Maths on the move!

Podcast Archive

Find all of our Podcasts from 2007 onwards

Synchronised swimming: the podcast

How do green algae manage a perfect breaststroke even though they haven't got a brain? Enter the maths of synchronisation.

Does infinity exist?

Find out how infinity can corrupt the youth, why subtracting infinities can give you the right answer, and the weirdness that might be lurking out there in the cosmos...

Climate change and ready meals: Challenges for epidemiologists

Invading mosquitoes and food poisoning in the production chain — there are a lot of questions epidemiologists address in their research.

Living Proof: Timandra Harkness – How to make maths funny

"What's a statistician's favourite sandwich filling?" Presenter, writer and comendian Timandra Harkness tells us how to make maths funny.

Living Proof: Hannah Thomas – Making data accessible

Having empathy with your audience – with all your audiences – is the first step for making your content accessible. Hannah Thomas from the Government Analysis Function explains how you can help.

Living Proof: Communicating from the frontiers of mathematics

What are the challenges of communicating from the frontiers of mathematical research, and why should we be doing it?

On the mathematical frontline: Tom Irving

Tom Irving tells us about providing a bridge between policy and mathematics during the pandemic, the importance of transparency, and discussing the R number at the hair dressers.

Sexual statistics

David Spiegelhalter's book Sex by numbers takes a statistical peak into the nation's bedrooms. In this interview from 2015 he tells us some of his favourite stories from the book.

What are liquid metal batteries?

Find out why liquid metal batteries hold much hope in our move to renewables.

A 60% chance of rain: Weather, climate, and how to deal with uncertainty

We talk to world-leading climate scientists Tim Palmer about climate and weather, the science of uncertainty, and why there needs to be a CERN for climate change.

Are the constants of nature really constant?To celebrate what would have been John D. Barrow's 70th birthday, we revisit our podcast where we asked him: Are the constants of nature really constant?
Stadium mathsIn this podcast Paul Shepherd tells us about the maths of football stadiums and why his work required him to listen to Belgian techno.
Voices from Ukraine: Yuriy SemenovYuriy Semenov shares his experience of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and why the work of a mathematicians is always possible.
Voices from Ukraine: Nataliya Vaisfel'd

Mathematician Nataliya Vaisfel'd talks about fleeing Ukraine with her wheelchair-bound mother and their dogs, eventually finding sanctuary in Britain.

Women of Mathematics: Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb

In this final episode of the Women of Mathematics series, we talk to Carola-Bibiane Schönlieb about the collaborative nature of mathematics.

Women of Mathematics: Holly Krieger

We talk to Holly Krieger about the joys of learning and conversations with colleagues.

Women of Mathematics: Julia Gog

We talk to Julia Gog about the buzz of mathematical research, and how maths can help you do good in the world.

Women of Mathematics: Anne-Christine DavisWe talk to Anne-Christine Davis, the first female maths professor at the University of Cambridge.
Women of Mathematics: Nilanjana Datta

We continue our series featuring some of Cambridge's Women of Mathematics, with this 2017 interview with Nilanjana Datta.

Women of Mathematics: Natalia Berloff

Revisit this podcast from 2017, when we spoke to Natalia Berloff, one of the women featured in the Women of Mathematics photo exhibition.

How the velodrome found its form

To celebrate the Commonwealth Games we revisit one of the venues - the velodrome built for the London 2012 Olympics.

Maths on the red carpet - Fields Medallist June Huh

Fields Medallist June Huh tells us about maths you can "feel and touch" and why maths mirrors who we are as a species

Maths on the red carpet – Fields Medallist Hugo Duminil-Copin

In this podcast we talk to Hugo Duminil-Copin, who tells us how his work in statistical physics brings together his two loves – maths and physics.

Maths on the red carpet - Fields Medallist James Maynard

In this podcast we talk to James Maynard, who has won a 2022 Fields Medal for his spectacular contributions to number theory.