@BrunoReddyMaths sharing some Penny Drop Moments

Grainne Scullion getting teachers thinking hard about assessment

Andrew Brown discussing bridging the gap between school and university

Sunday's puzzle

Maryna Viazovska, a mathematician from Kyiv, was awarded the Fields Medal in 2022—one of the most prestigious honors in mathematics—for solving the problem of sphere packing in eight-dimensional space. Notably, before her breakthrough, the problem had only been solved in three dimensions, and that solution spanned 300 pages. Viazovska’s proof, in contrast, was just 23 pages long and stood out for its remarkable elegance. She also holds the distinction of being one among only three women ever to receive the Fields Medal.

How he invented Dijkstra’s algorithm In 1956 the Mathematical Centre needed a public demonstration for its new ARMAC computer that ordinary people could understand. Dijkstra chose the problem: “What is the shortest way to travel from Rotterdam to Groningen?” One morning while shopping in Amsterdam with his fiancée Ria Debets (herself a programmer), they sat down on a café terrace for coffee. In about 20 minutes, without pencil or paper, he designed the algorithm entirely in his head. He later said one advantage of working without paper was that it forced him to avoid unnecessary complexity. He implemented it on a simplified map of 64 Dutch cities (chosen so each city could be encoded in 6 bits). The algorithm was published three years later, in 1959, in a two-page paper titled A Note on Two Problems in Connexion with Graphs. It remains the foundation of GPS, Google Maps, network routing, and countless other systems.

Graph theory turns complex relationships into pure geometry. Nodes and edges transform abstract connections, whether flowing through an Arc Diagram or surrounding a Centralized Ring, into striking visual structures. Each distinct topology maps how information converges, branches, and spreads across a network. From isolated clusters to spherical bounds, order reveals itself in every connection.

We're delighted to be once again co-hosting the Black Heroes of Mathematics Conference, taking place at @ICMS_Edinburgh (and online) on 7 and 8 October. This conference celebrates the remarkable achievements and lasting impact of Black mathematicians. ➡️ icms.ac.uk/activities/events…

One of the biggest problems with modern economics is that it began confusing mathematical elegance with scientific truth. To make economic models mathematically tractable, economists have to simplify the real world—often dramatically. That’s not necessarily ideological. It’s what you have to do if you want to solve the equations. But eventually the math became the master rather than the servant. Assumptions about perfectly rational people, equilibrium, efficient markets, and simplified human behavior persisted partly because adding more of the messy reality of how humans and economies actually work makes the equations much harder to solve. And there was another problem: the mathematics gave economics enormous prestige. It allowed economists to imagine their discipline as something resembling classical physics—a precise science governed by elegant mathematical laws. Admitting that economies are complex, evolving systems populated by social, emotional, cooperative, competitive, power-seeking human beings would mean giving up some of that certainty. Heaven forbid! Read more: evonomics.com/failed-economi… @David_S_Wilson @davidmcw @yanisvaroufakis @rorysutherland

💐 Applications for the next round of Emmy Noether Fellowships are open! Grants of up to £10,000 are open to mathematicians with current or recent caring responsibilities. Deadline: Mon 30 November Further details and to apply ➡️lms.ac.uk/grants/lms-emmy-no…

"It is important to recognise the enduring importance of human creativity, insight, innovation and perseverance in mathematics. While new AI tools can greatly accelerate exploration and discovery, the goal remains human understanding" Full statement ➡️ lms.ac.uk/news/navier-stokes…

2 Sept: St Hieu. 7th C Irish. Foundress of abbeys at #Hartlepool, Durham & #Healaugh, Yorkshire, England. Appointed by Aidan of Lindisfarne. 1st of saintly recluses of Northumbria. Double monastery (men/women). 📷St Hilda's Church built on site of Hartlepool Abbey. ©Russel Wills

A second member of a group tasked with reforming mathematics courses for the Leaving Certificate has resigned rte.ie/news/2026/0901/158989…

Young innovators Alex Butaka Lusato and Fredrick Joel Ezekiely of Kaigara Secondary School are developing a low-cost welding machine powered by energy from used soap water to promote recycling and sustainable solutions. #ScienceForDevelopment #STEM #Innovation

Northern Ireland pupils achieved the best GCSE results compared to both England and Wales, with more students here gaining top grades. belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/…

The improvement in maths attainment at GCSE and the numbers taking maths at A-level are really striking. Incredible improvements over a fairly short period of time.

Goal Ireland 1-2 Belgium Belgium grab a late goal through Amber Ballenghien to seal their progress. Irish hopes come to an end after a brave effort Watch live on RTÉ2 or RTÉ Player Follow updates: rte.ie/sport/hockey/2026/082…

Reminder: the next deadline for EMS CDC funding applications is approaching. 🌍 Deadline: 31 August 2026 More information and the link to the EMS Good Grants platform can be found in the original post.

Friday's puzzle