The Great Calculus War
Who really invented calculus? Tonight, we explore one of mathematics' most fascinating controversies—the bitter rivalry between Isaac Newton and Gottfried Leibniz over credit for developing calculus.
Discover how a brilliant young Newton developed his "method of fluxions" in secret, why Leibniz's approach was actually more elegant, and how their dispute divided European intellectuals for decades. We'll meet the colorful characters caught in the middle, explore the politics of 17th-century academia, and uncover how this mathematical feud shaped the way we think about scientific discovery itself.
Along the way, you'll learn why calculus was such a revolutionary breakthrough, how it unlocked the secrets of motion and change, and why this 300-year-old argument still matters today. Perfect for drifting off while absorbing some genuinely fascinating intellectual history.
Sweet dreams, and welcome to Dormant Knowledge—where learning happens while you rest.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.