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"The Great Math Mystery" (2015)
Reviewing a documentary on DVD that presents and goes over one of the oldest questions in mathematics history, still debated to this day. Also features interviews and answers from great names in the sciences.
Review for this DVD launched during a moment when the mathematics department has been met with mixed reactions over OpenAI's automation model: proving problems old and new, crafting papers in no-time flat, putting human mathematicians' careers at stake. Perhaps this 2015 documentary ought to steer away any stresses from AI's involvement, bringing about one of the oldest questions: is math discovered or invented? Produced by popular PBS series NOVA, featuring astrophysicist/writer Mario Livio, this documentary brings all there is about the beauty of mathematics—why it has worked and helped us throughout our existence.
Existence of numbers is where this feature presentation starts and its ties with nature. This is apparent with plants rooted in the famous Fibonacci numbers which Livio tells us about.
"If you look at nature, there are numbers all around us." — Mario Livio
What looks like a brief overview of number theory goes over numerical patterns readily found in nature. This gradually makes mention of pi (\(\pi\)): the famous Greek letter in all math, finding its uses in areas like geometry and probability theory. Learning of its power will leave viewers a strong appreciation behind pi as more and not something to be memorized in exams. The presentation gradually transitions into video games tying its backend development over a discipline that utilizes plenty of math: physics. Author Max Tegmark claims that our physical world isn't much different than us being characters in a video game—you think? That part is not discussed further and left for viewers to decide for themselves; something other experts, like computer scientists, have grappled with trying to answer (not shown in this documentary). After, the film then covers a heart-warming section that should appeal to all: math found in music. That's right: music can be explained through mathematics; in this case, the topic was presented by jazz musician Esperanza Spalding.
Following music is a piece presented about mathematics itself. Ancient Greek philosopher Plato thinks both mathematics and geometry exist in their own world. In other words, the math we see, discover, and find is a result of "what's already out there." Viewers will learn this is a discussion in it of itself: the philosophy of mathematics. This is briefly brought up again later in the film with regard to numbers: its names and quantity they represent. Questions about it was kept brief, given that the subject area sparks a long discussion/debate.
Halfway into the film is another mathematical view: being a product of our minds. Our we built for math since birth? This film presents viewers about brain activity from a child prodigy and behavioral actions from leemurs.
"The building blocks of mathematics may be preprogrammed into our brains--part of the basic toolkit for survival." — Jay O. Sanders, narrator
From this point on, the film covers plenty of ground about physics and engineering. This includes what Galileo Galilei tested about falling objects debunking Aristotle's claim; then later was extended further with equations on gravity, devised by the great Isaac Newton. This also included brief shots of the original book Newton wrote on, explaining all his findings mathematically. Afterward comes reenactment of developments in electricity and magnetism—or electromagnetism. Once again, viewers will learn, and appreciate, that our tech devices wouldn't have happened without this development—or mathematics overall. (Math is [part of] life; what more can we say?)
"The Universe is written in the rules of mathematics." — Galileo Galilei
Those studying or specializing in engineering will appreciate this later of the film: where mathematical approximation is normal. From the rover landing in Mars that took place in 2012 to architectural structures, plenty, if not all, of our buildings were inspired by and designed with nature in mind; which, you know by now, is rooted in mathematics. As fans of bowling, this featured demonstrations of gravity using a custom-made, NOVA-branded bowling ball.
In its closing reiterates the overall question: is mathematics discovered or invented?
"What I think about Mathematics is that it is an intricate combination of inventions and discoveries." — Mario Livio
The film wraps up with credits.
You're looking an hour-long documentary that plenty of viewers will enjoy—students, mainly. Unfortunately at this current state, many young kids not only struggle with math, but cannot do basic arithmetic, let alone read books. As said from our DVD review of Mystery of the Megaflood, this film is best for students, though they may fall asleep during the presentation. We respect all educators doing their best trying to make subjects, like math, engaging as possible; there's just no "oomph" among kids nowadays (not every student is uninspired and lazy, however). As for those with decent knowledge in math, this film is a good reminder about its beauty and power. There may not be much to gain, but rest assured, it'll bring the message as why studying, using, learning, and utilizing math is the best thing ever.
Here is a collage of those featured and interviewed in this film. You may recognize names here, including the great Stephen Wolfram himself making an appearance (currently active on YouTube):
This DVD video was finished using the MPEG-1/2 (mpgv) video codec, decoded with DX11, exported in 29.97i/p frame rate, with a content bitrate of approximately 5,000-6,000. For the audio, it has an AC3 compressed codec—A52—with a sample rate of 48000 (32 bits float LE—f32l) stereo. This DVD includes English subtitles only.
It's another educational content that's perfect for young students, possibly reducing any fears or doubts they may have about mathematics. The fact that mathematics is grounded in all things we do, and have, shall be common knowledge moving forward; as there's nothing from this subject to fear. Interviews with experts and professionals should be adequate enough to pique curiosity. While plenty more features could've been added in this DVD, students, along with learners of math overall, will appreciate this simple documentary. For those in college looking to venture in advanced areas may not find much in this film; though it can be enjoyed as gesture of security why you truly love the subject beauty of mathematics. (Speaking of advanced areas, topics like Mathematical Logic and Topology are not featured nor mentioned in this film.) If anything, intermediate and advanced students/learners of math will take away the more basic philosophy of mathematics; otherwise, unless you're a fan of those featured on here, like Stephen Wolfram, this documentary may be too simple for you. Once again, this is perfect for younger, adolescent students who may be undecided in what they plan to do with their lives.
