A new quantum-inspired algorithm has cracked a problem so massive that conventional supercomputers struggle to even approach it. Researchers used the method to simulate extraordinarily complex quantum ...

Determining the least expensive path for a new subway line underneath a metropolis like New York City is a colossal planning challenge—involving thousands of potential routes through hundreds of city ...

Bio-inspired computational methods have gained popularity recently. These methods mimic the seemingly complex behavior of organisms to tackle difficult and often overwhelming problems. For example, ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. If you want to solve a tricky problem, it often helps to get organized. You might, for example, break the problem into pieces and tackle ...

Researchers have successfully used a quantum algorithm to solve a complex century-old mathematical problem long considered impossible for even the most powerful conventional supercomputers. The ...

In the Dynamic Bin Packing problem, \(n\) items arrive and depart the system in an online manner, and the goal is to maintain a good packing throughout. We consider the objective of minimizing the ...

The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. For computer scientists, solving problems is a bit like mountaineering. First they must choose a problem to solve—akin to identifying a ...

Right now, quantum computers are small and error-prone compared to where they’ll likely be in a few years. Even within those limitations, however, there have been regular claims that the hardware can ...

Geometric packing problems involve arranging objects of given shapes within a confined region so as to maximise density, minimise wasted space or satisfy prescribed distance and balance constraints.

The rules herald the end of the city’s peculiar, decades-old tradition of letting residents place their bulging garbage bags directly on the sidewalk. By Andy Newman A new era has dawned for New York ...