Today’s picks

1. The most exciting claims from OpenAI’s heap of new proofs

Amid OpenAI’s overwhelming wave of new results, scientists have singled out several math and computer science claims as the most significant. This long read examines those highlighted proofs and why experts consider them notable. It offers a useful guide to what matters beneath the hype.

Scientific American

2. Mathematicians marvel, and grumble, at OpenAI’s trove of new results

OpenAI has released a trove of mathematical results, nicknamed the “slop drop,” including several groundbreaking proofs. Mathematicians are both impressed and skeptical, and how the results were generated remains unclear and contentious. The episode raises pressing questions about AI’s role in mathematical discovery and academic norms, making it worth reading.

Scientific American

3. Anne Carson wins the Nobel prize in literature

The Canadian poet and classicist Anne Carson has won the Nobel prize in literature. Across verse, prose and translation she dissolves the borders between genres, fusing ancient Greek literature with modern experience. This piece traces her body of work and what the award signals, making it worth a closer read.

The Economist Latest

4. Are populists wrecking your portfolio?

This podcast on markets, the economy and business examines how rising populism may affect investment portfolios and why investors might need a new strategy. It explores the links between political shifts, policy uncertainty and asset allocation. Listen in for a concise framework for assessing how elections, trade and regulation could shape personal wealth.

The Economist Latest

5. This year’s Nobel science prizes are real-life sci-fi

This year’s Nobel science prizes honor pioneers of neutrino astronomy, optogenetics and the study of mirror molecules. Their work once sounded like science fiction but now reshapes how we observe the cosmos, control neurons and understand molecular handedness. The article explains the breakthroughs and why they matter, making it worth reading for anyone curious about frontier science.

The Economist Science & Tech

6. A death, a plagiarism scandal and a quest for revenge: the bizarre tale of Otto Z

After his mother Doria dies in Munich, Otto Z becomes convinced that forensic investigators wronged him—and that one of them is a fraud. His quest for answers turns into a quest for revenge, unearthing a truth stranger than he imagined. Blending a family death, a medical dispute, and a plagiarism scandal, this long read explores how grief and obsession can spiral into the bizarre.

The Guardian Long Read

7. OpenAI claims to have solved hundreds of long-standing maths problems

OpenAI claims to have solved hundreds of long-standing maths problems, with the source adding only: “It is judgment day for mathematics.” If true, the claim could mark a major moment for AI in basic science, but it still requires independent verification and peer review. It is worth reading because it raises questions about AI’s mathematical abilities, proof reliability, and how discovery may change.

The Economist Science & Tech

By publication

The Economist

Scientific American

Long reads