During a mosque tour, I learned that each Arabic numeral is said to reflect the number of angles in its shape.
Numbers as geometry.
#MathHistory
#IslamicArt
#TokyoCamii
Numbers as geometry.
#MathHistory
#IslamicArt
#TokyoCamii
February 16, 2026 at 11:05 AM
During a mosque tour, I learned that each Arabic numeral is said to reflect the number of angles in its shape.
Numbers as geometry.
#MathHistory
#IslamicArt
#TokyoCamii
Numbers as geometry.
#MathHistory
#IslamicArt
#TokyoCamii
📖The "Mathematical Courses and Textbooks in the 17th and 18th Centuries" conference begins at the Villa Lanna, Prag, at the Academy of Science ... Thanks to Davide Crippa for the incredible organization ! #HistSTM #mathhistory I'll try my best to summarize the talks here ⤵️
June 12, 2025 at 7:45 AM
📖The "Mathematical Courses and Textbooks in the 17th and 18th Centuries" conference begins at the Villa Lanna, Prag, at the Academy of Science ... Thanks to Davide Crippa for the incredible organization ! #HistSTM #mathhistory I'll try my best to summarize the talks here ⤵️
Slightly surprised that I heard about this investigation of mathematicians & blackboards from someone other than @mbarany.com.
(Although in fairness, this @sciam.bsky.social piece--and the @pnas.org article it discusses--are more focused on #CogSci than #MathHistory...)
#histSTM #psychology 🗃️📜
(Although in fairness, this @sciam.bsky.social piece--and the @pnas.org article it discusses--are more focused on #CogSci than #MathHistory...)
#histSTM #psychology 🗃️📜
Mathematicians’ Chalkboard Writing Shows When Inspiration Strikes www.scientificamerican.com/article/math...
Scientists See ‘Eureka’ Moments in Mathematicians’ Chalkboard Writings
Researchers spot the “tipping point” before mathematicians’ moments of discovery
www.scientificamerican.com
November 10, 2025 at 8:59 PM
Slightly surprised that I heard about this investigation of mathematicians & blackboards from someone other than @mbarany.com.
(Although in fairness, this @sciam.bsky.social piece--and the @pnas.org article it discusses--are more focused on #CogSci than #MathHistory...)
#histSTM #psychology 🗃️📜
(Although in fairness, this @sciam.bsky.social piece--and the @pnas.org article it discusses--are more focused on #CogSci than #MathHistory...)
#histSTM #psychology 🗃️📜
ICYMI: The medieval scholar whose homework runs every app on your phone #Mathematics #MathHistory
The medieval scholar whose homework runs every app on your phone
The math behind your GPS, face unlock, and online banking was worked out by people who never touched a computer — some over a thousand years ago. This piece traces 20 mathematicians to the exact technologies their proofs made possible, and the connections are genuinely surprising.
dlvr.it
September 24, 2026 at 5:09 PM
ICYMI: The medieval scholar whose homework runs every app on your phone #Mathematics #MathHistory
Math wasn't always +, −, ×, ÷, or =—these symbols took centuries to develop. Next time you write an equation, give a little nod to history! magazine.amstat.org/...
#MathHistory #STEM #FunWithNumbers #StatsSky
#MathHistory #STEM #FunWithNumbers #StatsSky
April 20, 2026 at 7:39 PM
Math wasn't always +, −, ×, ÷, or =—these symbols took centuries to develop. Next time you write an equation, give a little nod to history! magazine.amstat.org/...
#MathHistory #STEM #FunWithNumbers #StatsSky
#MathHistory #STEM #FunWithNumbers #StatsSky
Good morning, #HSS24! I’m in the San Jacinto room in the Holiday Inn for a panel of mathematical historiography. Our first speaker is LHL bibliographic scholar @jpsa.bsky.social, who is speaking about George Pólya’s How to Solve It.
#math #mathematics #MathHistory
#math #mathematics #MathHistory
November 8, 2024 at 4:11 PM
Good morning, #HSS24! I’m in the San Jacinto room in the Holiday Inn for a panel of mathematical historiography. Our first speaker is LHL bibliographic scholar @jpsa.bsky.social, who is speaking about George Pólya’s How to Solve It.
