These are not the kinds of objects that concern Scott Sheffield. Sheffield, a professor of mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, studies shapes that are constructed by random ...

The Monte Carlo simulation estimates the probability of different outcomes in a process that cannot easily be predicted because of the potential for random variables.

Researchers have uncovered deep connections among different types of random objects, illuminating hidden geometric structures. These are not the kinds of objects that concern Scott Sheffield.

Mention the word “turbulence” and you might conjure up images of bumpy flights, stormy weather, and choppy ocean or river currents. For many, turbulence is a fact of daily life, yet it is also one of ...