Long before telescopes and satellites, Hipparchus of Nicaea looked to the skies and changed the course of scientific history. In this fascinating episode of Math Science History, Gabrielle revisits the life and legacy of the ancient astronomer whose innovations in trigonometry, geography, and star mapping still resonate today. From discovering axial precession to laying the groundwork for the astrolabe, Hipparchus helped humanity understand our place in the cosmos: mathematically, geographically, and philosophically.

Three Key Take-Aways

How Hipparchus measured the Earth's axial precession and why this was a monumental scientific discovery.

The mathematical brilliance behind his trigonometric tables and how they informed tools like the astrolabe.

How ancient astronomy evolved into cartography, influencing how we view geography and time today.

Resources & References

Griffith Observatory Astronomers Monument: https://griffithobservatory.org

Ptolemy's Almagest: Loeb Classical Library

Hipparchus in The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: https://iep.utm.edu/hipparchus/

Cosimo Bartoli’s Del modo di misurare: https://archive.org/details/delmododimisurar00bart

🔗 Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
📚 To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

🌍 Let’s Connect!

Website: mathsciencehistory.com
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/mathsciencehistory.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/math.science.history

🎧 Enjoying the Podcast?

If you love Math, Science, History, here’s how you can help:
🌟 Leave a review! It helps more people discover the show!
📢 Share this episode with friends & fellow history buffs!
🔔 Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform

☕ Support the Show: Coffee!! PayPal

🛍 Checking out our merch: https://www.mathsciencehistory.com/the-store

🎵 Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

Until next time, carpe diem!

Episode Overview:

What do black holes, a teenage genius, and a long ocean voyage have in common? In this Flashcard Friday episode of Math, Science, History, Gabrielle tells the incredible story of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, who, at just 19 years old, sailed from India to England and made a discovery that would transform astrophysics forever.

Armed only with a notebook and fresh ideas from quantum mechanics, Chandrasekhar calculated the limit of stellar collapse, now called the Chandrasekhar Limit, which revealed when a star collapses into a black hole. This isn't just a story about equations; it's a story about persistence, quiet genius, and the power of taking a break.

3 Things You'll Learn in This Episode:

1. What the Chandrasekhar Limit is and why it's essential for understanding black holes

2. How quantum mechanics, relativity, and statistical math came together to predict the death of stars

3. Why slowing down and giving your mind time to wander can lead to world-changing discoveries

Resources:

NASA: Black Holes Explained

Biography of Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar – NobelPrize.org

A. S. Eddington and Chandrasekhar Controversy – arXiv

Chandrasekhar’s Original 1931 Paper (PDF)

Explore more on our website: mathsciencehistory.com
To buy my book Hypatia: The Sum of Her Life on Amazon, visit https://a.co/d/g3OuP9h

Let’s Connect!

www.Instagram.com/math.science.history

https://bsky.app/profile/mathsciencehistory.bsky.social

https://www.linkedin.com/company/math-science-history/

https://www.threads.com/@math.science.history

Enjoying the Podcast?

If you love Math, Science, History, here’s how you can help:
Leave a review – It helps more people discover the show!
Share this episode with friends & fellow history buffs!
Subscribe on your favorite podcast platform

☕ Support the Show! We are sponsored by Coffee!! PayPal

Checking out our merch: https://www.mathsciencehistory.com/the-store

Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved.
On Matters of Consequence from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

Until next time, carpe diem!