Fair Dice

Famed probability professor Persi Diaconis was kind enough to speak with me (for Numberphile) about the fairness of dice.

The interview is in two parts... Here is part one and part two.

Probability expert Professor Persi Diaconis (Stanford University) talking about dice.
Probability expert Professor Persi Diaconis (Stanford University) talking about dice. Part 1: https://youtu.be/G7zT9MljJ3Y More dice videos: http://bit.ly/Dice_Videos More Persi Diaconi videos: http://bit.ly/Persi_Videos Diaconis/Keller paper on fair dice: http://bit.ly/FairDicePaper Special thanks to Zac Labby.

Pete McPartlan did the animations in these videos, and thanks to Zac Labby for permission to use footage of his dice machine.

Here is the paper Persi makes reference to.

For more videos we've done with Persi, on topics such as card shuffling and coin tossing, see this playlist.

And here is a Numberphile playlist dedicated to dice.

Olympic Games

It's the Olympics, and in the great tradition of "topical videos" (or ambush marketing, as the IOC calls it), I've released a Numberphile video about the hardest question posed at the International Math Olympiad (from back in 1988).

Here is the video and its sequel.

Free trial at Great Courses Plus: http://ow.ly/7Hh2302dIFt Simon Pampena discusses the famous Question 6 from the 1988 International Mathematical Olympiad. More links below...
Extra footage... first video is at: https://youtu.be/Y30VF3cSIYQ Featuring Simon Pampena (@mathemaniac). More links below.... More Simon videos: http://bit.ly/Pampena_Videos Zvezda videos: http://bit.ly/zvezda_videos Question 6 from the IMO in 1988, held in Australia.

And here are some Olympic videos I've done in previous years across all channels...

Usain Bolt won gold in the 100m sprint at the London Olympics, clocking 9.63 seconds... but Albert Einstein has something to say about all this?
Professor Martyn Poliakoff explains it's not just athletes who win medals - or who have a competitive streak!
A gimmicky molecule created earlier this year was a great piece of science - but why not link the rings? This is the question posed by Professor Martyn Poliakoff as he discusses catenanes.
As the mascots for the London Olympics are revealed (as two droplets of steel), The Professor gives his verdict and discusses the properties of steel. More at http://www.periodicvideos.com/
We like the Olympic Rings - but we prefer Borromean Rings. See Brady's chemistry rings video at periodicvideos: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2tkfbc18Vw This video features Professor John Hunton from the University of Leicester discussing higher linkages. Website: http://www.numberphile.com/ Numberphile on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/numberphile Numberphile tweets: https://twitter.com/numberphile Videos by Brady Haran Thanks to Derek (1veritasium) for filming me in Green Park and Henry (minutephysics) for not fighting back!
We use the constitution of Nepal to re-create its distinctive, double-triangular flag. Nepal has never won a full Olympic medal (though it once picked up bronze in an exhibition sport!) Try it yourself using these instructions: http://www.servat.unibe.ch/icl/np01000_.html The final sketch by James is at http://www.flickr.com/photos/numberphile/7703604582/ Featuring Dr James Grime.
One of the world's most famous landmarks is made from soapstone. The Professor visited Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) during our recent trip to Rio de Janeiro. Slippery soapstone is rich in magnesium. Press the CC button for Portuguese captions. More chemistry at http://www.periodicvideos.com/

Science is Global

I am not a scientist. But I make lots of videos about science.

This has given me an appreciation for the global nature of science, which is being highlighted by the Royal Society's "Science is Global" campaign. (More here)

The society is encouraging people to take photos of lab groups showing the nationality of people in their groups (like this), showcasing the importance of movement between nations.

Without this ease of movement - this sharing of ideas, talent and resources - science would progress much more slowly. And that is bad for everyone in the world, not just professional scientists. 

Here are some science videos I've been involved with in recent years.

CHILE 🇨🇱  (more videos from this trip here)

We're on the peak where ESO plans to build the E-ELT - the European Extremely Large Telescope. Later descriptions from Mike Merrifield (University of Nottingham) and Paul Crowther (University of Sheffield). ESO's page for the E-ELT: http://www.eso.org/public/teles-instr/e-elt/ Deep Sky Videos website: http://www.deepskyvideos.com/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/DeepSkyVideos Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DeepSkyVideos Video by Brady Haran (sorry for my rubbish pronunciation in Chile!!!)

