This week, we bridge the gap between Alexandria and Constantinople with Isidorus of Miletus, a mathematician and architect who preferred teaching to writing. We look into how he and his partner, Anthemius of Tralles, were commissioned to build the legendary Hagia Sophia in a mere five years, after a sports riot burned down half the city. Discover the architectural genius behind its "floating" dome, a marvel of pendentives that has stood for centuries. Then, we follow the extraordinary journey of a lost text by Archimedes, which Isidorus himself studied. From a library in Constantinople to a 10th-century copy in Jerusalem, this priceless work was scraped clean by a monk for a prayer book, painted over by an art forger, and finally sold at auction for millions. Uncover the cutting-edge science that resurrected the hidden text, revealing Archimedes' work in combinatorics—the Stomachion puzzle. It’s a tale of genius, destruction, and incredible rediscovery, proving that sometimes the most interesting things are hiding in the most boring places. Hashtags:#HistoryOfMathematics #IsidorusOfMiletus #HagiaSophia #ByzantineArchitecture #Archimedes #Palimpsest #AncientHistory #MathsPodcast #STEM #Constantinople #HistoryPodcast #Architecture Keywords:Isidorus of Miletus, Hagia Sophia, Anthemius of Tralles, Byzantine, Constantinople, Archimedes Palimpsest, The Method, Stomachion, Procopius, Justinian, Nika Riots, Pendentive Dome, History of Science, Combinatorics, Eutocius of Ascalon.

Join us on The Mathematicians Podcast as host Benjamin Cornish uncovers the whimsical and often mischievous side of Anthemius of Tralles, the Byzantine Greek architect and mathematician! From earthquake pranks on his neighbour Zeno to pioneering work in optics and conic sections, Anthemius proves that genius can be seriously fun. Discover the forgotten history of burning mirrors, the true shape of light, and the secrets behind the magnificent Hagia Sophia. Keywords: Anthemius of Tralles, Byzantine mathematics, history of optics, conic sections, Hagia Sophia, ancient architects, mischievous mathematicians, podcast, mathematics history, geometry Hashtags: #MathematiciansPodcast #AnthemiusOfTralles #HistoryOfMaths #Optics #ConicSections #HagiaSophia #AncientGreece #MathsHumor  #STEMeducation

Welcome back to The Mathematicians Podcast! In this episode, host Benjamin Cornish takes us back to the 6th century CE to explore the life and legacy of Simplicius of Cilicia. A pivotal figure caught between two intellectual giants, Simplicius studied under both Aristotelian and Platonic traditions, becoming one of the last significant scholars of Plato's Academy before its closure by Justinian. Join us as we uncover Simplicius's crucial role as a pagan apologist, philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician. Learn how he became a conduit for preserving ancient knowledge, meticulously commenting on the works of Aristotle and Plato, and attempting to bridge their philosophical divide on topics like rationalism vs. empiricism, and idealism vs. realism. The episode also revisits the epic debate between Simplicius and John Philoponus on the nature of infinity, the eternal universe, and the concept of motion and impetus. Keywords: Simplicius, John Philoponus, Plato's Academy, Aristotle, Neoplatonism, Pagan philosophy, Byzantine Empire, Persian Empire, infinity, actual infinity, potential infinity, momentum, cause and effect, unmoved mover, ancient mathematics, philosophy of mathematics, history of science, ancient Greece, late antiquity. Hashtags: #TheMathematiciansPodcast #Simplicius #AncientPhilosophy #HistoryOfMathematics #Plato #Aristotle #Neoplatonism #JohnPhiloponus #Infinity #Paganism #ByzantineHistory #ClassicalStudies #Philosophy #ScienceHistory #Podcast

