First crafted in the late 16th century, the microscope forever changed science by revealing worlds hidden from the naked eye. In this special repost from 2020, Gabrielle takes you through centuries of innovation—from glass lenses to high-tech marvels—and explores how this transformative tool shaped medicine, biology, and our understanding of life itself.

Three key topics

The origins of the microscope, including its earliest inventors and the coining of its name in 1625.

How microscopes evolved from simple lenses to electron and cryo-electron imaging.

The ways microscopes continue to impact scientific discovery today.

Links to Resources

Luke Jerram’s Glass Microbe Sculptures: https://www.lukejerram.com/

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases – COVID-19 Images: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/news-events/novel-coronavirus-sarscov2-images

History of Microscopy – Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/technology/microscope

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In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we explore the ethics of exploration through three lenses: the protests over modern overtourism, the historical insights of early scientific explorers, and the fictional moral compass of Star Trek’s Prime Directive. From 18th-century expeditions to the 23rd-century starship Enterprise, we examine how curiosity, respect, and humility can guide how we move through the world, whether on cobblestone streets or alien worlds.

Three Things Listeners Will Learn

The origins and real-world inspiration behind Star Trek’s Prime Directive.

How early scientific explorers approached discovery with respect for cultures and environments.

Practical ways to travel ethically in an age of overtourism.

Links to Resources

Louvre Museum staff strike over overcrowding: Louvre shut down by spontaneous staff strike over 'untenable' working conditions

Venice overtourism measures: Venice Doubles Last-Minute 'Tourist Tax' , Other Cities Watch Closely - Business Insider

Star Trek “The Return of the Archons” episode summary: The Return of the Archons (episode) | Memory Alpha | Fandom

Star Trek Prime Directive overview: https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Prime_Directive

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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This episode bridges the ancient and the cutting-edge, tracing the legacy of 7th-century mathematician Brahmagupta, who formalized the concept of zero, to today’s quantum computing revolution. We explore how his foundational work in numerical systems underpins binary logic and, ultimately, the qubits powering modern quantum processors like Microsoft’s Majorana 1 and Google’s Willow. From historical insight to the promise of quantum-driven solutions for climate change, medicine, and cybersecurity, this episode is a testament to how human innovation builds across centuries.

The key points include

How Brahmagupta’s introduction of zero and rules for numbers shaped the foundation of binary and quantum logic.

The latest breakthroughs in quantum computing, including Microsoft’s Majorana 1 and Google’s Willow processor.

Why quantum computing could transform fields from medicine and climate modeling to global logistics and encryption.

· Microsoft unveils Majorana 1 chip

· Google’s Willow Processor Overview

· History of Brahmagupta

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

🌍 Let’s Connect!

Website: mathsciencehistory.com
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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
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Construction noise outside Gabrielle’s studio becomes the perfect backdrop to this week’s Flashcard Friday episode. From ancient geometry and Pythagorean ropes to Brunelleschi’s Renaissance dome and today’s AI-assisted architecture, this episode explores how math and science have always been at the heart of building human civilization. Whether it's the silent symmetry of Islamic domes or the loud clatter of skyscrapers rising, construction is the sound of applied mathematics — past and present.

1. How ancient builders used geometry, Pythagorean triples, and astronomy to align massive structures like the pyramids.
2. The mathematical innovations behind historical architectural marvels like Brunelleschi’s dome and the Roman Pantheon.
3. How modern construction relies on physics, calculus, AI, and computer simulations — and what those sounds mean today.

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle explores the unexpected origin story of the word scientist. It all started with Mary Somerville’s 1834 book On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences, which sparked a humorous yet historic review by William Whewell. From ridicule to resistance, the term evolved amid fierce linguistic debate, public mockery, and eventual global adoption. Discover how one word came to define a profession, and why that battle still matters today.

Key topics:

• The origin of the word "scientist," and why it was initially mocked by 19th-century intellectuals.
• How Mary Somerville’s work unified the physical sciences and inspired a linguistic revolution.
• Why scientists still face resistance, and why naming, truth, and peer-reviewed research matter more than ever.

Primary Resources & Recommended Reading:

Ross, Sydney. “Scientist: The Story of a Word.” Annals of Science, Vol. 18, No. 2, June 1964.

Mary Somerville, On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences (1834). On the Connexion of the Physical Sciences by Mary Somerville | Project Gutenberg

William Whewell, The Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences (1840)

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

🌍 Let’s Connect!

Website: mathsciencehistory.com
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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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On this Flashcards Friday episode, Gabrielle serves up a tasty blend of chemistry, humor, and history. Coinciding with National Avocado Day, this episode dives into the life and legacy of Amedeo Avogadro, the 19th-century chemist behind the foundational theorem of gas volumes, and how his name unexpectedly became linked with everyone's favorite green fruit. From moles to molecules to memes, Gabrielle brings the science home, one chip at a time.

🌱 3 Things You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. Who Amedeo Avogadro was and what his theorem states about gas volumes.

2. How the mole (6.022 × 10²³) became a central concept in chemistry.

3. Why Avogadro’s legacy lives on in both labs and lunchrooms (thanks to Avocado Day puns!).

🔗 Resources Mentioned:

National Avocado Day Info – National Today

Avogadro’s Law – LibreTexts

History of the Mole Concept – American Chemical Society

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📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
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In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak takes you into the steamy jungles of the 19th-century Malay Archipelago, where a fever-stricken explorer had a revelation that would change biology forever. Meet Alfred Russel Wallace, the naturalist whose fieldwork and tropical travels led to the theory of natural selection, at the same time as Darwin.

From his challenging journey to his humility in the face of discovery, Wallace’s story reminds us that science doesn’t always happen in a lab. It sometimes happens in a mosquito-filled hut, guided by sheer determination and a passion for nature.

Do you know?!

- How Alfred Russel Wallace independently developed the theory of natural selection during his expedition?

- The significance of the "Wallace Line" and its impact on biogeography?

- Why Wallace’s collaboration with Darwin remains a model of scientific integrity and humility?

Resources:

The Malay Archipelago by Alfred Russel Wallace on Project Gutenberg

Short Documentary on Wallace's Life (NHM London)

Visit us! Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

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Threads: https://www.threads.com/@math.science.history
YouTube: Math! Science! History! - YouTube
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🎧 Enjoying the Podcast?

If you love Math, Science, History, here’s how you can help:
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🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

Until next time, carpe diem!