Ever wondered what stacking oranges has to do with data encryption? Turns out, everything.For over 400 years, mathematicians struggled to prove the best way to pack spheres in space. Even Isaac Newton had theories but no proof. Then, Maryna Viazovska cracked the code—solving one of math’s oldest mysteries in just a few elegant pages.
Her breakthrough wasn’t just about stacking fruit—it has massive real-world impact. Her discoveries are revolutionizing data compression, improving security in cryptography, and even offering insights into quantum physics.
This episode explores the genius behind her work, the mathematical beauty of high-dimensional spaces, and why her Fields Medal win was a historic moment. Get ready for a mind-bending journey into a problem so simple it fooled mathematicians for centuries—until Viazovska solved it.

Step into the strange and electrifying world where chaos meets quantum mechanics. The Quantum Maze unpacks the Berry–Tabor Conjecture—a decades-old mystery that suggests the universe’s most “predictable” systems might secretly follow rules of pure randomness. Sound impossible? That’s exactly why scientists are still obsessed with it.
Through immersive storytelling, this audio documentary explores the eerie parallels between classical order and quantum unpredictability. We trace how tidy, integrable systems—like a billiard ball rolling endlessly on a smooth table—might spawn quantum energy levels that behave like a cosmic game of chance. Along the way, you’ll uncover why degeneracies, symmetries, and tiny arithmetic quirks make or break the theory.
From the origins of chaos theory to real-world experiments with microwave billiards and quantum dots, we piece together the puzzle using expert insight, sharp metaphors, and big questions. What happens when random isn’t truly random? And what does it mean when order disguises chaos?
If you’ve ever wondered whether the universe is a well-oiled machine—or a glitchy simulation—this series is your backstage pass to the science of unpredictability.

What do melting ice, wildfires, and pandemics have in common? They all follow hidden mathematical rules—rules that one man uncovered.Meet Hugo Duminil-Copin, the mathematician who cracked the code of randomness and phase transitions. His discoveries explain how tiny shifts cause massive changes—like water turning to ice or a single spark igniting a forest fire.
His work isn’t just theoretical—it’s transforming how we predict disease outbreaks, design materials, and even understand financial crashes. From magnets to markets, his math reveals the tipping points that shape our world.
Join us as we dive into the work of Hugo Duminil-Copin and explore how his breakthroughs help us navigate an unpredictable world. If you thought math was just about equations, think again—this is the science of chaos itself