Blog – Page 2 – C. Sean Bohun

A Poll at the Forum

March 1, 2014February 27, 2014 by seanmathmodelguy

Often I see polls saying that Rob Ford has a political base that is either made of concrete or completely at odds with the reality of what it means to be a responsible leader that represents the people. The most recent example is a tweet in #TOpoli today citing an article in the Toronto Star … Read moreA Poll at the Forum

Confirming a New Years resolution

February 10, 2014February 9, 2014 by admin

Over the last year I have been taking note of some of the stories in the various science/tech news feeds with of hope of eventually finding the time to expound on them in a format such as this. There is really no perfect time to commence such an activity and over the winter break I … Read moreConfirming a New Years resolution

ICIAM has a newsletter

January 25, 2013 by seanmathmodelguy

I’ve received the following email from ICIAM and wanted to bring this to the wider mathematics community. Dear Colleagues, The January 2013 issue — Volume 1, No 1 — of the ICIAM Newsletter is now available. Please visit www.iciam.org/news to download a PDF copy of the Newsletter from the link that you will find there, … Read moreICIAM has a newsletter

On the origin of \(x\)

August 16, 2012 by seanmathmodelguy

Recently I had the opportunity to watch Why the \(x\) is Unknown TED talk from Terry Moore but I soon realized after talking to a colleague that the explanation Terry gives is much too simplified. Since there are cultural aspects to this question I’ve asked my colleague Carmen for her opinion. Have a listen in. Carmen, … Read moreOn the origin of \(x\)

How everyday foam reveals the secret logic of artificial intelligence January 15, 2026

Foams were once thought to behave like glass, with bubbles frozen in place at the microscopic level. But new simulations reveal that foam bubbles are always shifting, even while the foam keeps its overall shape. Remarkably, this restless motion follows the same math used to train artificial intelligence. The finding hints that learning-like behavior may […]

This AI spots dangerous blood cells doctors often miss January 13, 2026

A generative AI system can now analyze blood cells with greater accuracy and confidence than human experts, detecting subtle signs of diseases like leukemia. It not only spots rare abnormalities but also recognizes its own uncertainty, making it a powerful support tool for clinicians.

These mesmerizing patterns are secretly solving hard problems January 8, 2026

Tessellations aren’t just eye-catching patterns—they can be used to crack complex mathematical problems. By repeatedly reflecting shapes to tile a surface, researchers uncovered a method that links geometry, symmetry, and problem-solving. The technique works in both ordinary flat space and curved hyperbolic worlds used in theoretical physics. Its blend of beauty and precision could influence […]

This AI finds simple rules where humans see only chaos December 22, 2025

A new AI developed at Duke University can uncover simple, readable rules behind extremely complex systems. It studies how systems evolve over time and reduces thousands of variables into compact equations that still capture real behavior. The method works across physics, engineering, climate science, and biology. Researchers say it could help scientists understand systems where […]

Ramanujan’s 100-year-old pi formula is still revealing the Universe December 16, 2025

Ramanujan’s elegant formulas for calculating pi, developed more than a century ago, have unexpectedly resurfaced at the heart of modern physics. Researchers at IISc discovered that the same mathematical structures behind these formulas also describe real-world phenomena like turbulence, percolation, and even black holes. What once seemed like pure mathematics now appears deeply intertwined with […]