Math Mutation

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Welcome to Math Mutation, a podcast for people of all ages where we discuss fun, interesting, or just plain weird corners of mathematics that you would not have heard in school.(Feedback email erik@mathmutation.com).

Erik Seligman


    • Dec 27, 2023 LATEST EPISODE
    • infrequent NEW EPISODES
    • 4m AVG DURATION
    • 273 EPISODES

    4.8 from 77 ratings Listeners of Math Mutation that love the show mention: thanks erik, mathematics, mathematical, math teacher, erik's, erik does a great job, corners, don't let, eric, interesting topics, high school, fun podcast, accessible, delightful, subjects, finding, ability, short, quick, one of my favorite podcasts.


    Ivy Insights

    The Math Mutation podcast is a truly remarkable show that has been running for fifteen years and continues to captivate listeners with its unique blend of mathematics and philosophy. Hosted by Erik Seligman, this podcast dives deep into the world of math, uncovering hidden connections and exploring the intricate relationships between numbers and concepts. With over 200 previous episodes to enjoy, it's no wonder why this podcast has garnered such a loyal following.

    One of the best aspects of The Math Mutation podcast is Erik's ability to make complex mathematical topics accessible to listeners of all backgrounds. Whether you're a seasoned mathematician or someone with little mathematical knowledge, Erik breaks down each topic in a way that is easy to understand. His down-to-earth explanations and relatable examples make it possible for anyone to gain a deeper appreciation for math. Additionally, the wide range of topics covered on the show ensures that there is something for everyone to enjoy. From recreational math puzzles to in-depth explorations of advanced mathematical concepts, each episode offers a new perspective on the fascinating world of numbers.

    Another standout aspect of this podcast is Erik's enthusiasm and passion for math. It's evident in every episode that he genuinely enjoys sharing his knowledge and insights with his audience. His energy and excitement are contagious, making it impossible not to get swept up in his love for math. This enthusiasm creates an engaging listening experience that keeps you coming back for more.

    However, like any podcast, there are a few minor drawbacks worth mentioning. Firstly, some may find the brevity of each episode disappointing. While the short format allows for quick consumption and easy listening, it can also leave you wanting more. Additionally, due to the vast scope of mathematical topics covered on the show, certain episodes may be less interesting or relevant depending on your personal preferences or level of mathematical knowledge.

    In conclusion, The Math Mutation podcast is an incredible resource for anyone interested in mathematics or looking to expand their understanding of the subject. Erik Seligman's ability to make math accessible and his passion for the topic shine through in every episode. While there may be some minor drawbacks, such as the brevity of episodes, they don't detract from the overall excellence of this podcast. If you're looking for an entertaining and enlightening exploration of mathematics, look no further than The Math Mutation podcast.



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    Latest episodes from Math Mutation

    Math Mutation 288: One Stone To Rule Them All

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 27, 2023 5:10


    Earlier this year, after half a century of searching by many talented mathematicians, an amateur finally discovered an aperiodic monotile. (Send feedback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 287: The Grim State of Modern Pizza

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2023 4:43


    The surprisingly simple GRIM test, and how it helped to debunk the famous Cornell Pizza Studies. (Send feedback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 286: Adventures In Translation

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 27, 2023 5:44


    I discuss my experiences translating "The Revolution of Promises" by Nelson Rodriguez Chartrand. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 285: Believe My Proofs Or Else

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 29, 2023 4:43


    Have you used the logical method known as "proof by intimidation"? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 284: Don't Square Numbers, Triangle Them

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2023 4:51


    We discuss Buckminster Fuller's focus on triangles in his Synergetics. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 283: Escape From Infinity

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2023 5:54


    If we deny the existence of infinity, does math still work? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 282: The Man With The Map

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 20, 2022 5:19


    In memory of Maurice Karnaugh, we discuss the "K-Map", a nice shortcut for desinging electronic circuits. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 281: Pascal vs Mathematics

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2022 4:42


    Discussing the final decade of Blaise Pascal's life, when he decided math and physics were unworthy of study. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 280: Rubik's Resurgence

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 26, 2022 5:50


    Thanks to social media, Rubik's Cube is popular again. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 279: Improbable Envelopes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 1, 2022 5:05


    We discuss the famous Two Envelopes paradox, along with an unconventional solution. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 278: Bicycle Repair Man

    Play Episode Listen Later May 22, 2022 3:48


    Alan Turing's adventures in bicycle repair. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 277: Bad Career Advice

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2022 6:22


    Should you aim for a maximally "scalable" profession in order to become rich? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 276: Don't Believe the Math

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2022 6:44


    We discuss Nassim Taleb's "Ludic Fallacy", the incorrect belief that simple mathematical models accurately predict the real world. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 275: Demanding Fair Dice

