Dr Tom Crawford
@tomrocksmaths.bsky.social
Mathematician at Oxford and Cambridge. 225,000 on YouTube. Numberphile. Tom Rocks Maths. Countdown.
Are you even a tourist in Sri Lanka if you don’t take the train ride across the mountains to Ella? Simply breathtaking.
It took 7 hours and 20 minutes to travel from Nanu Oya to Colombo at an average speed of 28 kmph. How long is the railway?
Try it without a calculator for a challenge :)
It took 7 hours and 20 minutes to travel from Nanu Oya to Colombo at an average speed of 28 kmph. How long is the railway?
Try it without a calculator for a challenge :)
November 11, 2025 at 5:42 PM
Are you even a tourist in Sri Lanka if you don’t take the train ride across the mountains to Ella? Simply breathtaking.
It took 7 hours and 20 minutes to travel from Nanu Oya to Colombo at an average speed of 28 kmph. How long is the railway?
Try it without a calculator for a challenge :)
It took 7 hours and 20 minutes to travel from Nanu Oya to Colombo at an average speed of 28 kmph. How long is the railway?
Try it without a calculator for a challenge :)
Reposted by Dr Tom Crawford
Behind the scenes of the recording session with @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social for the @twinklresources.bsky.social "Leading With" podcast today where Tom shared his insights into engaging people in maths as well as what he learned from sitting GCSE exams and deputising for Rachel Riley on Countdown!
November 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Behind the scenes of the recording session with @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social for the @twinklresources.bsky.social "Leading With" podcast today where Tom shared his insights into engaging people in maths as well as what he learned from sitting GCSE exams and deputising for Rachel Riley on Countdown!
Loved catching up with Prof. Alison Martingano and talking about how to overcome maths anxiety on the Psychology & Stuff podcast at UWGB. We went to the same high school but hadn't seen each other in 20 years... amazing to reconnect after all this time!
Listen here: soundcloud.com/rycmart/ep-1...
Listen here: soundcloud.com/rycmart/ep-1...
November 9, 2025 at 5:57 PM
Loved catching up with Prof. Alison Martingano and talking about how to overcome maths anxiety on the Psychology & Stuff podcast at UWGB. We went to the same high school but hadn't seen each other in 20 years... amazing to reconnect after all this time!
Listen here: soundcloud.com/rycmart/ep-1...
Listen here: soundcloud.com/rycmart/ep-1...
Linguistic Fossils take the win over the Birthday Problem - well done again to @susiedent.com
Keep a lookout for a full video explaining the Birthday Problem and 23 - coming soon :)
In the meantime you can catch up on all 11 rounds of "Numbers vs Words" so far here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jev...
Keep a lookout for a full video explaining the Birthday Problem and 23 - coming soon :)
In the meantime you can catch up on all 11 rounds of "Numbers vs Words" so far here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jev...
November 8, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Linguistic Fossils take the win over the Birthday Problem - well done again to @susiedent.com
Keep a lookout for a full video explaining the Birthday Problem and 23 - coming soon :)
In the meantime you can catch up on all 11 rounds of "Numbers vs Words" so far here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jev...
Keep a lookout for a full video explaining the Birthday Problem and 23 - coming soon :)
In the meantime you can catch up on all 11 rounds of "Numbers vs Words" so far here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Jev...
NEW VIDEO: The Kissing Coins Problem - what is the smallest circle that encloses three touching coins? Premieres today at 4pm (GMT). See you in the live chat!
The Kissing Coins Problem
YouTube video by Tom Rocks Maths
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 9:15 AM
NEW VIDEO: The Kissing Coins Problem - what is the smallest circle that encloses three touching coins? Premieres today at 4pm (GMT). See you in the live chat!
Fascinating conversations with some of the greatest minds in Mathematics and Physics at the HKLF - what a couple of days it's been!
1. Reinhard Genzel (2008 Shaw Prize & 2020 Nobel Prize)
2. Nigel J Hitchin (2016 Shaw Prize)
3. John Peacock (2014 Shaw Prize)
4. Simon D M White (2017 Shaw Prize)
1. Reinhard Genzel (2008 Shaw Prize & 2020 Nobel Prize)
2. Nigel J Hitchin (2016 Shaw Prize)
3. John Peacock (2014 Shaw Prize)
4. Simon D M White (2017 Shaw Prize)
November 6, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Fascinating conversations with some of the greatest minds in Mathematics and Physics at the HKLF - what a couple of days it's been!
