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Talk: Simon Singh on Fermat's last theorem

18 March 2009

Links:

ucl.ac.uk/sts/" target="_self">UCL Science & Technology Studies
  • The Lunar Society
  • Simon Singh MBE, the best-selling science writer, journalist and BAFTA award-winning producer, will deliver a talk at UCL on 23 March entitled 'Fermat's Last Theorem: The Making of the TV Documentary'.

    This public seminar has been organised by the Lunar Society, which is run by UCL Science & Technology Studies students. Mr Singh is going to explain how he transformed Fermat's last theorem ('if an integer n is greater than 2, then the equation an+bn=cn has no solutions in non-zero integers a, b, and c'), the most notorious problem in mathematics, into an award-winning documentary. He will play clips from the film and also answer questions about science and mathematics on television.

    Mr Singh is a television producer with the BBC, working on programmes such as Tomorrow's World and Horizon. He is also the author of Fermat's Last Theorem, The Code Book and Big Bang, and his talk will include a discussion of the links between film-making and science writing. In particular, he will describe how he mixes history, narrative, plot, character and explanation in order to make science and mathematics appealing to a general audience.

    Date: 23 March
    Time: 5-6 p.m.
    Place: AV Hill lecture theatre

    This event is open to all and there is no entry fee. There is no need to book, but please arrive in plenty of time - first come, first served.

    Please contact Steph Ratcliffe (from the Lunar Society) or Jo Pearson (UCL Science & Technology Studies) with any questions.