Breaking Math Podcast

Summary

This episode of Breaking Math explores the fundamental concept of measurement, its importance in daily life, and the necessity for standardized units. The discussion highlights the role of the International System of Units (SI) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in maintaining measurement accuracy. It also touches on historical measurement failures and the evolution of measurement definitions, emph...

In this episode, Dr. Destine Nock, CEO of Peoples Energy Analytics and a Professor at Carnegie Mellon University, joins Autumn to dive deep into the world of energy equity. They explore how cutting-edge data analytics are revolutionizing the landscape of affordable energy access. As the global demand for sustainable energy solutions continues to grow, the need to ensure fair and inclusive energy distribution becomes more critical t...

In this captivating episode of Breaking Math, hosts Gabriel and Autumn dive deep into chaos theory—a fascinating branch of mathematics that explores the behavior of complex systems highly sensitive to initial conditions. They break down the butterfly effect, revealing how tiny variations can lead to major consequences and discuss the inherent unpredictability in weather forecasting and the financial markets. The episode also uncove...

In this episode of Breaking Math, we dive deep into the transformative power of large language models (LLMs) like GPT-4 in the fields of chemistry and materials science, based on the article "14 examples of how LLMs can transform materials science and chemistry: a reflection on a large language model hackathon" by Jablonka et al. from the Digital Discovery Journal. Discover how AI is revolutionizing scientific research with predict...

In this episode of Breaking Math, we explore the unexpected link between sheep herding and fluid dynamics!  Did you know that the way sheep move in a herd is governed by the same mathematical principles as water flowing in a river? By following simple rules of alignment, cohesion, and separation, sheep create a coordinated, fluid-like movement that scientists can model to predict behavior.

Join us as we break down how these pri...

In this exciting episode of Breaking Math, we explore the groundbreaking discovery of the largest prime number ever found—M136279841, a Mersenne prime with over 41 million digits! Join us as we dive deep into the story behind this astonishing mathematical achievement, led by Luke Durant, a volunteer from the Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search (GIMPS) project.

Discover how Mersenne primes work, why they’re so important to the world...

In this episode of Breaking Math, hosts Gabriel Hesch and Autumn Phaneuf dive into the cutting-edge world of Generative Flow Networks (GFlowNets) and their role in artificial intelligence and material science. The discussion centers on how GFlowNets are revolutionizing the discovery of new materials for carbon capture, offering a powerful alternative to traditional AI models. Learn about the mechanics of GFlowNets, their advantages...

Explore the intriguing intersection of science and spiritualism in the Victorian era. This episode uncovers how prominent scientists like Michael Faraday, William James, and Marie & Pierre Curie engaged with supernatural phenomena and the rise of spiritualism. Discover the scientific efforts to debunk or understand paranormal activities, and how these investigations shaped modern science. Dive into the fascinating legacy of thi...

AI & Consciousness: Philosophical Debates, Ethical Implications & the Future of Conscious Machines
In this episode of Breaking Math, hosts Autumn and Gabriel explore the intricate relationship between artificial intelligence (AI) and consciousness. Delve into historical perspectives, philosophical debates, and the ethical questions surrounding the creation of conscious machines. Key topics include the evolution of AI, ch...

In this episode of Breaking Math, hosts Autumn and Gabriel take a deep dive into the paper “Towards Equilibrium Molecular Conformation Generation with GFlowNets” by Volokova et al., published in the Digital Discovery Journal by the Royal Society of Chemistry. They explore the cutting-edge intersection of molecular conformations and machine learning, comparing traditional methods like molecular dynamics and cheminformatics with the ...

Mathematical Patterns in Plants: Fibonacci, Golden Ratio & Nature's Hidden Math with Christophe Gole & Nancy Pick
In this episode of Breaking Math, host Autumn interviews authors Christophe Gole and Nancy Pick about the captivating world of mathematical patterns in plants, inspired by their book Do Plants Know Math?. Explore the intersection of mathematics and biology as they discuss the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ra...

Math & Cartography: Dr. Paula Rowinska on Map Projections, Gerrymandering & Real-World Math
In this episode of Breaking Math, host Autumn interviews Dr. Paula Rowinska about her unique journey from earning a PhD in mathematics to writing about math and cartography. They discuss the fascinating connection between map-making and mathematics, debunking misconceptions about map projections and exploring key topics like the c...

In this conversation, Gabriel and Autumn interview Jeff Perry, a career coach and author of the book 'The Intentional Engineer'. They discuss the importance of being intentional in one's career, understanding one's passions and skills, and building a strong professional network. Jeff shares his journey from being an engineer to becoming an engineer coach and offers advice on how to navigate career transitions. They also explore the...

Math & Language: Creativity, Quantification, and Making Math Accessible with Ben Orlin
In this episode of Breaking Math, hosts sit down with Ben Orlin, author of Math for English Majors and Math with Bad Drawings, to explore the intersection of math and language. Discover the unique skill sets required for mathematics and creativity, how math education can be made more accessible, and the role of quantification in empowering...

In this episode Autumn and Dr. Jonathan Schwabish discuss the importance of strategic thinking in data visualization and the key elements of good data. He emphasizes the need to understand the data and how it was collected, as well as the importance of starting bar charts at zero. He also highlights common mistakes in data visualization, such as distorting or lying with visuals, and the potential impact of data visualization on pol...

In this episode, Gabriel and Autumn interview mathematician, comedian, and author Matt Parker about his latest book, "Love Triangle." They discuss the unique page numbering system in the book, which is based on the sine function, and how it adds an extra layer of discovery for readers. They also explore the use of triangles and quads in 3D modeling, the concept of Perlin noise, and the perception of randomness. The conversation tou...

Surprise! It's a Friday episode for you! Yes, yes it is a rerun, but we wanted to share it anyways.  We can't wait for our fall lineup because it's packed with surprises. See you back on Tuesday. 

Keywords: Black holes, gravity, universe, physics, ai, machine learning, education, statistics, engineering, humanity

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It's the last week of our summer break and we have 2 episodes this week for you as a little treat. So check out our show on Friday too for a little bit more fun. We can't wait for our fall lineup because it's packed with surprises. If you have not listened to the last two episodes, then we'd highly recommend going back and listening to those. We're choosing to present this information this way because otherwise we'd waste most of y...

Happy Summer! We have another week of our summer break after this episode from 2018. We will be back shortly with more content and surprises!

Black holes are objects that seem exotic to us because they have properties that boggle our comparatively mild-mannered minds. These are objects that light cannot escape from, yet glow with the energy they have captured until they evaporate out all of their mass. They thus have temper...