A new algorithm performs Fourier transforms using a minimal number of samples. The fast Fourier transform, one of the most important algorithms of the 20th century, revolutionized signal processing.

Over at Quanta Magazine [Shalma Wegsman] asks What Is the Fourier Transform? [Shalma] begins by telling you a little about Joseph Fourier, the French mathematician with an interest in heat propagation ...

Built upon the ubiquitous Fourier transform, the mathematical tools known as wavelets allow unprecedented analysis and understanding of continuous signals. In an increasingly data-driven world, ...

As we listen to a piece of music, our ears perform a calculation. The high-pitched flutter of the flute, the middle tones of the violin, and the low hum of the double bass fill the air with pressure ...