The Device That Maps The Heavens

The Rest Is Science

Goalhanger

Science, Physics, Mathematics

4.5 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 18 December 2025

⏱️ 25 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Tucked away in old engineering kits and museum drawers is a device whose sweeping motion once captivated mathematicians and designers alike. The ellipsograph: a mechanical tool built from sliding arms and rotating joints that were tracing flawless curves long before computers made such things effortless. While they have the appearance of an ancient curiosity, the ellipsograph’s power lies in its ability to transform abstract geometry into tangible motion on a page. Its careful movement can physically enacts the strict mathematical conditions that define an ellipsis - a shape that’s central to geometry, but also to the natural order of the cosmos. So is this object just a relic of the past? Or does it have a place in the present? As a reminder of the deceptive simplicity that rules the world around us, and the ingenuity required to understand it. Welcome to The Rest Is Science: Field Notes. Each Thursday, Hannah and Michael rummage through their personal troves of scientific treasure to source objects that expand our understanding the universe, that scramble our brains, that hint at forces we’ll never see...and, that are sometimes, just plain old cool. Expect deep dives into the science behind each pick, the spark that grabbed their attentions, and the sheer delight they get from sharing it all with you. They’ll also be tackling your questions, so email The Rest Is Science at therestisscience@goalhanger.com. ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit ⁠⁠https://cancerresearchuk.org/restisscience⁠⁠ Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. ------------------- Find The Rest Is Science all over the internet by ⁠clicking here.⁠ ------------------- Video Producer: Oli Oakley Video & Social: Bex Tyrrell Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott Producer: Becki Hills Senior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-Carter Head Of Digital: Samuel Oakley Exec Producer: Neil Fearn Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	This episode is brought to you by Cancer Research UK.
0:08.2	Dinosaurs walked the earth 180 million years ago.
0:12.4	But you know, cancer was part of their story too.
0:15.6	Scientists have found tumors in ancient fossils.
0:18.6	Well, that is part of the reason why cancer is a big, big part of our story, right?
0:23.5	It's the other side of evolution.
0:25.3	It's the most complex disease that we face.
0:28.1	There are more than 200 types of cancer in total, each with distinct characteristics,
0:32.4	challenges and mysteries.
0:34.1	And that complexity demands scale.
0:36.4	Cancer Research, UK, is the world's largest charitable funder of cancer research, with more than 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses working across more than 20 countries in the search for answers. And then sharing their discoveries beyond borders.
0:51.1	And the impact of this collaboration is clear, because over the last 50 years,
0:54.6	the charity's pioneering work has helped to double cancer survival in the UK. That is more people
1:00.7	who are living longer, better lives. Fossils can show us the past, but research is shaping the future.
1:08.1	And for more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs,
1:12.6	and how you can support them, visit cancerresearchuk.org forward slash rest is science.
1:22.5	Hello and welcome to The Rest is Science. Today is an episode of Field Notes where Hannah and I share amazing stories, objects, our deepest fears.
1:36.0	Oh, we're going there today.
1:37.8	We might be, or we might not.
1:39.8	If you have questions or things you want to share with us, you can always reach out.
1:43.4	We would love to take on those. But today, Hannah told me that she brought something related to ellipses. I did. Okay. If you wanted to draw a circle, easy, pizzie, get a compass. Hold on. I want to guess what you brought. You've already given me a piece of information that's almost confirming what I was going to guess.
2:02.3	Oh, really? Okay, let's imagine I didn't go. Okay. Is it an ellipsograph? Is it just an ellipseograph? Does it allow me to draw an ellipse or does it simply trace an ellipse in a surprising way? It allows you to draw one. But I think in a surprising way, I think in a very beautiful
	...

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