Nature is full of patterns that follow fundamental mathematical rules – from nautilus shells to spiral galaxies, lightning bolts to blood vessels.

In the first podcast of 2016, Anand spoke to Prof Raymond Goldstein from the University of Cambridge about the mathematical principles that describe both bacteria and electrons.

Raymond is an author on a recent paper in Nature Physics, which explores the patterns of swimming in bacteria, and how they might be related to the spin of electrons in magnetic materials.

Music:

Chris Zabriskie - I am running down the long hallway of Viewmont Elementary

Poddington Bear - Bright White

The Fish Who Saved The Planet - Marimbo

Little Glass Men - Biolumina

Lee Rosevere - Illuminations

Ropewalk - Worm and Parcel with the Lay

Little Glass Men - Play Pelagic (imported)

Image credit: Courtesy of the researchers