Jacob Aron

London

Deputy News Editor at New Scientist

News editor for New Scientist

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Articles

The bizarre story of a maths proof that is only true in Japan

3 weeks ago | newscientist.com | Jacob Aron

As a science journalist, there are some stories that you return to again and again. There is climate change, of course – the biggest story of our time. Then there are the big questions, such as “what is consciousness?” or “are we alone in the universe?”, and so on. But one of the stories I simply cannot let go of is a mathematical argument that has been raging for over a decade. I call it “the proof that is only true in Japan”. Let me…
The bizarre story of a maths proof that is only true in Japan

3 weeks ago | flipboard.com | Jacob Aron

3 hours agoTrump EPA moves to roll back rules projected to save billions of dollars and thousands of livesWhen the head of the Environmental Protection Agency announced a wide-ranging rollback of environmental regulations, he said it would put a “dagger through the heart of climate-change religion” and introduce a “Golden Age” for the American economy.
The maths that tells us when a scientific discovery is real - or not

1 month ago | newscientist.com | Jacob Aron

Terry Pratchett was fond of saying that million-to-one chances crop up nine times out of ten. On the face of it, this sentence is mathematically absurd, but in the fantasy world of Pratchett’s Discworld books, powered by the magic of narratives, it makes perfect sense. Of course heroes are always going to face incredible odds, and of course they are almost always going to overcome them, because that is what heroes do.
The maths that tells us when a scientific discovery is real – or not | Flipboard

1 month ago | flipboard.com | Jacob Aron

The telltale sign that you used ChatGPT - and a trick to avoid itDon't want people to know you use ChatGPT to write your emails or reports? Pay attention to this small detail. I have been testing ChatGPT since it …
Could the ancient Greeks have invented quantum theory?

2 months ago | flipboard.com | Jacob Aron

Breaking Down the Trump Administration’s Most Insidious LieDonald Trump tells so many lies that it is impossible to keep track. Of course, not all of them are equal. Some of them are really bad and impactful, …
Could the ancient Greeks have invented quantum theory?

2 months ago | newscientist.com | Jacob Aron

“Only atoms and the void are real,” said the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus. “Well, actually, it’s a bit more complicated than that. Atoms can also be waves, the void is made up of fields and everyone is going to need to start using the word ‘quantum’ all the time.”OK, he said only the first bit. Democritus pioneered atomism – the idea that everything in the universe can be divided into atoms, which can then be divided no further.
La storia infinita del pi greco

Mar 20, 2025 | internazionale.it | Jacob Aron

Chi è stato il primo a calcolare il pi greco? Il primo a capire che dividendo la circonferenza di un cerchio per il suo diametro si ottiene sempre lo stesso numero, cioè poco più di tre? Non lo sapremo mai con certezza, ma c’è motivo di credere che sia vissuto circa quattromila anni fa. Partiamo dagli antichi egizi.
This excellent guide to the science of uncertainty is very welcome

Mar 19, 2025 | newscientist.com | Jacob Aron

ProofAdam Kucharski (Profile Books (UK) Basic Books (US, 6 May))I have something of a reputation as a party-pooper in the office. At our weekly meeting to discuss the latest and greatest ideas in science, colleagues will eagerly describe some incredible new theory or spectacular find, then sit back to field questions. I can already hear the groans before I open my mouth to say: “Yes, but what is the actual evidence?”I don’t do this because I enjoy shooting down ideas (OK, maybe I do…
Why the long history of calculating pi will never be completed

Mar 14, 2025 | newscientist.com | Jacob Aron

Who was the first person to calculate pi? The first person to realise that, hang on, when you divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter, you always seem to get the same number, namely slightly more than 3? We will never know exactly, of course, but it is a reasonable assumption that they lived about 4000 years ago. Letâ€™s start with the ancient Egyptians. A papyrus dated to around 1550 BC, which appears to be a maths textbook of sorts, give examples for…
The best video games of 2024

Dec 4, 2024 | newscientist.com | Jacob Aron

Compared to some years (I am thinking of 2023 and its wealth of offerings, from Cocoon to Viewfinder), 2024 has been a bit slower for must-play video games, particularly for the science and technology-themed titles I like to highlight for a New Scientist audience. But that isn’t to say there was nothing to enjoy â€“ far from it! â€“ so here are my picks for the year.