The problem of infinite Pi(e)

Discovery

BBC

Science

4.3 • 1.2K Ratings

🗓️ 31 October 2022

⏱️ 27 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Pi is the ratio between a circle’s diameter and its circumference. Sounds dull – but pi turns out to have astonishing properties and crop up in places you would never expect. For a start, it goes on forever and never repeats, meaning it probably contains your name, date of birth, and the complete works of Shakespeare written in its digits.

Maths comedian Matt Parker stuns Adam with his ‘pie-endulum’ experiment, in which a chicken and mushroom pie is dangled 2.45m to form a pendulum which takes *exactly* 3.14 seconds per swing.

Mathematician Dr Vicky Neale explains how we can be sure that the number pi continues forever and never repeats - despite the fact we can never write down all its digits to check! She also makes the case that aliens would probably measure angles using pi because it’s a fundamental constant of the universe.

Nasa mission director Dr Marc Rayman drops in to explain how pi is used to navigate spacecraft around the solar system. And philosopher of physics Dr Eleanor Knox serves up some philoso-pi, revealing why some thinkers have found pi’s ubiquity so deeply mysterious.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Before you listen to this BBC podcast, I'd like to introduce myself.
0:03.6	My name's Stevie Middleton and I'm a BBC Commissioner for a load of sport podcasts.
0:08.1	I'm lucky to do that at the BBC because I get to work with a leading journalist, experienced
0:12.2	pundits and the biggest sport stars.
0:14.3	Together we bring you untold stories and fascinating insights straight from the players'
0:18.5	mouths.
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0:24.9	What that means is that we can bring you podcasts that create a real connection to
0:28.8	dedicated sports fans across the UK.
0:31.2	So if you like this podcast, head over to BBC Sounds where you'll find plenty more.
0:35.6	Hello and welcome to the curious cases of Rutherford and Fry on Discovery for the BBC.
0:40.7	This is the programme where you send us in the queries, questions and conundrums that you are
0:45.6	curious about and we will look into them on your behalf using the power of science.
0:50.6	So please do send us your questions, curious cases at bbc.co.uk and on with the show.
0:58.8	It's a greedy pie question this week from Alex Walshum sent in to curescasesatbbc.co.uk.
1:09.0	Did you say greedy?
1:10.0	Greedy, it's actually four questions and I'm taking a back seat because you are going to
1:13.9	like this.
1:14.9	This is pure maths.
1:15.9	It is a delicious pie.
1:17.2	He writes, I have never truly understood pie.
1:20.3	Well, rest easy my young padawan.
	...

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