Maths at: The FUTURE!

Back to the future. There's no maths in it. We just wanted to watch a good film. I suppose we should talk about it too.

 

In today's programme:

• we travel through time at a rate of 1 second/second.
  
• is Harry Potter better than Back to the Future?
• how do the laws of physics change when we're moving?
• all our knowledge is guided by the wonderful Naomi Wray.

Further reading: 

• book your tickets to the Back to the Future The Musical;
  
• is time travel complicated? Take a look at this infographic and learn about 3 Theories of Time Travel;
• have a glimpse at Hannah's programme partying with Steven Hawking;
• watch Kip Thorne present on black holes at Cardiff University.
  

Subscribe via iTunes.
Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker. Hannah has one of those new-fangled instagrams.

Maths at: Tidying & toilets

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that noone likes tidying up. So, if you want a reason to not bother then give us a listen.

Once again your regulars, Ben, Liz and Thomas, seek answers to such questions as:

• Why are people in London Freezing?
• Do butterflies fart? 
• How many toilets do you need to make everyone happy?
  

 All questions and no answers in today's Maths at:

 

Further reading: 

• House always messy? Just blame it on the second law of thermodynamics
• No more queuing at the ladies' room
• Do butterflies fart?
  

Subscribe via iTunes.
Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker.

Maths at: Contact

Maths at... proudly* sponsored by Prof. Elizabeth Baldwin! 

*we have no idea of how proud she is.

Care to sponsor an episode? It'll cost you 77p!

Sorry about the quality of Thomas' microphone, he had trouble recording. Won't happen again (until the next).



This week we watched Contact and are joined, once again, by

Dr William Taylor 

His enthusiasm is so infectious! So whilst he tried to educate us, we try to divert his attention with such discussion points as:

• Spice girls! A very strong start?
• We didn't do the "you can't be Sirius Joke!" (Although I did, but no-one laughed so I cut it. But feel free to add it back in... you'll know when).
• Jane Fonda, or Jodie Foster?

Thomas is tired, Liz is Pregnant and Ben can't find his mass, can you find it?

 

If you're interested in watching Contact you can follow the Amazon link below. 

Further reading links:

• Can you tell what the Arecibo Message is?
• Hubble Image of Galaxy Cluster Converted Into Sound

Subscribe via iTunes.
Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker.

Maths at the Movies: The Martian

Another sexy, sexy episode this week as we are joined by the NAKED MATHEMATICIAN

Dr Thomas Crawford

Get ready to feel dull by comparison!

Today's discussion points include:

• Everyone's links to Countdown;
• Thomas tells us about the Greeks;
• Can you tell the difference between Jeff Daniels and Jeff Bridges?

So put your feet up, get comfortable and get naked, as we talk about this week's movie The Martian.

If you're into watching The Martian, you can follow the link below.

Further reading links:

• There is actually a website that maintains a fact file on every episode of Countdown. Why not have a look at how Ben did?
• Recently the rover Opportunity made the news as it lasted 5,352 sols after being planned for only 90 sols, but what did it discover?

• Fancy having a go at surviving through The Martian's maths problems?

Subscribe via iTunes.
Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker.

Maths at: Christmas 2018

Nadolig Llawen to all our Listeners

We hope Sion Corn has visited you on this fine festive day. For indeed we are BACK! And this episode went a bit Welsh! Much to Ben's chagrin.

In this episode we find out:

• the female version of phallic;
• what eggnog actually is;
• how NORAD tracks santa;
• and how following stars probably won't lead you to the next messiah.

To ensure at least some expertise on the panel we are joined by the wonderful physicist, astronmer and raconteur:

Dr William Taylor  

Further reading links:

• download the free software Stellarium to track the stars positions throughout time and space;
• track Santa using NORAD;
• have a look at Quartz modelling of the Christmas lights turn on time, which produces the below graph that we talk about.

Subscribe via iTunes.

Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley and @benmparker.

Maths at the Movies: Interstellar plus SPECIAL GUEST

This week we watch Interstellar.

We are very excited to be joined by the expertise of

Cat Harris

Whereas Thomas and Ben are just about good enough understand their own mathematical fields Cat has a wide range of disciplines under her belt spanning both physics and movie effects. We couldn't ask for a better guest!

If you're interested in watching Interstellar you can follow the Amazon below.

Further reading links:

• The hour long Interstellar documentary;
• The Interstellar book;
• All you could ever want to know about Sex in Space;
• Dissolving the dead with alkaline hydrolysis.

Subscribe via iTunes.
 
Follow us on twitter @PodcastMathsAt, as well as @ThomasEWoolley, @benmparker and @cat_harris_fx

Watch along with MATM: Interstellar and SPECIAL GUEST!

Next Friday we will be critiquing the maths and physics of Interstellar.

What's more, because this is the 10th episode (and because Ben and Thomas aren't physicists) we will be joined by a SPECIAL GUEST.

Not only is she a Cambridge physics graduate, but she now works in film digital effects. Who could ask for more?

Why not watch along with us? You can buy a digital version of the film through Amazon by clicking on the image below.