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Factual: History

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas, people and events that have shaped our world.

Melvyn Bragg

Marcus du Sautoy

June Barrow-Green

Simon Tillotson

In Our Time: Euclid's Elements

Euclid's Elements

28/04/2016

BBC Radio 4 - In Our Time, Euclid's Elements

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Elements of Euclid.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the content, history and impact of Euclid's Elements, the mathematical text book from the ancient world, originating in Alexandria in about 300BC.

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Euclid's Elements, a mathematical text book attributed to Euclid and in use from its appearance in Alexandria, Egypt around 300 BC until modern times, dealing with geometry and number theory. It has been described as the most influential text book ever written. Einstein had a copy as a child, which he treasured, later saying "If Euclid failed to kindle your youthful enthusiasm, then you were not born to be a scientific thinker."

With 

Marcus du Sautoy
Professor of Mathematics and Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science at the University of Oxford

Serafina Cuomo
Reader in Roman History at Birkbeck University of London

And 

June Barrow-Green
Professor of the History of Mathematics at the Open University


Producer: Simon Tillotson.

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