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Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.

More or Less: John Nash

Factual

John Nash

29/05/2015

BBC World Service - More or Less, John Nash

The life and achievements of the mathematician John Nash

The life and achievements of the mathematician John Nash.

On 23 May, the mathematician John Nash was killed in a car crash, alongside his wife Alicia. The couple were in their 80s. Professor Nash was on his way home from Norway after receiving the prestigious Abel prize for mathematics. He also won the Nobel memorial prize in economics in 1994, and was made famous far beyond academia when he was played by Russell Crowe in the film, A Beautiful Mind. Tim Harford takes a look back at his life with economist Peyton Young who knew Nash well. 

Tim also looks at how many species of owl there are. A much more difficult question to answer than you would think.

(Photo: Nobel Laureates Beijing Forum 2005 Credit:China Photos/ Getty Images)

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