In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle Birchak speaks with Professor Gillen D’Arcy Wood, author of The Wake of the HMS Challenger: How a Legendary Victorian Voyage Tells the Story of Our Ocean’s Decline. Together, they uncover how a nineteenth-century Royal Navy warship transformed into a floating laboratory and gave humanity its first global snapshot of the oceans. From discovering thousands of new species to inspiring NASA’s Challenger shuttle, the expedition shaped modern oceanography and continues to inform today’s conservation science.

Wood’s biocentric storytelling reminds us that to save our planet, we must first fall in love with it again, to be, as he says, re-enchanted by the living ocean that sustains us all.

Three Things Listeners Will Learn

1. How the HMS Challenger (1872–1876) became the first global oceanographic expedition, collecting temperature, depth, and biological data still used today.
2. Why Gillen D’Arcy Wood’s “biocentric” approach reframes history through the perspective of marine life rather than human explorers.
3. What the voyage teaches us about modern ocean crises: from overfishing and warming seas to microplastics—and how species like the green turtle show that recovery is possible.

BUY THE BOOK! 

The Wake of the HMS Challenger by Gillen D’Arcy Wood - HarperCollins Publishers

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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Publish or Purrish: The Cat Who Co-Authored Physics

Episode Overview:

In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we uncover the remarkable story of F.D.C. Willard, the Siamese cat who became a published co-author in a world-renowned physics journal. What began as a workaround for rigid authorship conventions turned into a beloved legend in science history. But Willard wasn’t alone. We also take a closer look at other non-human co-authors, from a dog in immunology, to a hamster in physics, and even bonobos in language research, while exploring what these unusual stories reveal about the culture of scientific publishing and the pressures of the “publish or perish” system.

1. The real physics behind Willard’s paper and why the study of helium-3 was serious science, not just a playful prank.
2. Other cases of animals as authors—including a dog, a hamster, and three bonobos—and what those choices meant.
3. The bigger issue of authorship in science and how conventions and pressures shape who gets credit, and why.

Resources and Further Reading: 

• Wikipedia: F.D.C. Willard
• Hetherington, J.H. & Willard, F.D.C. (1975). Two-, Three-, and Four-Atom Exchange Effects in bcc ³He. Physical Review Letters, 35(21), 1442–1444.
• Matzinger, Polly & Galadriel Mirkwood. (1978). In a fully H-2 incompatible chimera, T cells of donor origin can respond to minor histocompatibility antigens in association with either donor or host H-2 type. Journal of Experimental Medicine, 148(1), 84–92.
• Geim, A.K. & H.A.M.S. ter Tisha. (2001). Detection of Earth rotation with a diamagnetically levitating gyroscope. Physica B: Condensed Matter, 294–295, 736–739.
• Savage-Rumbaugh, S., Kanzi, Panbanisha, & Nyota. (2007). Welfare of Apes in Captive Environments: Comments on, and by, a Specific Group of Apes. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 10(1), 7–19.

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

Let’s Connect!Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mathsciencehistory.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/math.science.history Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathsciencehistory  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/math-science-history/  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@math.science.history  Mastodon: https://[email protected] YouTube: Math! Science! History! - YouTube Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mathsciencehistory  Enjoying the Podcast?

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From tallying goats to launching rockets, this episode takes you on a fast-paced, lighthearted journey through the complete history of mathematics. Inspired by D.E. Smith’s The History of Mathematics, this is the espresso version — goats, Greeks, calculus cage matches, infinity, and beyond.

3 Things Listeners Will Learn:

1. How early humans counted goats, stars, and time with sticks, pebbles, and sky-watching.
2. Why Newton and Leibniz’s feud over calculus was the most brutal “cage match” in math history.
3. How modern math evolved into the language of infinity, chaos, quantum physics, and AI.

Resources Mentioned:

• The History of Mathematics by David Eugene Smith 
• Euclid’s Elements

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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In this Flashcard Friday follow-up to Tuesday’s interview with Dr. Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai of the Massachusetts Historical Society, we revisit the numbers that changed the course of history. During the Revolutionary War, smallpox was more dangerous to the Continental Army than the British. By comparing mortality rates, George Washington made a bold, science-driven choice: inoculate his troops. The math was simple but profound, 30% risk of death without inoculation versus just 2% with it. This decision helped save the Revolution.