#math #mathematics #MathHistory
#math #mathematics #MathHistory
When @wilwheaton.net & @hntdove.bsky.social share the same #TomLehrer story, you know that it will be worth reading!
(Thanks for providing this glimpse into Lehrer’s work at the #NSA, @opalescentopal.bsky.social!)
#Lobachevsky #MathHistory
(Thanks for providing this glimpse into Lehrer’s work at the #NSA, @opalescentopal.bsky.social!)
#Lobachevsky #MathHistory
With Tom Lehrer's passing, I suppose this is a moment to share the story of the prank he played on the National Security Agency, and how it went undiscovered for nearly 60 years.
July 27, 2025 at 10:01 PM
When @wilwheaton.net & @hntdove.bsky.social share the same #TomLehrer story, you know that it will be worth reading!
(Thanks for providing this glimpse into Lehrer’s work at the #NSA, @opalescentopal.bsky.social!)
#Lobachevsky #MathHistory
(Thanks for providing this glimpse into Lehrer’s work at the #NSA, @opalescentopal.bsky.social!)
#Lobachevsky #MathHistory
After a tasty lunch break, #Junto24 resumes w/a special presentation by Kate Sheppard (Missouri S&T), which has already won me over w/its pun-derful title.
Get ready, everybody…we’re talking about slide rules!
#histsci #histSTM #MathHistory #SlideRules #badpun
Get ready, everybody…we’re talking about slide rules!
#histsci #histSTM #MathHistory #SlideRules #badpun
March 23, 2024 at 6:40 PM
After a tasty lunch break, #Junto24 resumes w/a special presentation by Kate Sheppard (Missouri S&T), which has already won me over w/its pun-derful title.
Get ready, everybody…we’re talking about slide rules!
#histsci #histSTM #MathHistory #SlideRules #badpun
Get ready, everybody…we’re talking about slide rules!
#histsci #histSTM #MathHistory #SlideRules #badpun
FYI: The Linda Hall Library has digitized its copy of the Memoirs of the Analytical Society (featured in the thumbnail above), which was written by Babbage and John Herschel and published in 1813.
Read the full text here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...
#histsci #mathematics #mathhistory 📜
Read the full text here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...
#histsci #mathematics #mathhistory 📜
December 26, 2024 at 8:44 PM
FYI: The Linda Hall Library has digitized its copy of the Memoirs of the Analytical Society (featured in the thumbnail above), which was written by Babbage and John Herschel and published in 1813.
Read the full text here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...
#histsci #mathematics #mathhistory 📜
Read the full text here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...
#histsci #mathematics #mathhistory 📜
This was a fun piece to write! I learnt quite a bit about the evolution of #math symbols while working on it. Thank you Alex Bellos, Amir Alexander, Kate Kitagawa, Raul Rojas & @sarah-hart.bsky.social for the nice conversations.
#algebra #MathHistory #geometry
#algebra #MathHistory #geometry
Did you know the + symbol wasn’t used for addition until the 1400s? How did people do simple sums before that? We explain. https://www.snexplores.org/article/where-math-symbols-came-from
February 19, 2026 at 7:20 PM
This was a fun piece to write! I learnt quite a bit about the evolution of #math symbols while working on it. Thank you Alex Bellos, Amir Alexander, Kate Kitagawa, Raul Rojas & @sarah-hart.bsky.social for the nice conversations.
#algebra #MathHistory #geometry
#algebra #MathHistory #geometry
Is Terry Tao the "greatest mathematician alive"? What does "greatest" even mean?
youtube.com/shorts/0X0wM...
youtube.com/shorts/0X0wM...
Is Terry Tao the "greatest mathematician alive"? #math #mathhistory #terrytao #jpserre #fieldsmedal
YouTube video by Alvaro Lozano-Robledo
youtube.com
August 13, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Is Terry Tao the "greatest mathematician alive"? What does "greatest" even mean?
youtube.com/shorts/0X0wM...
youtube.com/shorts/0X0wM...
