Does the thought of a maths test bring you out in a cold sweat? Maths anxiety is real. But why do so many people find maths stressful, and what can we do about it? Not a maths person Imagine you’re sitting in a classroom, about to take a mathematics test. How do you feel? Stressed? Tense? Nervous? Wishing you could escape? Sounds like maths anxiety. If you’re not sure, you can take a maths anxiety […]
We’ve all used rock-paper-scissors to resolve a dispute. Is there a foolproof winning strategy? The earwig and the elephant When all else fails, rock-paper-scissors (also known as RPS) is an excellent way to make a decision. The rules are simple. At an agreed moment – usually after two or three ‘primes’ to get in sync, two people each make a symbol with their hand. The symbols are rock (closed fist), paper (flat hand) and scissors […]
We’ve all heard about ‘clever’ animals... learning to use tools, communicate complex information and solve problems. But can animals count?
I’m sure you know the idea: everyone on Earth is connected to every other person by six or fewer links. The idea was first proposed in 1929, but is six still the correct number of links in today’s connected world?
You’ve just flown halfway across the globe and the clock tells you it’s morning but your body tells you it’s bedtime. You’re tired and dazed. You can’t think straight and it take days to start feeling normal again. Jet lag. Is it just an annoyance, or something more serious? And among the many touted remedies, could a new smartphone app be the answer?
Espresso Science 