In this episode, we reiterate Dr. Wongsrichanalai’s quote: “do the math, believe the science, and learn your history.” From spotting misleading anecdotes to recognizing reliable sources, and from Washington’s decision to Edward Jenner’s breakthrough, today’s lesson is that evidence and history are our best guides when confronting fear and misinformation.

Three Things You’ll Learn

1. How arithmetic saved an army — Why the difference between 30% and 2% mortality mattered more than opinions.
2. How to vet science today — Which sources are reliable and why consensus matters more than a single flashy headline.
3. What history teaches us about vaccines — From smallpox inoculation to global eradication, the past shows us how trust in evidence safeguards survival.

Resources Mentioned

• Massachusetts Historical Society
• World Health Organization (WHO)
• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC)
• Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC)

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers Until next time, carpe diem!

In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle Birchak speaks with Dr. Kanisorn Wongsrichanalai of the Massachusetts Historical Society about the hidden epidemic that shaped the American Revolution. While battles raged, smallpox quietly threatened to destroy the Continental Army and colonial communities. From George Washington’s controversial order to inoculate his soldiers to Abigail Adams’s letters describing her family’s ordeal, this conversation reveals how trust in science, courage, and collective action helped secure America’s future.

Three Things Listeners Will Learn:

1. How smallpox ravaged North America during the Revolutionary War and why it was considered more dangerous than the battlefield.
2. Why George Washington’s decision to inoculate the Continental Army may have saved the Revolution.
3. How Abigail and John Adams’s letters reveal the fears, risks, and resilience of ordinary families facing inoculation.

Resources & Further Reading:

• Massachusetts Historical Society
• Massachusetts Historical Society – Adams Family Papers
• Mount Vernon – George Washington and Smallpox Inoculation
• Centers for Disease Control (CDC) – History of Smallpox
• WHO – Eradication of Smallpox

  🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com 📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

 🌍 Let’s Connect! Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mathsciencehistory.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/math.science.history Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathsciencehistory  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/math-science-history/  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@math.science.history  Mastodon: https://[email protected] YouTube: Math! Science! History! - YouTube Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mathsciencehistory  🎧 Enjoying the Podcast?

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Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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Think physics only lives in textbooks and science labs? Think again. In this episode, we break down how physics is baked into your everyday life, from the way you walk and sip your coffee to how your phone works and why doors are designed the way they are.

No jargon, no equations, just real-world science you already use, without realizing it.

If you've ever opened a faucet, turned a steering wheel, or spilled your latte, congratulations: you're a physicist in disguise. Tune in and learn how the universe is quietly working with you, every step of the way.

1. Why walking without falling is a physics masterpiece, and what inverted pendulums have to do with it.

2. The science behind everyday things like sloshing coffee, door handles, and boiling water.

3. How your smartphone uses physics every time you swipe, tilt, or tap.

• Physics Classroom – Real-World Applications of Newton's Laws

• How Stuff Works – How Touchscreens Work

• Veritasium: Why It’s Hard to Walk on Ice (YouTube)

• MinutePhysics: The Physics of Sloshing Coffee

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com 📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

 🌍 Let’s Connect! Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mathsciencehistory.bsky.social Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/math.science.history Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mathsciencehistory  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/math-science-history/  Threads: https://www.threads.com/@math.science.history  YouTube: Math! Science! History! - YouTube Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/mathsciencehistory  🎧 Enjoying the Podcast?

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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers🎵 Sound Editor: David Aviles

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What does it cost to carry a brilliant idea? Ludwig Boltzmann gave us the statistical foundations of entropy and the famous S = k log W, yet his life was marked by relentless skepticism, isolation, and personal struggle. In this episode, we weave Boltzmann’s story with the modern mental health crisis in academia, where anxiety, depression, and burnout affect scientists at alarming rates. We’ll explore how probability explains not only the arrow of time, but also why community, resilience, and care are essential for science to thrive.

3 Things Listeners Will Learn:

1. How Ludwig Boltzmann’s statistical mechanics shaped modern physics and why his ideas met fierce resistance.
2. The scale of today’s mental health crisis in academia — from graduate students to faculty.
3. Practical tools like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and community support that can help foster resilience in science.

