The Mathematicians Podcast
Ben Cornish
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About This Podcast
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Recent Episodes
Episode 56 - Pingala - Beats us up
Episode 42: Pingala – The Poet of Binary Why is a 2nd-century BCE Indian grammarian being featured on a mathematics podcast? Because centuries before the "Founding Fathers" of Western mathematics…
Episode 55 - Injective - Thomas K Briggs - On The Mathematicians' Library
In this special book club episode of 'The Mathematicians Podcast', I sit down with author, maths communicator, and museum learning consultant, Thomas K. Briggs. Join us for a glass of wine and a deep…
Episode 54 - Umaswati - Mind the Gap
In this episode of The Mathematicians Podcast, I am jumping ahead 800 years and travelling 5,000 km back to India to pick up the threads of a fascinating mathematical tradition. I’ll be introducing…
Episode 53 - Nabu-rimanni & Kidinu - Systematically Speaking
When is an approximation "good enough"? This week on The Mathematicians Podcast, host Benjamin Cornish opens the doors to his gem and fossil shop to discuss why a polished piece of glass, or a…
Episode 52 - Apastamba - What He Said.
Episode 52 of The Mathematicians Podcast, takes us deep into the world of ancient Indian mathematics with a focus on Apastamba and his contributions to the Sulvasutras. Following in the footsteps of…
Episode 51 - Baudhayana - Back to 1 square
In this episode a journey back to 800 BCE to explore the life and work of Baudhayana, one of the earliest known mathematicians from the Indian tradition. This episode also offers context on the Vedic…
Episode 50 - Alcuin of York - A wolf, a Goat and a Cabbage
How do you get a wolf, a goat, and a cabbage across a river without turning the boat into a buffet? Welcome to the Season 1 Finale of The Mathematicians Podcast! Today, we go to the court of…
Episode 49 - Bede - Just in Time
Was Bede a mathematician? Well, he certainly made history count. Join Benjamin Cornish for a trip to Northumbria (which is definitely in England) to meet the "OG monk" who mastered the calendar. In…
Episode 48 - Eutocius of Ascalon - Show Your Workings
This week on The Mathematicians Podcast, join Benjamin Cornish as he shines a spotlight on Eutocius of Ascalon, the unsung hero who kept the flames of ancient mathematics burning! Born in 480 CE,…
Episode 47 - Isidorus of Miletus - Build it, and they will come
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,…
Episode 46 - Anthemius of Tralles - On Burning Mirrors
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…
Episode 45 - Simplicius - Keeping it Simplicius
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…
Episode 44 - The Injectives with Hope Duncan - On Infinity
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…
Episode 43 - John Philoponus - To infinity and stopping
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,…
Episode 42 - Boethius - A Fork in the Road
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.…
Episode 41 - Hypatia - Less than fairer
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…
Episode 40 - Pappus of Alexandria - Burn the Bridges
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…
Episode 39 - Diophantus of Alexandria - A whole lot of fun
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…
Episode 38 - Ptolemy - Beneath the Sheets
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…
Episode 37 - Theon of Smyrna - A Number for a Name
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…
Frequently Asked Questions
The Mathematicians Podcast has published 56 episodes since January 2025, covering topics in History, Mathematics.
The Mathematicians Podcast is currently moderate with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 21m.
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