This week on The Mathematician's Podcast, we take a break from the philosophical and theological debates of the past to chat with an intellectual heavyweight of our own age! In another special "Injectives" episode, Ben is joined by Hope Duncan, a maths communicator and researcher at the University of Leeds whose particular interest is infinity. Join us as Hope tackles some fundamental (and some silly!) questions from Ben's school students, concepts like dividing by zero and the mass of the universe. The conversation quickly escalates into a fascinating discussion on the history and modern understanding of infinity, covering: The historical struggle with infinitesimals and their surprising decline in modern calculus. The dichotomy of potential vs. actual infinity, from ancient philosophers to modern #SetTheory. How we can "increase" infinity without changing its #Cardinality, illustrated with clever #Bijections between natural numbers and integers. The work of #Cantor in proving that not all infinities are created equal, introducing the concept of different "sizes" of infinity, like the uncountably infinite Real Numbers. A look at the #ZFC axioms, exploring the foundations of modern set theory, from the obvious (axiom of extensionality) to the profoundly abstract (axiom of choice). The implications of #Gödel's incompleteness theorems, revealing the inherent limits of axiomatic systems and the existence of independent statements within ZFC. Hope's personal research into #LargeCardinals – even bigger infinities that offer new ways to tackle unsolved mathematical problems. This episode is a captivating journey through the evolution of one of maths' most mysterious concepts, revealing that even at the bedrock of mathematics, there's still so much to explore and discover. Hope shares what motivates her to sit with the uncomfortable "why" of mathematics, making set theory sound like the ultimate puzzle.   You can find out more from Hope on Bluesky @hopeiona.bsky.social, or Youtube @hopeduncanmaths     The music was-"Danse Macabre - Finale"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/     Keywords: #Mathematics #MathsPodcast #Infinity #SetTheory #Calculus #Infinitesimals #Cantor #ZFC #Axioms #Gödel #IncompletenessTheorems #LargeCardinals #PhilosophyOfMaths #HopeDuncan #TheMathematiciansPodcast 

Welcome back to The Mathematicians Podcast! This episode introduces our first "John" – John Philoponus, also known as John the Grammarian or John of Alexandria. This Christian theologian, philosopher, and arguably mathematician from 6th-century Egypt is primarily known for his religious doctrine, but we look into the fascinating overlap between mathematics and religion: the nature of infinity. Join us as we explore Philoponus's arguments against the Aristotelian view of an eternal cosmos, his insights into the conservation of momentum and the concept of "initial impetus," and his revolutionary thoughts on the vacuum and fluid drag. We'll trace the historical arguments around infinity from Zeno to Aristotle, Euclid, and Archimedes, showing how Philoponus's ideas shaped both theological orthodoxy and the future of scientific thought. You'll also discover John Philoponus's crucial role in documenting and popularizing the astrolabe, a pivotal scientific instrument of his era. Prepare for an episode that proves how deeply intertwined mathematics, physics, and theological debates were in the ancient world. Keywords: John Philoponus, John the Grammarian, John of Alexandria, infinity, Aristotelian physics, Christian theology, ancient mathematics, history of science, astrolabe, momentum, vacuum, impetus, ancient Egypt, 6th century CE, philosophy of mathematics, cosmology, Unmoved Mover, Theism, Pantheism, Deism, The Mathematicians Podcast. Hashtags:#TheMathematiciansPodcast #HistoryOfMaths #JohnPhiloponus #Infinity #AncientScience #ChristianTheology #Aristotle #Astrolabe #Momentum #Vacuum #PhilosophyOfScience #MathematicalHistory #Podcast #SciencePodcast #AncientEgypt #6thCentury #EarlyScience #MathsAndReligion #Cosmology 

The Romans are here, in ROME! Discover the dramatic rise and fall of the Roman Empire, its lasting global impact, and the fascinating (and sometimes contentious) question of who inherited its crown. Then, meet Boethius, the last classical scholar, whose time on death row led to The Consolation of Philosophy. This episode unpacks his brilliant philosophy of causation, free will, and how god knows the future without pre-determining our choices. We'll explore Aristotle's Sea Battle paradox, Boethius's own #LogicalInnovations (like De hypotheticis syllogismis), and his monumental effort to translate Greek mathematics and #Philosophy, shaping the entire medieval intellectual landscape. Get ready for #AncientHistory, deep #PhilosophyPodcast, and the "sneaky maths" that saved #WesternThought! Keywords: #Boethius #ConsolationOfPhilosophy #RomanEmpire #LateAntiquity #MedievalPhilosophy #TemporalLogic #FreeWill #Causation #Providence #Fate #Quadrivium #HistoryOfMaths #HistoryPodcast