INDIA 🇮🇳  (more from India here)

The Professor shares some treasures from the life of great scientist and 1930 Nobel Prize winner, CV Raman.

ETHIOPIA 🇪🇹  (more from this trip here)

See the creation of an Ethiopian Periodic Table in their native language of Amharic. More from the periodicvideos team at http://www.periodicvideos.com/

SWEDEN 🇸🇪  (more from this trip here)

We visit a disused mine in Ytterby, Sweden, where four elements on the periodic table were first discovered. This is a re-upload of the original video, now at higher quality. The elements named after Ytterby at Yttrium, Ytterbium, Erbium and Terbium. More chemistry videos at http://www.periodicvideos.com/
The Gran Telescopio Canarias, or GTC, or GRANTECAN, is the biggest telescope at the observatory on La Palma. Video journalist Brady Haran has a look inside. With extra commentary by proper astronomer Professor Mike Merrifield, from the University of Nottingham.

CHINA 🇨🇳 

In a very special video, we travel all the way to China to film a total solar eclipse. More at http://www.sixtysymbols.com/ And some extra raw footage from making this film at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtN-fE5NGz0

AUSTRALIA 🇦🇺  (more from Down Under)

The Professor comes face-to-face with an Australian koala - and learns not to call it a koala bear. And as always, it's a chance to talk chemistry. Our thanks to Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide, South Australia, and to Hank the koala.

NEPAL 🇳🇵

Boiling water at various altitudes on the trek from Lukla to Everest Base Camp.

FRANCE 🇫🇷

Extra interview with Brady at the grave: http://youtu.be/17pnhLOVp0A Brady Haran visits the grave of Charles Messier - the man behind the Messier Catalogue - at the famous Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

BRAZIL 🇧🇷  (more from Brazil)

One of the world's most famous landmarks is made from soapstone. The Professor visited Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) during our recent trip to Rio de Janeiro. Slippery soapstone is rich in magnesium. Press the CC button for Portuguese captions. More chemistry at http://www.periodicvideos.com/

SWITZERLAND 🇨🇭  (more videos at the Large Hadron Collider)

Professor Ed Copeland shows us inside the CMS Experiment at the Large Hadron Collider - will it find the elusive Higgs Boson? More from the LHC, including ATLAS: http://bit.ly/LHCvideos CMS stands for Compact Muon Solenoid and is one of the experiments on the main ring at the Large Hadron Collider.

IRELAND 🇮🇪

We're in Dublin discussing Ireland's only science Nobel Prize winner, Ernest Walton, known as ETS to his colleagues. One of those colleagues, Iggy McGovern, penned a poem about Walton called Hammer and Spark. Video also features Sixty Symbols regular (and Irishman) Professor Phil Moriarty.

ANTARCTICA 🇦🇶

Each year the geographic south pole marker is moved (and replaced) as the Antarctic ice slides across the continent. This year we had a man on the scene - astrophysicist Denis Barkats. More videos from Denis at the pole are coming soon.

UNITED STATES 🇺🇸

and other tales from our visit to Berkeley. With thanks to the distinguished (and gracious) Darleane Hoffman and Alexander Pines. More videos from our trip to Berkeley will be coming soon, including more about Glenn Seaborg. Since filming, Prof Pines has informed me the huge device we filmed was in fact THE ACTUAL electromagnet used by Lawrence (not a replica)...

ITALY 🇮🇹  (more from our Turin Trip)

We discuss the chemist and acclaimed writer Primo Levi. Our trip to Turin, Italy, supported by http://www.cost.esf.org/

UNITED KINGDOM 🇬🇧

The "death masks" of two acclaimed scientists - Isaac Newton and James Jeans. Newton's Telescope: https://youtu.be/z2UnicxC8hs Kings and Queens: https://youtu.be/y2ZdB-65TqA Films by James Hennessy and Brady Haran Royal Society website: http://bit.ly/Royal_Society The Royal Society's own YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalSociety Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ObjectivityVideos Twitter: https://twitter.com/objectivity_vid More on the masks: http://blogs.royalsociety.org/history-of-science/2013/08/06/death-masks/

Doctor of Letters

On July 20, 2016, I received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nottingham.

