"Math or Magic: This American Life" In the ever-engrossing world of podcasts, "This American Life" has been a highly popular and influential show for over two decades. Known for its deep storytelling and exploration of diverse topics, this show has covered everything from politics to personal anecdotes. One episode that stands out among many is "Math or Magic," which delves into the intriguing relationship between mathematics and wonder. In this episode, "This American Life" takes its listeners on a captivating journey into the realms of mathematics and magic. It explores the ways in which these seemingly distinct fields intersect and captivate our imaginations. With the help of renowned mathematicians and illusionists, the show uncovers the surprising ways in which math is intertwined with magic tricks, revealing the hidden logic and patterns behind illusions that seem to defy rationality.
Some of my friends don’t like listening to sad music because they relate to it too much. I’ve heard, “the song is different once you’ve been in a relationship.” I know they don’t mean anything by it, but I start to doubt my emotional capacity and insights, even though I don’t usually feel insecure about my lack of relationship experience. I start thinking that I don’t know what love is, so what could I possibly contribute to conversations about relationships? I know making handmade presents, brewing coffee for someone else, recommending a book that reminds you of someone, anticipating what someone wants to eat before they know what they want. It’s cliché to say “food is my love language,” but it is. To know what someone will enjoy means knowing them. To know what you crave means knowing yourself. Knowing does not always mean loving, but sometimes it does.
I think slowing down is the most wholesome form of care we can pursue in a world that never seems to slow down, granted that our circumstances allow us to do so without further stressing ourselves out. Russell Cobb s 2005 story about Carlton Pearson, Heretics, was adapted into a movie, Come Sunday , which we produced with Endgame Entertainment for Netflix.
With the help of renowned mathematicians and illusionists, the show uncovers the surprising ways in which math is intertwined with magic tricks, revealing the hidden logic and patterns behind illusions that seem to defy rationality. By examining the shared essence of math and magic, the episode challenges the perception that these disciplines are mutually exclusive. Both math and magic work with patterns, deception, and clever manipulation of perception.
Mathematics World Mourns Maryam Mirzakhani, Only Woman to Win Fields Medal
Maryam Mirzakhani, the first woman and first Iranian to win the Fields Medal, often described as the rough equivalent of a Nobel prize for mathematicians, died of metastatic breast cancer on July 14* at the age of 40. She had been a professor at Stanford University since 2008.
The loss feels personal to many women in mathematics. “My mailbox is full of messages from other women,” says Ingrid Daubechies, a math professor at Duke University. “Women mathematicians all over the world are e-mailing each other, trying to comfort each other. It is heartbreaking that we had to lose a gifted mathematician and wonderful role model so soon.”
Born in Tehran, Mirzakhani studied mathematics at Sharif University of Technology there before coming to the U.S. to get a PhD at Harvard University in 2004. As she told Quanta Magazine in 2014, she did not grow up wanting to become a mathematician. As a child, she loved to read and make up stories and thought she might be a writer. But despite some discouraging classes in middle school, she eventually discovered a passion for mathematics and proved brilliant at it.
Mirzakhani worked on a variety of problems related to hyperbolic geometry, which describes surfaces that are curved like a Pringles potato chip or the curly ends of a leaf of kale. Unlike chips or vegetables, however, these surfaces close up like donuts, usually with multiple holes. If that is hard to visualize, there’s good reason: The surfaces Mirzakhani studied were not bound by the constraints of the real world.
Mathematicians often understand these surfaces by studying curves that sit on them. Simple loops are a particularly important class of such curves. (In this context “simple” refers to a loop that does not intersect itself.) In her thesis Mirzakhani solved a problem that sounds straightforward but which is actually extremely difficult to answer: On a given hyperbolic surface, how many simple loops are there of less than a given length?
Her thesis advisor, Curtis McMullen, a mathematics professor at Harvard, recalls that a few weeks after finding a solution she came to him with a surprising announcement, she had used her work to find a new proof of the Witten conjecture, an important result in string theory.
More recently, she had, along with University of Chicago mathematician Alex Eskin and University of California, San Diego, mathematician Amir Mohammadi, written monumental papers culminating in a “magic wand” theorem, not about individual hyperbolic surfaces but about whole spaces of them. This work has applications to the classical physics problem of understanding the motion of a billiard ball as it bounces around a polygonal table.
When people talk about Mirzakhani’s work, they often use terms that seem dissonant: ambitious and humble; fearless and down-to-earth. Mirzakhani sometimes described herself as slow, but that should probably be taken with a grain of salt. She was an outstanding competitor in the International Mathematical Olympiad, earning a gold medal both years she competed for Iran’s national team, along with a perfect score the second year. Competitions such as the IMO tend to reward quick problem-solving, a skill that doesn’t always lead to a successful research career in a field that requires long-term planning and perseverance. “Maryam was one of the rare mathematicians who combined outstanding problem solving skills with the insight and curiosity of a mature scientist,” McMullen says.
Perhaps “deep” would be a better word than “slow.” She was not satisfied with gleaning just enough understanding to make an argument work. She wanted to understand everything at a deep level, to probe every nook and cranny of whatever mathematical wonderland she was exploring. “She would immerse herself in this world. Then, when she had thoroughly acquainted herself with it, she could start to address the challenges,” McMullen says. “I think that’s what she meant by being slow.” Where some mathematicians see a direct route to a proof and push toward it through any difficulties, Mirzakhani could often find ways to work around obstacles by looking at things differently.