This week we explore the brilliant, and tragically short, life of Hypatia of Alexandria. Born around 370 CE, she was a pioneering female mathematician and philosopher who led the last great school of mathematics in the ancient world.  Hypatia’s story is also a dramatic tale of political and religious upheaval. A respected pagan intellectual with influence in Alexandria's civic life, she found herself caught in the violent conflicts of the early Christian church. Join us as we examine the forces that shaped her world and led to her untimely end, reflecting on the fragile legacy of knowledge and the powerful impact of teachers, both ancient and modern. Keywords: Hypatia, Alexandria, history of mathematics, female mathematicians, ancient philosophy, Neoplatonism, Theon of Alexandria, early Christianity, Roman Empire, ancient history, mathematics, philosophy, women in STEM, The Mathematicians Podcast. Hashtags: #Hypatia #HistoryOfMaths #WomenInMaths #AncientAlexandria #Philosophy #Neoplatonism #TheMathematiciansPodcast #HistoryPodcast #WomenInSTEM #AncientHistory 

This week, Pappus of Alexandria, a pivotal figure in 4th-century mathematics. Often considered one of the last great Greco-Roman geometers, Pappus compiled the monumental Synagogue, a comprehensive collection that sought to revive classical Greek geometry. In this episode: A candid look at Pappus's personality and his notorious public critique of the female mathematician Pandrosion and her student. Pappus’s distinction between "plane," "solid," and the more expansive "linear" problems. Concepts like the Pappus Chain (or Steiner Chain) and his non-Euclidean approach to classic problems like doubling the cube. Join us as we explore Pappus's legacy, his undeniable impact on the history of mathematics, and Benjamin’s honest (and sometimes scathing!) personal opinions on this complex figure. Plus, a crucial discussion about the often-overlooked women in mathematics and a personal announcement about the future of the podcast! Keywords: Pappus, Alexandria, Greek Geometry, Synagogue, History of Mathematics, Pandrosion, Female Mathematicians, Euclidean Geometry, Analytic Geometry, Steiner Chain, Pappus Chain, Doubling the Cube, Menaechmus, Archimedes, Apollonius, Ptolemy, Theon of Alexandria, Diophantus, Descartes, Fermat, Newton, Euler, Ancient Greece, Roman Empire, Mathematics Podcast, Geometry, Algebra, History of Science, Mathematical Concepts, Platonic Solids. Hashtags: #Pappus #MathematicsHistory #GrecoRomanGeometry #AncientMaths #Podcast #TheMathematiciansPodcast #GeometryProblems #AnalyticGeometry #WomenInSTEM #MathsEducation #HistoryOfScience #Alexandria  #STEM #ClassicalMathematics 

This week, we're taking another trip to ancient Alexandria to meet Diophantus, often hailed as the "Father of Algebra."  Join us as we untangle the fuzzy biography of a mathematician whose life story is a riddle, and whose monumental work, the Arithmetica, started us working  towards systematic equation-solving. From the proto-symbols of syncopated algebra to the birth of Diophantine equations (where only whole numbers dare to tread!), we explore how this ancient Greek genius sought to generalize mathematical problems, shifting math from "apples" to "variables."   Keywords: Diophantus, Algebra, Arithmetica, Diophantine Equations, Ancient Greece, Alexandria, History of Mathematics, Number Theory, Equation Solving, Rational Numbers, Integers, Fermat's Last Theorem, Hilbert's 10th Problem, Undecidability, Al-Khwarizmi, Brahmagupta, Cryptography, Computer Science, Podcast. Hashtags: #MathematiciansPodcast #Diophantus #AlgebraHistory #AncientMaths #NumberTheory #DiophantineEquations #MathsPodcast #STEM #HistoryOfScience #Fermat #HilbertProblems #ProblemSolving #MathsFacts #Alexandria #EquationSolver #MathematicalJourney #ListenAndLearn   The music was-"Danse Macabre - Finale"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/  

Imagine writing a book so influential it becomes the undisputed authority on the nature of the universe for the next 14 centuries. Now, imagine its core premise is completely wrong. That's the legacy of Claudius Ptolemy. In this episode, we're exploring the ancient world's ultimate spreadsheet guy. Ptolemy didn't just guess that the Earth was the centre of the cosmos; he built a stunningly complex and predictive mathematical model to prove it; a system of circles-on-circles that could accurately chart the strange, looping paths of the planets. We'll follow his influence from the library of Alexandria to the courts of Islamic scholars and the universities of Renaissance Europe. We'll look at his world maps that inspired Columbus (for better or worse) and his theorems that enabled modern trigonometry. This is the story about the power of a useful idea and why, in the history of maths, being right isn't always the most important thing.