1. Reinhard Genzel (2008 Shaw Prize & 2020 Nobel Prize)
2. Nigel J Hitchin (2016 Shaw Prize)
3. John Peacock (2014 Shaw Prize)
4. Simon D M White (2017 Shaw Prize)
1. Reinhard Genzel (2008 Shaw Prize & 2020 Nobel Prize)
2. Nigel J Hitchin (2016 Shaw Prize)
3. John Peacock (2014 Shaw Prize)
4. Simon D M White (2017 Shaw Prize)
Back at the Hong Kong Laureate Forum to interview 4 Shaw Laureates over the next few days. Love visiting this city, especially the harbour - just look at that skyline <3
With a population of 7.5 million and occupied apartment space of 112.5 million m2, how big is the average apartment per person?
With a population of 7.5 million and occupied apartment space of 112.5 million m2, how big is the average apartment per person?
November 5, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Back at the Hong Kong Laureate Forum to interview 4 Shaw Laureates over the next few days. Love visiting this city, especially the harbour - just look at that skyline <3
With a population of 7.5 million and occupied apartment space of 112.5 million m2, how big is the average apartment per person?
With a population of 7.5 million and occupied apartment space of 112.5 million m2, how big is the average apartment per person?
Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. An ancient rock fortress built in the 5th Century. The hydrodynamic system connecting the water gardens is phenomenal, not to mention the lions paw, and views at the top of the 1200 steps. If I climb 90 steps per minute, how long does it take me to get to the top?
November 4, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Sigiriya, Sri Lanka. An ancient rock fortress built in the 5th Century. The hydrodynamic system connecting the water gardens is phenomenal, not to mention the lions paw, and views at the top of the 1200 steps. If I climb 90 steps per minute, how long does it take me to get to the top?
Dambulla Cave Temple - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The temple dates back over 2000 years and contains painted murals over an area of 2100 square metres. The largest cave has dimensions of approximately 50m x 20m x 3m, so can it all be painted?
November 3, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Dambulla Cave Temple - a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. The temple dates back over 2000 years and contains painted murals over an area of 2100 square metres. The largest cave has dimensions of approximately 50m x 20m x 3m, so can it all be painted?
Making new friends at Kaudulla National Park in Sri Lanka. A 2008 study by the University of Tokyo showed elephants are capable of adding together small numbers by counting apples and selecting the bucket with more in. I knew there was a reason they are my favourite animal <3
November 2, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Making new friends at Kaudulla National Park in Sri Lanka. A 2008 study by the University of Tokyo showed elephants are capable of adding together small numbers by counting apples and selecting the bucket with more in. I knew there was a reason they are my favourite animal <3
Hello Sri Lanka! Had a lot of fun exploring Colombo and seeing the sights. The mix of architectural styles from colonial Portuguese, Dutch and British, alongside buildings influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, plus modern skyscrapers, really is spectacular. Any other influences I’m missing?
November 1, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Hello Sri Lanka! Had a lot of fun exploring Colombo and seeing the sights. The mix of architectural styles from colonial Portuguese, Dutch and British, alongside buildings influenced by Buddhism, Hinduism and Islam, plus modern skyscrapers, really is spectacular. Any other influences I’m missing?
Happy Halloween Maths Fans!! I promise only to haunt your dreams with scary mathematical puzzles… Can you work out which one is me in each photo?
October 31, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Happy Halloween Maths Fans!! I promise only to haunt your dreams with scary mathematical puzzles… Can you work out which one is me in each photo?
HERE ARE YOUR STUDENT WINNER[S]
I couldn't decide between my favourite two essays so have selected them both as joint-winners of the 2025 TRM Essay Competition.
Congratulations to Amelia Tan and John Winmill-Briggs for their winning essays "A Tangent about Tangents" and "Coprime by Chance". Enjoy!
I couldn't decide between my favourite two essays so have selected them both as joint-winners of the 2025 TRM Essay Competition.