Whether you're a teacher/professor, any educator thereof, a fan of public TV shows, or just someone who truly loves math, check this out!
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- No advertising nor any long, unskippable video intros.
- DVD menu is stationary; no background music nor any looped, distracting video/animation.
- Excellent interviews/insights from great names such as Mario Livio, Max Tegmark, Stephen Wolfram, and more (see image collage above).
- Jazz musician Esperanza Spalding loves math!
- Narrator, Jay O. Sanders, occasionally presents thought-provoking questions—enough to give viewers a curious venture into Philosophy of Mathematics.
- A custom-made NOVA bowling ball is shown here (unsure if it was made by Brunswick, Ebonite, STORM, Hammer, Roto Grip, etc).
- Lacking extra bonus features, given how vast mathematics is.
- Not much emphasis on the 'pure' side of mathematics, in comparison to 'applied' disciplines like physics and engineering.
PROFILE |
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|---|---|
| Title | The Great Math Mystery |
| Description | 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 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, follow 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? Whether we think we're good with numbers or not, we all use math in our daily lives. The Great Math Mystery sheds fascinating light on how math works in our brains and ponders the ultimate mystery of why it works so well when decoding the universe. |
| Menu | Play Program Scene Selection Setup pbs.org |
| ISBN / Bar Code number | 978-1-62789-310-7 / 8 41887 02439 6 |
| DVD Manufacturing Number | DVSS-6724280A1 3 |
| Video Format | 1.78:1 (16:9) / Widescreen |
| Audio Format | Stereo |
| Disc Count | One (1) |
| Language(s) | English |
| Genre | Documentary - Science |
| Subtitles | Yes - English |
| Rated | Not Rated |
| Region | Region 1 - NTSC |
| Video Specification | Color |
| Features | Scene Selection, Setup, pbs.org |
| Distributed by | PBS Distrubution |
| Company | WGBH Educational Foundation |
| Item / Product Number | NOVA6300 |
| Disc Number(s) | B02 / IFPI L333 |
| Closed Captioning | Yes |
| DVD Release | 2015 |
| Run Time | 60 Min. (Total DVD time: 54:31) |
| Copyright | © 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation. All rights reserved. Additional DVD material and packaging © 2015 PBS Distribution. All rights reserved. Distributed by PBS Distribution. Purchaser shall not publicly perform (except pursuant to the terms of any separately purchased public performance license) and shall not copy, alter, digitize or stream this DVD. Government affiliated purchasers agree to waive sovereign immunity with respect to any violation of the foregoing. Image credits: © Filip Fuxa/shutterstock.com (nautilus); @The_Pixel/shutterstock.com (graph paper); © Ian 2010/shutterstock.com (sunflower). The PBS logo and BE MORE are registered trademarks of the Public Broadcasting Service. NOVA© is a registered trademark of WGBH Educational Foundation. Printed on 30% Post Consumer Waste paper. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the David H. Koch Fund for Science, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and public television viewers. Major funding for The Great Math Mystery is provided by the Simons Fonudation. Additional funding is provided by the John Templeton Foundation. 15.0623. |
| Other Formats | ??? |
| Quoted Reviews | -- |
| Other | PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY DAN McCABE AND RICHARD REISZ EXECUTIVE PRODUCER CHRIS SCHMIDT MANAGING DIRECTOR ALAN RITSXO SENIOR EXECUTIVE PRODUCER PAULA S. APSELL A NOVA PRODUCTION FOR WGBH BOSTON NOVA6300 • APPROX. 60 MINUTES • WIDESCREEN • ENGLISH: STEREO • NTSC • ENGLISH SUBTITLES Thank you! Your purchase supports programming that inspires people to Be more®. Visit PBS.org |
Credits
The Great Math Mystery
WRITTEN BY
Dan McCabe
PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY
Dan McCabe
Richard Reisz
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Chris Schmidt
EDITED BY
Dan McCabe
Guy Tetzner
Brian Truglio
CAMERA
Colin Clarke
Thomas Danielczik
Gary Henoch
Stephen McCarthy
NARRATED BY
Jay O. Sanders
ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS
Cara Feinberg
Karinna Sjo-Gaber
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Bob Burns
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY
Nikki Bramley
Wolfgang Held
Thorsten Thielow
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Peter Eason
David Keene
Caleb Mose
Ben Turney
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Vernon Rudolph
Elizabeth Yarwood
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Dillon Schneider
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Eduard Asaryan
MUSIC
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HAIR AND MAKE UP FOR ESPERANZA SPALDING
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L. Macri (Texas A&M University),
and the Hubble Heritage Team
(STScl/AURA)
NASA, ESA, and the Hubble
Heritage Team (STScl/AURA)
NASA, ESA, CFHT, CXO, M.J. Jee
(University of California, Davis), and
A. Mahdavi (San Francisco State
University)
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Heritage Team (STScl/AURA)
NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScl) and
the HUDF Team
NASA, ESA, R. O'Connell (University
of Virginia), F.Paresce (National
Institute for Astrophysics, Bologna,
Italy), E. Young (Universities Space
Research Association/Ames
Research Center), the WFC3 Science
Oversight Committee, and the
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Team (STScl/AURA)
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SHYAM SCENE
Produced and Directed by
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SPECIAL THANKS
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CLOSED CAPTIONING
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A NOVA Production for WGBH Boston.
© 2015 WGBH Educational Foundation
All rights reserved
This program was produced by WGBH, which is solely
responsible for its content.
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