🧮

The Mathematician: 1st July 2025

Newsletters sent once a week, unsubscribe anytime.

Published 1st July 2025

🏛️ Academic Community & Research

Girls’ Angle Bulletin, Volume 18, Number 5 (girlsangle​.wordpress​.com). Interview with mathematician Amanda Tucker, middle schoolers' investigations on powers of 2 and 3, and Latin squares exploration featured in Girls' Angle Bulletin

Craig Kaplan named 2025 Fields Institute Fellow (uwaterloo​.ca). Craig Kaplan honored as 2025 Fields Institute Fellow for contributions to mathematics, computational geometry, and art; known for aperiodic monotile discovery

Travels, 10 (cameroncounts​.wordpress​.com). Peter Cameron reflects on his month in Aveiro, Portugal, reviewing an academic aggregation process for Maria Elisa Fernandes’ research on regular polytopes

Counting with Categories (johncarlosbaez​.wordpress​.com). Minicourse on combinatorics covering species, generating functions, and binary trees at the National Technical University of Athens

Double Maths First Thing: Issue 2A (aperiodical​.com). Colin Beveridge discusses combinatorial problems, Rubik's Cube competitions, and recent mathematical findings while promoting joy in mathematics across the cosmos

👨‍🔬 Mathematical History & Biographies

He was a spy and a scam artist who also invented the bar chart (mathewingram​.com). William Playfair, a spy and scam artist, invented the bar and pie charts and pioneered line charts while navigating a life of scandal and debt

Breakthrough on 125 Year-Old Physics Problem (backreaction​.blogspot​.com). Sabine Hossenfelder explores a significant advancement in solving a long-standing physics issue, highlighting mathematics, quantum gravity, and implications for particle physics

Quick Thinking (futilitycloset​.com). Richard Feynman's quick problem-solving skills tested by Paul Olum, involving a complex mathematic challenge related to the tangent function

Finding Peter Putnam (nautil​.us). Peter Putnam, a forgotten physicist and philosopher, made groundbreaking contributions to the understanding of consciousness yet remains largely unknown due to his unpublished work

📚 Mathematical Education & Communication

Fashion tips for writing math. (mathwithbaddrawings​.com). Ben Orlin explores writing mathematics with style, emphasizing aesthetics over conventions, and tips on notation, derivatives, and variance manipulation

Learning is About Bridge-Building, Not Jumping (justinmath​.com). Importance of bridging foundational skills in cognitive science to enhance working memory and problem-solving capabilities in education

Recall First, Reason Second (justinmath​.com). Automaticity in learning emphasized through recall-first strategies; practice applying results from memory before reasoning or deriving them

Responsible modelling – Erica Thompson (andifugard​.info). Erica Thompson discusses responsible modelling ethics in mathematics for decision-making, focusing on AI applications and the limitations of mathematical models for real-world decisions

🧩 Problem Solving & Applications

A Cubic Challenge (themathdoctors​.org). Explore methods to find a cubic function with specified maxima and minima using algebra, graphing software, and calculations without derivatives

Oxford Entrance Exam How Many Distinct Real Solutions (mindyourdecisions​.com). The Oxford Entrance Exam problem explores the equation with nested squares, revealing seven distinct real solutions through a step-by-step analysis

How Does Graph Theory Shape Our World? (quantamagazine​.org). Maria Chudnovsky discusses graph theory, her perfect graph problem solution, and its applications in everyday life, along with reflections on mathematical communication

Row and Columns (futilitycloset​.com). A mathematical problem from the Moscow Mathematical Olympiad demonstrating that the sum of the two largest numbers in rows equals that in columns

⚙️ Mathematical Software & Tools

Inequality Union Finds: Baby Steps to Refinement E-graphs (philipzucker​.com). Exploration of refinement e-graphs and inequality union finds for better handling of rewrites and assertions in programming languages

QuiverTools: the writeup (pbelmans​.ncag​.info). QuiverTools v1.1 released for SageMath and Julia, enhancing quivers and moduli spaces with Riemann–Roch theorem insights and new algorithms

Conway's game of life in 3 dimensions (pbelmans​.ncag​.info). Exploration of Conway's Game of Life in 3D using D3.js, featuring preloaded patterns and encouraging further development in open-source projects

“Matrix Inverse Using Cayley-Hamilton with C#” in Visual Studio Magazine (jamesmccaffrey​.wordpress​.com). Cayley-Hamilton matrix inverse method demonstrated in C#; explores characteristics, implementation challenges, and limitations for machine learning algorithms

🎯 Geometry & Mathematical Visualization

Scales as Multipermutations of 0 and 1 into Twelve Places (petecorey​.com). Generating arbitrarily defined musical scales using multipermutations of 0 and 1 to explore interval relationships and property testing in Elixir

Drawing with Circles: Vibe coding the Fourier Transformation (punyamishra​.com). Explores visualizing the Fourier Transformation through circles, showcasing its role in digital signals, sound processing, and creating intricate images through mathematical harmony

Triangle wave (jimkang​.com). Exploration of triangle wave equations using Desmos for visualization and understanding component synthesis in waveform creation

A New Pyramid-Like Shape Always Lands the Same Side Up (quantamagazine​.org). Newly constructed tetrahedron shape balances on one face, confirming John's Conway's conjecture, engineered using carbon fiber and tungsten, with applications in spacecraft design

The Herschel enneahedron on Numberphile (aperiodical​.com). Christian Lawson-Perfect discusses the Herschel enneahedron, die fairness, symmetry, kite shapes, and offers a 3D interactive visualization

🧮 Computational Mathematics & Algorithms

A maximally inefficient Monte Carlo estimate of pi (possiblywrong​.wordpress​.com). Monte Carlo methods estimate pi through coin flipping strategies, dart throwing simulations, and Buffon's noodle, exploring efficiency and computational cost

