While the Nobel Prize is sought after by the crème de la crème of scientists, in terms of sheer dollars, there is one award that is even more coveted than the Nobel. This year, the Breakthrough Prize bestowed $3 million each to scientists who made outstanding breakthroughs in mathematics, physics and life sciences. By comparison, the Nobel Prize awards $1.9 million less. The award was … [Read more...]
Monkeys are good at mathematics, says study
In a study that could help scientists trace the origins of humans' mathematical skills, the researchers at Harvard University Medical School taught three rhesus monkeys with 26 distinct symbols, which included Arabic numerals and 16 letters, to understand their learning and grasping ability. Each symbols taught to the monkeys were associated with a reward (drops of water or juice). To much … [Read more...]