[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:01.46,0:00:05.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can imagine: You're in a bar,\Nor, you know, a disco,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.87,0:00:10.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like that, and you start talking\Nto a girl, and after a while
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.68,0:00:14.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,this comes up in the conversation:\N"and what do you do?"
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.25,0:00:22.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And as you think your job is interesting\Nyou say: "I'm a mathematician." (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.08,0:00:26.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,33.51 % of girls (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.63,0:00:32.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in that moment pretend to get\Nan urgent call and leave. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.18,0:00:40.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And 64.69 % of girls desperately try\Nto change the topic and leave. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.38,0:00:45.15,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a 0.8 % made up by your cousin,\Nyour girlfriend and your mother (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.18,0:00:49.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that knows you work in something weird but\Ndon't remember what (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:00:49.66,0:00:52.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and there's a 1 % that\Nfollows the conversation.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.55,0:00:56.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When that conversation\Nfollows, invariably
Dialogue: 0,0:00:56.19,0:00:58.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in some moment, one of these\Ntwo phrases shows up:
Dialogue: 0,0:00:58.60,0:01:02.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A) "I was terrible at math,\Nbut it wasn't my fault,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:02.10,0:01:05.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's that the teacher\Nwas horrendous." (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.31,0:01:09.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And B) "But that math thing,\Nwhat is it for?" (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.29,0:01:13.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I'll deal with case B.\N(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.32,0:01:16.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When someone asks you what\Nmath is for,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.91,0:01:20.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're not asking you about the\Napplications of mathematical sciences.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:20.80,0:01:23.26,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They're asking you:\N"And why did I have to study
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.30,0:01:26.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that bullshit I never used\Nagain in my life?" (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.31,0:01:28.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's what they're asking you really.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.99,0:01:30.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Given this, when they ask\Na mathematician
Dialogue: 0,0:01:31.03,0:01:34.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,what math is for, us\Nmathematicians split in two groups.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:34.95,0:01:40.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A 54.51 % of mathematicians\Nassumes an attacking posture,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.02,0:01:46.11,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a 44.77 % of mathematicians\Nassumes a defensive posture.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.14,0:01:49.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There's a strange 0.8 %,\Namong which I include myself.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.82,0:01:51.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Who are the ones who attack?
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.88,0:01:54.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The attacking ones are mathematicians\Nthat tell you the question
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.00,0:01:59.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,makes no sense, because mathematics\Nhave their own sense by themselves,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:59.23,0:02:02.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they're a beautiful edification with\Nits own logic built by itself
Dialogue: 0,0:02:02.26,0:02:06.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that there's no use in one always\Nlooking after the possible applications.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.19,0:02:08.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's the use of poetry?\NWhat's the use of love?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:08.56,0:02:13.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What's the use of life itself? \NWhat kind of question is that? (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:13.05,0:02:17.31,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Hardy, for example, is an\Nexponent of this attack.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.35,0:02:18.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And those who stand in \Ndefense tell you that
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.64,0:02:25.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if you can't notice, dear,\Nmath is behind everything. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:25.10,0:02:30.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,They always name bridges\Nand computers, always.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:31.03,0:02:35.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you don't know math,\Nyour bridge falls off. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:02:35.11,0:02:38.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In reality computers\Nare all about math.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.23,0:02:41.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now these guys always happen\Nto tell you that behind
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.04,0:02:45.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,information security and credit\Ncards are prime numbers.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.64,0:02:49.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These are the answers your math teacher\Nwill give you if you ask him.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:50.02,0:02:52.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those are the defensive ones.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:52.86,0:02:54.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay, but, who's right then?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.42,0:02:56.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those who say math doesn't need\Nto be useful at all,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:56.80,0:02:58.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or those who say that it's really\Nbehind everything?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.83,0:03:01.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In reality both are right.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.36,0:03:05.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But I told you I'm of that strange 0.8 %\Nthat says something else, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:03:05.51,0:03:09.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, go on, ask me\Nwhat math is for.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.36,0:03:12.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Audience asks the question)
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.73,0:03:20.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Okay! A 76.34 % of people\Nhave asked, there's a 23.41 %
