NewsPronto

 
The Times


.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

What’s the shape of the universe? Mathematicians use topology to study the shape of the world and everything in it

  • Written by John Etnyre, Professor of Mathematics, Georgia Institute of Technology
imageYou can describe the shape you live on in multiple dimensions.vkulieva/iStock via Getty Images Plus

When you look at your surrounding environment, it might seem like you’re living on a flat plane. After all, this is why you can navigate a new city using a map: a flat piece of paper that represents all the places around you. This is likely why...

Read more: What’s the shape of the universe? Mathematicians use topology to study the shape of the world and...

More Articles ...

  1. AIs flunk language test that takes grammar out of the equation
  2. Philadelphia continues long history of Black-led protest meetings aimed at fighting racial inequity and prejudice
  3. Parrotfish support healthy coral reefs, but they’re not a cure-all, and sometimes cause harm
  4. Why people rebuild in Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas despite the risks
  5. In many of Appalachia’s flood-ravaged areas, residents have little choice but rebuild in risky locations
  6. States that impose severe prison sentences accomplish the opposite of what they say they want
  7. How ticket-splitting voters could shape the 2026 midterms
  8. Cutting Medicaid and federal programs are among 4 key Trump administration policy changes that could make life harder for disabled people
  9. USAID’s apparent demise and the US withdrawal from WHO put millions of lives worldwide at risk and imperil US national security
  10. How Nutriset, a French company, has helped alleviate hunger and create jobs in some of the world’s poorest places
  11. Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting prioritizes ‘real’ independence from the US − but what does that mean and is it achievable?
  12. A hazy legal landscape means people can get high on hemp products, even where pot is prohibited
  13. Butchers, bakers, candlestick-makers − and prostitutes: The women working behind the scenes in papal Avignon
  14. 500 years ago, German peasants revolted – but their faith that the Protestant Reformation stood for freedom was dashed by Martin Luther and the nobility
  15. How early voting on campuses can boost election turnout – not only for students but for residents, too
  16. Trump’s claims of vast presidential powers run up against Article 2 of the Constitution and exceed previous presidents’ power grabs
  17. Generative AI is most useful for the things we care about the least
  18. Selenium is an essential nutrient named after the Greek goddess of the Moon − crucial to health, it may help prevent and treat cancer
  19. Colorado is tackling air pollution in vulnerable neighborhoods by regulating 5 air toxics
  20. If US attempts World Bank retreat, the China-led AIIB could be poised to step in – and provide a model of global cooperation
  21. Francis − a pope who has cared deeply for the poor and opened up the Catholic Church
  22. The murder rate in Venezuela has fallen − but both Trump and Maduro are wrong about why
  23. How Elon Musk’s deep ties to – and admiration for – China could complicate Trump’s Beijing policy
  24. Rising house prices don’t just make it harder to become a homeowner – they also widen the racial wealth gap
  25. 3 ways Trump is acting like a king and bypassing the Constitution’s checks and balances on presidential authority
  26. Why including people with disabilities in the workforce and higher education benefits everyone
  27. As Pennsylvania inches toward legalizing recreational cannabis, lawmakers propose selling it in state-owned dispensaries similar to state liquor stores
  28. Can animals have mental disabilities?
  29. How Roman society integrated people who altered their bodies and defied gender norms
  30. The quest to extend human life is both fascinating and fraught with moral peril
  31. I went to CPAC as an anthropologist to see how Trump supporters are feeling − for them, a ‘golden age’ has begun
  32. Trump’s moves to strip employment protections from federal workers threaten to make government function worse – not better
  33. Brazil coup charges could end Bolsonaro’s political career − but they won’t extinguish Bolsonarismo
  34. A Palestinian film is an Oscars favorite − so why is it so hard to see?
  35. A Palestinian-Israeli film is an Oscars favorite − so why is it so hard to see?
  36. We study mass surveillance for social control, and we see Trump laying the groundwork to ‘contain’ people of color and immigrants
  37. Survey shows immigrants in Florida – even US citizens – are less likely to seek health care after passage of anti-immigrant laws
  38. Colliding plasma ejections from the Sun generate huge geomagnetic storms − studying them will help scientists monitor future space weather
  39. Making sex deadly for insects could control pests that carry disease and harm crops
  40. From ancient emperors to modern presidents, leaders have used libraries to cement their legacies
  41. How allies have helped the US gain independence, defend freedom and keep the peace – even as the US did the same for our friends
  42. A fiscal crisis is looming for many US cities
  43. Trump’s threats on Greenland, Gaza, Ukraine and Panama revive old-school US imperialism of dominating other nations by force, after decades of nuclear deterrence
  44. Trump’s move to closer ties with Russia does not mean betrayal of Ukraine, yet – in his first term, Trump was pretty tough on Putin
  45. p53 is both your genome’s guardian and weakness against cancer – scientists are trying to repair or replace it when it goes awry
  46. Trump order boosts school choice, but there’s little evidence vouchers lead to smarter students or better educational outcomes
  47. The leadership hack that drives success: Being trustworthy
  48. CDC layoffs strike deeply at its ability to respond to the current flu, norovirus and measles outbreaks and other public health emergencies
  49. In pushing for Ukraine elections, Trump is falling into Putin-laid trap to delegitimize Zelenskyy
  50. DEI programs are designed to help white people too – here’s how