Interview with Atrakcia ahead of Tom’s talk on “The Maths of Pokémon” at Comic-Con Sofia 2025.

1. Your lecture title “Maths of Pokémon” sounds like a surprisingly perfect match. In your opinion, which mathematical concept in the Pokémon universe is most likely to win over someone who normally says they dislike maths?

I don’t think there’s one specific concept that is going to change someone’s mind, it’s more about realising the fun that can be had by applying the tools of maths to the world of Pokémon. As an example, we all know that Magcargo is a ridiculous Pokémon – having a temperature of 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit is clearly just not feasible – but by using mathematical modelling we can see just how absurd this value actually is. In order to generate this amount of heat, Magcargo must eat at least 1200 Mars Bars per second just to have the energy available. That’s the kind of additional knowledge – and fun – that I hope to persuade people maths can bring them.

2. We often think of science and art as opposites. Where would you place Pokémon — closer to aesthetics or to logic?

Based on the analysis I’ve conducted across the Pokédex, the creators of the game definitely went for aesthetics over logic! But this oversight does mean that I’ve been able to have fun dissecting their mistakes and using maths to show just how unrealistic some Pokémon really are. If only the creators had taken a moment to “do the math” they may have avoided some pretty obvious violations of the laws of physics.

3. You teach at Oxford, a university known for its traditions. How does the academic environment respond to your more expressive and visually bold approach to science communication?

On the most part the university has been really supportive and has given me the freedom to keep doing what I do. It perhaps took longer than I would have hoped to convince some people of the value in my work, but fortunately the numbers (eg. 30 million+ views on YouTube) speak for themselves. Once they saw the influence I was able to have on students, staff, and the public in general, they were keen to offer me the support and resources I needed to keep doing my job.

4. You’re well known for your mathematical tattoos. Is there one with a particularly interesting story behind it?

I now have more tattoos than I can count (even for a mathematician!) and there are around 20 which are mathematical in nature. I recently had some new equations added to my upper right arm, which include the Divergence Theorem. I particularly enjoy this result because not only does it allow you to move between 2 and 3 dimensions when solving a problem, thus bringing a new perspective, it is also one of the most commonly used results in mathematical modelling. Plus, it looks really cool as a tattoo with all of those integral signs!

5. Do you believe that school mathematics should be more directly connected to pop culture — through phenomena like Pokémon or platforms like YouTube?

Absolutely. This is one of the main things I try to do with my YouTube videos and even when I’m teaching my undergraduate students in class. Maths is such a versatile tool, that it really can be applied to pretty much anything, and I love being able to demonstrate that. For me it is one of the main reasons I enjoy the subject so much – the fact that you can use it to improve your understanding of pretty much anything, or at the very least to provide a different way of looking at a problem or situation. For example, I recently made a video trying to work out which was the fastest dinosaur – a problem that can be solved using calculus.

6. In your videos, you also touch on serious topics — from climate models to sports statistics. Is there a topic you haven’t explored yet that you’re excited to tackle in the future?

The list of topics I want to tackle is almost endless, but something that has really caught my imagination recently is Quantum Theory. I’ve been teaching a version of the course to my undergraduates for the past 7 years, and I’m working on a lecture series for YouTube which will take the Oxford course, and try to explain it to a complete beginner. Quantum Theory is of course notoriously difficult – and almost impossible to understand intuitively – so I’m excited for the challenge.

7. If you were to turn a mathematical theorem into a Pokémon, which one would you choose and what powers would it have?

This is a truly excellent question. Given my current deep-dive into Quantum Theory, I think Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle would make for an excellent Pokémon. The theorem states that the uncertainty in the measurement of velocity, multiplied by the uncertainty in the measurement of position, is always strictly greater than zero. This means that you can never know both the position and velocity of a quantum particle exactly, since the more you know about one of them, the less you know about the other. I think this would translate perfectly into a Pokémon with an undefined type. It isn’t possible to assign it one type, because if we did then the theorem would break.

8. How does it feel to be part of a pop culture convention like Aniventure Comic Con, where science meets fandom culture?

This will be my first time at a Comic Con event – either as a speaker or an attendee – so I’m just really excited to experience everything as a newbie. I’ve been a fan of Pokémon since I was a kid, and I’ve recently been watching a lot of anime and playing video games more than I have for many years, so being able to attend an event with other fans that share the same passions sounds like a perfect weekend!

9. Finally, what would you say to a 13-year-old Pokémon fan who is afraid of maths but will be attending your talk?

The enjoyment of maths comes from how you use it to understand the world. Whether that’s by realising just how ridiculous the Pokédex really is, or estimating the chance you will catch Zapdos with your final ultra ball, maths gives you the tools to enjoy your favourite activities even more, which is exactly what I will be showcasing in my talk. I guarantee you’ll have fun, and you might just learn a thing or two along on the way.