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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Presented by Alok Jha and produced by Andy Duckworth

Science Weekly podcast: Mathematics special + Brian Cox = science2

Welcome to our mathematics special.

Richard Elwes is a writer, teacher, mathematician and visiting fellow at the University of Leeds. He knows a thing or two about model theory. In case you were wondering, his Erdős number is 3.

Richard's new book is How to Build a Brain.

Our other "numbers expert" is Ian Stewart, emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick and fellow of the Royal Society. He's written too many books to mention, but his latest is called the Mathematics of Life.

In spite of the fawning and picture-taking, we managed to grab Brian Cox for a few minutes after he sat on the Guardian's science desk for a few hours last week taking a live Q&A session.

Brian discusses an encounter with a supermodel and his next TV series, which won't be about astronomy, but life. His current series, Wonders of the Universe, has been airing on BBC Two.

Will Brian swear? The only way to find out is to listen. Remember the record f-bomb he dropped last time he came into our studios?

The Guardian's Nell Boase is with us as we take a quick look at some recent news stories: why cuckoos appear to be in an arms race, a machine that could replace scientists, and web-encrusted trees.

This is a no-calculators-allowed edition of Science Weekly!

Subscribe for free via iTunes to ensure every episode gets delivered. (Here is the non-iTunes URL feed).

Follow the podcast on our Science Weekly Twitter feed and receive updates on all breaking science news stories from Guardian Science.

Email scienceweeklypodcast@gmail.com.

Guardian Science is now on Facebook. You can also join our Science Weekly Facebook group.

We're always here when you need us. Listen back through our archive.

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