MathsHealth & Society
Why don't we see in X-rays?
Visible light is the radiation the Sun generates most prolifically. It is also the radiation that our atmosphere hinders least. It is no surprise that the majority of eyes have evolved to be sensitive to the most abundant light around.
Restoring features, repairing lives
We often think of plastic surgery as nothing more than celebrities getting nose jobs and facelifts, but plastic surgeons also perform reconstructive surgery to treat patients with severe injuries or burns.
Cutting down on crime
Crime is a problem everywhere, and especially in big cities, but why are some areas more at risk than others?
Health & Society: Who employs mathematicians?
Maths graduates may not always be aware of the various employment opportunities available to them. This page offers a list of employer websites divided into several categories.
Statistically safe sex
You probably think that nothing could be further apart than sex and maths, but understanding the probability and statistics behind birth control will help you make informed choices about contraceptives and keep sex safe.
How to have a healthy sex life
There are 25 different types of STIs, including HIV, and chlamydia. How safe are you?
How to be statistically savvy
Comment is free; facts are sacred. You can’t argue with numbers - they tell it like it is. Or do they?
What are you drinking?
The Government’s drinking guidelines suggest that men shouldn’t go over 3 or 4 units of alcohol a day regularly, while women should keep it to 2 or 3. But what are these units?
What day is it?
Where do days, months, and years come from? Keeping track of time is harder than you think.
Ratios make baking a piece of cake
Cooking using ratios is much easier than working from a set recipe.
Tips on tips
Going out for a meal’s a treat. You’ve enjoyed some good food and someone else is going to wash up - but then comes the bill and the embarrassment of figuring out how much to tip.
Some maths, one vote
Annoyed that your favourite act didn't win X Factor? Find out why it's mathematically impossible to have a fair vote.
Scalpel… forceps… maths
As medical science becomes more advanced, maths is a vital tool in medical studies, medicine design and imaging.
Counting calories
There are hundreds of diets on the market, but only one basic equation behind how we process food.
Cut it out and curl it up
Hairstyling is an art, and like all artists hairdressers need to understand geometry.
The zombies are coming
When the dead rise from their graves, it’s time to call the epidemiologists. Mathematical models give tactics for surviving the unholy onslaught.