Today's guest is Stephen Strogatz.

He's a mathematician at Cornell University.

But Steve's also pretty widely known as a math popularizer.

One of those people who pops up everywhere.

He's in the New York Times, on radio lab, places like that. He was recently in London promoting a new book he's written

called Infinite Powers. It's all about calculus. Now any book about calculus is obviously

going to feature Isaac Newton, so I arranged to meet Steve somewhere special and, as you're

about to hear, I had a few surprises

up my slave.

Well, I've just arrived at the Royal Society of London after walking from my hotel.

We're now in a room that has portraits of many luminaries from across the centuries who are either fellows of the Royal Society or presidents of the Royal Society.

The room is itself called, you please remind me, the Chamber, the Council Room?

It's the Council Chamber.

This is where the current bosses of the Royal Society have their meetings their meetings so like the president and the vice

presidents will sit here and do business so you're actually sitting you're sitting I think

one chair down from where the president sits so you're in a vice presidential

okay I'll take it and over your right shoulder I see Charles Darwin peering at me

peering and over your left shoulder we have Humphrey Davy.

So we're in a, you know, we're steeped in science history.

But because you've got a book out at the moment about calculus, Keith Moore, the head librarian,

has dug out some treasures, especially for today.

And look, I'm going to let everyone in on a bit of a secret.

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