Great #mathhistory video from Tom Crawford with Snezana Lawrence www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2s7... including some discussion of women mathematicians.
A History of Female Mathematicians
YouTube video by Tom Rocks Maths
www.youtube.com
July 14, 2026 at 12:23 AM
Great #mathhistory video from Tom Crawford with Snezana Lawrence www.youtube.com/watch?v=f2s7... including some discussion of women mathematicians.
Today's RheWeSe day: history and philosophy of mathematics at @unimainz.bsky.social : we're opening the day with Arilès Remaki talk on machines and combinations in the work of G.W. Leibniz! #HistSTM #MathHistory
January 31, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Today's RheWeSe day: history and philosophy of mathematics at @unimainz.bsky.social : we're opening the day with Arilès Remaki talk on machines and combinations in the work of G.W. Leibniz! #HistSTM #MathHistory
Hugo Steinhaus, Polish mathematician and author of a popular book of mathematical puzzles & curiosities, is the Linda Hall Library's #ScientistOfTheDay.
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histSTM #mathematics
#MathHistory #scicomm 🗃️📜
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histSTM #mathematics
#MathHistory #scicomm 🗃️📜
January 15, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Hugo Steinhaus, Polish mathematician and author of a popular book of mathematical puzzles & curiosities, is the Linda Hall Library's #ScientistOfTheDay.
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histSTM #mathematics
#MathHistory #scicomm 🗃️📜
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histSTM #mathematics
#MathHistory #scicomm 🗃️📜
A reminder that Sarton featured #Isis on his personal bookplate!
(Spotted in his copy of Erhard Ratdolt‘s 1482 edition of Euclid’s Elements, now in the Linda Hall Library’s collection. Read the whole thing here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...)
#HSS23 #incunables #MathHistory #histsci 📜
(Spotted in his copy of Erhard Ratdolt‘s 1482 edition of Euclid’s Elements, now in the Linda Hall Library’s collection. Read the whole thing here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...)
#HSS23 #incunables #MathHistory #histsci 📜
November 11, 2023 at 8:04 PM
A reminder that Sarton featured #Isis on his personal bookplate!
(Spotted in his copy of Erhard Ratdolt‘s 1482 edition of Euclid’s Elements, now in the Linda Hall Library’s collection. Read the whole thing here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...)
#HSS23 #incunables #MathHistory #histsci 📜
(Spotted in his copy of Erhard Ratdolt‘s 1482 edition of Euclid’s Elements, now in the Linda Hall Library’s collection. Read the whole thing here: catalog.lindahall.org/discovery/de...)
#HSS23 #incunables #MathHistory #histsci 📜
The number zero was invented independently by ancient civilizations like the Babylonians, Mayans, and Indians Indian mathematician Brahmagupta is credited with the concept of zero as a placeholder in positional numeral systems in the 7th century. #MathHistory
#Zerolnvention
#Zerolnvention
December 11, 2024 at 5:37 PM
The number zero was invented independently by ancient civilizations like the Babylonians, Mayans, and Indians Indian mathematician Brahmagupta is credited with the concept of zero as a placeholder in positional numeral systems in the 7th century. #MathHistory
#Zerolnvention
#Zerolnvention
Collecting history and cool math resources for my #mathhistory learners - what would you add? docs.google.com/document/d/1... (Pat Bellew, Annie Perkins, Numberphile, etc)
docs.google.com
January 7, 2024 at 4:38 PM
Collecting history and cool math resources for my #mathhistory learners - what would you add? docs.google.com/document/d/1... (Pat Bellew, Annie Perkins, Numberphile, etc)
I want to learn vector calculus the old school way. Kinda preschool in a way. Heaviside is quite a writer.
#calc3 #vectors #Hamilton #Heaviside #Tait #Gibbs #Maxwell #MathHistory
#calc3 #vectors #Hamilton #Heaviside #Tait #Gibbs #Maxwell #MathHistory
August 14, 2026 at 12:31 AM
I want to learn vector calculus the old school way. Kinda preschool in a way. Heaviside is quite a writer.