Resources & Further Reading:

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.)
• International Association for Suicide Prevention Global Helpline Directory
• Evans, T. M., et al. “Evidence for a mental health crisis in graduate education.” Nature Biotechnology (2018).
• Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy – Boltzmann’s Work in Statistical Physics
• Nobel Prize: Jean Perrin’s Nobel Lecture (1926)

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com 📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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What if you could watch molecules move in real time? Nobel Prize-winning chemist Ahmed Zewail made that possible by pioneering femtochemistry, capturing chemical reactions in quadrillionths of a second.

In this Flashcards Friday episode, Gabrielle Birchak uncovers Zewail’s remarkable journey: from his modest childhood in Egypt, to facing challenges as an immigrant scientist in the U.S., to transforming the very foundations of chemistry. Along the way, we explore how his resilience, persistence, and vision helped him rise above obstacles and leave a legacy that continues to inspire scientists across the globe.

Three Things You’ll Learn

1. How Ahmed Zewail invented femtochemistry and why it transformed our understanding of chemical reactions.
2. What adversities Zewail overcame as a Sunni Muslim scientist from Egypt working in the U.S. and navigating skepticism.
3. Why resilience matters in science — and how Zewail’s persistence can inspire your own path.

Resources & Further Reading

• Ahmed Zewail – Facts - NobelPrize.org 
• Laser femtochemistry - PubMed – By Ahmed Zewail 
• Ahmed Zewail, 1946–2016 - www.caltech.edu 
• Ahmed Hassan Zewail. 26 February 1946—2 August 2016 | Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of the Royal Society

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com 📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle uncovers the fascinating story of quasicrystals, once thought impossible, now proven to exist both in the lab and in meteorites from space. Listeners will learn how quasicrystals challenged centuries of crystallography, the math that explains their strange patterns, and the surprising ways they’re used today, from non‑stick coatings to futuristic photonics.

Three Things You’ll Learn

1. Why quasicrystals broke the old definition of crystals and forced scientists to rewrite the rules.
2. How Penrose tilings and higher‑dimensional geometry reveal the math behind quasiperiodic order.
3. Where quasicrystals are used today in technology, industry, and even planetary science.

Resources & Links

• Dan Shechtman’s Nobel Lecture: Nobel Prize 2011 in Chemistry
• Paul J. Steinhardt, The Second Kind of Impossible (2019)
• Marjorie Senechal, Quasicrystals and Geometry (1995)
• Luca Bindi et al., “Natural Quasicrystals,” Science (2009): https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1170827

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com 📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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🎵 Audio Editor: Podcast mixed by David Aviles Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers Pulses by P Richmond from Pixabay

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In this episode of Math Science History, we journey back to 8th-century England to uncover the story of Alcuin of York, a quiet but powerful force behind the Carolingian Renaissance. From his beginnings in the cathedral school of York to his influential role as Charlemagne’s advisor, Alcuin shaped the future of Western education, preserved ancient texts, and helped revive a culture of learning in a world on the brink of intellectual collapse. Discover how this humble teacher from northern England helped build the foundations for modern classrooms and script systems—and even shared a few brain-teasing puzzles along the way.

Three Things You’ll Learn

How Alcuin’s work at the Palace School of Charlemagne helped ignite the Carolingian Renaissance

Why the trivium and quadrivium became the foundation for medieval education—and how they still echo in modern curricula

The surprising origins of the wolf, goat, and cabbage river-crossing puzzle and its connection to Alcuin’s teaching style

Bullough, Donald A. Alcuin: Achievement and Reputation. Brill, 2004.

McKitterick, Rosamond. Charlemagne: The Formation of a European Identity. Cambridge University Press, 2008.

Folkerts, Menso. “Alcuin's Propositiones ad acuendos juvenes.” Historia Mathematica 5, no. 4 (1978): 385–404.

The Alcuin Club: www.alcuinclub.org.uk

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com 📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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If you love Math, Science, History, here’s how you can help:🌟 Leave a review! It helps more people discover the show!📢 Share this episode with friends & fellow history buffs!🔔 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform

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🎵 Music: On Matters of Consequence from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers CC0 Farseer, from Vindsvept CC 4.0Until next time, carpe diem!