Math
- Animals
Random hops always bring jumping beans to shade — eventually
It’s not fast, but jumping beans use randomness to maximize their chances of getting out of the sun’s heat.
- Math
Scientists Say: Calculus
Calculus is math that deals with curves, from their changing slopes to the areas they enclose.
- Math
Meet the newest additions to the metric system
The metric system just got its first update in 30 years. New prefixes will help scientists interpret the biggest — and smallest — numbers.
- Math
Scientists Say: Mean, median and mode
Mean, median and mode are all different ways to describe the middle value in a dataset.
- Math
Let’s learn about dealing with math anxiety
Writing about math anxiety and maintaining a “growth mindset” can help soothe stress about the subject.
- Math
Scientists Say: Variable
A variable is something that can be changed — such as a value in math, or a factor in an experiment.
- Math
Scientists Say: Equation
An equation states that two groups of numbers or variables are equal to each other.
- Math
Let’s learn about pi
It’s not just an excuse to eat pastries. This number helps describe everything from the smallest particles to planets orbiting other stars.
- Physics
Why some icicles become scallops not spikes
The newfound — and at times quirky — shapes reflect the density of water surrounding submerged ice.
- Math
Scientists Say: Geometry
Geometry is math that allows people to measure, analyze and compare figures in space.
- Life
From icebergs to smoke, forecasting where dangers will drift
Smoke drifts. Fish eggs float downstream. Where such drifting things end up may seem a mystery. But research can predict where they’ll end up.
- Animals
Endangered or just rare? Statistics give meaning to the head counts
Whether studying tiny birds or massive whales, researchers collect a lot of data. The field of statistics helps them make sense of those data.