#calc3 #vectors #Hamilton #Heaviside #Tait #Gibbs #Maxwell #MathHistory
#calc3 #vectors #Hamilton #Heaviside #Tait #Gibbs #Maxwell #MathHistory
It’s International Day of Mathematics
Celebrate by discovering Alicia Boole Stott (1860–1940), the Cork-born mathematician who explored the fourth dimension.
Read about her groundbreaking work on our latest blog post in The Riverside ⬇️
🔗 theriverside.ucc.ie/2025/03/14/a...
#womeninstem #mathhistory
Celebrate by discovering Alicia Boole Stott (1860–1940), the Cork-born mathematician who explored the fourth dimension.
Read about her groundbreaking work on our latest blog post in The Riverside ⬇️
🔗 theriverside.ucc.ie/2025/03/14/a...
#womeninstem #mathhistory
March 14, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It’s International Day of Mathematics
Celebrate by discovering Alicia Boole Stott (1860–1940), the Cork-born mathematician who explored the fourth dimension.
Read about her groundbreaking work on our latest blog post in The Riverside ⬇️
🔗 theriverside.ucc.ie/2025/03/14/a...
#womeninstem #mathhistory
Celebrate by discovering Alicia Boole Stott (1860–1940), the Cork-born mathematician who explored the fourth dimension.
Read about her groundbreaking work on our latest blog post in The Riverside ⬇️
🔗 theriverside.ucc.ie/2025/03/14/a...
#womeninstem #mathhistory
Kanem-Bornu Empire mastered trade, taxation & record-keeping, using math for counting goods, livestock & tribute. Early accounting systems laid foundations for modern finance & spreadsheets. #KanemBornu #MathHistory #Accounting #AfricanInnovation #Finance #DataSystems #Africa
March 6, 2026 at 12:53 PM
Kanem-Bornu Empire mastered trade, taxation & record-keeping, using math for counting goods, livestock & tribute. Early accounting systems laid foundations for modern finance & spreadsheets. #KanemBornu #MathHistory #Accounting #AfricanInnovation #Finance #DataSystems #Africa
Was reading up on an 1850s physicist at "mathhistory" and this paragraph about Napoleon declaring war on Prussia pretty much explains how most wars end up happening.
December 26, 2023 at 7:16 PM
Was reading up on an 1850s physicist at "mathhistory" and this paragraph about Napoleon declaring war on Prussia pretty much explains how most wars end up happening.
I'm excited to be presenting at noon w/my daughter on amazing #civilRights pioneer Anna Julia Cooper - trained in math. We're presenting at the City of Raleigh Museum. It was fun delving into 19th & early 20th century math pedagogy & of course learning more re: AJC! #mtbos #iteachmath #mathhistory
December 18, 2025 at 9:55 AM
I'm excited to be presenting at noon w/my daughter on amazing #civilRights pioneer Anna Julia Cooper - trained in math. We're presenting at the City of Raleigh Museum. It was fun delving into 19th & early 20th century math pedagogy & of course learning more re: AJC! #mtbos #iteachmath #mathhistory
Stefano degli Angeli, an Italian Jesuate (not Jesuit!) mathematician who defended Bonaventura Cavalieri's method of indivisibles, is the Linda Hall Library's #ScientistOfTheDay.
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histsci #histSTM #mathematics #math #MathHistory
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histsci #histSTM #mathematics #math #MathHistory
October 11, 2023 at 12:46 PM
Stefano degli Angeli, an Italian Jesuate (not Jesuit!) mathematician who defended Bonaventura Cavalieri's method of indivisibles, is the Linda Hall Library's #ScientistOfTheDay.
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histsci #histSTM #mathematics #math #MathHistory
www.lindahall.org/about/news/s...
#histsci #histSTM #mathematics #math #MathHistory
Why the Fields Medal Was Awarded for Solving a Problem Most Physicists Ignored www.youtube.com/watch?v=g07B...
Why the Fields Medal Was Awarded for Solving a Problem Most Physicists Ignored #mathhistory
YouTube video by MigOroEdu
www.youtube.com
January 3, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Why the Fields Medal Was Awarded for Solving a Problem Most Physicists Ignored www.youtube.com/watch?v=g07B...