The Secrets of Mathematics

Oxford University

A series of talks and lectures from Oxford Mathematicians exploring the power and beauty of their subject. These talks would appeal to anyone interested in mathematics and its ever-growing range of applications from medicine to economics and beyond.

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93 episodes
Updated Jul 19, 2021

Episodes93

Newest first

Jan 22, 2019 · 50 min
Oxford Mathematics Student Lectures: An Introduction to Complex Numbers - Vicky Neale
Much is written about life as an undergraduate at Oxford but what is it really like? As Oxford Mathematics's new first-year students arrive (273 of them, comprising 33 nationalities) we thought we would take the opportunity to go behind the scenes and share some of their experiences. Our starting point is a first week lecture. In this case the second lecture from 'An Introduction to Complex Numbers' by Dr. Vicky Neale. Whether you are a past student, an aspiring student or just curious as to how teaching works, come and take a seat.
Jan 14, 2019 · 58 min
Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures: Marcus du Sautoy - The Num8er My5teries
With topics ranging from prime numbers to the lottery, from lemmings to bending balls like Beckham, Professor Marcus du Sautoy provides an entertaining and, perhaps, unexpected approach to explain how mathematics can be used to predict the future. We are very grateful to Solihull School for hosting this lecture. The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets
Nov 9, 2018 · 54 min
Can we build AI with Emotional Intelligence? The 2018 Annual Charles Simonyi Lecture
Marcus du Sautoy and Professor Rosalind Picard for 2018's annual Simonyi Lecture: Can we build AI with Emotional Intelligence? Today’s AI can play games, drive cars, even do our jobs for us. But surely our human emotional world is beyond the limits of what AI can achieve? In this year’s Annual Charles Simonyi Lecture, Professor Rosalind Picard challenges that belief. Robots, wearables, and other AI technologies are gaining the ability to sense, recognize, and respond intelligently to human emotion. This talk will highlight several important findings made at MIT, including surprises about the 'true smile of happiness,' and finding electrical signals on the wrist that reveal insight into deep brain activity, with implications for autism, anxiety, epilepsy, mood disorders, and more. Rosalind Picard is founder and director of the Affective Computing Research Group at the MIT Media Laboratory, faculty chair of MindHandHeart, and cofounder of Affectiva and cofounder and chief scientist of Empatica. Picard is the author of 300 peer-reviewed scientific articles, and known internationally for her book Affective Computing, which is credited for launching the field by that name. Picard is an active inventor with over a dozen patents and her lab's achievements have been profiled worldwide including in Wired, New Scientist and on the BBC.
Nov 6, 2018 · 1 hr 21 min
Roger Penrose in conversation with Hannah Fry - Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures
In our Oxford Mathematics London Public Lecture Roger Penrose in conversation with Hannah Fry reveals his latest research, a veritable chain reaction of universes, which he says has been backed by evidence of events that took place before the Big Bang. With Conformal Cyclic Cosmology he argues that, instead of a single Big Bang, the universe cycles from one aeon to the next. Each universe leaves subtle imprints on the next when it pops into being. Energy can 'burst through' from one universe to the next, at what he calls ‘Hawking points.’ The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Oct 1, 2018 · 1 hr 10 min
Oxford Mathematics and the Clay Mathematics Institute Public Lectures: Roger Penrose - Eschermatics
In this lecture Roger Penrose uses M.C Escher's work to illustrate and explain important mathematical ideas and their connections to the visual arts. Roger Penrose's work has ranged across many aspects of mathematics and its applications from his influential work on gravitational collapse to his work on quantum gravity. However, Roger has long had an interest in and influence on the visual arts and their connections to mathematics, most notably in his collaboration with Dutch graphic artist M.C. Escher. Oxford Mathematics hosted this special event in its Public Lecture series during the conference to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the foundation of the Clay Mathematics Institute. After the lecture Roger was presented with the Clay Award for the Dissemination of Mathematical Knowledge. The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Jul 27, 2018 · 1 hr 8 min
John Ball in conversation with Alain Goriely
John Ball is retiring as Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy, Oxford oldest Scientific Chair. In this interview he charts the journey of the Applied Mathematician.as the subject has developed over the last 50 years. Describing his struggles with exams and his time at Cambridge, Sussex and Heriot-Watt before coming to Oxford in 1996, John reflects on walking round St Petersburg with Perelman, his views on how to choose and pursue your research, his work at the International Mathematical Union and in Nepal and the vital importance of family (and football).
Jul 6, 2018 · 58 min
Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Richard James - Atomistically inspired origami
The World population is growing at about 80 million per year. As time goes by, there is necessarily less space per person. Perhaps this is why the scientific community seems to be obsessed with folding things. In this lecture Dick James presents a mathematical approach to “rigid folding” inspired by the way atomistic structures form naturally - their features at a molecular level imply desirable features for macroscopic structures as well, especially 4D structures. Origami structures even suggest an unusual way to look at the Periodic Table. Richard D. James is Distinguished McKnight University Professor the University of Minnesota. The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
May 23, 2018 · 59 min
Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Numbers are Serious but they are also Fun - Michael Atiyah
Archimedes, who famously jumped out of his bath shouting "Eureka", also 'invented' the number pi. Euler invented e and had fun with his formula e^(2 pi i) = 1. The world is full of important numbers waiting to be invented. Why not have a go? Michael Atiyah is one of the world's leading mathematicians and a pivotal figure in twentieth and twenty-first century mathematics. His lecture is followed by an interview with Sir John Ball, Sedleian Professor of Natural Philosophy here in Oxford, where Michael talks about his lecture, his work and his life as a mathematician. The Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures are generously supported by XTX Markets.
Mar 16, 2018 · 54 min
Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Can Mathematics Understand the Brain?' - Alain Goriely
The human brain is the object of the ultimate intellectual egocentrism. It is also a source of endless scientific problems and an organ of such complexity that it is not clear that a mathematical approach is even possible, despite many attempts. In this talk Alain will use the brain to showcase how applied mathematics thrives on such challenges. Through mathematical modelling, we will see how we can gain insight into how the brain acquires its convoluted shape and what happens during trauma. We will also consider the dramatic but fascinating progression of neuro-degenerative diseases, and, eventually, hope to learn a bit about who we are before it is too late. Alain Goriely is Professor of Mathematical Modelling, University of Oxford and author of 'Applied Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction.'
