TEDTalks: Numbers Speak Louder than Words

Watch TEDTalks: Numbers Speak Louder than Words

  • 2024
  • 1 Season

TEDTalks: Numbers Speak Louder than Words is a riveting journey into the world of numbers and its secrets that are hidden in plain sight. The show features some of the most brilliant minds in the field of mathematics and science who have dedicated their lives to using numbers to decipher patterns and phenomena of the natural world.

Margaret Wertheim, a science writer and curator, takes the stage to talk about the beauty in using crochet to explain hyperbolic geometry. She demonstrates how crocheting and the geometry behind it has opened a window to a hidden world of mathematical beauty that is both mesmerizing and fascinating.

Kevin Slavin, a game designer, discusses how algorithms and the power of modern computing have transformed our world in an unprecedented way. He talks about how these algorithms impact everything from the stock market to the music industry and how data has come to shape our lives in ways we never could have imagined.

Ron Eglash, a Cybernetic Anthropologist, takes us on a tour of the fascinating world of ethno-mathematics in Africa. He shows how African villages use fractals and other mathematical principles in their art, architecture, and even their hairstyles. Eglash's work sheds light on how mathematics is deeply ingrained in various cultures and identities around the world.

Geoffrey West, a theoretical physicist, explores the mysteries of cities and how they evolve. He talks about how mathematicians and scientists have started to view cities as biological organisms and have developed models that predict their growth and patterns of behavior. His talk provides useful insights into the future of urbanization and its long-term impact on society.

Stephen Wolfram, a computer scientist, discusses how numbers and algorithms can help us understand the fundamental laws of the universe. He talks about his journey to discovering the computational system that underpins all of science, and how it's unlocking a new era of scientific discovery. His talk provides a glimpse into the fascinating world of computational physics, and how it holds the key to unlocking the biggest secrets of our universe.

Sean Gourley, a complex systems theorist, talks about the mathematics behind warfare and how it has evolved over time. He provides fascinating insights into the battlefields of the past and how commanders used mathematical strategies to gain an advantage. His talk also touches on the future of warfare and how mathematics will continue to be an essential component.

Benoit Mandelbrot, the father of fractal geometry, takes us on a tour of the unpredictable and chaotic world of fractals. He shows how these infinitely complex mathematical patterns are deeply embedded in the natural world, from clouds to coastlines. His talk is a stunning reminder of how much we still have to learn and discover about the hidden mathematical patterns that shape our world.

Marcus du Sautoy, a mathematician and author, discusses the mystery of prime numbers and their potential to unlock one of the greatest secrets of mathematics. He talks about the Riemann hypothesis, an unresolved mathematical problem that could significantly advance the field of mathematics, and how it all depends on prime numbers. His talk provides insights into the importance of prime numbers and their impact on everything from cryptography to number theory.

Steven Strogatz, a mathematician and teacher, discusses the power of calculus to help us understand the natural world. He talks about how calculus underpins everything from the movement of planets to the beating of our hearts. His talk provides insights into the inner workings of the natural world and how the power of calculus is helping us to unlock its many mysteries.

TEDTalks: Numbers Speak Louder than Words is a truly enlightening series that will leave you in awe of the power of numbers and the mathematical patterns that shape our world. Each episode takes the viewer on a journey into the fascinating world of numbers, and how they provide us with insights into everything from the natural world to the complexities of human behavior. This show will leave you with a newfound appreciation for the beauty of mathematics and its vast potential to unlock the secrets of our world.

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Seasons
Steven Strogatz on Sync
9. Steven Strogatz on Sync
 
Mathematician Steven Strogatz shows how flocks of creatures (birds, fireflies and fish) synchronize and act as a unit, when no one's giving orders.
Marcus du Sautoy: Symmetry, Reality's Riddle
8. Marcus du Sautoy: Symmetry, Reality's Riddle
 
From the spin of subatomic particles to a beautiful arabesque, the world turns on symmetry. Oxford mathematician Marcus du Sautoy offers a glimpse.
Benoit Mandelbrot: Fractals and the Art of Roughness
7. Benoit Mandelbrot: Fractals and the Art of Roughness
 
Mathematics legend Benoit Mandelbrot explores the complexity of roughness, and how fractal math can find order in unknowably complicated patterns.
Sean Gourley on the Mathematics of War
6. Sean Gourley on the Mathematics of War
 
Using raw data on violent events in the Iraq War, Sean Gourley finds a strong mathematical relationship linking the fatality and frequency of attacks.
Stephen Wolfram: Computing a Theory of Everything
5. Stephen Wolfram: Computing a Theory of Everything
 
Stephen Wolfram, creator of Mathematica, talks about his quest to make all knowledge computational -- able to be searched, processed and manipulated.
Geoffrey West: The Surprising Math of Cities and Corporations
4. Geoffrey West: The Surprising Math of Cities and Corporations
 
Physicist Geoffrey West finds that wealth, crime rate, walking speed and other aspects of a city is deduced from one number: the city's population.
Ron Eglash on African Fractals
3. Ron Eglash on African Fractals
 
I am a mathematician, and I would like to stand on your roof, said Ron Eglash as he greeted African families to research fractal patterns in villages.
Kevin Slavin: How Algorithms Shape Our World
2. Kevin Slavin: How Algorithms Shape Our World
 
Kevin Slavin argues that algorithms create and control our world. These computer programs determine everything from espionage tactics to architecture.
Margaret Wertheim on the Beautiful Math of Coral
1. Margaret Wertheim on the Beautiful Math of Coral
 
Margaret Wertheim leads a project to re-create the creatures of the coral reefs using a crochet technique invented by a mathematician.
Description
  • Premiere Date
    April 26, 2024