Why learn about the golden-section search (wordsandbuttons​.online). Explore the golden-section search and bisection search algorithms, comparing their computational efficiency and convergence characteristics in numerical optimization

Calculus Phobic’s Introduction to Differentiable Programming (andersource​.dev). Introduction to differentiable programming using JAX, focusing on optimization techniques, gradient descent, and automatic differentiation principles for solving computational problems

Optimal Addition Sequences for Integer Multiplication (jonot​.me). Exploration of optimal addition sequences for integer multiplication on limited CPUs, utilizing dynamic programming techniques for efficient computation

Constant-Time Breakthrough Raises the Hash-Table Speed Limit (emsi​.me). New hash table design achieves constant average access time and logarithmic worst-case time, revolutionizing data structure efficiency in high-load computing

New Proof Dramatically Compresses Space Needed for Computation (cosmicmeta​.io). Ryan Williams' proof revolutionizes algorithm memory efficiency, compressing space needed for computation and redefining the time-space trade-off in computer science

🔢 Number Theory & Mathematical Analysis

BusyBeaver(6) is really quite large (scottaaronson​.blog). Busy Beaver(6) exceeds previously known bounds, now at least 2 pentated to 5, showcasing Turing machine complexities and implications on set theory

The Distribution of Prime Numbers: A Geometrical Perspective (blog​.computationalcomplexity​.org). Exploration of prime number distribution using random walks and Jacob's Ladder visualization to uncover patterns and questions in number theory

Legendre and Ethereum (johndcook​.com). Legendre PRF and its potential use in Ethereum 2.0's proof of custody through pseudorandom number generation and zero knowledge proofs

Patching functions together (johndcook​.com). Exploration of patching functions, continuity, and smoothness; C¹, C² classifications, natural cubic splines, and implications for physical applications

Two high school students have a new proof of the Pythagorean Theorem / Pythag theorem older than thought (blog​.computationalcomplexity​.org). Two high school students prove the Pythagorean Theorem using elementary methods, with evidence of its use predating Pythagoras by a millennium

Convergence of Random Events (clojurecivitas​.github​.io). Exploring Central Limit Theorem's role in understanding converging random events, including coin flips, the Monty Hall problem, and average calculations in programming

📚 Academic Research

Diophantine Equations over $\mathbb Z$: Universal Bounds and Parallel Formalization (arxiv:math). Explores bounds on Diophantine equations, universal pairs for integer unknowns, and integrates formal verification with the Isabelle proof assistant

LeanConjecturer: Automatic Generation of Mathematical Conjectures for Theorem Proving (arxiv:cs). LeanConjecturer automates university-level mathematical conjecture generation using LLMs, enhancing theorem proving with novel conjectures and verifying non-trivial topology theorems

Universal Gluing and Contextual Choice: Categorical Logic and the Foundations of Analytic Approximation (arxiv:math). Universal Gluing and Contextual Choice Principle enables local construction, analytic approximation, and stability in computational mathematics and constructive analysis through categorical logic

Trace Formulas in Noncommutative Geometry (arxiv:math). Asymptotic expansions of trace formulas in noncommutative geometry using multiple operator integration; Dixmier trace formula for density of states on manifolds

Modular versus Hierarchical: A Structural Signature of Topic Popularity in Mathematical Research (arxiv:math). Study of collaboration network structures reveals popular topics form modular 'schools of thought,' while niche topics exhibit hierarchical core-periphery structures in mathematical research

General Mathematical Proof of Occam's Razor; Upgrading Theoretical Physicists' Methodology (arxiv:math). Mathematical proof of modernized Occam's razor utilizing Kolmogorov complexity; proposing efficient methodology for theoretical physics research through information assessment

Generalized Multiple Operator Integrals for Operators with Finite Dimensions (arxiv:math). Development of Generalized Multiple Operator Integrals (GMOIs) for non-Hermitian matrices, extending traditional operator theory and facilitating new applications in functional calculus and matrix derivatives

Iteration Steps of 3x+1 Problem (arxiv:math). Explores the 3x+1 problem, defining relationships among total, odd, and even iteration steps using the weak residue conjecture and logarithmic expressions

Some Mathematical Problems Behind Lattice-Based Cryptography (arxiv:math). Explores mathematical foundations of lattice-based cryptography, addressing SVP, CVP, and their complexities amid post-quantum cryptography standards by NIST

On the distribution of shapes of pure quartic number fields (arxiv:math). Investigates shapes of pure quartic number fields, revealing a distribution governed by continuous and discrete measures linked to residue classes and torus orbits

👋 Before you go

I've got a big favor to ask - keeping Blaze running isn't expensive, but it does all add up, so I'm asking readers like you to help, if you can.
That's why I'm launching a Patreon page!. Nothing flashy, just a way for folks who find value in these newsletters to chip in a little each month. In return, you'll get:

  • Real say in how Blaze evolves — vote on new topics, features, topic curation ideas
  • First dibs on merch (details still cooking)
  • That warm fuzzy feeling knowing you're supporting something that saves you time and keeps you plugged into great tech writing

If you are getting value from blaze, checking this out would mean the world. And if you can't contribute, no worries—the newsletters keep coming either way, and you can follow along on patreon for free.
Thanks for reading and being part of this nerdy corner of the internet. All the best - Alastair.

You may also like

About The Mathematician

Our The Mathematician newsletter covers the latest developments, research papers, and insights in mathematics and statistics. Each week, we curate the most important content so you don't have to spend hours searching.

Whether you're a mathematician, statistician, or data scientist, our newsletter provides valuable information to keep you informed and ahead of the curve in this intellectually stimulating field.

Subscribe now to join thousands of professionals who receive our weekly updates!