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Gabrielle Birchak Podcasts

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Step into the laboratory at Math! Science! History! where time bends, ideas spark, equations echo, and the past hums with the electricity of what’s to come. Each week, Gabrielle Birchak lights the gas lamps on forgotten corridors, dusts off the misplaced manuscripts, and shares oft-forgotten tales of unknown brillance, everyday math in disguise, physics feats, and interviews with scholars from today and (with the help of AI), from the past and the speculative future! Whether it’s a story wit ...
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Time feels natural, but the way we measure it is entirely human-made. From Mesopotamian star charts and Egyptian solar calendars to Roman reforms, medieval clock towers, and modern atomic precision, this episode explores how we constructed the framework of time itself. 3 Timeless Takeaways: How ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt laid the foundations for…
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We use maps all day, including Google Maps, Waze, Apple Maps. We use them without even noticing that every one of them distorts reality. In this episode, Gabrielle explains why flattening a round Earth always bends the truth, how classic projections (like Mercator) live inside today’s apps, and why those distortions shape our mental picture of the …
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Geologist-cartographer Marie Tharp turned echo-sounding numbers into the first global seafloor maps—revealing the Mid-Atlantic Ridge’s rift valley and helping vindicate Alfred Wegener’s once-dismissed theory of continental drift. This episode traces Tharp’s path from wartime classrooms to world-changing maps, the resistance she faced, and the recog…
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In this Flashcards Friday, Gabrielle shows how you already think like a scientist. Using three simple ideas from microscopy: magnification, illumination, and focus, she connects everyday phone habits (zooming, finding good light, tapping to focus) to centuries of scientific practice. Three Flashcards Magnification: How “zooming in” reveals hidden d…
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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 i…
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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 curi…
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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 Microsof…
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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…
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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, pub…
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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 gre…
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Lise Meitner changed the world, and the world nearly forgot her. In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle Birchak explores Meitner’s brilliant mind, her escape from Nazi Germany, her critical role in discovering nuclear fission, and why the Nobel Committee turned a blind eye. Join us as we honor a scientist who refused to let science b…
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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 s…
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In this special podcast swap episode, Math Science History teams up with History Daily to bring you one of the most enduring mysteries in modern folklore — the legend of the Loch Ness Monster. From ancient Scottish lore to one of the most infamous photographic hoaxes of the 20th century, this captivating narrative blends history, myth, and media ma…
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In this episode of Flashcards Friday at Math! Science! History! Gabrielle Birchak unzips the fascinating world of packing problems, the mathematical puzzles behind fitting everything into your suitcase. Discover how optimization theory and combinatorial math are at play every time you pack, ship, or store something efficiently. Whether you're prepp…
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In this episode of Math! Science! History! we take a walk through the Scottish Highlands with Peter Higgs, figuratively and historically, to uncover the quiet moment in 1964 when a simple hike sparked a revolutionary idea in physics. Discover how the weak nuclear force and electromagnetism are deeply connected by symmetry, why mass was such a myste…
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✈️ Episode Overview Have you ever searched for a flight, left the tab open, and then gasped when the price jumped just a few hours later? In this Flashcards Friday episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle Birchak explores the mystery behind fluctuating airline prices—and reveals that it’s not magic, but a powerful blend of mathematics, algorit…
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Long before telescopes and satellites, Hipparchus of Nicaea looked to the skies and changed the course of scientific history. In this fascinating episode of Math Science History, Gabrielle revisits the life and legacy of the ancient astronomer whose innovations in trigonometry, geography, and star mapping still resonate today. From discovering axia…
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Episode Overview: What do black holes, a teenage genius, and a long ocean voyage have in common? In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math, Science, History, Gabrielle tells the incredible story of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who, at just 19 years old, sailed from India to England and made a discovery that would transform astrophysics forever. Armed…
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Episode Overview Once dismissed as mathematical absurdities, black holes are now recognized as real, powerful features of our universe—cosmic wells where space, time, and even light collapse. In this episode of Math! Science! History!, we explore the astonishing story of how black holes evolved from a rejected theory to an accepted reality. From Ei…
