the realm of mathematical abstraction? Hear the mathematician Melanie Matchett Wood explain how probability helps to guide…
Thought Leaders
We monitor hundreds of thought leaders, influencers, and newsletters in Math, including:
XKCD Comic
XKCD comic feed with images and mobile friendly links. Unofficial, feed run by @dghubble
Quanta Magazine
Big ideas in science and math. Because you want to know more. Launched by @SimonsFdn. 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting. http://quantamagazine.org
nature
Research, News, and Commentary from Nature, the international journal of science. For daily science news, get Nature Briefing: http://go.nature.com/naturebriefing
Popular Mechanics
The best in tech, science, aerospace, DIY and auto news. Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.popularmechanics.com/email/popularmechanics-newsletter

Stephen Wolfram
I create ideas, technology, science, companies, books, ...: #WolfLang #WolframPhysics #WolframAlpha #Mathematica @WolframResearch
Publications
We monitor hundreds of publications, blogs, newsletters, and news sources in Math, including:
Quanta Magazine
Big ideas in science and math. Because you want to know more. Launched by @SimonsFdn. 2022 Pulitzer Prize in Explanatory Reporting. http://quantamagazine.org
Aeon+Psyche
Aeon is a magazine of ideas and culture. Psyche is our sister magazine focused on the human condition. Visit http://aeon.co and http://psyche.co for more.
Big Think
Learn from the world’s greatest thinkers. Join us on https://www.youtube.com/c/bigthink.
Popular Mechanics
The best in tech, science, aerospace, DIY and auto news. Sign up for our newsletter: https://www.popularmechanics.com/email/popularmechanics-newsletter
IEEE Spectrum
The latest technology news and analysis from the world's leading engineering magazine
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Which sources does Refind monitor in Math?
We monitor hundreds of sources in Math, including Quanta Magazine, Aeon+Psyche, Big Think, Popular Mechanics, IEEE Spectrum, and many more.
Who are the thought leaders in Math?
We follow dozens of thought leaders in Math, including XKCD Comic, Quanta Magazine, nature, Popular Mechanics, Stephen Wolfram.
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