The Infinite Monkey Cage - Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley

Download Nature's Shapes - Dave Gorman, Sarah Hart and Thomas Woolley

Brian Cox and Robin Ince unpick the hidden codes behind the shapes we see in nature with mathematicians Sarah Hart & Thomas Woolley and comedian Dave Gorman.

The panel marvel at how evolution so often beats mathematicians to finding the most elegant solutions, after all, it’s had millennia to experiment. How do trees achieve the optimal distribution of leaves and why are tortoise shells so geometrically exciting?

Plus we learn why the cheetah got its spots, thanks to the work of Thomas Woolley’s mathematical hero, Alan Turing, how numbers can be more or less irrational, and why Dave Gorman has a vendetta against oblongs.

Producer: Melanie Brown Exec Producer: Alexandra Feachem Assistant Producer: Olivia Jani

Published on Wednesday, 26th March 2025.

Available Podcasts from The Infinite Monkey Cage

Subscribe to The Infinite Monkey Cage

We are not the BBC, we only list available podcasts. To find out more about the programme including episodes available on BBC iPlayer, go to the The Infinite Monkey Cage webpage.