Dialogue: 0,0:03:20.18,0:03:24.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that shut up, and a 0.8 % that\NI don't know what those guys are doing.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.67,0:03:30.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, dear 76.31 %, it's true\Nthat math can be
Dialogue: 0,0:03:30.92,0:03:34.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,useless, it's true that it's\Na beautiful edification,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:34.64,0:03:37.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a logical one, one probably one of\Nthe greatest collective efforts
Dialogue: 0,0:03:37.65,0:03:40.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the human being has ever made\Nalong history.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.34,0:03:44.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But it's also true that there where\Nscientists, where technicians,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:44.20,0:03:49.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are looking for mathematical theories,\Nmodels that allow them to advance,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:49.10,0:03:50.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,there they are, in the edification\Nof math, which permeate everything.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:54.03,0:03:56.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's true that we have to go\Nsomewhat deeper,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.54,0:03:57.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,we're going to see what's\Nbehind science.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:58.02,0:04:02.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Science works by intuition,\Nby creativity, and math
Dialogue: 0,0:04:02.32,0:04:05.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,dominate intuition\Nand tame creativity.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.81,0:04:10.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Almost everyone who hasn't heard it before\Nis surprised by the fact that if one took
Dialogue: 0,0:04:10.45,0:04:15.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a sheet of paper 0.1 mm thick,\None of those we use normally,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.69,0:04:19.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,big enough, and that I\Ncould fold 50 times,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.11,0:04:25.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The thickness of that pile would take up\Nthe distance from the Earth to the Sun.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.43,0:04:30.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Your intuition tells you: "Impossible."\NDo the math and you'll see it's right.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:30.23,0:04:31.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,That's what math is for.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:31.88,0:04:36.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It true that science, all science,\Nnot only has a purpose
Dialogue: 0,0:04:36.10,0:04:39.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,because it makes us understand better\Nthe beautiful would we're in.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:39.82,0:04:43.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And because it does, it helps us\Navoid the traps
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.04,0:04:44.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of this painful world\Nwe're in.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:44.83,0:04:48.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are sciences that grasp\Nthis very application.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:48.44,0:04:50.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Oncological science, for example.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:50.04,0:04:53.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And there are others we look\Nfrom afar, with some jealousy sometimes,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.53,0:04:56.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but knowing we are what supports them.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:56.08,0:04:58.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All the basic sciences\Nare the support of them,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.62,0:05:01.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and among these is math.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:01.39,0:05:04.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,All that makes science be science\Nis the rigor of math.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:04.76,0:05:09.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that rigor belongs to it\Nbecause its results are eternal.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:09.61,0:05:12.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Probably you said before,\Nor you were told sometime,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:12.07,0:05:15.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that diamonds are \Nforever, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:05:15.51,0:05:18.89,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It depends on what one\Nunderstands by forever!
Dialogue: 0,0:05:18.93,0:05:22.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,A theorem, that really\Nis forever! (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:22.60,0:05:26.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Pythagorean theorem,\Nthat is still true
Dialogue: 0,0:05:26.15,0:05:29.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,even if Pythagoras is dead,\NI'm telling you. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:29.26,0:05:32.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if the world collapsed the\NPythagorean theorem would still be true.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.91,0:05:38.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Wherever any two sides and a\Ngood hypotenuse get together (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.54,0:05:48.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Pythagorean theorem works\Nto the max. (Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.61,0:05:51.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, us mathematicians\Ndevote ourselves to making theorems.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:52.03,0:05:55.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Eternal truths. But it isn't always\Neasy to know what is an
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.94,0:05:59.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,eternal truth, a theorem, and\Nwhat is a mere conjecture.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:59.24,0:06:02.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You need a demonstration.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:02.87,0:06:08.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For example: imagine you have\Na big, enormous, infinite field.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:08.98,0:06:12.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I want to cover it with equal pieces,\Nwithout leaving any gaps.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:12.74,0:06:14.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I could use squares, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:14.87,0:06:19.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I could use triangles.\NNot circles, those leave little gaps.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:19.58,0:06:21.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Which is the best piece I can use?
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.00,0:06:26.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The one that to cover the same surface\Nhas the smallest border.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.10,0:06:31.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Pappus of Alexandria, in the year 300\Nsaid the best was to use hexagons,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:31.09,0:06:34.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,like bees do.\NBut he didn't demonstrate it!
Dialogue: 0,0:06:34.60,0:06:37.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The guy said "hexagons, great,\Ncome on, hexagons, let's go with it!"
Dialogue: 0,0:06:37.57,0:06:41.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He didn't demonstrate it, he stayed\Nin a conjecture, he said "Hexagons!"
