The Rest Is Science Why Erdős Was The Original Kevin Bacon
37 snips
Jan 15, 2026 Explore the fascinating world of quantum computing, where Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens delve into qubits and their potential to revolutionize encryption and drug discovery. They also uncover the quirky life of mathematician Paul Erdős, linking him to the Hollywood staple Kevin Bacon through their respective collaborative networks. Tune in for amusing stories about Erdős’s eccentric habits, along with insights into the design of a stunning quantum computer prop that now hangs in Hannah's home!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Erdős's Nomadic Collaboration
- Paul Erdős lived out of other mathematicians' houses and collaborated widely, sleeping on couches while they fed and clothed him.
- His habit of publishing with many co-authors led to the creation of the Erdős number as a collaborative-distance metric.
Amphetamines, A Bet, And Math
- Erdős used amphetamines to sustain intense 19-hour workdays and bet a friend $500 he could quit for 30 days.
- He claimed proving he could stop showed he wasn't addicted, but joked it had set mathematics back by a month.
Erdős's Domestic Chaos
- Erdős was famously bad at basic daily tasks like making sandwiches and even opening a carton of tomato juice.
- One friend described his kitchen after an episode as looking like a 'murder scene' from the mess he made.
