Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
A podcast about the big numbers, the hard sums, the mathematics that defines, runs, shapes, changes, begins, ends, every things our lives and the world around us. Hosted by Colm O'Regan. An award-winning radio broadcaster, comedian, novelist and it turns out lapsed engineer who is trying to feel useful again. Each episode sheds light on a tiny corner of a giant subject with entertaining guests and accessible talk.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ Mathematics • Science • Big numbers • Algorithms • Sustainable energy • Climate change • Sports statistics • Conspiracy theories • Criminology • History of computing • Mathematical models in everyday lifeThis podcast, titled "The Function Room," is hosted by Colm O'Regan, who draws on his experience as a comedian, novelist, and lapsed engineer to delve into topics that blend mathematics with various aspects of life and science. The show promises to explore the "big numbers, the hard sums, and the mathematics that define, run, shape, change, begin, and end everything in our lives and the world around us." Episodes feature a wide array of guests, all bringing expertise to discussions about math's intersection with diverse subjects, making it accessible and engaging for listeners.
Across its episodes, the podcast covers themes such as the role of mathematics in understanding and solving real-world problems, including climate change, energy consumption, and crime analysis. There is a strong focus on how mathematical principles apply to technology, the natural sciences, and even the arts. Episodes explore the mathematics of voting systems, sports statistics, and the history of mathematical objects and calculators. Additionally, the podcast delves into more abstract and theoretical topics like quantum computing, the Riemann Hypothesis, and energy modeling.
The podcast also highlights the influence of mathematics on everyday life and pop culture, such as in television, film, and literature. It frequently examines how mathematical concepts appear in unexpected areas, like origami, meteorology, and cycling. The host's variety of guests includes mathematicians, scientists, authors, and enthusiasts, all contributing to discussions that make complex topics more relatable and understandable. Overall, "The Function Room" is a podcast that uses math as a lens to explore a wide range of subjects, from the mundane to the extraordinary, providing listeners with a broad and intriguing view of the world.
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53 The High Seas with Olive Heffernan 2025-Jul-15 40 minutes |
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52 This Number Could Save Your Life One Day with Lewis Dartnell 2025-Jul-07 49 minutes |
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51 Great xPectations with Paul McDonald. 2024-Aug-03 49 minutes |
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50 Talking Ballots with Adrian Kavanagh 2024-Jul-14 55 minutes |
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49 The Hole Shebang - Black Holes with Dr John Regan 2024-Jun-26 51 minutes |
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48 Object Lesson 2024-May-28 47 minutes |
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47 Body to Body to Body with Dr Matt Kenzie 2024-May-16 59 minutes |
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46 Census Sensibility with Dr Jessica Coyne. 2024-Apr-17 59 minutes |
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45 Empire of the Sum a history of the pocket calculator 2024-Mar-15 47 minutes |
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44 (Replay) Algorithm and Blues with Cathy O'Neill 2024-Mar-07 46 minutes |
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43 Potential Energy - the Mathematics of Energy Modelling 2024-Feb-29 37 minutes |
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42 That's So Derivative - Mathematics at the Movies with John Fardy 2024-Feb-22 58 minutes |
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41 Re: Volts with David Roberts 2024-Feb-06 71 minutes |
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40 H2 Oh! with Catherine Sheridan 2024-Jan-29 45 minutes |
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39 There's Been a Breakthrough with TJ Hegarty. 2024-Jan-22 43 minutes |
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38 The Auld Sthretch with Éibhear Ó hAnluain 2023-Dec-13 39 minutes |
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37 This Goes All The Way to the Top with David Robert Grimes 2023-Nov-29 60 minutes |
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36 Murderous Math with Kjartan Poskitt 2023-Nov-22 43 minutes |
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35 Riemann Reason with Dr Alex Kontorovich 2023-Nov-09 59 minutes |
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34 Sea Change with Joanna Donnelly 2023-Oct-27 33 minutes |
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33 Climate Worrier 2023-Oct-19 53 minutes |
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32 All the Pieces Matter 2023-Oct-16 25 minutes |
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31 It's in Our Nature 2023-Oct-04 52 minutes |
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30 Anyone's Guess 2023-Sep-21 59 minutes |
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29 The More Things Change, the More They Stay the Same 2023-Sep-11 49 minutes |
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28 Things Fall Apart 2023-Jul-10 42 minutes |
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27 A Sense of Ounce 2023-Jul-03 51 minutes |
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26 Chums' Pedigree 2023-Jun-28 40 minutes |
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#25 Crime Numbers 2023-Jun-19 51 minutes |
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24 Carbon of Contention 2023-Jun-09 51 minutes |
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23 What the Butler Saw with John Butler 2023-May-24 58 minutes |
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#22 Once Upon A Prime with Sarah Hart 2023-May-15 42 minutes |
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#21 Drawing by Numbers with Ayliean MacDonald 2023-May-06 49 minutes |
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Boyle Points - the story of a gas man 2023-May-01 38 minutes |
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The Weather Forecast: The Original Cloud Computing 2023-Apr-22 49 minutes |
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Some Idle ChatGPT 2023-Apr-14 52 minutes |
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Mental Arithmetic: It's All In Your Head 2023-Apr-06 37 minutes |
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All We Hear Is: Radio Pulsar 2023-Mar-30 36 minutes |
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Back Once Again For The Renegade Masters Student 2023-Mar-23 59 minutes |
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Where Is There a Will? 2021-Sep-22 58 minutes |
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Miracle Grow 2021-Sep-08 79 minutes |
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The Ps of Queues 2021-Aug-23 56 minutes |
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A Chip Off The New Block 2021-Jun-28 42 minutes |
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Welcome to the Fold 2021-May-14 67 minutes |
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The Matrix Revised 2021-Mar-15 45 minutes |
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Algorithm and Blues 2021-Feb-09 45 minutes |
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The Solace of Quantum 2021-Jan-18 45 minutes |
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A Sum of Funny. 2020-Dec-29 45 minutes |
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The Math(s) Doesn't Care About Your Feelings 2020-Nov-21 56 minutes |
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Galaxy Brain 2020-Nov-06 41 minutes |
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Model Behaviour 2020-Oct-23 35 minutes |
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Spilling the T. 2020-Oct-09 51 minutes |
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1 They Grow Up So Fast with Kit Yates 2020-Sep-10 33 minutes |