The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. One July afternoon in 2024, Ryan Williams set out to prove himself wrong. Two months had passed since he’d hit upon a startling ...

In life, we sometimes have to make decisions without all the information we want; that’s true in computer science, too. This is the realm of online algorithms — which, despite their name, don’t ...

Building on a landmark algorithm, researchers propose a way to make a smaller and more noise-tolerant quantum factoring circuit for cryptography. The most recent email you sent was likely encrypted ...

Imagine a world where artificial intelligence not only understands language but creates with it, where quantum systems no longer feel like an enigma but a solvable puzzle. It might sound like science ...

Two researchers have improved a well-known technique for lattice basis reduction, opening up new avenues for practical experiments in cryptography and mathematics. In our increasingly digital lives, ...

The tiny worm Caenorhabditis elegans has a brain just about the width of a human hair. Yet this animal’s itty-bitty organ coordinates and computes complex movements as the worm forages for food. “When ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Algorithms have become ubiquitous. They optimize our commutes, process payments, and coordinate the flow of internet traffic. It seems ...

An algorithm could be used to map out different types of road routes An algorithm is a set of instructions to solve a problem or complete a task. Algorithms are vital for programming, as they provide ...