The original version of this story appeared in Quanta Magazine. Pose a question to a Magic 8 Ball, and it’ll answer yes, no, or something annoyingly indecisive. We think of it as a kid’s toy, but ...

Pose a question to a Magic 8 Ball, and it’ll answer yes, no or something annoyingly indecisive. We think of it as a kid’s toy, but theoretical computer scientists employ a similar tool. They often ...

From powering search engines to securing data and optimizing networks, algorithms underpin nearly every aspect of modern technology. Understanding how efficiently they can solve problems — and where ...