A mathematical puzzle that baffled the top minds in the esoteric field of symbolic dynamics for nearly four decades has been cracked, by a 63-year-old immigrant who once worked as a security guard. picked by MandolinOrange 6 months ago

Mathematicians from the University of Exeter have solved the mystery of traffic jams by developing a model to show how major delays occur on our roads, with no apparent cause. Many traffic jams leave drivers baffled as they finally reach the end of a tail-back to find no visible cause for their delay. picked by AutumnLotus 9 months ago

Planet formation is a story with a well-known beginning and end, but how its middle plays out has been an enigma to scientists-until now. A new computer-modeled theory shows how rocky boulders around infant stars team up to form planets without falling into stars. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

A 30-year scientific debate over how specialized cells in the inner ear amplify sound in mammals appears to have been settled more in favor of bouncing cell bodies rather than vibrating, hair-like cilia, according to investigators at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

Ever wonder how they know where they are going after being released hundreds of miles away? Read on... picked by Browntrout 2 years ago

Two academics have discovered how to predict the shape of a Möbius strip, the ‘endless ribbon’ which is obtained by taking a rectangular strip of paper, twisting one end through 180 degrees, and then joining the ends. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

Beyond snapping extraordinary pictures of faraway nebulas, the revolutionary Hubble Space Telescope has completely transformed our view of the universe since it was launched in 1990. By capturing the clearest, deepest images of the cosmos ever, Hubble has shed light on some long-standing mysteries perplexing scientists-while uncovering far deeper ones that have yet to be solved. picked by AutumnLotus 12 months ago

A team of astronomers has recalculated the explosion date of the famous Crab Nebula supernova and found excellent agreement between their measurements and the classic date of the 1054 A.D. appearance of a bright "guest star" seen in the constellation of Taurus the Bull. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago