Conjectures
In mathematics, a conjecture is a conclusion or a proposition that is proffered on a tentative basis without proof. Some conjectures, such as the Riemann hypothesis or Fermat's conjecture (now a theorem, proven in 1995 by Andrew Wiles), have shaped much of mathematical history as new areas of mathematics are developed in order to prove them.
2 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
P v NP
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss P versus NP, an unsolved problem in maths that asks if the answers to all problems can be found as easily as they can be checked.
5 November 2015
Featuring: Colva Roney-Dougal, Timothy Gowers, Leslie Ann Goldberg
Wormholes
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the origins of the idea that there might be shortcuts between galaxies and the challenges when proving these are not just unlikely but impossible.
26 September 2024
Featuring: Toby Wiseman, Katy Clough, Andrew Pontzen