This approach, along with her intellectual courage, meant she had a strong vision for future work in her area of math. Alex Wright, a mathematician at Stanford, had been working with Mirzakhani for several years at the time of her death. Their collaboration began when he was a graduate student and she invited him to speak in a seminar. “It was remarkable how much time she spent with me and how accessible I found her to work with,” he says. “I was amazed at how deeply she had thought about the area. What I realized was that she was okay with thinking about something for years without any certainty that it would be possible to figure it out,” Wright says. “Essentially, I’ve been working on her vision ever since that visit.”
Mirzakhani has already made an impact in her field, and it is sure to grow as her work is more fully digested by other researchers. “Her work opens new frontiers of research that are just starting to be explored,” McMullen says. “She approached new mathematics with fearless ambition.” She wanted to know what was next, where the field was going. Her incisive questions shaped the field as well, and will continue to shape it.
Mirzakhani was not the first outstanding woman mathematician, but she was the first, and so far only, to be recognized with the Fields, which, unlike the annual Nobel, is awarded only once every four years and only to mathematicians 40 years old or younger. Up to four mathematicians receive the prize in any award year. “It was bound to happen,” says Daubechies, who served as president of the International Mathematical Union, the organization that awards the Fields Medal, from 2011 to 2014. She was the first woman to lead the IMU. “There are excellent young women mathematicians. Many times they have been on the short, short list, but it had so far not happened. I was very, very happy that it happened on my watch.”
Just getting to the International Congress of Mathematicians in Seoul where the award was presented was a challenge for Mirzakhani. Although she kept it private at the time, she was in the midst of her first bout with cancer. “We were so happy that we managed to make it possible for her to come,” Daubechies says. Mirzakhani’s cancer eventually recurred, and despite aggressive treatment, it metastasized to her liver and bones, eventually killing her. She continued to work until shortly before her death, and her colleagues say she approached her illness both realistically and with hope.
Mirzakhani is survived by family members including her husband Jan Vondrák and their daughter Anahita.
*Stanford originally reported, incorrectly, that Mirzakhani died on June 15. They have corrected that date, and as a result, so have we.
Born in Tehran, Mirzakhani studied mathematics at Sharif University of Technology there before coming to the U.S. to get a PhD at Harvard University in 2004. As she told Quanta Magazine in 2014, she did not grow up wanting to become a mathematician. As a child, she loved to read and make up stories and thought she might be a writer. But despite some discouraging classes in middle school, she eventually discovered a passion for mathematics and proved brilliant at it.
Mathematicians and magicians alike seek to find and exploit loopholes in the human thought process, altering perspectives and creating moments of awe and wonder. Through interviews with mathematician Persi Diaconis and renowned magician Teller, "Math or Magic" sheds light on the connections between the abstract world of numbers and the art of illusion. Diaconis, a former magician himself, explains how mathematics is deeply ingrained in the foundations of illusions. He reveals the surprising amount of mathematical knowledge magicians possess to craft their tricks, illustrating how equations and probability lie behind some of the most astonishing performances. The episode goes beyond the technical aspects and delves into the emotional impact of math and magic. It explores how both disciplines can inspire a sense of wonder and fascination, often leaving us questioning the boundaries of our own understanding. The shared goal of mathematicians and magicians is to suspend disbelief, drawing us into a world where what seems impossible is suddenly made possible. "Math or Magic" ultimately highlights the beauty and creativity inherent in both mathematics and the world of magic tricks. It challenges the assumption that math is solely a cold, analytical field, reminding us that behind every equation lies the potential for awe and amazement. Similarly, it reveals that magic, far from being just an act of deception, can be a gateway to appreciating the intricacies and hidden order of the world. In the end, "Math or Magic" offers listeners a thought-provoking exploration of the connections between math and magic, inviting us to embrace the wonder and fascination within our everyday lives. In a world often divided by logic and mystique, this episode of "This American Life" reminds us that the line between mathematics and magic is more blurred than we might have thought – a reminder to approach both subjects with curiosity and an open mind..
Reviews for "The Spellbinding World of Mathematical Card Tricks"
1. John Doe - 2/5 - I was really looking forward to listening to "Math or Magic" on This American Life, but I was left disappointed. The episode lacked cohesion and seemed to jump from one topic to another without any clear connection. The hosts didn't delve deep into any specific topic, leaving me feeling unsatisfied with the overall content. I expected a thought-provoking and engaging discussion, but instead, I found myself struggling to stay engaged throughout the episode.
2. Jane Smith - 1/5 - "Math or Magic" on This American Life fell flat for me. The hosts seemed unprepared and uninterested in the subject matter, leading to a lackluster episode. The topics discussed were mundane and didn't offer any new insights or perspectives. I expected something more captivating and informative, but unfortunately, I found myself tuning out halfway through. This episode felt like a missed opportunity to explore the fascinating relationship between math and magic in a compelling way.
3. Sarah Johnson - 2/5 - I was intrigued by the concept of "Math or Magic" on This American Life, but the execution left much to be desired. The episode lacked a clear structure and felt disjointed, making it difficult to follow along. The hosts didn't provide sufficient context or explanation for some of the ideas discussed, leaving me confused at times. While there were a few interesting moments, overall, it failed to captivate my interest and left me wanting more depth and cohesiveness in the storytelling.
4. Michael Thompson - 1/5 - "Math or Magic" on This American Life was a complete disappointment. The episode seemed to lack direction and purpose, with the hosts rambling on about unrelated topics. The storytelling was weak and failed to engage me as a listener. Furthermore, the production quality was subpar, with audio issues and uneven volume levels throughout. Overall, this episode felt like a wasted opportunity to explore the intersection of math and magic in a meaningful way.