Mar 7, 2018 · 1 hr 3 min
Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Euler’s pioneering equation: "the most beautiful theorem in mathematics" - Robin Wilson
Euler’s equation, the ‘most beautiful equation in mathematics’, startlingly connects the five most important constants in the subject: 1, 0, π, e and i. Central to both mathematics and physics. So what is this equation – and why is it pioneering? Robin Wilson is an Emeritus Professor of Pure Mathematics at the Open University, Emeritus Professor of Geometry at Gresham College, London, and a former Fellow of Keble College, Oxford.
Feb 12, 2018 · 1 hr 1 min
Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Scaling the Maths of Life - Michael Bonsall
Michael Bonsall explores how we can use mathematics to link between scales of organisation in biology, delving in to developmental biology, ecology and neurosciences. The lecture is illustrated and explored with real life examples, simple games and, of course, some neat maths. Michael Bonsall is Professor of Mathematical Biology in Oxford.
Dec 13, 2017 · 48 min
Can Yule Solve My Problems? - Alex Bellos
In our Oxford Mathematics Christmas Lecture Alex Bellos challenges you with some festive brainteasers as he tells the story of mathematical puzzles from the middle ages to modern day. Alex is the Guardian’s puzzle blogger as well as the author of several works of popular maths, including Puzzle Ninja, Can You Solve My Problems? and Alex’s Adventures in Numberland.
Dec 6, 2017 · 1 hr 8 min
Oxford Mathematics London Public Lecture - Andrew Wiles
In the first Oxford Mathematics London Public Lecture, in partnership with the Science Museum, world-renowned mathematician Andrew Wiles lectured on his current work around Elliptic Curves followed by conversation with Hannah Fry. In a fascinating interview Andrew talked about his own motivations, his belief in the importance of struggle and resilience and his recipe for the better teaching of his subject, a subject he clearly loves deeply.
Nov 16, 2017 · 46 min
The Seduction of Curves: The Lines of Beauty That Connect Mathematics, Art and The Nude - Allan McRobie
Allan McRobie explains how the key to understanding the language of curves is Rene Thom’s Catastrophe Theory, and how remarkably the best place to learn that language is perhaps in the life drawing class. There is a deep connection between the stability of oil rigs, the bending of light during gravitational lensing and the act of life drawing. To understand each, we must understand how we view curved surfaces. We are familiar with the language of straight-line geometry -- of squares, rectangles, hexagons. But curves also have a language -- of folds, cusps and swallowtails that few of us know. Sharing its title with Allan's new book, the talk will wander gently across mathematics, physics, engineering, biology and art, but always with a focus on curves. Warning: this talk contains nudity. Allan McRobie is Reader in Engineering, University of Cambridge
Nov 13, 2017 · 56 min
Maths v Disease - Julia Gog
Can mathematics really help us in our fight against infectious disease? Join Julia Gog as we explore exciting current research areas where mathematics is being used to study pandemics, viruses and everything in between. Julia Gog is Professor of Mathematical Biology, University of Cambridge and David N Moore Fellow at Queens’ College, Cambridge.
Oct 24, 2017 · 44 min
Closing the Gap: the quest to understand prime numbers - Vicky Neale
Prime numbers have intrigued, inspired and infuriated mathematicians for millennia and yet mathematicians' difficulty with answering simple questions about them reveals their depth and subtlety. Join Vicky to learn about recent progress towards proving the famous Twin Primes Conjecture and to hear the very different ways in which these breakthroughs have been made - a solo mathematician working in isolation, a young mathematician displaying creativity at the start of a career, a large collaboration that reveals much about how mathematicians go about their work. Her new book "Closing the Gap: the quest to understand prime numbers" has recently been published by Oxford University Press. Vicky Neale is Whitehead Lecturer at the Mathematical Institute, University of Oxford and Supernumerary Fellow at Balliol College
Jul 4, 2017 · 59 min
The Law of the Few - Sanjeev Goyal
The study of networks offers a fruitful approach to understanding human behaviour. Sanjeev Goyal is one of its pioneers. In this lecture Sanjeev presents a puzzle: In social communities, the vast majority of individuals get their information from a very small subset of the group -- the influencers, connectors, and opinion leaders. But empirical research suggests that there are only minor differences between the influencers and the others. Using mathematical modelling of individual activity and networking and experiments with human subjects, Sanjeev helps explain the puzzle and the economic trade-offs it contains. Professor Sanjeev Goyal FBA is the Chair of the Economics Faculty at the University of Cambridge and was the founding Director of the Cambridge-INET Institute.
May 24, 2017 · 46 min
The Sound of Symmetry - Marcus du Sautoy
Symmetry has played a role both for composers and in the creation of musical instruments. Marcus shows how composers have used this symmetry and demonstrates how Ernst Chladni revealed extraordinary symmetrical shapes in the vibrations of a metal Plate. Marcus du Sautoy is Charles Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University.
May 18, 2017 · 1 hr 1 min
The Butterfly Effect - What Does it Really Signify? - Tim Palmer
Tim Palmer discusses Ed Lorenz the man and his work, and compares and contrasts the meaning of the 'Butterfly Effect' as most people understand it today, and as Lorenz himself intended it to mean. Meteorologist Ed Lorenz was one of the founding fathers of chaos theory. In 1963 he showed with just three simple equations that the world around us could be both completely deterministic and yet practically unpredictable. In the 1990s, Lorenz's work was popularised by science writer James Gleick who used the phrase "The Butterfly Effect" to describe Lorenz's work. The notion that the flap of a butterfly's wings could change the course of weather was an idea that Lorenz himself used. However, he used it to describe something much more radical -- he didn't know whether the Butterfly Effect was true or not. Tim Palmer is Royal Society Research Professor in Climate Physics at the University of Oxford.
Feb 14, 2017 · 57 min
Statistics: Why the Truth Matters - Tim Harford
Tim Harford, Financial Times columnist and presenter of Radio 4's "More or Less", argues that politicians, businesses and even charities have been poisoning the value of statistics and data. From the tobacco companies in the fifties to the arguments of the Brexit campaign, Tim Harford takes us on a tour of truths, facts and the weapon that is doubt. Surely fact-checking websites and rational thinking are the best weapons to convince people of the truth? Or is in fact the truth simply not good enough. Do we have time or any inclination to hear it? Maybe we need to start with something simpler. Perhaps arousing people's curiosity might be just as important. Watch Tim make his case in the latest of the successful Oxford Mathematics Public Lecture series.

