A Mathematical Mystery Tour (1985)

Documentary, A Mathematical Mystery Tour (1985)

Mathematical #Mystery Tour
"A Mathematical Mystery Tour" is a 1985 episode of the PBS science series #NOVA, which first aired on March 5, 1985.
The episode explores the abstract and often counterintuitive world of pure mathematics, introducing viewers to concepts such as geometries in multiple dimensions, numbers larger than infinity, and parallel lines that can meet.
It features interviews with prominent mathematicians and historians of the time, including discussions on foundational mathematical theories and philosophical questions about the nature of mathematics.

The documentary delves into several major unsolved problems and deep mathematical ideas, such as Fermat's Last Theorem, the Goldbach Conjecture, the Riemann Hypothesis, the P=NP problem, and the Continuum Hypothesis.
It also examines the historical development of mathematics, touching on figures like Euclid, Bertrand Russell, and Kurt Gödel, and explores the impact of Gödel's Incompleteness Theorems, which demonstrated that no axiomatic system including arithmetic can be both complete and consistent.
The episode highlights the tension between the perceived certainty of mathematics and the reality of its inherent limitations.

The program was written and produced by Jon Palfreman, with narration by Don Wescott, and featured advisory input from mathematicians like Dr. Keith Devlin and Dr. Gregory H. Moore.
It was hosted by Bob Gardner, who has since praised it as one of the best popular-level programs on pure mathematics and its methods.
The #documentary #Mathematical