Step into the laboratory at Math! Science! History! where time bends, ideas spark, equations echo, and the past hums with the electricity of what’s to come. Each week, Gabrielle Birchak lights the gas lamps on forgotten corridors, dusts off the misplaced manuscripts, and shares oft-forgotten tales of unknown brillance, everyday math in disguise, physics feats, and interviews with scholars from today and (with the help of AI), from the past and the speculative future! Whether it’s a story wit ...
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Peter Higgs and the Hidden Force That Shapes the Universe
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23:35In this episode of Math! Science! History! we take a walk through the Scottish Highlands with Peter Higgs, figuratively and historically, to uncover the quiet moment in 1964 when a simple hike sparked a revolutionary idea in physics. Discover how the weak nuclear force and electromagnetism are deeply connected by symmetry, why mass was such a myste…
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FLASHCARDS! Why Airline Prices Change After You Search
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8:42✈️ Episode Overview Have you ever searched for a flight, left the tab open, and then gasped when the price jumped just a few hours later? In this Flashcards Friday episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle Birchak explores the mystery behind fluctuating airline prices—and reveals that it’s not magic, but a powerful blend of mathematics, algorit…
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REPOST Hipparchus: Mapping the Stars, Measuring the Earth
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15:45Long before telescopes and satellites, Hipparchus of Nicaea looked to the skies and changed the course of scientific history. In this fascinating episode of Math Science History, Gabrielle revisits the life and legacy of the ancient astronomer whose innovations in trigonometry, geography, and star mapping still resonate today. From discovering axia…
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FLASHCARDS: How a Teenager Discovered the Physics of Black Holes-Chandrasekhar’s Limit Explained
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9:53Episode Overview: What do black holes, a teenage genius, and a long ocean voyage have in common? In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math, Science, History, Gabrielle tells the incredible story of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who, at just 19 years old, sailed from India to England and made a discovery that would transform astrophysics forever. Armed…
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Episode Overview Once dismissed as mathematical absurdities, black holes are now recognized as real, powerful features of our universe—cosmic wells where space, time, and even light collapse. In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we explore the astonishing story of how black holes evolved from a rejected theory to an accepted reality. From Ei…
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In this Flashcard Friday episode, Gabrielle dives into the surprising history and science of sunblock. From ancient Egypt’s jasmine oils to modern SPF 50 sprays, discover how sunscreen evolved and why it’s one of the best defenses against deadly melanoma. Gabrielle shares the statistics on skin cancer, explains how sunblock works, and gives you sim…
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Episode Overview In this special re-release, we revisit the life and mind of Blaise Pascal, a mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and theologian who left a lasting impact on multiple disciplines. From his early genius in geometry to his pioneering work in probability theory, Pascal was a thinker who never stopped exploring the boundari…
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FLASHCARDS FRIDAY! Charles Darwin: The Lost Boy
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8:04In this Flashcard Fridays episode of Math! Science! History! Gabrielle Birchak takes listeners on a journey aboard the HMS Beagle with a young, seasick Charles Darwin. This wasn’t just a travel story, it was a five-year working holiday that would ultimately change the course of science. Through field observations, curiosity, and a bit of chaos, Dar…
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Leonardo da Vinci: The Renaissance Genius Unmasked
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29:03Leonardo da Vinci is often remembered for the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper—but he was so much more than a painter. In this episode, we uncover the Renaissance icon’s groundbreaking work in engineering, anatomy, and invention, as well as explore the quieter truths of his personal identity. We ask a powerful question: What might the world look like …
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Episode Overview: Did people in antiquity ever go on vacation? The short answer is yes—and the long answer is a fascinating journey through Roman villas, Greek festivals, Byzantine retreats, Tang dynasty poetry, and sacred pilgrimages. In this Flashcard Friday episode, Gabrielle Birchak uncovers how the privileged, the pious, and the poetic found w…
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In this special Pride Month episode, Gabrielle explores the fascinating world of queerness in nature. From same-sex penguin pairs in New York to gender-changing clownfish in coral reefs, nature has always been more diverse, adaptable, and surprising than human categories suggest. Drawing on over 600 years of scientific observation, this episode tak…
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FLASHCARDS! Pride Month: Facts speak louder than lies
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9:59Episode Overview: In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math! Science! History!TM Gabrielle breaks down the powerful numbers behind the misinformation and legislative attacks targeting LGBTQ+ and especially transgender communities in the United States. With over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced across 49 states in 2023 alone, it's time to ask: What d…
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How the Ancient Maya Invented Zero and Decoded the Cosmos
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23:11Episode Overview: Long before Europe adopted the concept of zero, the ancient Maya had already created one of the most sophisticated mathematical systems in the world. In this episode of Math Science History, host Gabrielle Birkjak uncovers the secrets of Mayan mathematics, from the elegance of their base-20 number system, to their revolutionary us…
