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- Written by: Mike Leary
- Category: Science
Mathematics has been practiced for more than 2,000 years, yet most symbols used today are far younger. The plus, minus, multiplication and division signs entered common use only a few centuries ago. Behind each mark stands a specific person, place or practical need. Historians such as Kate Kitagawa and Raúl Rojas have documented how these signs emerged, changed and spread across continents. Their work fits into broader discussions in modern science about how knowledge systems evolve over time.
Rojas, a professor at the University of Nevada, Reno, has collected origin stories for nearly 30 years. He presents them in his book The Language of Mathematics The Stories Behind the Symbols. Kitagawa, now at La Trobe University in Melbourne, emphasizes that mathematical notation reflects personal decisions and historical context. Many symbols were adapted, altered or even erased over time. Readers interested in how ideas circulate across disciplines can find more here.
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- Written by: Mike Leary
- Category: Science
A portable laboratory operating from a van has identified a new drug-resistant HIV strain in Ukraine following the expansion of the war in 2022. The finding offers direct genomic evidence that conflict and displacement have altered patterns of transmission. The project, led by virologist of the University of California, Irvine, demonstrates how mobile sequencing can function where stationary laboratories cannot.
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- Written by: Mike Leary
- Category: Science
Seasonal changes in shark behavior can shape human risk in coastal waters. New research based on long-term data shows a clear October pattern in Hawaii. The findings link shark bite frequency to the reproductive cycle of one species. The effect is now widely referred to as Sharktober, similar to other documented patterns of animal behavior described in marine species research.
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- Written by: Mike Leary
- Category: Science
Research examining how social media affects society has expanded rapidly since 2010. It spans mental health, political polarization, and misinformation. Similar questions about digital platforms also appear in reporting on the impact of social media on student mental health. A recent preprint finds that a significant share of this work involves undisclosed links between researchers and social media companies. The analysis shows how often those connections appear in leading journals and how they may shape research priorities.