Congratulations to Amelia Tan and John Winmill-Briggs for their winning essays "A Tangent about Tangents" and "Coprime by Chance". Enjoy!
TRM Essay Competition 2025: Student (Under-18) Winner[s]*
*I couldn’t pick between my 2 favourite essays so I’ve decided to award joint-winners who will will split the cash prize. A huge congratulations to Amelia Tan for their essay entitled &…
tomrocksmaths.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:46 PM
HERE ARE YOUR STUDENT WINNER[S]
I couldn't decide between my favourite two essays so have selected them both as joint-winners of the 2025 TRM Essay Competition.
Congratulations to Amelia Tan and John Winmill-Briggs for their winning essays "A Tangent about Tangents" and "Coprime by Chance". Enjoy!
I couldn't decide between my favourite two essays so have selected them both as joint-winners of the 2025 TRM Essay Competition.
Congratulations to Amelia Tan and John Winmill-Briggs for their winning essays "A Tangent about Tangents" and "Coprime by Chance". Enjoy!
Very excited to announce we will be running the Vice-Chancellor's Colloquium on Climate for a third successive year @ox.ac.uk, including some maths sessions from yours truly.
Open to all current Oxford undergraduates - register your interest here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/the-vi...
Open to all current Oxford undergraduates - register your interest here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/the-vi...
October 29, 2025 at 7:18 PM
Very excited to announce we will be running the Vice-Chancellor's Colloquium on Climate for a third successive year @ox.ac.uk, including some maths sessions from yours truly.
Open to all current Oxford undergraduates - register your interest here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/the-vi...
Open to all current Oxford undergraduates - register your interest here: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/about/the-vi...
Some highlights from my Comedy Show at the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival on Sunday evening. Award-winning research has never looked so ridiculous! Thanks to everyone that came along for laughing at my jokes… even the bad ones.
October 28, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Some highlights from my Comedy Show at the Oxford Science and Ideas Festival on Sunday evening. Award-winning research has never looked so ridiculous! Thanks to everyone that came along for laughing at my jokes… even the bad ones.
Reposted by Dr Tom Crawford
Halloween is nearing, and Serious Academics need to celebrate.
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
October 27, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Halloween is nearing, and Serious Academics need to celebrate.
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
Here's the @oxlifelonglearning.bsky.social undead team - @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social, @jonathanhealey.bsky.social and myself - doing what academics do best: ghosting you.
👻🎃
🧪 #AcademicSky
NEW VIDEO: Round 11 of Numbers vs. Words
23 from @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social s vs. Beck and Call from @susiedent.com. The birthday paradox against linguistic fossils - which is your favourite?
Cast your vote here: forms.gle/qVFpFqzTkEkF...
23 from @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social s vs. Beck and Call from @susiedent.com. The birthday paradox against linguistic fossils - which is your favourite?
Cast your vote here: forms.gle/qVFpFqzTkEkF...
Numbers vs. Words Round 11: 23 vs. Beck and Call
YouTube video by Tom Rocks Maths
youtube.com
October 26, 2025 at 7:52 PM
NEW VIDEO: Round 11 of Numbers vs. Words
23 from @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social s vs. Beck and Call from @susiedent.com. The birthday paradox against linguistic fossils - which is your favourite?
Cast your vote here: forms.gle/qVFpFqzTkEkF...
23 from @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social s vs. Beck and Call from @susiedent.com. The birthday paradox against linguistic fossils - which is your favourite?
Cast your vote here: forms.gle/qVFpFqzTkEkF...
According ot these lovely shots from the @cs50.harvard.edu Puzzle Day, I must be hilarious. Which is good news, as I'm doing a comedy show at the Oxford Bullingdon this Sunday (26/10) delving into the world of "award-winning research". Come along if you're free and hopefully learn a thing or two :)
October 24, 2025 at 6:41 PM
According ot these lovely shots from the @cs50.harvard.edu Puzzle Day, I must be hilarious. Which is good news, as I'm doing a comedy show at the Oxford Bullingdon this Sunday (26/10) delving into the world of "award-winning research". Come along if you're free and hopefully learn a thing or two :)
Having a blast in Belfast! The perfect way to end my tour of Northern Ireland for Maths Week. Thanks to PWC and Queen’s University Belfast for hosting in such spectacular venues - until next time :)
October 23, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Having a blast in Belfast! The perfect way to end my tour of Northern Ireland for Maths Week. Thanks to PWC and Queen’s University Belfast for hosting in such spectacular venues - until next time :)
Reposted by Dr Tom Crawford
Don't miss your chance to sign up for the Vice-Chancellor's Colloquium on Climate or AI!