Join Benjamin Cornish as he uncovers the story of Theon of Smyrna (c. 70 CE), the ancient world's ultimate study-guide writer! He wasn't a revolutionary, but Theon's "Mathematical Matters Useful for Reading Plato" was a game-changer for anyone trying to decipher the mathematical underpinnings of Plato's philosophy. In this episode, we explore: Theon's life and philosophical context as a Middle Platonist. His monumental work: a comprehensive guide to Pythagorean and Platonic arithmetic, music theory, and a glimpse into ancient astronomy. The fascinating world of ancient "number personalities," where numbers were categorized as noble, deficient, or abundant The monochord : how Theon used a simple instrument to demonstrate the mathematical structure of music and the cosmos. Why Theon's seemingly unoriginal work was crucial for preserving Greco-Roman mathematical thought through the Islamic Golden Age and beyond. Discover the often-overlooked importance of the "Great Explainers" – the compilers and clarifiers who ensure that genius remains accessible. Theon didn't just push knowledge forward; he carried it, providing the essential "cheat sheet" for understanding the universe through numbers and the role of maths.     Keywords: Theon of Smyrna, Plato, ancient maths, history of maths, Pythagoras, Nicomachus, Middle Platonism, Greek philosophy, mathematical history, arithmetic, music theory, astronomy, monochord, harmony of the spheres, perfect numbers, figurate numbers, ratios, ancient Greece, Roman Empire, historical figures, mathematical concepts, podcast, education, Benjamin Cornish, The Mathematicians Podcast. Hashtags: #TheonOfSmyrna #HistoryOfMaths #AncientMaths #Plato #Pythagoras #MathematicalHistory #Podcast #MathsEducation #Philosophy #GreekMaths #Arithmetic #MusicTheory #Astronomy #AncientGreece #TheMathematiciansPodcast #STEM   The music was: "Danse Macabre - Finale"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this episode of The Mathematicians Podcast, Benjamin Cornish explores the life and works of Nicomachus of Gerasa—a philosopher, mystic, and mathematician whose obsession with numbers shaped centuries of thought. From perfect and amicable numbers to cosmic harmonies and the mystical side of arithmetic, Nicomachus blended maths with philosophy, music, and spirituality in ways that still resonate today. We’ll look at how his Introduction to Arithmetic became the medieval go-to textbook, how his Pythagorean passions fed into Neopythagorean and Neoplatonist traditions, and why he thought numbers weren’t just useful but divine.  Whether you’re into number theory, history of maths, philosophy, or just like your integers with a side of cosmic karaoke, this episode has something for you. Keywords: Nicomachus of Gerasa, history of mathematics, perfect numbers, amicable numbers, Neopythagoreanism, Neoplatonism, Pythagoras, number theory, arithmetic, medieval philosophy, music theory, quadrivium, maths podcast, philosophy of numbers. Hashtags:#MathematiciansPodcast #HistoryOfMaths #Nicomachus #Pythagoras #NumberTheory #PerfectNumbers #AmicableNumbers #PhilosophyOfMaths #Quadrivium #Neopythagorean #Neoplatonism #MathsAndMusic