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In this Flashcard Friday episode, Gabrielle dives into the surprising history and science of sunblock. From ancient Egypt’s jasmine oils to modern SPF 50 sprays, discover how sunscreen evolved and why it’s one of the best defenses against deadly melanoma. Gabrielle shares the statistics on skin cancer, explains how sunblock works, and gives you sim…
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Episode Overview In this special re-release, we revisit the life and mind of Blaise Pascal, a mathematician, physicist, inventor, philosopher, and theologian who left a lasting impact on multiple disciplines. From his early genius in geometry to his pioneering work in probability theory, Pascal was a thinker who never stopped exploring the boundari…
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In this Flashcard Fridays episode of Math! Science! History! Gabrielle Birchak takes listeners on a journey aboard the HMS Beagle with a young, seasick Charles Darwin. This wasn’t just a travel story, it was a five-year working holiday that would ultimately change the course of science. Through field observations, curiosity, and a bit of chaos, Dar…
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Leonardo da Vinci is often remembered for the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper—but he was so much more than a painter. In this episode, we uncover the Renaissance icon’s groundbreaking work in engineering, anatomy, and invention, as well as explore the quieter truths of his personal identity. We ask a powerful question: What might the world look like …
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Episode Overview: Did people in antiquity ever go on vacation? The short answer is yes—and the long answer is a fascinating journey through Roman villas, Greek festivals, Byzantine retreats, Tang dynasty poetry, and sacred pilgrimages. In this Flashcard Friday episode, Gabrielle Birchak uncovers how the privileged, the pious, and the poetic found w…
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In this special Pride Month episode, Gabrielle explores the fascinating world of queerness in nature. From same-sex penguin pairs in New York to gender-changing clownfish in coral reefs, nature has always been more diverse, adaptable, and surprising than human categories suggest. Drawing on over 600 years of scientific observation, this episode tak…
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Episode Overview: In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math! Science! History!TM Gabrielle breaks down the powerful numbers behind the misinformation and legislative attacks targeting LGBTQ+ and especially transgender communities in the United States. With over 550 anti-LGBTQ+ bills introduced across 49 states in 2023 alone, it's time to ask: What d…
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Episode Overview: Long before Europe adopted the concept of zero, the ancient Maya had already created one of the most sophisticated mathematical systems in the world. In this episode of Math Science History, host Gabrielle Birkjak uncovers the secrets of Mayan mathematics, from the elegance of their base-20 number system, to their revolutionary us…
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Ever find yourself squinting at a metric label, trying to figure out how much a liter is in cups—or how heavy your suitcase is in pounds? In this episode of Math! Science! History!, host Gabrielle Birchak shares fast, intuitive tricks to help you convert metric units, without numbers, calculators, or charts. Through rhythm, storytelling, and everyd…
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Episode Overview How did a bold Enlightenment vision become the universal language of science and technology? In this episode of Math! Science! History!, Gabrielle takes you on a journey through the revolutionary origins, global adoption, and modern significance of the metric system. Discover how a chaotic world of local measurements gave way to an…
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Episode Overview: In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak explores the extraordinary life and legacy of Alan Turing, the brilliant mathematician, codebreaker, and father of artificial intelligence. From cracking the German Enigma code in World War II to laying the theoretical foundations for modern computing, Turing’s stor…
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In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak sits down with Daniel Shiu to discuss his recent article in Cryptologia, “The Influence of Bletchley Park on UK Mathematics.” What began as a top-secret wartime codebreaking operation became a powerful incubator for intellectual exchange and mathematical innovation. Dr. Shiu unpacks …
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Episode Overview: In this episode of Math, Science, History, we hop into a fictional electric vehicle—Einstein's EV—and cruise through space and time to uncover the fascinating world of relativity. What is the theory of relativity, and how did a curious young patent clerk change our understanding of the universe forever? Using simple language and a…
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Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle dives deep into the extraordinary—yet often overlooked—life and legacy of Mileva Marić, Albert Einstein’s first wife and intellectual companion. Far more than a footnote in Einstein’s story, Mileva was a brilliant physicist and mathematician in her own right. Together, the c…
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Episode Overview: In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math! Science! History! host Gabrielle Birchak shines a light on the incredible story of Jacoba van den Brande, a seventeenth-century Dutch visionary who dared to imagine a world where women could be educated in mathematics, philosophy, and the sciences. Long before women had access to formal ed…
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Episode Overview: In this special time-travel episode of Math, Science, History, Gabrielle steps back into the Enlightenment to interview legendary French mathematician and philosopher Pierre-Simon Laplace. Together, they explore the bold ideas behind his famed thought experiment, Laplace’s Demon, a being capable of predicting the entire past and f…