🔗 Find out more: buff.ly/rcptHnK
#OxfordUniversity #StudyAtOxford #Oxford #Colloquium #AI #Climate
🔗 Find out more: buff.ly/rcptHnK
#OxfordUniversity #StudyAtOxford #Oxford #Colloquium #AI #Climate
October 23, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Don't miss your chance to sign up for the Vice-Chancellor's Colloquium on Climate or AI!
🔗 Find out more: buff.ly/rcptHnK
#OxfordUniversity #StudyAtOxford #Oxford #Colloquium #AI #Climate
🔗 Find out more: buff.ly/rcptHnK
#OxfordUniversity #StudyAtOxford #Oxford #Colloquium #AI #Climate
LOOK AT THAT VIEW. The library tower at St Edmund Hall is the perfect place to spend an afternoon writing about Pokemon battles for my upcoming book on Fantasy Mathematics. What are your favourite type matchups from the games?
October 22, 2025 at 6:54 PM
LOOK AT THAT VIEW. The library tower at St Edmund Hall is the perfect place to spend an afternoon writing about Pokemon battles for my upcoming book on Fantasy Mathematics. What are your favourite type matchups from the games?
After 10 rounds and the first set of videos, Words and @susiedent.com retain the lead at 6-4 with a victory for 'thing' over the amicable 220.
Fortunately for Numbers, we've recorded 10 more, so the competition is very much still on. And this time, we're bringing the A-team... Round 11 coming soon!
Fortunately for Numbers, we've recorded 10 more, so the competition is very much still on. And this time, we're bringing the A-team... Round 11 coming soon!
October 21, 2025 at 5:57 PM
After 10 rounds and the first set of videos, Words and @susiedent.com retain the lead at 6-4 with a victory for 'thing' over the amicable 220.
Fortunately for Numbers, we've recorded 10 more, so the competition is very much still on. And this time, we're bringing the A-team... Round 11 coming soon!
Fortunately for Numbers, we've recorded 10 more, so the competition is very much still on. And this time, we're bringing the A-team... Round 11 coming soon!
Thank you to everyone for coming along to the first-ever performance of my new talk “How To Insure A Hobbit” at New Scientist Live. From random walks through Moria to the unexpected hanging paradox, the maths of life insurance has never been so fun!
October 20, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Thank you to everyone for coming along to the first-ever performance of my new talk “How To Insure A Hobbit” at New Scientist Live. From random walks through Moria to the unexpected hanging paradox, the maths of life insurance has never been so fun!
NEW VIDEO: Pat Hanrahan (2019 Turing Award) looks back on his career as a pioneer of Computer graphics, including the beginning of Pixar, and winning 3 Academy Awards (aka Oscars).
Premieres today at 5pm (GMT+1) - see you in the live chat!
Premieres today at 5pm (GMT+1) - see you in the live chat!
Working at Pixar with Pat Hanrahan (2019 Turing Award)
YouTube video by Tom Rocks Maths
www.youtube.com
October 19, 2025 at 1:50 PM
NEW VIDEO: Pat Hanrahan (2019 Turing Award) looks back on his career as a pioneer of Computer graphics, including the beginning of Pixar, and winning 3 Academy Awards (aka Oscars).
Premieres today at 5pm (GMT+1) - see you in the live chat!
Premieres today at 5pm (GMT+1) - see you in the live chat!
Another fantastic day visiting schools across Northern Ireland for Maths Week. Let’s see how much plastic we can remove from local rivers by working together - and using maths to guide us :)
October 18, 2025 at 4:56 PM
Another fantastic day visiting schools across Northern Ireland for Maths Week. Let’s see how much plastic we can remove from local rivers by working together - and using maths to guide us :)