Computer scientists have written a network flow algorithm that computes almost as fast as is mathematically possible. This algorithm computes the maximum traffic flow with minimum transport costs for ...

In algorithms, as in life, negativity can be a drag. Consider the problem of finding the shortest path between two points on a graph — a network of nodes connected by links, or edges. Often, these ...

Soon, researchers may be able to create movies of their favorite protein or virus better and faster than ever before. Researchers at the Department of Energy's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory ...

If you’ve been making the same commute for a long time, you’ve probably settled on what seems like the best route. But “best” is a slippery concept. Perhaps one day there’s an accident or road closure ...

When Nathan Klein started graduate school two years ago, his advisers proposed a modest plan: to work together on one of the most famous, long-standing problems in theoretical computer science. Even ...

Computer programmers have developed a new 'cutting-plane' algorithm, a general-purpose algorithm for solving optimization problems. The algorithm improves on the running time of its most efficient ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Rahul focuses on the impact of autonomy on society. “God does not play dice with the universe,” Albert Einstein is reported to ...