Dialogue: 0,0:06:41.32,0:06:45.39,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And the world, as you know, split into\Npappists and anti-pappists,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:45.43,0:06:51.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until 1700 years later,\N1700 years later,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:51.23,0:06:57.21,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in 1999 Thomas Hales\Ndemonstrated that Pappus
Dialogue: 0,0:06:57.25,0:07:01.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the bees were right,\Nthe best was to use hexagons.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:01.36,0:07:03.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And that became a theorem,\Nthe honeycomb theory,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:03.86,0:07:05.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that will be true forever\Nforever and ever,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:06.03,0:07:09.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for longer than any diamond\Nyou may have. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:09.26,0:07:11.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But what happens if we go to 3 dimensions?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:11.72,0:07:17.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If I want to fill the space, with equal\Npieces, without leaving any gaps,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:17.39,0:07:18.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I can use cubes, right?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:19.03,0:07:23.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Not spheres, those leave little gaps.\N(Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:23.05,0:07:25.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,What is the best piece\NI can use?
Dialogue: 0,0:07:25.62,0:07:30.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Lord Kelvin, the one of the Kelvin degrees\Nand all said, he said
Dialogue: 0,0:07:30.60,0:07:38.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that the best was to use a\Ntruncated octahedron (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.17,0:07:49.07,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that as you all know (Laughter)\Nis this thing over here! (Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:49.10,0:07:53.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Come on! Who doesn't have a truncated\Noctahedron at home? (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:07:53.89,0:07:56.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Even if it's plastic. Kid, bring\Nthe truncated octahedron, we have guests.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:56.69,0:08:01.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Everybody has one! (Laughter)\NBut Kelvin didn't demonstrate it.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:01.28,0:08:05.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He stayed in a conjecture,\NKelvin's conjecture.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:05.70,0:08:12.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The world, as you know, split between\Nkelvinists and anti-kelvinists (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:12.39,0:08:18.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,until a hundred-and-something years later,\Na hundred-and-something years later,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:18.86,0:08:23.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,someone found a better structure.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:23.71,0:08:28.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Weaire and Phelan, Weaire and Phelan\Nfound this little thing over here,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:28.66,0:08:34.71,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Laughter) this structure they put the\Nimaginative name of
Dialogue: 0,0:08:34.75,0:08:38.73,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Weaire-Phelan structure. (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:08:38.77,0:08:41.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It seems like a strange thing\Nbut it isn't that strange,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:41.22,0:08:42.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's also present in nature.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:42.84,0:08:47.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It's very curious that this structure,\Nbecause of its geometric properties,
Dialogue: 0,0:08:47.43,0:08:51.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,was used to build\Nthe swimming building
Dialogue: 0,0:08:51.05,0:08:53.82,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the Beijing Olympic Games.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:53.86,0:08:57.09,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There Michael Phelps won\N8 gold medals, and became
Dialogue: 0,0:08:57.12,0:08:59.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the best swimmer of all times.
Dialogue: 0,0:08:59.68,0:09:03.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, of all times\Nuntil someone better comes along, no?
Dialogue: 0,0:09:03.07,0:09:05.67,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,As it happens to the\NWeaire-Phelan structure,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:05.70,0:09:08.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it's the best until something better\Nshows up.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:08.51,0:09:12.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But be careful, because this one\Nreally has the opportunity,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:12.68,0:09:17.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that if a hundred-and-something years\Npass, even if it's in 1700 years,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:17.81,0:09:23.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,someone demonstrates that this\Nis the best piece possible.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:23.64,0:09:27.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And then it will be a theorem,\Na truth forever, forever and ever.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:27.93,0:09:31.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,For longer than any diamond.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:31.59,0:09:39.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, well, if you want to tell someone\Nyou'll love them forever (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:39.87,0:09:42.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,you can give them a diamond,\Nbut if you want to tell them
Dialogue: 0,0:09:42.32,0:09:47.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that you'll love them forever and ever,\Ngive them a theorem! (Laughter)
Dialogue: 0,0:09:47.97,0:09:53.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,However, you'll have to demonstrate,
Dialogue: 0,0:09:53.16,0:09:56.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that your love doesn't stay a conjecture.
Dialogue: 0,0:09:56.14,0:09:59.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,(Applause)
Dialogue: 0,0:10:01.100,0:10:04.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thank you.