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2022 4:58


    What does it take to create fair dice for an online game? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 274: The Gomboc

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2021 4:29


    A strange self-righting 3-D shape was only discovered in the 21st century. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 273: A Maze Of Labyrinths

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2021 5:34


    Why are literary and visual labyrinths from ancient and medieval times so different? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 272: The Mathematics of Jackie Mason

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2021 5:15


    How Jackie Mason derived jokes from Talmudic logic. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 271: Too Much Testing

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2021 5:26


    Think about the math before getting tested for a rare disease. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 270: Which Way To Turn

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 15, 2021 2:54


    Why are screw threads always right-handed? Or are they? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 269: A Good Use of Downtime

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 25, 2021 4:45


    We discuss a strange mathematical experiment conducted in a World War II prison camp. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 268: The Right Way To Gamble

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2021 3:51


    When does it make sense to bet it all on a single spin of the roulette wheel? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 267: Free Will Isn't Free

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2021 5:21


    Do the nondeterministic calculations of quantum physics inevitably lead to proof of free will? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 266: A Number Is A Number

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 25, 2020 4:11


    We explore Bertrand Russell's set-theoretic definition of whole numbers. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 265: Defining Numbers, Sort of

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2020 5:29


    Is there a fundamental set of axioms we can use to define whole numbers? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 264: Unbalanced Society

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2020 5:09


    We explore some of Alfred Korzybski's odd ideas about using math to remake society. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 263: Asimov vs Doyle

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2020 5:47


    Was Sherlock Holmes' archnemesis Moriarty really a mathematical genius? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 262: My Bathroom Needs More Beryllium

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 31, 2020 5:56


    How to combine magic squares and Feng Shui. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 261: The Mystery of the S

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 28, 2020 3:50


    Is the title of this podcast missing an S? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 260: The Conway Criterion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2020 5:13


    How much can you deform hexagonal tiles and still cover your bathroom floor? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 260: The Conway Criterion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2020 5:13


    How much can you deform hexagonal tiles and still cover your bathroom floor? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 259: Is Reality Really Real?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2020 5:23


    Does Donald Hoffman's book "The Case Against Reality" prove everything we perceive is wrong? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 259: Is Reality Really Real?

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 8, 2020 5:23


    Does Donald Hoffman's book "The Case Against Reality" prove everything we perceive is wrong? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 258: Memory or Knot

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2020 4:22


    Exploring the Incas' clever "quipu" system of data storage. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 258: Memory or Knot

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 25, 2020 4:22


    Exploring the Incas' clever "quipu" system of data storage. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 257: Turning Things Sideways in Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2019 4:42


    Are memories just wires turned sideways in time? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 257: Turning Things Sideways in Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 29, 2019 4:42


    Are memories just wires turned sideways in time? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 256: Crazy Eyed Fish

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2019 4:05


    How symmetry and asymmetry naturally evolve in living creatures. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 256: Crazy Eyed Fish

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 30, 2019 4:05


    How symmetry and asymmetry naturally evolve in living creatures. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 255: Mountain Climbing with Dawkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2019 5:31


    How Richard Dawkins' metaphor of "Mount Improbable" explains the evolution of the human eye. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 255: Mountain Climbing with Dawkins

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 13, 2019 5:31


    How Richard Dawkins' metaphor of "Mount Improbable" explains the evolution of the human eye. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 254: How To Annoy Your Cat

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2019 4:08


    The mathematics of falling cats. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 254: How To Annoy Your Cat

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 18, 2019 4:08


    The mathematics of falling cats. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 253: Making Jewelry With Fermat

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 21, 2019 4:49


    We discuss Fermat's Little Theorem, along with an elegant visual proof. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 252: A Mathematician Translating Pushkin?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2019 4:52


    Why did a famous math author translate a classic Russian epic poem? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 251: Paradoxes, Mathematical Oddities, and Formal Verification

    Play Episode Listen Later May 26, 2019 40:49


    Audio of a recent conference talk relating Math Mutation topics to the verification of processor designs. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 250: Life on the Long Tail

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2019 6:02


    How the Long Tail theory enables Math Mutation to exist. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 249: The Other Half of the Battle

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 18, 2019 6:14


    How poor communication of accurate math destroyed a space shuttle. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 248: A Safe Bet

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2019 6:08


    How the Base Rate Fallacy can help us find out if the sun has exploded. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 247: Wombat Geometry

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 28, 2018 4:06


    Exploring the secrets of the only animals with cubic dung. (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 246: Election Solutions Revisited

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 2, 2018 5:49


    Can we use mathemtical insights to reduce the partisan conflicts surrounding ballot counting after every election? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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    Math Mutation 245: How Far Apart Are Numbers?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 14, 2018 4:23


    What is the "right" way to draw a number line? (Send feeback to erik@mathmutation.com)

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