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FLASHCARDS: Math in Your Head: Metric Conversions Without the Math
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8:06Ever find yourself squinting at a metric label, trying to figure out how much a liter is in cups—or how heavy your suitcase is in pounds? In this episode of Math! Science! History!, host Gabrielle Birchak shares fast, intuitive tricks to help you convert metric units, without numbers, calculators, or charts. Through rhythm, storytelling, and everyd…
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A Measure for All People: The History of Metrics
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23:11Episode Overview How did a bold Enlightenment vision become the universal language of science and technology? In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle takes you on a journey through the revolutionary origins, global adoption, and modern significance of the metric system. Discover how a chaotic world of local measurements gave way to an…
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FLASHCARDS: The Alan Turing Story: Cracking Codes, Facing Injustice
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9:18Episode Overview: In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician, codebreaker, and father of artificial intelligence. From cracking the German Enigma code in World War II to laying the theoretical foundations for modern computing, Turing’s stor…
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Daniel Shiu on The Mathematical Legacy of Bletchley Park
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45:44In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak sits down with Daniel Shiu to discuss his recent article in Cryptologia, “The Influence of Bletchley Park on UK Mathematics.” What began as a top-secret wartime codebreaking operation became a powerful incubator for intellectual exchange and mathematical innovation. Dr. Shiu unpacks …
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The Theory of Relativity in less than 10 minutes
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9:57Episode Overview: In this episode of Math, Science, History, we hop into a fictional electric vehicle—Einstein's EV—and cruise through space and time to uncover the fascinating world of relativity. What is the theory of relativity, and how did a curious young patent clerk change our understanding of the universe forever? Using simple language and a…
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Einstein's Equal: The Genius of Mileva Marić
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30:50Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle dives deep into the extraordinary—yet often overlooked—life and legacy of Mileva Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife and intellectual companion. Far more than a footnote in Einstein’s story, Mileva was a brilliant physicist and mathematician in her own right. Together, the c…
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Jacoba van den Brande: Pioneer of Women’s Education
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7:56Episode Overview: In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math! Science! History! host Gabrielle Birchak shines a light on the incredible story of Jacoba van den Brande, a seventeenth-century Dutch visionary who dared to imagine a world where women could be educated in mathematics, philosophy, and the sciences. Long before women had access to formal ed…
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Laplace's Demon: An Interview Through Time
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18:19Episode Overview: In this special time-travel episode of Math, Science, History, Gabrielle steps back into the Enlightenment to interview legendary French mathematician and philosopher Pierre-Simon Laplace. Together, they explore the bold ideas behind his famed thought experiment, Laplace’s Demon, a being capable of predicting the entire past and f…
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FLASHCARDS: Math, Logic, and Paradoxes Explained
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7:28Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak unpacks the deep connection between math and logic. From the foundations of reasoning to Euclid’s cookie-themed proof of infinite primes and the mind-bending Russell's Paradox, you’ll explore how logic shapes the very core of mathematics. Whether you're a math lover,…
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🔎 Episode Overview In this episode I explore the fascinating world of Boolean logic, from its 19th-century origins with George Boole to its modern-day applications in artificial intelligence, search engines, and even board games. Learn how simple logical operators like AND, OR, and NOT have shaped computer science—and how you can use these same too…
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🎙️ Episode Overview: In this Earth Day special of Math Science History, host Gabrielle explores global solutions to climate change that are both practical and inspiring. From wind-powered Denmark to composting in India, this episode offers easy-to-adopt, science-backed tips from around the world that prove you don’t need a big budget to make a big …
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🔎 Episode Overview Step into the future for a special Earth Day broadcast unlike any other. From rising seas in Bangladesh to the climate-solidarity corridors of Cascadia, this immersive episode of Math, Science, History explores the realities of our changing planet, told as if the year is 2050. You’ll hear breaking climate reports from around the …
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FLASHCARDS: Gerrymandering and the Math Behind the Maps
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7:59🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, we explore one of the most quietly powerful forces in American democracy: gerrymandering. From its origin over 200 years ago to its impact on today’s elections, gerrymandering is both a political weapon and a mathematical puzzle. We break down the mathematical principles used to detect g…
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REPOST! Zeno’s Paradoxes Explained: Time, Motion & the Quantum Zeno Effect
