Theory of Sets

Made entirely on Roger Wagner's HyperStudio software, Chris Marker explores set theory, using Noah's Ark as an example.

Magic Money: The Bitcoin Revolution

What is Bitcoin? With the advent of Bitcoin, the world's first digital currency, for the first time in history money is no longer controlled by banks or governments, but by the people who use it. But where did this currency come from? How does it work? And is it truly the way forward, or just a flash in the pan? Magic Money answers these questions and more as it explores the mysterious origins of Bitcoin, its role in society, and how it could shape the future.

Clouds Are Not Spheres

Until recently geometry was 'cold', incapable of describing the irregular shape of a cloud, the slope of a mountain or the beauty of the human body. With fractal geometry, Benoit Mandelbrot gave us a language for our natural world. In this captivating documentary, the man himself explains this groundbreaking discovery.

NOVA: The Great Math Mystery

NOVA leads viewers on a mathematical mystery tour -- a provocative exploration of math's astonishing power across the centuries. We discover math's signature in the swirl of a nautilus shell, the whirlpool of a galaxy and the spiral in the center of a sunflower. Math was essential to everything from the first wireless radio transmissions to the prediction and discovery of the Higgs boson and the successful landing of rovers on Mars. But where does math get its power? Astrophysicist and writer Mario Livio, along with a colorful cast of mathematicians, physicists and engineers, follows math from Pythagoras to Einstein and beyond, all leading to the ultimate riddle: Is math an invention or a discovery? Humankind's clever trick or the language of the universe?

The Genius of George Boole

Narrated by Oscar-winning actor Jeremy Irons, The Genius of George Boole assembles academics and industry leaders from across the globe to explore the life and importance of one of the world’s greatest unsung heroes.

The Story of 1

A humor-inflected history of the of the number one, covering military applications in ancient Rome, the measurement of distances in India, and the decimal system created by Leibnitz.

N is a Number: A Portrait of Paul Erdős

In an age when genius is a mere commodity, it is useful to look at a person who led a rich life without the traditional trappings of success. A man with no home and no job, Paul Erdös was the most prolific mathematician who ever lived. Born in Hungary in 1913, Erdös wrote and co-authored over 1,500 papers and pioneered several fields in theoretical mathematics. At the age of 83 he still spent most of his time on the road, going from math meeting to math meeting, continually working on problems. He died on September 20, 1996 while attending such a meeting in Warsaw, Poland.

Defeating the Hackers

Exploring the murky and fast-paced world of the hackers out to steal money and identities and wreak havoc with people's online lives, and the scientists who are joining forces to help defeat them.

Outside In

The computer animation Outside In explains the amazing discovery, made by Steve Smale in 1957, that a sphere can be turned inside out by means of smooth motions and self-intersections. Through a combination of dialogue and exposition accessible to anyone who has some interest in mathematics, Outside In builds up to the grand finale: Bill Thurston's "corrugations" method of turning the sphere inside out.

M. C. Escher: Journey to Infinity

A portrait of the visionary Dutch artist M. C. Escher (1898-1972), according to his own words, taken from his diary, his correspondence and the texts of his lectures.

The Joy of Logic

A sharp, witty, mind-expanding and exuberant foray into the world of logic with Computer Scientist Dave Cliff. Following in the footsteps of the award-winning The Joy of Stats and its sequel, Tails You Win - The Science of Chance, The Joy of Logic takes viewers on a new Wingspan roller-coaster ride through philosophy, maths, science and technology all of which, under the bonnet, run on logic. Wielding the same wit and wisdom, animation and gleeful nerdery as its predecessors, this film journeys from Aristotle to Alice in Wonderland, Sci-Fi to Supercomputers to tell the fascinating story of the quest for certainty and the fundamentals of sound reasoning itself.

Julia Robinson and Hilbert's Tenth Problem

Julia Robinson and Hilbert's Tenth Problem features a heroine driven by the quest to solve one of the central problems of modern mathematics. She rises above formidable obstacles to assume a leading role in her field. Julia Robinson was the first woman elected to the mathematical section of the National Academy of Sciences, and the first woman to become president of the American Mathematical Society. While tracing Robinson's contribution to the solution of Hilbert's tenth problem, the film illuminates how her work led to an unusual friendship between Russian and American colleagues at the height of the Cold War.

Counting from Infinity: Yitang Zhang and the Twin Prime Conjecture

In April 2013, a lecturer at the University of New Hampshire submitted a paper to the Annals of Mathematics. Within weeks word spread: a little-known mathematician, with no permanent job, working in complete isolation, had made an important breakthrough toward solving the Twin Prime Conjecture. Yitang Zhang's techniques for bounding the gaps between primes soon led to rapid progress by the Polymath Group, and a further innovation by James Maynard.

Symmetry

Symmetry is one of five shorts featured in the film "Mathematical Peep Shows." The collection was made by Charles and Ray Eames for the IBM Mathematica Exhibit which opened in 1961. The degree to which an object is symmetrical is illustrated by the number of different positions in which it can fit into a box of its shape.

2ⁿ: A Story of the Power of Numbers

2ⁿ is a story about the exponential growth of numbers raised to powers. Part of the Mathematica Peep Shows, one of five films made to accompany the Mathematica: A World of Numbers and Beyond exhibition at the California Museum of Science and Industry and the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

The Standard Deviants: The Many-Sided World of Geometry, Part 2

Geometry Part 2 goes into detail on perimeter, circumference and area for 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional figures. This DVD is also helpful for students who need extra help understanding the Pythagorean Theorem. Difficult concepts are made crystal clear with easy-to-follow examples and graphic presentations. With the Standard Deviants by your side, you'll be calculating the surface of a sphere or the volume of a cylinder in no time!

The Standard Deviants: The Candy-Coated World of Calculus, Part 2

Revised 1998 version. When you're ready to tackle advanced calculus, The Standard Deviants are ready to help! Part 2 covers applications of the derivative, antiderivatives and the definite integral. By combining a relaxed and enjoyable format with computer graphics and animation, the Standard Deviants enhance understanding and increase retention of difficult subjects. The key to a better grade in calculus is only a play button away.

The Standard Deviants: The Candy-Coated World of Calculus, Part 1

Revised 1998 version. Beginning with a review of functions and graphing, Part 1 jumps into the world of calculus by covering limits, vertical and horizontal asymptote, slopes and derivatives. The Standard Deviants take students by the hand and walk them through the most difficult topics with a relaxed and approachable format, step-by-step illustrations and plenty of examples.

The Standard Deviants: The Dangerous World of Pre-Calculus, Part 1

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO ACE PRE-CALCULUS IS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS: functions, polynomials, f(x), RATIONAL FUNCTIONS, standard form for rational functions, disguised rational functions, multiplying rational functions, FOIL (review), dividing rational functions, invert & multiply, compound fractions, adding rational functions, common denominators, subtracting rational functions, all four operations together, graphing rational functions, discontinuities, removable singularity, vertical asymptotes, horizontal asymptotes, finding asymptotes, finding roots, word problems, SYSTEMS OF LINEAR EQUATIONS, solving graphically, algebraic substitution, algebraic elimination, SYSTEMS OF INEQUALITIES, inequality basics, graphing linear inequalities, SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS WITH MORE THAN TWO VARIABLES

Albert Einstein: l'homme et le génie