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Mathateca's Favourite Online Content 2025

 

Here at Mathateca, we're keen to share cool stuff from the world of mathematics that we've spotted this year, so we’ve created a best of 2025 list. In no particular order, here's what the team recommends:

 

Amy

I enjoy playing mathematical logic puzzles in my spare time and lately I have been enjoying Terraformation from Puzzmallow (https://puzzmallow.com/terraformation). It is similar to a nonogram puzzle, but with a hexagonal grid and 3 different colours. It has a fun sci-fi terraforming planet theme, and 5 daily puzzles with different requirements so if you get stuck on one you can try a different one.

If you want to try a slightly more straightforward but similar puzzle first, give the ‘mini’ and ‘classic’ levels of buzzled a go (https://puzzmallow.com/buzzled).

 

 

Ross

My pick for 2025 is the puzzles from the UK Maths Trust: https://ukmt.org.uk/puzzles

They are a bit of fun, and will get you really thinking about the maths behind the puzzles. None of them are too easy!

 

 

James

I'm a fan of consuming podcasts on YouTube, so 2025 was a real treat for me.

Last year I was excited about @FryRSquared releasing a cache of videos. 2025 saw maths professor Hannah Fry, Professor of the Public Understanding of Mathematics at University of Cambridge, team up with another legendary science communicator Michael "VSauce" Stevens to host The Rest Is Science: https://youtube.com/@therestisscience?si=CbVt4yJrE-7LR8jQ

 

Keen podcast listeners might recognise the title from other Goal Hanger productions run by Gary Lineker such as The Rest Is History, The Rest Is Politics and The Rest Is Entertainment.

 

There are ten long format videos already released onto the channel; it's like Christmas came early. Each have a good mention of maths hidden within them, but a solid recommendation for this target audience would be

The Letter That Changed Mathematics: 

https://youtu.be/CidU-sqmSlc?si=NCfw270oSW2zJXjZ

 

Also on YouTube, some new channels and videos I'd recommend checking out:

@YATAQi released a video for the Summer Of Maths Exposition 4, #SoME4, set up by 3Blue1Brown star Grant Sanderson: https://youtu.be/HVkneAaHxaY?si=EqDZwNnK1CSE7oeB

Hopefully @YATAQi keeps making videos of this quality and level of interest.

 

@AnotherRoof has released a number of videos that are educating and entertaining 

Check out a video regarding cryptography: https://youtu.be/aw6J1JV_5Ec?si=oTinRpWoUYQ6NCPo

Or the recently released calculator review / warning of counterfeit calculators: https://youtu.be/F64lNlDgFiE?si=Oam9ys_4gdCJYXX9

 

 

Tom

This year I've watched few new channels, mostly sticking with content from the usual channels such as Matt Parker, Numberphile and 3Blue1Brown, but the video that has stuck in my mind is from Joe Marler's channel, Things People Do, where he interviews Matt Parker. 

https://youtu.be/EcqcfpzpR2A?si=0Qv2e8cyjKiIEM9R

 

It's someone from completely outside the maths community, someone who had always classed themselves as hating and not being good at maths, chatting to a maths enthusiast. Parker is a superb communicator, and the discussion between them, aided by guest, Tom Fordyce, was an enjoyable and different perspective of what it's like to view the world through a mathematical lens. I rewatched the video before making this recommendation, and it held up very well. Best of the year for me and I will be recommending it to anyone who shows any interest in the subject but feels they lack sufficient skill or knowledge.

 

 

Scott

Due to my lack of on-line mathsiness, I’d have to say that Oceania MathsJam Gathering was my highlight of the year. In particular, Sophia's talk on Kaktovik numerals was fascinating, both from a mathematical perspective, and also from a community & education perspective.

The basics on Kaktovik numers: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaktovik_numerals

More in depth: https://youtu.be/EyS6FfczH0Q?si=KK7AsvTmArLTLQda

 

 

 

Louis

My favourite source of mathematical content this year has been Quanta Magazine, published by the Simons Foundation. I've put together a list of my top ten highlights from Quanta, which you can read on the Mathateca blog here: https://mathateca.nz/Blog/Louis-Top-10-Quanta-Magazine-Articles-of-2025

 

 

Rata

Articles, websites and blogs

 

Videos

  • What is plus times plus? Visualising lambda calculus by 2swap. Fun, great graphics and insightful: https://youtu.be/RcVA8Nj6HEo?si=VtogrBCVVFp1aLwx
  • The Maths of Board Games lecture by Gresham Professor of Geometry Sarah Hart. I spent some time thinking about strategy games for a programme I ran at work this year, which lead me to stumble upon this presentation on the complexity of games. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mw5vzCMYMmc

  • The Hypercube Pop-up book and 4 views of the 4-cube by Richard Hammack is just a really cool idea that made me think more about the possibilities for future Maths on Paper events.

  • I also want to recommend the YouTube channel @QuirkyCubes for their experiments making novel twisty puzzle mechanisms that reflect various aspects of group theory. These items go straight on my wish list.

 

Games

I've enjoyed a few coffee-break daily puzzle games including Equate 8, NYT's Pips, Buzzled and Jigsy over the course of the year. To supplement our Logic Puzzle Workshops, of course.

 

Good news from other maths spaces

I like to keep tabs on similar initiatives to Mathateca's mission that are happening around the world. In 2025, (at least) two new premises for the public to engage with maths opened up.

Ukraine's Cuboid Museum of Mathematics (March) and MathsWorld London (November)

 

And finally...

While this is definitely just tooting my own horn, I do have a lot of fun putting together the Christchurch MathsJam  newsletter each month, with maths puzzles, events and (even more) links. Mailchimp archives the most recent 20 editions so that means you can catch up here.

 

 

What should we check out for 2026? Comment below!