Adventurous voyages to Antarctica test mathematical models of sea ice. Untangling a web of conflicting demands can be tough on computers. From sifting through radio telescope signals for signs of extraterrestrial life to searching for record-breaking prime numbers, home and office computers contribute via the Internet to a variety of research efforts. A hexagonal grid represents the best way to divide a flat surface into regions of equal area with the least total perimeter. At the 50th annual International Science and Engineering Fair, now sponsored by Intel, high-school scientists won top scholarships for projects on tumor cells, viruses, and math theorems.
Researchers strive to create a computer program that plays championship poker.
A combination of text and link analysis underlies a novel method for automatically generating lists of authoritative Web resources. The top winners in the 1998 Westinghouse Science Talent Search are students from Indiana, Arizona, and New York. A mathematical model of elastic rods can be used to describe coiled vine tendrils and kinky phone cords. Despite strong support from statisticians, the Census Bureau's plan to increase the use of sampling in the next census has met resistance in Congress. A participant in the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search discovered the largest known prime number, an 895,932-digit behemoth.