Mathematics
The Viral Knot and the Jones Polynomial
Quick fact
The Jones polynomial is a knot invariant discovered by Vaughan Jones in 1984, and it can sometimes distinguish knots that other invariants, like the Alexander polynomial, cannot. For instance, the Jones polynomial of the trefoil knot differs from that of its mirror image, revealing chirality.
Why this is interesting
You've probably tied knots in shoelaces, but did you know that some knots are so complex they can 'go viral'? What exactly makes a knot a 'viral knot', and how can a mathematical formula tell them apart?