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Mathateca's Favourite Online Content 2024

 

It’s getting to that time when all the “best of…” lists for the year are coming in. Here at Mathateca, all we want for Christmas is to share the delight, joy and wonder of mathematics in the wild, so we’ve created a round up list of cool stuff we’ve found online this year. In no particular order, here's what the team recommends:

 

James

Like most people, I consume so much popular maths via YouTube videos including the channels: Stand-up Maths, Numberphile, Vsauce, MindYourDecisions, 3Blue1Brown, James Grime, Ben Sparks, Veritasium, Ayliean, etc.

 

A favourite YouTube channel of mine that people may not have already encountered is @ChrisStaecker. Chris is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Fairfield University with research in the field of topological fixed point theory and digital topology. The @ChrisStaecker YouTube channel has numerous playlists of his tutorials but 2-3 are very lighthearted to hilarious whilst still covering maths in an interesting way. 

 

Try his three-video playlist on Paper Computers, or the ongoing series Maths Props, which is interesting commentary on movies that have old, typically mechanical calculators in them. (I emailed Chris about spotting a Burroughs Adding Machine in the 2022 movie “The Outfit” and received a reply.)

 

For my pick of the year, I've chosen the following video about a Sunwatch. The video doesn't contain much maths, but combines my interest for mathematics, cartography, astronomy and time. Chris presents the video with a great sense of humor.

 

 

The whole Calculating Devices Review / HowTos playlist is an amazing watch and a funny yet informative presentation of historical calculating devices with a playful sense of humour. 

 

I'd also like to mention Hannah Fry. Hannah will be well known to many maths enthusiasts, but until recently only appeared in documentaries and as a guest on other YouTube channels. The best of 2024 wouldn't be complete with a celebration that Hannah has started her own channel. Check out: @FryRSquared

 

She released an awesome video (on Facebook only), announcing her new role as Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics within the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics (DAMTP) at the University of Cambridge. In the short video Hannah recalls a story that she applied to study at Cambridge but couldn't get access to a specific test at her school, effectively creating a class / wealth bar to entry. Now working at the University this childhood dream has come true and the world is a better place. I think the video has been delisted, otherwise this would be my video of the year.

EDIT: Here's the video - https://www.facebook.com/reel/820374296854018

 

 

Rata

As a seasoned calculator fan, I second James’ recommendation for @ChrisStaecker. Really, the whole channel is a delight. Continuing the mechanical computation theme, here’s a page I enjoyed from Calculating History on computing linkages. (bonus: Veritasium’s 2021 video on analog computing).

And while there were many excellent entries in the Aperiodical’s 2024 Great Internet Math-Off, I always have a soft spot for calculator tricks like what Dave Richeson wrote about here.

 

In the news: great to see the value of BB(5) proved using Coq. I was first introduced to the problem when reading Quantum Computing Since Democritus by Scott Aaronson in school, and it was something that got me really excited about computation at the time.

 

Maths song discovery: “Mandelbrot Set” by Jonathan Coulton.

Favourite new-to-me YouTube Channel: Physics for the Birds.

My most played daily logic puzzle game of 2024: Domino Fit (play for speed!)

 

 

Kirk

This year I discovered Yohaku puzzles at MathsJam, and have been enjoying solving them on the bus ever since.

 

Tom

The online content (usually video) that interests me is the various and often well known popular channels that explain mathematical concepts in a way that enhance understanding. 

 

I particularly value Matt Parker's Stand-up Maths channel for its humour and accessibility, and as a bonus Matt is almost as bald as me.

 

For example his explainer on how data is transmitted wirelessly ticks all my boxes. The maths is accessible, the tone is light, yet by the end of the video I feel my understanding and ability to conceptualise the mathematics behind the algorithms is strongly enhanced.

 

 

 

Louis

I also enjoy a lot of Maths Youtubers, and a few highlights for me over the last year include Another Roof, Combo Class, and Dr Barker.

 

A highlight from Another Roof would be The Most Powerful Diagram in Mathematics about Steiner Systems and their surprising utility.

 

A highlight from Combo Class would be The Most Underrated Concept in Number Theory about integer complexity but don't worry, there will be fire, if that is important to you. Also he’s done videos on base -10, and -2i.

 

And for Dr Barker I will recommend Proving A Crazy GCD Identity, which makes me suspect that I rate these channels by how well they deliver on click bait. His videos are good because you can usually extract the problem from the thumbnail and have a go before watching.

 

I always want to recommend Angela Collier, though she seems to have tragically broken her habit of getting distracted by physics problems (e.g. estimating how much force is required to knock over a washing machine in a video about the impracticality of humanoid robots).

 

Amy

I have enjoyed exploring some logic puzzles this year including working on some Tri-Alphametics and discovering KenKens/Inkies in the preparation for Mathateca’s Maths on Paper event back in February. KenKens are similar to Sudoku puzzles, but with a bit more maths! You can try some KenKens yourself online at www.kenkenpuzzle.com/game, just pick your preferred grid size and difficulty and get solving!

 

Scott

My pick of the year is Nicomachus’ Theorem visualised. (I also managed to prove it from first principles, all by myself!)

 

 

What should we check out for 2025? Comment below!