Maths of Love and Sex
The Infinite Monkey Cage
BBC
4.7 • 9.4K Ratings
🗓️ 8 February 2016
⏱️ 46 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Robin Ince and Brian Cox get romantic (although unfortunately not with each other) as they discuss the mathematics of love and the statistics of sex. They are joined on stage by comedian and former maths student Paul Foot, mathematician Hannah Fry and statistician Professor Sir David Speigelhalter, as they discover whether a knowledge of numbers can help you in the affairs of the heart? Can a maths algorithm help you find your perfect mate at a party and what do the statistics tell us about what happens after the party, if you do! They find out whether mathematicians are more successful at dating than comedians, and whether a rational, scientific approach to love and life long happiness is really the answer.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | Hello, I'm Robin in and I'm Frank ox and in the moment you're going to be hearing me saying hello |
| 0:03.9 | I'm Robin in and I'm Frank ox because this is the longer version of the infinite monkey cage |
| 0:08.9 | This is the podcast version which is normally somewhere between 12 and 17 minutes longer than that that is broadcast on radio |
| 0:16.6 | For it's got all the bits that we couldn't fit in with Brian over explaining ideas of physics |
| 0:21.4 | I do object to the use of the word longer though because that's obviously a frame specific state |
| 0:26.8 | We haven't got time to deal with that because even in the longer version we can't have a longer intro |
| 0:30.1 | Can we let them listen? I don't have an idea coming to have a podcast version of this intro to the podcast |
| 0:34.9 | Which can be longer than the intro to the podcast yeah, and then we can have a podcast version of the podcast in just a podcast |
| 0:39.8 | I'll start by now, but if you're still hearing this and I'm what's going on and then we can have a podcast podcast podcast version of the podcast and then |
| 0:45.2 | It's a podcast hello. I'm Robin in and I'm Brian Cox and we're well in two series 13 as usual |
| 0:50.6 | We're getting lots of lovely emails and questions about the nature of the universe the definition of reality the standard model |
| 0:56.3 | Epigenetics and whether Brian uses shampoo and conditioner or an all-in-one formula |
| 1:02.7 | But the most common question that we always get is I've been listening to monkey cage for 13 series |
| 1:08.7 | And though it's greatly enhanced my ability to talk about weekly interacting particles and the exposure |
| 1:12.6 | I still can't find love can you help me? |
| 1:15.7 | Well, yes we can because today we're going to give you the power to find your part of choice using |
| 1:22.0 | statistical analysis and mathematical formulas no more shilly shaling with psycho-bubble books on men from Mars and women from Venus |
| 1:28.2 | We're going to get Euclidean in the Budwa |
| 1:32.6 | That's a meaningless statement, isn't it? |
| 1:35.5 | Because how could you be non Euclidean in the Budwa? I like to experiment in the bedroom |
| 1:41.1 | But which I actually mean I like to experiment in the bedroom. I'm currently researching black body radiation |
| 1:46.0 | And I've got a very small photon gun as well. That's what my wife's not happy |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.

