iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 02/10/2026

When you think about it, "fly like an eagle" isn't really true. Beyond the wings, they don't have much in common.

Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 21h

This Japanese copy of The Mathematicians' Library is winging its way to a school in Grantham to play a part in rekindling an international exchange programme disrupted by the covid pandemic. I'd say that was a good cause! I've still got 1 copy each in […] [Original post on mathstodon.xyz]

A Japanese edition of The Mathematicians’ Library lies on a white textured fabric background. The purple cover features large white Japanese lettering over a colourful abstract image of overlapping curved forms, with the English title “The Mathematicians’ Library” and subtitle “The Books That Unlocked the Power of Numbers” beneath it. The author’s name, Thomas K. Briggs, and the publisher’s name appear in Japanese. A small “EX LIBRIS” bookplate is partly visible behind the book.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

I've got some stock and a mountain of Sharpies that just won't quit, so if anyone'd like to furnish the discerning bookish history nerd in their life with a chunky tome that focuses on that stuff that all the other history books seem to miss out, now's your chance! #Books #History #Maths

A richly illustrated copy of The Mathematicians’ Library lies open on a wooden surface, featuring a large circular astronomical diagram with zodiacal and planetary markings, surrounded by classical figures. Overlaid text advertises “Author-Signed copies available” and “£25 + £5 p&p (UK only)”.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

If two people discussing the place of #history (& #museums) in #maths education is your bag, you'll like Episode 4 of the @tmip.bsky.social podcast. @peterrowlett & I take the middle segment, sandwiched between one about the #CityOfMaths project & another about running a @MathsJam […]

mathstodon.xyz

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robinhouston @robinhouston.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026

Five regular octahedra don't quite make a ring.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

RE: mathstodon.xyz/@TeaKayB/11195908652… I think about this short thread often and when I dig it out again I'm always disappointed that it received such little love.

mathstodon.xyz

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026

Would you be able to put a FREE Japanese language edition of The Mathematicians' Library to good use? I'll send it out to the first person who gives me a good reason why they should have it, and I'll even cover postage (anywhere the UK). The Polish version […] [Original post on mathstodon.xyz]

A Japanese edition of The Mathematicians’ Library lies on a deep magenta patterned carpet. The blue book cover features large white Japanese lettering, the English title The Mathematicians’ Library, and colourful overlapping translucent mathematical shapes forming a vivid abstract design. The author’s name, Thomas K. Briggs, and the publisher’s name appear in Japanese.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 27/09/2026

RE: mathstodon.xyz/@TeaKayB/11733680872… My Polish language copy of *The Mathematicians' Library* will soon be winging its way to a school in Leicestershire because a maths teacher thought it'd be great for some of their students with Polish […] [Original post on mathstodon.xyz]

A close-up photograph of a book titled Biblioteka Matematykow, resting partly inside a brown paper envelope. Its cover combines an intricate historical astronomical chart, with constellation lines and Latin labels, with classical figures and a circular mathematical design. A small “EX LIBRIS” bookplate peeks out from behind the book.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 26/09/2026

I've got one copy of *The Mathematicians' Library* to give away in each of four languages: Polish, German, Japanese, and Spanish. I'm offering them for free (including UK postage) & I'd like them to go somewhere that'd make good use of them. If you think […] [Original post on mathstodon.xyz]

$Four editions of The Mathematicians’ Library are arranged on a patterned surface: the Polish edition, German edition, Japanese edition and Spanish edition. The Polish and Spanish covers feature a Renaissance-style astronomical diagram with a Vitruvian figure, while the German edition has a vivid purple-and-pink fractal design and the Japanese edition shows colourful abstract mathematical forms.$

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 26/09/2026

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026

Today's main procrastinatory device was adding a page for Euclid's Elements to The Stack: library.mathsy.space/books/euclid-e… #MathsToday #History #Maths #Books

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026

This week in #TenuousAppearances, I notice that the back of my head is visible in a photo on page 5 of the June 2026 issue of @cilip.bsky.social RPG's Post-Lib journal […]

mathstodon.xyz

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 25/09/2026

"If you see a faded sign at the side of the road that says 'fif-teen miles to the...'"