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Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, host Gabrielle Birchak unpacks the deep connection between math and logic. From the foundations of reasoning to Euclid’s cookie-themed proof of infinite primes and the mind-bending Russell's Paradox, you’ll explore how logic shapes the very core of mathematics. Whether you're a math lover,…
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🔎 Episode Overview In this episode I explore the fascinating world of Boolean logic, from its 19th-century origins with George Boole to its modern-day applications in artificial intelligence, search engines, and even board games. Learn how simple logical operators like AND, OR, and NOT have shaped computer science—and how you can use these same too…
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🎙️ Episode Overview: In this Earth Day special of Math Science History, host Gabrielle explores global solutions to climate change that are both practical and inspiring. From wind-powered Denmark to composting in India, this episode offers easy-to-adopt, science-backed tips from around the world that prove you don’t need a big budget to make a big …
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🔎 Episode Overview Step into the future for a special Earth Day broadcast unlike any other. From rising seas in Bangladesh to the climate-solidarity corridors of Cascadia, this immersive episode of Math, Science, History explores the realities of our changing planet, told as if the year is 2050. You’ll hear breaking climate reports from around the …
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🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, we explore one of the most quietly powerful forces in American democracy: gerrymandering. From its origin over 200 years ago to its impact on today’s elections, gerrymandering is both a political weapon and a mathematical puzzle. We break down the mathematical principles used to detect g…
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🎧 Episode Overview Have you ever felt like you're stuck in time—waiting for change that never comes? In this episode of Math Science History, Gabrielle dives into the fascinating world of Zeno’s Paradoxes, unraveling the ancient Greek puzzles that continue to influence modern science and mathematics. From Achilles and the tortoise to the Quantum Ze…
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Welcome to Flashcard Friday on Math Science History! In today’s bite-sized episode, we shift focus, literally and figuratively, onto photography. Whether you're using a smartphone or a professional camera, this quick guide reveals how simple mathematical concepts can dramatically improve your photo compositions. From the rule of thirds to the golde…
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🔎 Episode Overview: In this episode of Math, Science, History, we dive into the fascinating life and work of Gérard Desargues, the 17th-century mathematician, engineer, and architect whose groundbreaking ideas in projective geometry laid the foundation for modern mathematical thought. Despite his contributions, Desargues’ work was largely ignored d…
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FLASHCARDS: Hot and Cold Hacks for Temp Conversion 🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Flashcard Friday on Math, Science, History, we dive into the fascinating history of temperature measurement and introduce an easy mental trick for converting between Fahrenheit and Celsius. Learn how Gabriel Fahrenheit and Anders Celsius developed their tempera…
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🔎 Episode Overview In this shocking episode of Math! Science! History!, I uncover groundbreaking new research that challenges everything we thought we knew about the shape of our world. Are NASA and world governments hiding the truth? Could the moon landing have been staged? And what about gravity—is it even real? Buckle up as the podcast takes off…
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FLASHCARDS: Agnodice and the Fight for Women in Medicine Episode Overview: In this powerful episode of Math, Science, History, we journey back to ancient Athens to uncover the legendary story of Agnodice, a woman who risked everything to practice medicine in a world where women weren’t even allowed to learn it. Disguised as a man, trained by one of…
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🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math! Science! History!, I sit down with the brilliant and engaging Kate Ertmann, the mathematician and storyteller behind Kate Loves Math. We discuss her fascinating journey from professional actress to 3D animation entrepreneur to organizational designer—ultimately landing in the world of math communication. …
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🔎 Episode Overview In this episode of Math, Science, History, we explore emergency plumbing fixes using simple math and physics principles. Learn quick tricks to stop leaks under your kitchen sink, whether it's a pipe joint, crack, or hole, until a plumber arrives. Discover why these methods work and how you can use everyday materials like rubber, …
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🔎 Episode Overview In this special Podcasthon Week episode of Math Science History, I sit down with Irene Duah-Kessie, the founder and executive director of Rise In STEM (RiseinSTEM.ca). Rise In STEM is a nonprofit dedicated to creating opportunities for underrepresented students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Irene shares he…
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🔎 Episode Overview In this Flashcards episode of Math! Science! History!, we celebrate the life and legacy of Lillian Baumbach Jacobs, the first female master plumber in the U.S. Just in time for next week’s Fix a Leak Week, we explore how Lillian defied societal norms, mastered a trade dominated by men, and became an unexpected icon, even receivin…
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