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16:36🎧 Episode Overview Have you ever felt like you're stuck in time—waiting for change that never comes? In this episode of Math Science History, Gabrielle dives into the fascinating world of Zeno’s Paradoxes, unraveling the ancient Greek puzzles that continue to influence modern science and mathematics. From Achilles and the tortoise to the Quantum Ze…
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FLASHCARDS: How Math Can Instantly Improve Your Photography
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6:38Welcome to Flashcard Friday on Math Science History! In today’s bite-sized episode, we shift focus, literally and figuratively, onto photography. Whether you're using a smartphone or a professional camera, this quick guide reveals how simple mathematical concepts can dramatically improve your photo compositions. From the rule of thirds to the golde…
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Gérard Desargues: A Genius Who Revolutionized Geometry
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20:22🔎 Episode Overview: In this episode of Math, Science, History, we dive into the fascinating life and work of Gérard Desargues, the 17th-century mathematician, engineer, and architect whose groundbreaking ideas in projective geometry laid the foundation for modern mathematical thought. Despite his contributions, Desargues’ work was largely ignored d…
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FLASHCARDS: Hot and Cold Hacks for Temp Conversion
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6:58FLASHCARDS: Hot and Cold Hacks for Temp Conversion 🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Flashcard Friday on Math, Science, History, we dive into the fascinating history of temperature measurement and introduce an easy mental trick for converting between Fahrenheit and Celsius. Learn how Gabriel Fahrenheit and Anders Celsius developed their tempera…
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New Scientific Evidence Shakes the Science Community
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18:21🔎 Episode Overview In this shocking episode of Math! Science! History!, I uncover groundbreaking new research that challenges everything we thought we knew about the shape of our world. Are NASA and world governments hiding the truth? Could the moon landing have been staged? And what about gravity—is it even real? Buckle up as the podcast takes off…
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FLASHCARDS: Agnodice and the Fight for Women in Medicine
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6:33FLASHCARDS: Agnodice and the Fight for Women in Medicine Episode Overview: In this powerful episode of Math, Science, History, we journey back to ancient Athens to uncover the legendary story of Agnodice, a woman who risked everything to practice medicine in a world where women weren’t even allowed to learn it. Disguised as a man, trained by one of…
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Kate Ertmann on the Math Behind Chaos, Business, and Everyday Thinking
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40:23
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40:23🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math! Science! History!, I sit down with the brilliant and engaging Kate Ertmann, the mathematician and storyteller behind Kate Loves Math. We discuss her fascinating journey from professional actress to 3D animation entrepreneur to organizational designer—ultimately landing in the world of math communication. …
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FLASHCARDS: Quick Physics Tricks for Plumbing Leaks
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8:03🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, we explore emergency plumbing fixes using simple math and physics principles. Learn quick tricks to stop leaks under your kitchen sink, whether it's a pipe joint, crack, or hole, until a plumber arrives. Discover why these methods work and how you can use everyday materials like rubber, …
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Empowering the Next Generation: Irene Duah-Kessie on Rise In STEM
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33:40🔎 Episode Overview In this special Podcasthon Week episode of Math Science History, I sit down with Irene Duah-Kessie, the founder and executive director of Rise In STEM (RiseinSTEM.ca). Rise In STEM is a nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Irene shares he…
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FLASHCARDS: Lillian Baumbach Jacobs: America’s First Female Master Plumber
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10:13🔎 Episode Overview In this Flashcards episode of Math! Science! History!, we celebrate the life and legacy of Lillian Baumbach Jacobs, the first female master plumber in the U.S. Just in time for next week’s Fix a Leak Week, we explore how Lillian defied societal norms, mastered a trade dominated by men, and became an unexpected icon, even receivin…
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Transgender Pioneers: Dr. James Barry and Angela Clayton
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23:56
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23:56🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we celebrate Women's History Month by highlighting two remarkable transgender figures in STEM: Dr. James Barry and Angela Clayton. Dr. Barry, a pioneering 19th-century surgeon, challenged societal norms to advance medical science and improve healthcare. Angela Clayton, a nuclear physici…
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🔎 Episode Overview In this special Women’s History Month episode of Math! Science! History! Flashcards, we explore the significance of women in leadership and why recognizing their contributions is more important than ever. We dive into the historic 1893 Congress of Women at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, where brilliant women like El…
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Tessellations & Tenacity: Marjorie Rice’s Story
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21:36🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, we explore the incredible journey of Marjorie Rice—a homemaker who defied expectations and made a lasting impact on the world of mathematics. With nothing more than curiosity, determination, and a pencil, she discovered new classes of pentagonal tilings that had eluded professional mathe…
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FLASHCARDS: The Rule of 72 Explained: How Fast Will Your Money Grow?