In this episode of The Mathematicians Podcast, Benjamin Cornish explores the life and work of Menelaus of Alexandria; the mathematician who transformed how we think about geometry on curved surfaces. From his treatise Sphaerica to the elegant power of Menelaus’s Theorem, discover how this quiet figure of ancient Alexandria helped shape spherical geometry, astronomy, and the trigonometry still used in navigation, GPS, and astronomy today.   The music was: "Danse Macabre - Finale"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Keywords :Menelaus of Alexandria, spherical geometry, Menelaus’s Theorem, history of mathematics, spherical trigonometry, ancient astronomy, Greek mathematicians, geometry podcast, mathematics history, Euclid, Hipparchus, Ptolemy, trigonometry in navigation, GPS and geometry. Hashtags:#MathematiciansPodcast #Menelaus #SphericalGeometry #Trigonometry #HistoryOfMathematics #Geometry #AncientMathematics #MathematicalHistory #Euclid #Hipparchus #Ptolemy

In this one-to-one edition of The Mathematicians Podcast, part of our Injectives subseries, host Benjamin Cornish sits down with philosopher, peace theorist, and long-time educator Dr Thomas Daffern to explore the deep and often surprising intersections between mathematics and religion. Together, they trace the parallel histories of mystical belief and mathematical thought, from the temples of ancient Egypt and the philosophies of Greece to the shifting theological landscapes leading up to the Islamic Golden Age. Why were certain numbers considered sacred? Was ancient religion a catalyst for mathematical inquiry; or was it the other way around? And how has religious belief shaped our understanding of the infinite, harmony, and even the very definition of mathematics? This conversation ranges from Thales to Galileo, from pre-Islamic Arabia to modern mathematical axioms, all with a generous sprinkling of curiosity, nuance, and dry wit. Expect reflections on sacred ratios, philosophical migrations, and a surprising number of  school memories. If you've ever wondered whether math and faith are fundamentally at odds—or fundamentally entwined—this episode is for you.   Books that have been mentioned: Alphabet vs the goddess https://www.alphabetvsgoddess.com/index.html Herod the Great https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/herod-the-great-jewish-king-in-a-roman-world Talking Commentary on the Qur'an http://www.educationaid.net/homepage.html?../pages/lectures.html Drunk with Blood https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/bible-study/academic-bible-study/drunk-with-blood-gods-killings-in-the-bible/ Being and Knowledge https://www.lulu.com/shop/dr-thomas-clough-daffern/being-and-knowledge-volume-one/paperback/product-1jqk6wvk.html?srsltid=AfmBOop3Vrge4wmi0YwHjhYMC9W2FZYELvLRu21pLBdz1HpOitQAnRU0&page=1&pageSize=4 Encyclopedia of Druid Studies https://www.lulu.com/shop/dr-thomas-clough-daffern/encyclopaedia-of-druid-studies-volume-one/paperback/product-1y5gmeyv.html?srsltid=AfmBOoop6XoUBqvxafFMBOyxW6yqU646gl4yE_BcxU_F7QKTyyZW6sbd&page=1&pageSize=4 Periodic table of world religions https://interfaithpeacetreaty.wordpress.com/periodic-table-of-the-worlds-religious-philosophical-traditions/   Dr Daffern's main web page: http://www.educationaid.net/homepage.html   Keywords: Mathematics and Religion, History of Maths, Ancient Mathematics, Philosophy of Mathematics, Sacred Numbers, Mathematical Harmony, Religious Influence on Science, Islamic Golden Age, Ancient Philosophy, Dr Thomas Daffern, The Mathematicians Podcast, Interdisciplinary Thinking, Mathematics and Metaphysics, Education and Belief Systems, Maths and Faith Hashtags: #MathematicsPodcast #HistoryOfMaths #MathsAndReligion #AncientMaths #PhilosophyOfMaths #SacredNumbers #IslamicGoldenAge #MathsThroughHistory #TheMathematiciansPodcast #DrThomasDaffern #InjectivesSeries #MathsAndPhilosophy #MathsEducation #InterdisciplinaryThinking #SpiritualMaths   The music was:   "Danse Macabre - Finale"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

