Breaking Math Podcast
Breaking Math is a deep-dive science, technology, engineering, AI, and mathematics podcast that explores the world through the lens of logic, patterns, and critical thinking. Hosted by Autumn Phaneuf, an expert in industrial engineering, operations research and applied mathematics, and Gabriel Hesch, an electrical engineer (host from 2016-2024) with a passion for mathematical clarity, the show is dedicated to uncovering the mathematical structures behind science, engineering, technology, and the systems that shape our future.
What began as a conversation about math as a pure and elegant discipline has evolved into a platform for bold, interdisciplinary dialogue. Each episode of Breaking Math takes listeners on an intellectual journey—whether it’s into the strange beauty of chaos theory, the ethical dilemmas of AI, the deep structures of biological evolution, or the thermodynamics of black holes. Along the way, Autumn and Gabriel interview leading thinkers and working scientists from across the spectrum: computer scientists, quantum physicists, chemists, philosophers, neuroscientists, and more.
But this isn’t just a podcast about equations—it’s a show about how mathematics influences the way we think, create, build, and understand. Breaking Math pushes back against the idea that STEM belongs behind a paywall or an academic podium. It’s for the curious, the critical, the creative—for anyone who believes that ideas should be rigorous, accessible, and infused with wonder.
If you've ever wondered:
* What’s the math behind machine learning?
* How do we quantify uncertainty in climate models?
* Can consciousness be described in AI?
* Why does beauty matter in an equation?
Then you’re in the right place.
At its heart, Breaking Math is about building bridges—between disciplines, between experts and the public, and between the abstract world of mathematics and the messy, magnificent reality we live in. With humor, clarity, and deep respect for complexity, Autumn and Gabriel invite you to rethink what math can be—and how it can help us shape a better future.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Website: https://breakingmath.io [https://breakingmath.io/]
Linktree: https://linktr.ee/breakingmathmedia
Email: [email protected]
- Update frequency
- every 10 days
- Average duration
- 40 minutes
- Episodes
- 157
- Years Active
- 2017 - 2025
Bayes' Theorem Explains It All: An Interview with Tom Chivers
Tom Chivers discusses his book 'Everything is Predictable: How Bayesian Statistics Explain Our World' and the applications of Bayesian statistics in various fields. He explains how Bayesian reasoning…
94. Interview with Steve Nadis, Co-author of 'Gravity of Math'
Summary
**Tensor Poster - If you are interested in the Breaking Math Tensor Poster on the mathematics of General Relativity, email us at [email protected]
In this episode, Gabriel Hesch and…
93. The 10,000 Year Problem (feat. David Gibson of Ray Kitty Creation Workship)
Summary: The episode discusses the 10,000 year dilemma, which is a thought experiment on how to deal with nuclear waste in the future. Today's episode is hosted by guest host David Gibson, who is t…
92. The Mathematical Heart of Games Explored with Prof. du Sautoy
An interview with Prof. Marcus du Sautoy about his book Around the Wold in Eighty Games . . . .a Mathematician Unlocks the Secrets of the World's Greatest Games.
Topics covered in Today's Episode:
1…
91. Brain Organelles, AI, and Other Scary Science - An Interview with GT (Part 2)
90. LEAN Theorem Provers used to model Physics and Chemistry
This episode is inspired by a correspondence the Breaking Math Podcast had with the editors of Digital Discovery, a journal by the Royal Society of Chemistry. In this episode the hosts review a pape…
89. Brain Organelles, AI, and the Other Scary Science - An Interview with GT (Part I)
This conversation explores the topic of brain organoids and their integration with robots. The discussion covers the development and capabilities of brain organoids, the ethical implications of their…
88. Can OpenAi's SORA learn and model real-world physics? (Part 1 of n)
This is a follow up on our previous episode on OpenAi's SORA. We attempt to answer the question, "Can OpenAi's SORA model real-world physics?"
We go over the details of the technical report, we discu…
87. OpenAi SORA, Physics-Informed ML, and a.i. Fraud- Oh My!
OpenAI's Sora, a text-to-video model, has the ability to generate realistic and imaginative scenes based on text prompts. This conversation explores the capabilities, limitations, and safety concerns…
86. Math, Music, and Artificial Intelligence - Levi McClain Interview (Final Part)
Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below:
- Try out ZenCastr w/ 30% Discount Use my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan
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Transcript…
85. Math, Music, Neuroscience, and Fear - an Interview with Musician Levi McClain
We are joined today by content creator Levi McClain to discuss the mathematics behind music theory, neuroscience, and human experiences such as fear as they relate to audio processing.
For a copy of …
84. (Part 2) Intelligence in Nature v. Machine Learning - an Interview with Brit Cruise
Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below:
- Start YOUR podcast on ZenCastr!
Use my special link ZenCastr Discount to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan - Visit ou…
83. Intelligence in Nature v. Machine Learning-An Interview with Brit Cruise - Part 1 of 2
In this episode (part 1 of 2), I interview Brit Cruise, creator of the YouTube channel 'Art of the Problem.' On his channel, he recently released the video "ChatGPT: 30 Year History | How AI learned …
82. A.I. and Materials Discovery - an Interview with Taylor Sparks
Transcripts of this episode are avialable upon request. Email us at [email protected].
In this episode Gabriel Hesch interviews Taylor Sparks, a professor of material science and enginee…
In Memory of Sofia Baca, Cofounder and cohost of Breaking Math
81: Correct. Now Try Again (Multiple Approaches to the Same Problem)
Join Sofía Baca and her guests, the host and co-host of the Nerd Forensics podcast, Millicent Oriana and Jacob Urban, as they explore what it means to be able to solve one problem in multiple ways.
Th…
80: Physical Dimension (Dimensional Analysis)
The history of mathematics, in many ways, begins with counting. Things that needed, initially, to be counted were, and often still are, just that; things. We can say we have twelve tomatoes, or five …
79: 1 2 3 (Counting)
Help Support The Podcast by clicking on the links below:
- Try out ZenCastr w/ 30% DiscountUse my special link to save 30% off your first month of any Zencastr paid plan
- Patreon
- YouTube
- Breaking Ma…
78: Perpetual Notion (Entropy and Thermodynamics)
As you listen to this episode, you'll be exerting mental effort, as well as maybe exerting effort doing other things. The energy allowing your neurons to continually charge and discharge, as well as …
77: An Interview with Christopher Roblesz of MathNMore
Christopher Roblesz is a math educator who, until the pandemic, worked as a teacher. It was his experiences during the pandemic, and his unwavering passion for preparing disadvantaged youth for STEM …