Commemorating 25 years of advancing the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences
In 1994, the Simons Foundation was born. To commemorate the anniversary, we published a book containing more than three dozen articles about the scientific and mathematical things we find beautiful; the mysteries we love; the science we’ve learned in 25 years; the contributions we’ve made in that time; and the problems we hope to solve by our 50th birthday. Below are the online versions of some of the articles. The entire book is available as PDF.
Featured Articles
June 09, 2020
Untangling Quantum EntanglementJune 09, 2020
Two quantum particles can be intimately connected even when they are far apart, forming patterns beyond the scope of classical physics. When vast numbers of them link up, the outcome seems beyond comprehension altogether. The pattern-matching power of neural networks may be the key.
May 29, 2020
Can Autism Therapy Be Tailored?May 29, 2020
Leveraging personalized genomics can aid the development of effective autism therapies, promising new research suggests.
May 18, 2020
Deconstructing Machine Learning’s Black BoxMay 18, 2020
AI can recognize faces, drive cars and simulate the universe, but precisely how it works remains unknown. Flatiron Institute scientists plan to solve the mystery.
May 06, 2020
Finding Prime Locations: The Continuing Challenge to Prove the Riemann HypothesisMay 06, 2020
The 160-year-old Riemann hypothesis has deep connections to the distribution of prime numbers and remains one of the most important unsolved problems in mathematics.
May 06, 2020
Hilbert’s Problems: 23 and MathMay 06, 2020
David Hilbert put forth 23 problems that helped set the research agenda for mathematics in the 20th century. Here is a status report on those challenges.
April 29, 2020
Mutations in Uncharted TerritoryApril 29, 2020
Genetic dark matter makes up 98 percent of our genomes, yet scientists are still figuring out how it works.
April 22, 2020
Bang, Bounce or Something Else?April 22, 2020
Time began at the Big Bang — or did it? Alternative ideas, including a universe that repeatedly reboots itself, suggest something came before the Big Bang.
April 15, 2020
History of the Autism MysteryApril 15, 2020
Despite numerous breakthroughs into the causes of autism, many mysteries about the condition remain.
April 09, 2020
Deciphering the Brain’s AlgorithmsApril 09, 2020
Solving the mysteries of the brain requires reverse engineering the rules and patterns that control it.
April 09, 2020
Neural Coding: A Truly Cerebral PuzzleApril 09, 2020
Individual neurons and regions of the brain can encode surprisingly strange combinations of information.
April 01, 2020
Tell Us About the SpecialApril 01, 2020
How the Simonses developed their own algorithm for excellence in science philanthropy.
March 23, 2020
A Cosmic Merger Over Vegan SproutsMarch 23, 2020
The director of the Simons Observatory describes the origin of the observatory, which aims to explain the origin of the universe.
March 19, 2020
Inventing Tools for Others: Supercharging Studies of Autism GeneticsMarch 19, 2020
To speed discovery, SFARI decided to break the traditional approach in which each laboratory collects its own datasets and keeps them close to the vest.
March 12, 2020
A Collaborative Checklist: How We Select ProjectsMarch 12, 2020
Seven general criteria and considerations are top of mind when we decide on collaborations to support.
March 12, 2020
Working as a Team: Collaborations as a Key to BreakthroughsMarch 12, 2020
By bringing researchers together to focus on specific scientific goals, we hope to accelerate the pace of discovery.
March 09, 2020
The Flatiron Institute: A Home for Computational SciencesMarch 09, 2020
The institute has grown from a beautiful proposal into a bustling hub for computational science in astrophysics, biology, mathematics and quantum physics.
March 02, 2020
A Reckoning for Moore’s LawMarch 02, 2020
Why upgrading your computer every two years no longer makes sense.
February 27, 2020
A Conversation With Gerald FischbachFebruary 27, 2020
We asked the foundation's distinguished scientist, who joined us in 2006 to lead the Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI), to reflect on the initiative and its accomplishments.
February 21, 2020
Rethinking the Spectrum: Three Things We Thought Were True About AutismFebruary 21, 2020
The push to gain a deep understanding of the genetics and neurobiology of autism has forced scientists to reexamine three ideas about the condition.
February 20, 2020
The Universe’s Dark Expanding MysteryFebruary 20, 2020
When it comes to the composition of the universe, we’ve made significant progress in finding out how little we know.
February 14, 2020
Many’s Not Too Many Anymore for Quantum SystemsFebruary 14, 2020
Describing many-body quantum systems is generally next to impossible, physicists thought — until they realized that localized entanglement holds the key.
February 13, 2020
Our Solo System: Exoplanets Reveal How Unique We AreFebruary 13, 2020
Rocky planets inside, gas giants outside — we thought our solar system was typical. But the discovery of worlds around other stars has altered that view.
February 06, 2020
How Symmetry Guides Our Search for TruthFebruary 06, 2020
With its aesthetic appeal, symmetry has been a beacon for mathematicians and physicists.
February 05, 2020
Beauty and the BrainFebruary 05, 2020
Cerebral fascinations: We asked our neuroscientists why they find the brain beautiful.
January 30, 2020
You’re Not All Human: The Wonder of Gut MicrobesJanuary 30, 2020
The finely tuned collection of bacteria, archaea and fungi collectively known as the microbiome hold an exquisite power that we are only beginning to recognize.
January 22, 2020
The Simons Foundation: How Did We Get Here?January 22, 2020
The president of the Simons Foundation describes the growth of the organization and the evolution of its culture.
January 22, 2020
James Simons: My Guiding PrinciplesJanuary 22, 2020
The chair of the Simons Foundation describes his five principles for building a successful organization.
January 22, 2020
Simons Foundation TimelineJanuary 22, 2020
Commemorating 25 years of advancing the frontiers of research in mathematics and the basic sciences
January 22, 2020
Curiosity Is More Beautiful Than IgnoranceJanuary 22, 2020
Even the most abstract mathematics or science is surprisingly useful. But should we be surprised by that?
January 22, 2020
Three Dignities and the Progress of ScienceJanuary 22, 2020
Roger Bacon’s ‘three dignities’ illustrate not only how experimentation verifies and disproves theories but also how it produces new knowledge, even in mathematics.