If there's a mathematical idea that applies itself to almost everything in everyday life but is almost unknown outside the scientific world, the Fourier transform has to be the most unsung contender.

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 ...

When it comes to mathematics, the average person can probably get through most of life well enough with just basic algebra. Some simple statistical concepts would be helpful, and a little calculus ...

If you’ve spent any time on the Internet, at some point you’ve heard the phrase “Fourier transform.” It’s it’s a mathematical discovery that’s baked into everything from MP3s to quantum physics. Once ...

Mathematicians are still trying to understand fundamental properties of the Fourier transform, one of their most ubiquitous and powerful tools. A new result marks an exciting advance toward that goal.

FTIR deals with the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, and it works by measuring how much light is absorbed by the bonds of vibrating molecules to provide a molecular fingerprint. The ...

It is now possible to calculate the Fourier transform of an image on your smartphone, thanks to a new app developed by two nanophotonics researchers in The Netherlands. “2D-Fourier” is available for ...

In less than 100 seconds, Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb of the University of Cambridge in the UK provides a basic definition of a Fourier transform. She explains how this mathematical tool was introduced ...