The Secrets of Mathematics

Oxford Mathematics Student Lectures: An Introduction to Complex Numbers - Vicky Neale

Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures: Marcus du Sautoy - The Num8er My5teries

Can we build AI with Emotional Intelligence? The 2018 Annual Charles Simonyi Lecture

Roger Penrose in conversation with Hannah Fry - Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures

Oxford Mathematics and the Clay Mathematics Institute Public Lectures: Roger Penrose - Eschermatics

John Ball in conversation with Alain Goriely

Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Richard James - Atomistically inspired origami

Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Numbers are Serious but they are also Fun - Michael Atiyah

Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Can Mathematics Understand the Brain?' - Alain Goriely

Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Euler’s pioneering equation: "the most beautiful theorem in mathematics" - Robin Wilson

Oxford Mathematics Public Lectures - Scaling the Maths of Life - Michael Bonsall

Can Yule Solve My Problems? - Alex Bellos

Oxford Mathematics London Public Lecture - Andrew Wiles

The Seduction of Curves: The Lines of Beauty That Connect Mathematics, Art and The Nude - Allan McRobie

Maths v Disease - Julia Gog

Closing the Gap: the quest to understand prime numbers - Vicky Neale

The Law of the Few - Sanjeev Goyal

The Sound of Symmetry - Marcus du Sautoy

The Butterfly Effect - What Does it Really Signify? - Tim Palmer

Statistics: Why the Truth Matters - Tim Harford