Science

Breaking Math Podcast

by Autumn Phaneuf & Noah Giansiracusa

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Australia · Science

#187

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About the show

Breaking Math is a deep-dive science, technology, engineering, AI, and mathematics podcast that explores the world through the lens of logic, patterns, and critical thinking. Hosted by Autumn Phaneuf, an expert in industrial engineering, operations research, and applied mathematics, and Noah Giansiracusa, a mathematician and leading voice in algorithmic literacy and technology ethics, the show is dedicated to uncovering the mathematical structures behind science, technology, and the systems shaping our future. What began as a conversation about math as a pure and elegant discipline has evolved into a platform for bold, interdisciplinary dialogue. Each episode of Breaking Math takes listeners on an intellectual journey—into the strange beauty of chaos theory, the ethical dilemmas of AI and algorithms, the hidden math of biology and evolution, or the physics governing black holes and the cosmos. Along the way, Autumn and Noah speak with working scientists, researchers, and thinkers across fields: computer scientists, physicists, chemists, engineers, economists, philosophers, and more. But this isn’t just a podcast about equations. It’s a show about how mathematics shapes the way we think, decide, build, and understand the world. Breaking Math pushes back against the idea that STEM belongs behind a paywall or an academic podium. It’s for the curious, the critical, and the creative—for anyone who believes that ideas should be rigorous, accessible, and infused with wonder. If you’ve ever wondered: What’s the math behind machine learning and modern algorithms?How do we quantify uncertainty in climate and economic models?Can intelligence or consciousness be meaningfully described in AI?Why does beauty matter in an equation?You’re in the right place. At its heart, Breaking Math is about building bridges—between disciplines, between experts and the public, and between abstract mathematics and the messy, magnificent reality we live in. With humor, clarity, and deep respect for complexity, Autumn and Noah invite you to rethink what math can be—and how it can help us shape a better future. Listen wherever you get your podcasts. Website: https://breakingmath.io Linktree: https://linktr.ee/breakingmathmedia Email: breakingmathpodcast@gmail.com

Latest episodes

Can Math Make You Win? Gambler's Ruin, & Bingo Paradoxes with Arthur Benjamin

October 7, 2026 · 37 min

Mathematician, mental-math performer, and backgammon grandmaster Arthur Benjamin joins Noah and Autumn to talk about his book How to Win. Together they explore what mathematics knows about winning that human intuition gets wrong…
Math Trauma vs. Math Anxiety: What's Actually Holding You Back?

September 30, 2026 · 42 min

"I'm just not a math person." If you've ever said that about yourself, this episode is for you. Dr. Geillan Aly, author of Compassionate Math, joins Breaking Math to break down the real difference between math anxiety and math trauma — and…
Forecasting Explained: How Prediction Markets Beat Experts

September 9, 2026 · 43 min

Professional forecaster Molly Hickman breaks down what it really means to assign a probability to the future — and why she believes generalists often out-forecast subject-matter experts. This episode explores the art and science of…
What Actually Makes Something Alive? with Melanie Challenger

August 19, 2026 · 49 min

What does it mean to be alive? In this episode of Breaking Math, Autumn and Noah speak with Melanie Challenger, author of Alive, about one of the most profound questions in science and philosophy: how do we define life? Challenger argues…
Why Uncertainty Is Science's Greatest Strength with Stuart Firestein

August 6, 2026 · 43 min

Neuroscientist Stuart Firestein (Columbia University) joins Breaking Math to make an extravagant claim: uncertainty isn't a weakness in science — it's the defining feature that makes progress possible. In this episode, we break down why…
Robot Proof: Why Better AI Starts With Better People with Vivienne Ming

July 25, 2026 · 59 min

Neuroscientist, entrepreneur, and author Dr. Vivienne Ming joins Autumn and Noah to make the case that if we want better AI, we need to build better people first. We get into why AI tutors that hand students answers make learning worse…
Why Nothing Works: Robber Barons, Algorithms & Governing AI

July 10, 2026 · 44 min

In this episode, Historian and author Marc Dunkelman to explain why the 19th-century fight over railroad power is the exact fight we're about to have over algorithms and AI. Drawing on his acclaimed book Why Nothing Works: Who Killed…
Can Math Save Journalism?: Julia Angwin on Proof, Power, and Amazon's Algorithm

July 2, 2026 · 53 min

In this conversation we chat with Julia Angwin — Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, founder of Proof News, and former Wall Street Journal and ProPublica reporter — to make the case that journalism should function more like mathematical…