Category
From calendars to music, from the kitchen to numbers: posts that uncover the science and maths hidden in everyday culture.
NewestScience and Culture
The crust of fresh bread, roasted coffee, fried köfte (Turkish meatballs)... Behind all their wonderful smells lies the same chemical process: the Maillard reaction. We explain this kitchen chemistry, how it differs from caramelisation, and some common misconceptions.
Kuazara Bilim Ekibi7 min read
When you press a string exactly at its midpoint, why do you hear a higher version of the same note? From Pythagoras's string experiments to frequency ratios and the piano's equal temperament, we explore the maths inside music.
7 min read
The golden ratio is said to be hidden in the pyramids, the Parthenon, the Mona Lisa and the human face. Most of these claims aren't based on measurements. We sort out the real maths of the golden ratio and where it truly appears in nature.
7 min read
Why does February sometimes have 29 days? Why does Ramadan come about 11 days earlier each year? What do the Rumi dates in old Ottoman documents mean? We explain the astronomy and history behind calendars in plain language.
7 min read
Today we can't imagine life without zero, yet for thousands of years people did their sums without it. We tell the story of zero, from a gap marker in Babylon to a true number in India, and from Baghdad to Europe.
7 min read