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We initiate the study of a class of real plane algebraic curves which we callexpressive. These are the curves whose defining polynomial has the smallest number of critical points allowed by the topology of the set of real points of a curve. This concept can be viewed as a global version of the notion of a real morsification of an isolated plane curve singularity. We prove that a plane curve  $C$ is expressive if (a) each irreducible component of  $C$ can be parametrized by real polynomials (either ordinary or trigonometric), (b) all singular points of $C$ in the affine plane are ordinary hyperbolic nodes, and (c) the set of real points of $C$ in the affine plane is connected. Conversely, an expressive curve with real irreducible components must satisfy conditions (a)–(c), unless it exhibits some exotic behaviour at infinity. We describe several constructions that produce expressive curves, and discuss a large number of examples, including: arrangements of lines, parabolas, and circles; Chebyshev and Lissajous curves; hypotrochoids and epitrochoids; and much more. 

Let $$G$$ be a semisimple simply connected complex algebraic group. Let $$U$$ be the unipotent radical of a Borel subgroup in $$G$$. We describe the coordinate rings of $$U$$ (resp., $G/U$, $$G$$) in terms of two (resp., four, eight) birational charts introduced by Lusztig [Total positivity in reductive groups, Birkhäuser Boston, Boston, MA, 1994; Bull. Inst. Math. Sin. (N.S.) 14 (2019), pp. 403–459] in connection with the study of total positivity. 

Abstract Motivated by computational geometry of point configurations on the Euclidean plane, and by the theory of cluster algebras of type $$A$$, we introduce and study Heronian friezes, the Euclidean analogues of Coxeter’s frieze patterns. We prove that a generic Heronian frieze possesses the glide symmetry (hence is periodic) and establish the appropriate version of the Laurent phenomenon. For a closely related family of Cayley–Menger friezes, we identify an algebraic condition of coherence, which all friezes of geometric origin satisfy. This yields an unambiguous propagation rule for coherent Cayley–Menger friezes, as well as the corresponding periodicity results.