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5:44🔎 Episode Overview In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math! Science! History!, we’re diving into a simple yet powerful math trick: The Rule of 72. Have you ever wondered how long it takes for your investment to double? Or how quickly inflation can cut your purchasing power in half? The Rule of 72 offers a quick mental shortcut to estimate these ch…
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Math, Civil Rights, and the Legacy of Bob Moses
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18:23In this episode of Math! Science! History! we explore the life and legacy of Bob Moses, a pioneering activist and math educator. Discover how Moses used mathematics as a tool for social justice, empowering underserved communities with the freedom to learn and create change. We will delve into his work with the algebra project, his impact on civil r…
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It's Flashcard Friday! Have you ever made a mistake, and then realized it was the best mistake you've ever made?! Today's Flashcard is about a vacation, a petri dish and a mistake. For the transcripts, come visit us at www.MathScienceHistory.com ! And while you're there, please feel free to buy us a cup of coffee! Thank you for listening! Until nex…
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It's Black History Month! This week is a repost from season one about Dr. Roger Arliner Young. She was America's first black, female zoologist to get her doctorate. This month I'll be honoring the black, noble goddesses in STEM who inspire, motivate, and forge paths for those who have been marginalized. She is, no doubt, one of my favorite sheroes …
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It's Flashcard Friday! Have you ever been stuck trying to memorize a phone number, and address, or something even longer like your credit card? Try chunking it out. The tips are all in the podcast! Visit us at www.MathScienceHistory.com ! And while you're there, please feel free to buy us a cup of coffee! Thank you for listening! Until next week, c…
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It's February and in Canada, Germany and the United States it's Black History Month! Today's episode celebrates three prominent Black Canadian scientists whose contributions to science made significant impacts not only in Canada, but around the world; they are William Allen Jones, Anderson Ruffin Abbott, and Sophia Bethena Jones. To read the podcas…
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You may have never heard of Claude Mydorge, but in the seventeenth century he made a difference in the world of science. Sometimes even the smallest contributions to knowledge can have a lasting impact! Visit us at www.MathScienceHistory.com ! And while you're there, please feel free to buy us a cup of coffee! Thank you for listening! Until next we…
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This is a repost about Dr. Charles Drew from spring of 2020, and it is still timely, especially today. Even after Dr. Drew’s passing, his name lived on. His home was designated as a National Historic Landmark. The United States Postal Service honored him, schools have been named after him, and a United States Navy ship has been named after him. Als…
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Rabbits are known for their breeding expertise. And the mathematician Fibonacci utilized that knowledge to create a thought experiment that led to a sequence of numbers that we refer to as the Fibonacci Sequence. This sequence can also be drawn into a curve that we see in nature and within our DNA. Yes, we are all mathematically connected! To read …
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Due to the L.A. fires, I am reposting an older podcast about the history of Earth Day. It is sad to note that in my intro, you will hear alarming sirens in the background, which juxtaposes the beautiful sound of the birds chirping in the reposted podcast I recorded five years ago. If you want to donate to help those affected by the L.A. fires, I ha…
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In 1916, Elizebeth Smith Friedman's, a budding literary analyst, was visiting Chicago when her career took an unexpected turn. Taking a job at Riverbank Laboratories analyzing Shakespeare, she eventually went on to be one of our most prominent codebreakers. To read the podcast's transcripts, please visit me at www.MathScienceHistory.com. To buy my …
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