In this one-to-one edition of The Mathematicians Podcast, part of our Injectives subseries, host Benjamin Cornish sits down with philosopher, peace theorist, and long-time educator Dr Thomas Daffern to explore the deep and often surprising intersections between mathematics and religion. Together, they trace the parallel histories of mystical belief and mathematical thought, from the temples of ancient Egypt and the philosophies of Greece to the shifting theological landscapes leading up to the Islamic Golden Age. Why were certain numbers considered sacred? Was ancient religion a catalyst for mathematical inquiry; or was it the other way around? And how has religious belief shaped our understanding of the infinite, harmony, and even the very definition of mathematics? This conversation ranges from Thales to Galileo, from pre-Islamic Arabia to modern mathematical axioms, all with a generous sprinkling of curiosity, nuance, and dry wit. Expect reflections on sacred ratios, philosophical migrations, and a surprising number of  school memories. If you've ever wondered whether math and faith are fundamentally at odds—or fundamentally entwined—this episode is for you.   Books that have been mentioned: Alphabet vs the goddess https://www.alphabetvsgoddess.com/index.html Herod the Great https://www.jewishbookcouncil.org/book/herod-the-great-jewish-king-in-a-roman-world Talking Commentary on the Qur'an http://www.educationaid.net/homepage.html?../pages/lectures.html Drunk with Blood https://www.eden.co.uk/christian-books/bible-study/academic-bible-study/drunk-with-blood-gods-killings-in-the-bible/ Being and Knowledge https://www.lulu.com/shop/dr-thomas-clough-daffern/being-and-knowledge-volume-one/paperback/product-1jqk6wvk.html?srsltid=AfmBOop3Vrge4wmi0YwHjhYMC9W2FZYELvLRu21pLBdz1HpOitQAnRU0&page=1&pageSize=4 Encyclopedia of Druid Studies https://www.lulu.com/shop/dr-thomas-clough-daffern/encyclopaedia-of-druid-studies-volume-one/paperback/product-1y5gmeyv.html?srsltid=AfmBOoop6XoUBqvxafFMBOyxW6yqU646gl4yE_BcxU_F7QKTyyZW6sbd&page=1&pageSize=4 Periodic table of world religions https://interfaithpeacetreaty.wordpress.com/periodic-table-of-the-worlds-religious-philosophical-traditions/   Dr Daffern's main web page: http://www.educationaid.net/homepage.html   Keywords: Mathematics and Religion, History of Maths, Ancient Mathematics, Philosophy of Mathematics, Sacred Numbers, Mathematical Harmony, Religious Influence on Science, Islamic Golden Age, Ancient Philosophy, Dr Thomas Daffern, The Mathematicians Podcast, Interdisciplinary Thinking, Mathematics and Metaphysics, Education and Belief Systems, Maths and Faith Hashtags: #MathematicsPodcast #HistoryOfMaths #MathsAndReligion #AncientMaths #PhilosophyOfMaths #SacredNumbers #IslamicGoldenAge #MathsThroughHistory #TheMathematiciansPodcast #DrThomasDaffern #InjectivesSeries #MathsAndPhilosophy #MathsEducation #InterdisciplinaryThinking #SpiritualMaths   The music was:  "Danse Macabre - Finale"Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/    

This week, Benjamin Cornish invites you to step into the steam-powered sandals of Hero of Alexandria—the ancient world’s most enthusiastic gadgeteer. Was he a mathematician? An engineer? A magician in a toga? Yes. Yes. And absolutely yes. From vending machines that accepted drachmas to the first recorded steam engine (that did absolutely nothing useful), Hero turned math into motion and geometry into gears. Join us as we unpack Hero’s life in the shadow of Archimedes, his flair for theatrical automation, and his deeply satisfying triangle-area formula that has saved generations of students from drawing impossible altitudes. Along the way, we reflect on mirrors, vending machines, and whether Hero secretly invented the Rube Goldberg machine 1,900 years before Goldberg was born.   Keywords: Hero of Alexandria, ancient mathematics, triangle area formula, aeolipile, Greek engineering, historical inventions, automata, classical geometry, ancient optics, early machines, Metrica, Heron’s formula, steam engine history Hashtags:#MathsPodcast #HistoryOfMaths #HeroOfAlexandria #AncientInventions #SteamPowerBeforeItWasCool #MathematicalHistory #EngineeringOrigins #HeronsFormula #Pneumatics #AlexandriaEra 

