I had fun joining @peterrowlett.net and @steckl.es recently on their mathematical objects podcast, talking about my wood puzzle collection. Most of the time was spent struggling desperately to describe a highly visual topic in an audio-only context. open.spotify.com/episode/0rRM...

It's been a while, but over the summer we recorded another series of our podcast Mathematical Objects, and the first episode is out today! Find episode 1 here, or look for Mathematical Objects wherever you usually listen to podcasts: aperiodical.com/2025/11/math...

Oh no

I'll be speaking at Maths in Action on 26th November (and at the one on 10th December as well) - still spaces to book for A-level maths students who want a fun day out with some wonderful maths speakers! educationinaction.org.uk/study-day/ma...

Have spent an enjoyable hour wrestling with LaTeX/Beamer and now my slides have numbers how I want them to and everything I've been copying and pasting is now a \newcommand and I'm very happy

If you missed it last Thursday, I'm on Radio 4 again this evening at 8.30pm on Inside Science, chatting about the latest science news and how I can always manage to relate everything back to maths. You can listen on Sounds here, or live on the radio tonight: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

In case you missed it: I'm part of the Finite Group, an unholy alliance of mathematicians with a free Discord community and monthly livestreams with great people about cool bits of maths. Our next livestream is 27th November and involves robots! Find out more and join at finitegroup.co.uk

@alisonatkin.bsky.social mastodon.social/@docpop/1154...

Recently I was playing with the Square-Sums Puzzle (as explored previously by @standupmaths.bsky.social on Numberphile) and realised it would be fun for schools. So here is a FREE teacher resource: think-maths.co.uk/square-sums (and enjoy its use being modelled by my in-house mathematician below).

New maths resources alert! We now have a cellular automata activity on 15minutemaths.com, made by the lovely @alisonkiddle.bsky.social - grab yourself some printables, slides and session leader notes to run an interesting and mindful maths activity!

TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-... 🧵

A reminder for UK residents

Salt and vinegar square and circular crisps, on a cheese topped bap (with a slice of salami, not visible) #CrispSandwichDay

Have been stocking up for #CrispSandwichDay tomorrow, and now have all three shapes of 2D crisps (Discos, Square Crisps and Doritos) as well as some Monster Munch (the most 3D crisp)

This will be a fab day! Maths Week England is a great excuse to do some maths in England - more info at mathsweekengland.co.uk

What a weird name for a dog. But sorry for their loss.

Thoroughly deserved recognition for nuSTEM, who have done fab work for many years. And a lovely bunch to boot.

Today's #hackjam successes: no actual machine knitting, but made a new handle for the knitting machine case as the plastic one had snapped, and also did a bit of crosswords, a bit of hand knitting and changed the batteries in the doorbell.

Excitingly, Today's the opening day of MathsWorld, the new hands-on maths museum in London. I've really enjoyed visiting MathsCity in Leeds, but they've now got a London location too! Details at mathsworld.com

Our show on the scientific secrets of games - and why we love to play them - is on @BBCRadio4 1630 today. With the brilliant @gillyforrester.bsky.social @steckl.es and #TheTraitorsUK ‘s Jazatha Christie himself - Jaz Singh. So much fun to make. Hope you enjoy! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Earlier this summer I recorded a live episode of BBC Inside Science, chatting with a psychologist and a contestant from The Traitors about the science of games, and how mathematical thinking comes into it. The show's on Radio 4 from 4.30pm, or you can listen back here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Me [in a nail bar]: pint of nails, please

I'm looking forward to Inside Maths again! Maths enrichment day, 9 Feb 2026, for year 5 and their teachers, at the Ri, London. Featuring @robeastaway.bsky.social and Fran Watson, hands-on activity and puzzles. Feedback from last year: insidemaths.co.uk/feedback Book here: insidemaths.co.uk/booking

If anyone needs me I will be in the museum, lying down next to the bog bodies.

It's tonight! Who's joining us for a #scicommburrito in Tortilla Manchester Arndale from 6pm?

Me, looking at the listing for the #crispsandwichday mug: "Ooh look, it also comes in ready salted, cheese and onion, and salt and vinegar... and prawn cocktail!" shop.vole.wtf/en-gbp/produ...

Want to run a short fun maths activity with 10-14 year-olds, but not sure what to do? At 15minutemaths.com we've written up some of our fave 15-minute activities, with explanations, slides and printables, and a set of three is £2.50. There's Möbius Bands, binary numbers & mindfulness - more soon!

Amazing: due to github.com/python/cpyth..., once you've updated to Python 3.14, you can use the command πthon to run your code

One week to go until #scicommburrito takes over a new venue in Manchester - we'll be at Tortilla in Manchester Arndale from 6pm on Monday 13th October, for burritos and banter about science communication. For more info, visit scicommburrito.co.uk

You don’t have to be called Steve or Stephen to work at Blackpool, but it does help.

Scrabble

Among many other things, one of my projects is the Finite Group, a collective of mathematicians and maths fans with a free Discord community, and monthly livestreams with great people about interesting bits of maths. Find out when our next livestream will be, and join us at finitegroup.co.uk

The next #scicommburrito will be in two weeks' time - on Tuesday 13th October, we'll be meeting from 6pm-8pm at Tortilla in Manchester Arndale (just inside the Arndale Market entrance, near to Waterstones) with potential post-burrito social for anyone who wants it. Details at

tempt them back to room with banana

Well don't I feel stupid

Exceptionally pleased that for the second year in a row I've been able to legitimately say the sentence "I'll be in London already that weekend for the UK Crossword Championships" in response to an invitation to London

Looking forward to this! @hanaayoob.co.uk and I have some fun interactive stuff planned - bring paper and at least four colours of pen (!) if you're watching live...

If you're bored around 4.30pm today, this Radio 4 show might be worth a listen, for unspecified reasons www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Yes

Oof mastodon.online/@brianbilsto...

Do you know anyone who's interested in maths and might like to watch monthly livestreams of people chatting about interesting maths? You can buy a gift membership to our Finite Group community to give someone livestream access for a number of months of your choice! www.patreon.com/FiniteGroup/...

The Mathematicians' Library is out TODAY in all good bookshops and libraries, and direct from me if you'd like a signed copy.

Never became as popular as "ET Phone Home" did it

I've just checked, and we still haven't finished our project to get people to say out loud all 41 million digits of the most recently discovered Mersenne prime. If you want to help us get to the aspirational 0.5% mark, be assigned your chunk of 419 digits by visiting our website. saytheprime.com

Shout-out to whoever moved nandos.co.uk/products to nandos.co.uk/food/products without a redirect, when the former is literally printed on thousands of bottles of sauce already on supermarket shelves ❤️

Are you someone who teaches maths, or runs maths activities with kids? We're building up a nice collection of maths activity resources you can buy and print to use - including sessions on Möbius bands, mathematical mindfulness and now binary numbers. Spread the word! 15minutemaths.com

From the new Private Eye, out now.