logo
episode-header-image
Oct 13
54m 4s

119 = Proportions by Bananas and Polygon...

Matt Parker, Bec Hill
About this episode

🍌 Is there a more consistent system of measuring things (and is it ‘Banana For Scale’)?

🌋 Why and how do hexagons occur in nature?

🔔 And there will be a whole Bec of Any Other Becness


Head to our socials to see Matt and Bec playing The Metre Game, lots of bananas for scale, and Matt sporting some very fetching headwear.


Some further reading on the origins of ‘Banana For Scale’:

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/banana-for-scale 


Some further reading on hexagons in basalt:

European Geoscience Union article:

https://blogs.egu.eu/divisions/ts/2023/05/26/features-from-the-field-columnar-basalts-and-why-hexagons-are-natures-favourite-shape/

Physical Review Letters: 

https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.154301


See Matt on tour!

http://standupmaths.com/shows 


Here’s how to get involved with Matt’s Moon Pi Kickstarter:

https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/standupmaths 


And here’s how to volunteer for Calculate Pi By Hand with Matt:

https://forms.gle/w44THpNJ3jWUPqHy6


If you’re on Patreon and have a creative Wizard offer to give Bec and Matt, please comment on our pinned post!  


If you want to (we’re not forcing anyone) please do leave us a review, share the podcast with a friend, or give us a rating! Please do that. It really helps. 


Finally, if you want even more from A Problem Squared you can connect with us and other listeners on BlueSky, Twitter, Instagram, and on Discord.


Up next
Today
122 = Shocking Theories with Quickfire Queries
<p>🔥 How many quickfire problems is it possible to solve in a single episode of A Problem Squared? </p><p>🧑‍💼 Why is Matt dressed like a maths teacher?</p><p>🃏And we will deal out some Any Other Business</p><p><br></p><p>If you’d like to ask Matt and Bec <em>anything</em> for ... Show More
51m 20s
Nov 10
121 = Bi-annuals and Diagonals
🗓️ Does bi-weekly mean every two weeks or twice a week?🧊 What is the name of the line between two opposing corners of a cube?🕑 And daylight will be saved with some Any Other Brightness.For more on Rupert and Nopert Shapes:Euler Brick: https://mathworld.wolfram.com/EulerBrick.h ... Show More
51m 42s
Oct 27
120 = Dealing Probability and Healing Gullibility
🃏 What are the odds of actually winning Morgan’s very specific, very fun card game?🤯 Are people more gullible now? And what are the best ways to persuade someone they are wrong?👻 And, appropriate to the season, there will be some Any Other BoooooooooooooosnessIf you have some ... Show More
1h 8m
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2024
65. Melissa makes Sophie CRY with her Secret Santa present
<p>Hey Tinies!</p><br><p>It’s our Christmas special, and we’re doubling up on the celebrations—Melissa’s turning 28!&nbsp;🎉</p><br><p>We surprised her with her favorite cake from KetoBee, chatted about how her 20s have shaped her, and got an insight on her goals for the new year ... Show More
33m 30s
Nov 2021
Josh Gondelman, the Good Boy of Comedy, is Somehow Just Fine. Gary Gulman is Baffled.
<p>(takes a moment to secure tongue firmly in cheek)</p><p>It would be rude to make fun of Josh Gondelman just because he’s a little strange. Or not strange. Instead, we’re going to learn from Josh about his career, his life, and how, even though he’s very bad at dancing he does ... Show More
44m 3s
Sep 2022
Comedian Billy Eichner, Frankie Lasagna, NFL Week 4 Picks & Preview + Fyre Fest of The Week
<p>We start with a TNF recap and the brutal Tua Injury (00:02:05-00:15:25). Aaron Judge hits 61 (00:15:25-00:19:20). We do weekend picks and preview plus settle on a punishment and it gets contentious (00:19:20-01:03:56). Frankie Lasagna the real life person who almost caught 61 ... Show More
2h 10m
Aug 19
#304 Outed by God with Josh Sharp
<p>Comedian Josh Sharp (<em>Dicks: The Musical</em>) returns to share the downsides of being the king of PowerPoint comedy, cruising Craigslist in a pre-Grindr world, coming out as a result of divine intervention, and why tendinitis has gotta stop.</p><p><br></p><p>Follow Josh Sh ... Show More
1h 33m
Jan 2025
Cheddar Cheese
<p>Alex Schmidt, Katie Goldin, and special guest Ben Partridge explore why cheddar cheese is secretly incredibly fascinating.</p><p>Visit <a href="http://sifpod.fun/" target="_blank">http://sifpod.fun/</a> for research sources and for this week's bonus episode.</p><p>Come hang ou ... Show More
1h 5m
Dec 2024
#394 - Elis and John’s Christmas Cracker
“Mmmh yeah Christmastime.” In a linear sense it’s Christmas Day. In a circular sense it’s some time between 13th and 25th December. Ho! Ho! Ho!What better way to celebrate the birth of Jesus than Elis and John’s Christmas Cracker? Oh and we have festive fun. Elis and John write a ... Show More
1h 4m
Dec 2024
Matt Okine The Musical
Matt Okine Musical. Matt’s Deadly Snack. Mind Blown. LINKS Watch Matt Okine tell THE Chris Rock he's quite good at comedy https://bit.ly/mattokine-chrisrock . If you've got something to add to the show, slide into our dms @matt.and.alex at https://bit.ly/mattandalex-ig Get Alex D ... Show More
24m 24s
Oct 2023
370: Gabe Bernini and Alex Jade
Film maker (among other things) couple Alex Jade and Gabe Bernini get in on the Poundcast this week.  Along with Doug and Brent, they talk about old stuff, old films, new films with old style, and AI. For extended Poundcast episodes (Unzipped), subscribe on Patreon: https://www.p ... Show More
1h 14m
Jan 2025
Golden Globes Takeaways and the Biggest Questions for 2025
Matt and Bloomberg’s Lucas Shaw react to the Golden Globes and Lucas gives his takeaways from inside the room Sunday night. Then they look ahead to the new year and pose their biggest industry questions of 2025 (01:48). Finally, Matt looks back at his year in predictions on The C ... Show More
32m 25s
Feb 2025
Matt Damon vs Andrew Schulz PLUS Shane Gillis dies to the Deep State?
In today's episode, Johnny Mac sheds light on Matt Damon's playful feud with comedian Andrew Schulz to promote Schultz's new Netflix special. He also covers the theory linking comedian Shane Gillis to the CIA as suggested by War Mode podcast co-host, Billy McCusker. Alec Baldwin ... Show More
10m 25s