A small clear plastic container holds a tempting mix of whole and broken nuts, including cashews, almonds, Brazil nuts and walnuts, interspersed with pieces of dark chocolate. It sits on a softly textured grey-and-white fabric surface.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 23/09/2026

Today I've been mostly doing some maths communication stuff at the @rafmuseum in Cosford's Forces in STEM event, supporting the IMA 's stand. If you're wondering why that ball is hovering there... blame it on Bernoulli. #MathsToday

A person with long hair and glasses poses beside a large dark-coloured aircraft in a museum hangar, making a curious expression. The aircraft’s cockpit and undercarriage are visible, with other historic aircraft and museum equipment in the background. In the foreground, a white, fist-sized ball floats mysteriously and in a totally unexplained fashion directly above a cowled industrial blower, which is itself in front of a device for demonstrating how an aerofoil works.

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026

"There's a clear double standard at play here. Marjorie Rice spends all of her free time working on a maths problem and she's feted as a hero of recreational maths. *I* do it, I'm 'ruining Christmas.'"

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 22/09/2026

I thoroughly enjoyed my stint as @PseudoRandomEnsemble 's sound tech at #MathsWorld last night. They sounded GREAT despite my best efforts! #Maths #Music #MathsToday

A person stands in a colourful indoor event space, wearing glasses and a black T-shirt featuring a large headphone graphic around a three-dimensional geometric cube and the words “KEY CHANGE BACK AGAIN!” They hold one arm out towards the camera with an open hand. Behind them are a projection screen, microphone, music stands, chairs, cables and colourful fabric panels.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026

I LIKE THE POPE THE POPE'S GOT NOTES ON POLYTOPES This is going to be stuck in my head for the next few days AGAIN because I've seen @PseudoRandomEnsemble play AGAIN and they were brilliant AGAIN.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026

"We're sorry you experienced our Terrible Service. Here's a refund in the form of a voucher that can only be spent on more of our Terrible Service." No.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026

Today in "where's Tommy‽" - I'm in London for tonight's @PseudoRandomEnsemble gig at Maths World. - I've taken the opportunity to pick up one of a few boxes of books (*The Mathematicians' Library*, of course) I left at the Royal Institution. If anyone wants a signed copy and is in Central […]

mathstodon.xyz

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 19/09/2026

Does anyone know where my Crybaby pedal is? I haven't seen it in years, but I'm pretty sure things just can't pop out of existence.

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026

And if you want to hear the @PseudoRandomEnsemble play a song about Marjorie Rice, you should come to MathsWorld on Monday: mathsworld.com/events/PseudorandomE…

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026

This advert ran next to the Martin Gardner article about pentagonal tilings that inspired Marjorie Rice.

1970s advert for a calculator that can apparently do everything except arccos(0).

"Remember, you can't calculate the arc cos of 0. But at $59.99..... who cares!!!"

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 16/09/2026

They said the investment was rated AAAY But it turned out to be a Fonzie scheme.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 14/09/2026

Hey, you! Give this a 'like' if you're coming, and whether you're coming or not a repost would be a great way to show your support!

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 12/09/2026

For the last three days I've been at the @gem.org.uk conference at #BletchleyPark. As always, it was brilliant, interesting, inspiring, and massively tiring. Following a big sleep, my mind was still whirring and I've written up some thoughts: tommaths.blogspot.com #Maths #Museums […]

mathstodon.xyz

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 11/09/2026

To my #maths #teacher friends who are also on #LinkedIn, can I ask a favour? My cousin's started a PGCE & I've been telling him the best CPD I've had has not been through the schools I've worked at, but through fantastic people I've met at dedicated maths teacher events. Introduce yourselves?

linkedin.com

#maths #teachers | Thomas K. Briggs, AMIMA

To the many fabulous #maths #teachers I know here: My cousin* Gareth Johnson has just started a PGCE and I've been telling him that the best professional development I've had as a maths teacher has b...

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 11/09/2026

Dorset people! I'm doing my first solo gig in 20+ years at the Dry Dock, Weymouth tomorrow from 6:30pm. Come along!