In this episode of The Mathematicians Podcast, Benjamin Cornish dives into the life and legacy of Hipparchus, the Greek thinker who gave us trigonometry, mapped the stars, and even invented tools to measure the heavens.  From creating the first star catalog and predicting eclipses to introducing spherical projections and the chord table, Hipparchus wasn’t just stargazing, he was shaping the future of science. We’ll explore his inventions, his obsession with accuracy, and why Greenland is not as big as your world map told you.  Perfect for maths enthusiasts, history lovers, and anyone curious about the origins of the tools we still use today. Keywords: Hipparchus, trigonometry, spherical projection, history of maths, Greek astronomy, star catalog, precession of the equinoxes, ancient inventions, mathematics podcast, navigation, geography, astrolabe, astronomy history. Hashtags:#MathematiciansPodcast #Hipparchus #HistoryOfMaths #Trigonometry #AncientAstronomy #MathsPodcast #AstronomyLovers #STEMHistory

This week on The Mathematicians Podcast, Benjamin Cornish presents a double bill of underappreciated thinkers from the back shelves of Greek geometry: Dionysodorus of Amisus and Hypsicles of Alexandria in an episode that's part mathematical history, part cubic conundrum, part "wait, he also did astronomy?" We begin with Dionysodorus, who solved the doubling of the cube problem the way most of us try to solve awkward social encounters: by introducing a few curves. Using a hyperbola and a parabola, he cracked a cubic equation long before Cardano showed up with his pen and existential dread. Along the way, we explore his contributions to sphere-cutting, tomb-building, and possibly very literal underground thinking. Then it's on to Hypsicles, the man who gave us Book XIV of Euclid’s Elements, redefined the zodiacal calendar, and possibly invented the idea of π/6 symmetry just to impress his astrologer friends. We look at what he added to geometry, why ancient timekeeping is a cosmic mess, and how his legacy has been hiding in plain sight; like a leap day with good PR. Come for the cubes. Stay for the calendar. And don’t forget to intersect your conics responsibly.   #TheMathematiciansPodcast#GreekMathematics#HistoryOfMaths#Dionysodorus#Hypsicles#DoublingTheCube#CubicEquation#AncientGeometry#ConicSections#EuclidsElements#MathsPodcast#MathematicalHistory#AstronomicalMaths#ZodiacMath#GeometricConstruction#AlgebraBeforeAlgebra#ClassicMathematicians#MathsEducation#CurvedThinking

This week on The Mathematicians Podcast, Benjamin Cornish reflects on a tragic bagel incident, files an HR complaint, and somehow ends up discussing the mathematics of toroidal cross-sections. Join us as we explore the life and work of Perseus the quietly brilliant 2nd-century BCE mathematician who gave us spiric sections. We slice through geometry, history, and a bit too much cream cheese, uncovering how one man's fascination with intersecting bagels helped shape the maths behind modern physics, computer graphics, and breakfast regret.   #SpiricSections #MathsHistory #Torus #AncientMath #MathsPodcast #PerseusTheMathematician #TorusTalk #BagelMaths  #MathsIsEverywhere #HistoryOfMaths #NonConicCurves #MathsWithFlair #HellenisticGeometry #MathsPuns

In this episode of The Mathematicians Podcast, Benjamin Cornish turns his attention to Apollonius of Perga—the ancient Greek mathematician whose work on conic sections shaped the way we understand curves, orbits, and even space travel. We explore Apollonius' life, his lesser-known contributions beyond geometry, and the deep mathematical ideas that earned him the nickname "The Great Geometer." From the invention of the terms ellipse, parabola, and hyperbola, to the legendary Apollonius Problem—a deceptively simple tangency puzzle with lasting implications—we trace his influence through history and into the modern age. Perfect for students, teachers, and lovers of mathematical storytelling, this episode offers technical depth, historical intrigue, and a few terrible puns on the side. Keywords: Apollonius of Perga, conic sections, ancient Greek mathematics, ellipse, parabola, hyperbola, Apollonius problem, tangency geometry, history of mathematics, mathematical storytelling Hashtags:#ApolloniusOfPerga#ConicSections#HistoryOfMathematics#GreekMathematics#Ellipse #Parabola #Hyperbola#GeometryPodcast#MathematicsEducation#AncientMathematics#TheMathematiciansPodcast#MathematicalStorytelling