#190 – Jordan Ellenberg: Mathematics of High-Dimensional Shapes and Geometries

Jordan Ellenberg is a mathematician and author of Shape and How Not to Be Wrong. Please support this podcast by checking out our sponsors: - Secret Sauce: wondery.com/shows/secret-sauce/ - ExpressVPN: expressvpn.com/lexpod and use code LexPod to get 3 months free - Blinkist: blinkist.com/lex and use code LEX to get 25% off premium - Indeed: indeed.com/lex to get $75 credit EPISODE LINKS: Jordan's Website: jordanellenberg.com Jordan's Twitter: twitter.com/JSEllenberg PODCAST INFO: Podcast website: lexfridman.com/podcast Apple Podcasts: apple.co/2lwqZIr Spotify: spoti.fi/2nEwCF8 RSS: lexfridman.com/feed/podcast/ YouTube Full Episodes: youtube.com/lexfridman YouTube Clips: youtube.com/lexclips SUPPORT & CONNECT: - Check out the sponsors above, it's the best way to support this podcast - Support on Patreon: patreon.com/lexfridman - Twitter: twitter.com/lexfridman - Instagram: instagram.com/lexfridman - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lexfridman - Facebook: facebook.com/lexfridman - Medium: medium.com/@lexfridman OUTLINE: Here's the timestamps for the episode. On some podcast players you should be able to click the timestamp to jump to that time. (00:00) - Introduction (06:44) - Mathematical thinking (10:21) - Geometry (14:58) - Symmetry (25:29) - Math and science in the Soviet Union (33:09) - Topology (47:57) - Do we live in many more than 4 dimensions? (52:28) - How many holes does a straw have (1:01:53) - 3Blue1Brown (1:07:40) - Will AI ever win a Fields Medal? (1:16:05) - Fermat's last theorem (1:33:23) - Reality cannot be explained simply (1:39:08) - Prime numbers (2:00:37) - John Conway's Game of Life (2:12:29) - Group theory (2:15:45) - Gauge theory (2:23:47) - Grigori Perelman and the Poincare Conjecture (2:33:59) - How to learn math (2:41:08) - Advice for young people (2:43:13) - Meaning of life