It was a Doctor of Letters honoris causa.

It was a really great day and I'm grateful to everyone involved.

The ceremony was presided over by the University's Vice-Chancellor, Sir David Greenaway, and the oration was delivered by Professor Michael Merrifield.

I think 173 students from the School of Physics and Astronomy received their (real deal) graduation certificates, and then I got to say a few words at the end.

Below is some video footage from the event and a few photos.

Doctor of Letters honours causa conferred by the University of Nottingham. Oration by Professor Michael Merrifield.

I think maybe I prefer this "unofficial" video of the speech... Makes the laughter sound louder!

This was at the graduation ceremony on July 20th 2016 after receiving his honorary doctorate

Anti-Prime Numbers

This Numberphile video, featuring Dr James Grime, is about so-called Highly Composite Numbers.

Or as I prefer to call them, Anti-Primes, because to me they seem as far removed from being prime as possible.

Audible: http://www.audible.com/numberphile (free trial) Dr James Grime discusses highly composite numbers.

Here - posted on Numberphile's extras channel - is more footage about there being Infinite Anti-Primes and a nice blunder by Ramanujan.

Main video: https://youtu.be/2JM2oImb9Qg Featuring Dr James Grime.

And finally I thought this was worth sharing because:
a) I have seen other people make the incorrect assumption in YouTube comments.
b) It is fun to see how Numberphile videos are made and how we sometimes think on our feet, with mixed results!

Main video: https://youtu.be/2JM2oImb9Qg Featuring Dr James Grime.

If you like seeing the extra footage from Numberphile videos, can I recommend you subscribe to Numberphile2 on YouTube.

Highly Composite Numbers on Wikipedia.

And here is a good resource about very large HCNs.

After filming, I learned I'm not the first person to suggest calling these numbers anti-prime - see this 2009 blog post.

To Stay or not to Stay?

The UK is holding a referendum about whether it will leave or remain in the European Union!?

I spoke to two scientists who feature prominently in my videos - Sir Martyn Poliakoff and Professor Mike Merrifield.

These videos represent their personal views and answers to my questions - it does not represent any of the organisations they're involved with.

Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff expressing his own views about science and the upcoming referendum, in which the UK will decide whether to exit or remain in the European Union. Also hear from Professor Mike Merrifield here: https://youtu.be/dfef9oKDz80 Hello Internet EU discussion: https://youtu.be/RdovrwkE3Qc?t=1h14m36s
Professor Michael Merrifield, an astronomer, expressing his own views about science and the upcoming referendum, in which the UK will decide whether to exit or remain in the European Union. Also hear from Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff here: https://youtu.be/gBHPot8k4h0 Hello Internet EU discussion: https://youtu.be/RdovrwkE3Qc?t=1h14m36s The E-ELT: https://youtu.be/450jt8LlcnY

You can also hear me discuss the EU referendum with CGP Grey on episode 63 of Hello Internet (the discussion starts about 1:14.30 into the podcast).

Subscribe to the Podcast: http://goo.gl/CemLaj Grey: https://www.youtube.com/user/cgpgrey Brady: https://www.youtube.com/user/numberphile Discussion: http://www.reddit.com/r/CGPGrey/ Grey & Brady discuss: clapping, cheer pressure revisited, Boaty McBoatface / David Attenborough, famous explorers you *should* know, self-incrimination and being compelled to give testimony, impending Uber tipping, AVs/RVs/SUVs, The Leicester City Foxes *fairy tale*, the UK/EU referendum (Brexit, and is San Francisco the most valuable city in the world and can maybe London be second.

Wren Code

New video from Objectivity features ciphers used by Christopher Wren and Christiaan Huygens.

Brady and Keith look at some objects associated with Christopher Wren - famous architect and one of the original founders of The Royal Society. Films by James Hennessy and Brady Haran Royal Society website: http://bit.ly/Royal_Society The Royal Society's own YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/RoyalSociety Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ObjectivityVideos Twitter: https://twitter.com/objectivity_vid
Wren's cipher

Wren's cipher

Huygens' cipher

Huygens' cipher

And a viewer-made code cracker --- CLICK HERE