How are your mathematics skills? The Internet magazine Plus, which exposes readers to the beauty and the practical applications of mathematics, is organizing a science-writing competition, open to new writers from anywhere in the world who can explain a mathematical topic or application they think people need to know about. Further details of how to enter and the prizes can be seen at Plus (http://www.plus.maths.org/competition/). The deadline is 31 March 2008.

Plus has also teamed up with NPG to bring maths to the Nature Network (http://network.nature.com/forum/mathematics). Nature Network is a stage for science discussion that allows scientists to meet, interact, comment on the latest news, debate current topics or exchange information. Members can create groups for their own labs or organizations, or for their own subject area. Plus has launched a mathematics forum to provide a platform “for anyone who wants to discuss maths, whether it's actual maths, maths teaching, the portrayal of maths in the media, or good and bad maths content elsewhere on the internet.”