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 09/09/2026

I thought Byrne's 1847 treatment of Euclid's Elements was pretty cool, but today I learned that Chetham's Library in Manchester have an early English translation from 1579 that has fold-out flaps, making it one of the earliest pop-up books in English? Why aren't they SCREAMING this at maths […]

mathstodon.xyz

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 09/09/2026

I've just been reminded of something I said in a talk a few years ago: If (as a museum, gallery, heritage site, etc) you have a STEM offer that doesn't involve M, then you don't have a STEM offer.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 09/09/2026

It's at #BletchleyPark, where I was Learning Manager until I (sorry: my role) was made redundant in 2020. It's both weird and not-weird to be back.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 09/09/2026

The first session is a panel (Dr Henry Ward, Tina Corri, Zak Mensah) discussing the conference theme. A core question, in my mind, is "what is 'digital'?", with panelists highlighting that it means different things to different people in different circumstances. 🏛️🎓

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 09/09/2026

Day 1 of @gem.org.uk conference 2026 has kicked off. This year's theme is "Learning is Digital?" with a very deliberate question mark. #GEM26 🏛️🎓

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Colin Beveridge @icecolbeveridge.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 08/09/2026

12yo: "I was thinking about graphs at school, during English."

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 07/09/2026

It's @gem.org.uk conference week! This year it's at my old haunt, #BletchleyPark!

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Reposted by Tommaths (he/him)

Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathsy.space · 06/09/2026

I got today's Variant 1 maths anagram in 12 seconds! How fast are you? Test your skills at puzzles.mathsy.space

puzzles.mathsy.space

Daily Maths Puzzles | puzzles.mathsy.space

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Colman Reilly @colman.mastodon.ie.ap.brid.gy · 05/09/2026

@pozorvlak @TeaKayB how long does it take to get to “topos” for laymen or even non-specialists and then the specialists didn’t know the computer science context of the models … call it “formal methods” and be done.

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Pozorvlak @pozorvlak.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 05/09/2026

@TeaKayB IME it's hard to casually discuss your research even with mathematicians working in other fields! I used to have a five-minute explanation of my thesis topic for laypeople, but that's way too long to drop into a conversation. I could say "I work in higher-dimensional algebra", but that […]

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 05/09/2026

Unsurprisingly, there's a lot of opinion flying around at the moment about map projections (including comparative pros and cons). If you're interested in reading about the history of maps and maps projections I can wholly recommend Paulina Rowinska's Mapmatics […]

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 05/09/2026

Clifford the Big Red Dog (the movie): there are many things wrong with this movie so far, but... Jack Whitehall (who is English) is putting on an American accent for the movie, in which he is an uncle looking after his (American accent) niece, for her mum, his sister, who has an... English accent.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 01/09/2026

Next up in an ongoing if irregular series of *Tom making an incomplete fool of himself in freely accessible media*, I chat to @stecks in an episode of the @TMiP podcast! […]

mathstodon.xyz

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 01/09/2026

Just the one book *finished* in August, according to my @the.storygraph wrap-up, but bits of five books read altogether. Some might say I should focus more? #bookstodon #reading

A pastel-coloured StoryGraph graphic titled “@teakayb’s August 2026 Wrap-Up”. It reports reading one book, totalling 713 pages, with an average rating of 3.0 stars. The featured book is Kate Morton’s The Secret Keeper, shown with its blue cover and a 3.0-star rating. The graphic also states an average book length of 597 pages and an average time to finish of 34 days. Below, a green line graph charts pages read on each day of August, with the highest daily totals occurring around 10 August and 20–21 August.

A pastel-coloured calendar headed “@teakayb’s August 2026 Reading Calendar”. Each day of August records the number of pages read, represented by a small book icon and page count, while coloured horizontal bars show reading periods. The highest daily total is 65 pages on 10 August, marked with a trophy. A small image of Kate Morton’s The Secret Keeper appears around 21 August, indicating the book being read. At the bottom, a legend explains the book icon as “Pages Read” and the trophy as “Most Pages Read”, alongside thumbnails of several books, including The Secret Keeper.

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Tommaths (he/him) @teakayb.mathstodon.xyz.ap.brid.gy · 01/09/2026

I just stumbled upon the fact that an anagram of "Descartes" is "set scared".

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