John Nunn learnt to play chess aged four. Since before he can remember, he’s had an exceptional talent for maths. In 1970, aged just 15, he started a degree in mathematics at the University of Oxford. In this episode of Sideways, Matthew Syed ventures into the world of child prodigies. Often depicted as freakish talents with pushy parents, Matthew uncovers the falsehoods and fascinations associated with young brilliant minds.  Charting John Nunn’s career, from maths lecturer to chess grandmaster, Matthew explores how our performance peaks, plateaus and declines and whether age and innovation are really inextricably linked. With Dr Ellen Winner, Professor of Psychology at Boston College and Dr Bruce Weinberg, Professor of Economics at Ohio State University. Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Pippa Smith
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix: Rob Speight
Theme music by Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

38. Past Your Peak

Best-selling author Matthew Syed explores the ideas that shape our lives with stories of seeing the world differently.

Personal Journals

Society & Culture

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

In 1984, on the eve of the Winter Olympics, Joe Boylan gets lost in a blizzard on an Austrian mountainside. Joe will have to fight with everything he has to survive and be reunited with his family. How he does it reveals often typical patterns of behaviour exhibited by lost people in similar situations. Through the story of Joe’s extraordinary 48-hour battle against the wilderness, Matthew Syed examines the fascinating area of study called Lost Person Behaviour, which has changed the way search and rescue teams operate, world over. Featuring Joe Boylan, Robert J Koester, mathematician and author of Lost Person Behavior, Alistair Read from Mountain Rescue England and Wales, Neil Balderson of Lowland Rescue and Maura O'Connor, science journalist and author of Wayfinding: The Science and Mystery of How Humans Navigate the World. Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Leona Hameed
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix by Daniel Kempson
Theme Tune by Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

62. Lost and Found

In 1972, at the liberal Vassar College in New York, 18-year-old Rick Shenkman stood out for his unwavering support of Richard Nixon, especially as the Watergate scandal unfolded. His unconditional allegiance raises a perplexing question - why would a bright, well-educated student overlook the facts and maintain blind faith in the president? In this episode, Matthew Syed delves into one of the most intriguing facets of human psychology - cognitive dissonance.  Conceptualised by Leon Festinger in the 1950s, cognitive dissonance refers to the mental discomfort a person experiences when they hold contradictory beliefs, values, or attitudes simultaneously, or when their behaviour conflicts with their beliefs or values. While we all encounter cognitive dissonance in our daily lives, its underlying mechanisms often remain unnoticed despite their profound impact.  Featuring journalist and historian Rick Shenkman, Professor Elliot Aronson, Professor Matt Johnson and Princeton University graduate student, Logan Pearce.   Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Julien Manuguerra-Patten
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix: Daniel Kempson
Theme Tune by Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

61. Brain Strain

As a child, Kate Ertmann starred in commercials, in soap operas and on Broadway. But acting wasn’t her first love - mathematics was. She considered it to be “a balm" for her brain. And yet societal and teenage pressures made her turn away from maths. Growing up in Sweden, Sebastian Nillson Qvist loathed maths and found it a real struggle. But he still challenged himself to study it as part of a Political Science and Economics degree. It did not go well. But still, maths came back into their lives.  In this episode of Sideways, we find out what led them back to mathematics and the impact it had on them. Something host Matthew Syed experienced first hand when a desire to understand inflation and economics led him back to studying for a maths A-Level in his own time and finding it actually enjoyable, rather than a chore as he had at school. We hear how determination to dominate in the sport of darts can lead to incredible mastery of mental arithmetic from Professor Marcus du Sautoy, who also suggests a novel approach to maths education which he believes could inspire and motivate children. And Field’s Medal winner Professor Efim Zelmanov introduces us to a brilliant young mathematician who was killed in a duel 150 years ago but left behind a theory which keeps all online banking safe. With Kate Eartmann of katelovesmath.com, Sebastian Nillson-Qvist, Professor Marcus du Sautoy - Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics, and Professor Efim Zelmanov - Field’s Medallist and Director of the Shenzhen International Center for Mathematics. Presented by Matthew Syed
Producer: Marilyn Rust
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound Design and Mix: Daniel Kempson
Theme Tune: Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

60. For the love of maths

What's your name? You might think you know, but in this episode of Sideways, Matthew Syed discovers the answer could be more complicated than you first assume.  That's what Hajar found out, after spending her whole life searching for a name to truly call her own. This is the story of our names, and the influence they have over who we are and who we choose to become.  With Hajar Woodland, Eva Echo, Emilia Aldrin, David Zhu and Arjee Restar. Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Leigh Meyer
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Sound design and mix by Daniel Kempson
Theme tune by Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

59. What's Your Name?

In 2020, David Gutenmacher began to buy old photographs and videos that he came across in second hand shops. He was sad about the prospect that families had been severed from their treasured memories, and so he founded the Museum of Lost Memories to try and reconnect people with their personal archives.  But when he came across a video of a family on a safari holiday he realised that finding out who was in these videos might not be all that straightforward. Matthew Syed considers the role of photography and video in personal memory making, and how we go about using photos to leave a record of our existence on earth. Featuring:
David Gutenmacher, Founder and curator of the Lost Memory Museum
Jono Marcus
Lina Henkel, professor of psychology at Fairfield University Presenter: Matthew Syed
Producer: Nadia Mehdi
Series Editor: Katherine Godfrey
Music, Sound Design & Mix: Daniel Kempson
Sideways theme by Ioana Selaru
A Novel production for BBC Radio 4

38. Past Your Peak

Download our free app to listen on your phone