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 in everyday life • Statistical analysis • Scientific discussions • Energy and sustainability • Mathematical history • Mathematical modeling and applications • Astrophysics and space exploration • Communication of complex topicsThis podcast, titled "The Function Room," explores a variety of topics centered around mathematics and its intersection with different aspects of life and culture. Hosted by Colm O'Regan, the show delves into subjects ranging from sports statistics and voting systems to the intriguing world of quantum computing and the mathematics behind climate change. Each episode features a guest who provides expertise and insight into the topic at hand, contributing to an accessible understanding of complex mathematical ideas.
The podcast covers a broad spectrum of topics, consistently intersecting mathematics with disciplines such as physics, sustainability, and even the arts. Themes of data interpretation, statistical analysis, and mathematical modeling recur, with episodes examining the use of mathematical principles in energy modeling, neuroscience, and criminology. Frequent discussions of mathematics in practical applications are evident, with episodes touching on subjects like the history of measurement, crime statistics, and the mathematics of elections.
In addition to purely mathematical discussions, the podcast also explores the cultural and historical implications of mathematical concepts, such as the symmetry found in art, the history of the pocket calculator, and the role of algorithms in shaping society. Furthermore, the show does not shy away from exploring the philosophical aspects of mathematics, including debates about free will and existential ideas surrounding black holes and the universe.
Through a blend of storytelling and expert interviews, this podcast aims to shed light on the significant role that mathematics plays in shaping the world around us, offering listeners insight into a diverse range of topics across science, technology, and society.
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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 |