Tom joins Yash on the Bytes of Intelligence podcast to talk about pretty much everything! Full list of questions – with timestamps – below.

🔗 Timestamps: (Jump to your favourite topics!)

00:00–Meet Dr. Tom Crawford: The Mathematician Making Maths Rock! 🎙
01:18–Tom’s Childhood: How Did His Love for Maths Begin? 👶
02:47–Why Maths? What Drew Tom Into Numbers? ❓
04:34–Maths vs English: Logic vs Creativity 📖
05:40–How Personality Shapes Curiosity & Challenge 🔍
06:30–Struggling with Maths? How to Get Better! 📈
08:35–Nature vs Nurture: Can Anyone Master Maths? 🧬
10:17–Left-Brain vs Right-Brain: Where Does Maths Fit? 🧠
11:02–Tom’s Path to YouTube Fame: His Formula for Success 📺
14:08–Teaching a 4-Year-Old Multiplication 🔢
15:10–Making Maths Relatable & Engaging 🏗
16:42–Ever Doubted Studying Maths? Tom’s Thoughts 🤔
19:18–What’s the Point of a Maths Degree? 🎓
22:29–Is Maths Useless? You Might Be Surprised 🤷
23:08–The Beauty of Maths: More Than Just Equations 🔍
24:09–Tom’s PhD: River Flow & Fluid Dynamics 🌊
25:37–Would Einstein Get Funding Today? 💡
27:14–PhD vs Industry: Why Tom Chose Academia 🎭
29:39–Loving What You Do: Tom’s Take on Happiness 💼
31:05–How Humans Adapt Without Realizing It 🌍
32:53–What Happens When a River Meets the Ocean? 🌊
35:46–Breaking a Rowing Record? Do It at the Equator! 🚣
38:52–Can Maths Optimise Any Industry? 🔢
40:31–When Maths Matches Reality – Best Part of Problem-Solving 🧩
40:49–The Maths Behind the Perfect Penalty Kick ⚽
42:11–Using Maths for Social Good 🌍
45:02–Tom’s Famous Tattoos & Their Stories 🎨
46:35–Right-Hand Tattoo: The Basel Problem ✍
48:55–Tom’s Favourite Recent Tattoo 🖋
50:58–Left-Hand Tattoos & Their Mathematical Meaning ✒
52:04–How Would Tom Fix Maths Education? 🏫
52:35–“When Will I Ever Use Trig?” 📐
53:12–Maths Is Like a Muscle – Here’s Why 🏋️
54:28–The Power of Storytelling in Teaching 📖
55:24–Should A-Level Maths Be Compulsory? 📚
57:10–How to Become an Oxford/Cambridge Lecturer 🎓
58:40–Teaching vs Research: Which Is More Rewarding? 🧐
01:00:07–How Tom Became a Countdown Mathematician 📺
01:02:35–Did Tom Have to Prep for Countdown? 📝
01:03:24–Playing Countdown with Dr. Crawford! ⌛
01:04:24–Countdown Game Begins NOW! 🕰
01:04:55–Round 1: Feeling the Pressure 🤯
01:06:00–What It’s Really Like on Live TV 😨
01:07:50–Round 2: Can We Solve It? 🎲
01:11:47–Round 3 (Not Really… Oops!) ❌
01:12:28–Round 3 (For Real This Time) ✔
01:13:32–Behind the Scenes of Countdown 🎥
01:14:00–Are Some Problems Just Impossible? 🚧
01:16:32–Filming Numberphile – Behind the Scenes 🎬
01:18:00–Navier-Stokes Equation: The Unsolved Mystery 🌊
01:19:30–The Future of Maths & AI 🤖
01:21:34–What’s Next for Dr. Crawford? 📅
01:23:34–One Piece of Advice for STEM Students 🎓
01:24:48–Tom’s Life Philosophy & Final Thoughts 💡
01:25:33–Quick Fire Round! Jokes, Travel & Books ⚡
01:27:30–The Most Beautiful Equation in Maths 💎
01:28:14–The Best Advice Tom Has Ever Received 📝
01:29:39–Wrapping Up: Huge Thanks to Dr. Crawford! 🙏