iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Can we all take a moment to appreciate the height of this Jenga tower please? And what a setting in the reading room at the Royal Institution. Had a blast filming today for the Puzzling Science series talking all things Lord of the Rings, Pokemon, Marvel and Star Wars. Coming soon :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

You can now watch the first Sparks Session at the 2026 Heidelberg Laureate Forum on YouTube. I had the pleasure of introducing 4 laureates to the stage including: Jacob Tsimerman, Torsten Hoefler, Jeffrey Ullman and Yu Deng. Watch here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSXC...

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

Another excellent day of visiting temples in Armenia 🇦🇲 Garni temple dates back to the 1st or 2nd century and is considered an Eastern outpost of the Greco-Roman empire. Geghard Monastery is a world heritage site dating back to 4th century and the site of a sacred spring inside a cave.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Hello maths fans of Armenia! 🇦🇲 Having a lot of fun visiting the sights and learning more about Armenian history. Khor Virap was a definite highlight - very cool to visit the site of a chapel from 602 CE. TIL: Armenia was the first country to adopt Christianity as the state religion in 301 CE.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Thanks for the perfect welcome at the Numberphile studio today Brady! Videos on animal coat patterns, the Mines of Moria and the Art Galley Theorem coming soon :) I like my notes but nothing beats the brown paper <3

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A great day at Chase Malvern bringing maths to life through modelling in sport, video games and movies. We now know why the England women’s team are better at penalties than the men; how to catch a legendary Pokémon; and the net worth of Super Mario. Thanks to everyone for being such a fun audience!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/28/t... 590 essays later and the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase is complete! Go check out all the entries and pick your favourites before the winners shortlist is announced next week. Who do you think deserves the title?

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

NEW VIDEO: youtube.com/shorts/XS71n... What is a @cam.ac.uk supervision actually like? Go inside a maths supervision with the first year mathematicians @robinsoncollege.bsky.social covering vector calculus. Full video premieres TUESDAY (29 September) at 5pm GMT+1. I'll see you there :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Having far too much fun on my first visit to Mathsworld UK for an evening of Maths Inspiration. Thanks to all of the teachers for coming along - you’re the real superstars <3

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

www.goodreads.com/giveaway/sho... People of the US, you can now sign-up for a special goodreads giveaway of my upcoming book "How Many Pikachus Would It Take To Power A Lightbulb?" to get your hands on a copy before everyone else! Head to the link above and register for free to be in the draw :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/23/t... We're nearly there - the penultimate group of essays in the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase is here. Learn about the shape of the universe, why you're always less popular then your friends, and the real reason "why we pi"... Mathematical creativity knows no bounds :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Pokémon Pictionary with MQ Tate coming soon! How many can you recognise from the drawings? (Apologies in advance for the monstrosities in the last image - that’s all my doing…)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Had a great time learning physics today with Zhelyo from Z-Physics in the beautiful surroundings of the Old Library at St Edmund Hall. Look out for the video of me taking the ESAT - coming soon!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

How to summarise the @hlforum.bsky.social‬? How about making 300 new friends over a week of academic learning, debate, and enthusiasm. A true honour to be invited back each year <3 Swipe to see selfies with some of the greatest minds in Mathematics and Computer Science…

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/18/t... Roll up, roll up, one and all to see the wonders of mathematics before your very eyes! Welcome to the 28th group of essays in the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase. We’ve got gardens on top of buildings, a flying Super Mario, and the incredible fractional derivative...

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

SO much fun to visit Kurpfalz Internat Gymnasium this week whilst in Heidelberg @hlforum.bsky.social. Thank you to all of the students for being such great sports and to everyone that asked me to sign their calculators - you’re the best <3

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/16/t... TRM Essay Showcase Group 27 features deep - and topical - questions asking whether maths can uncover structures without human input, whether the subject is truly logical, and why is it so successful at describing our universe? Read them all at the link above!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Yu Deng - 2026 Fields Medal - and Dennis Sullivan - 2022 Abel Prize @hlforum.bsky.social. Fascinating conversations with two of the brightest minds in Mathematics - coming soon to the Tom Rocks Maths YouTube channel :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Such a pleasure to not only be back in Heidelberg for the @hlforum.bsky.social, but also to be asked to host the Opening Ceremony to kick-off a week of learning with the greatest minds in Mathematics and Computer Science. More to follow over the next 7 days - including the usual Laureate selfies :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/12/t... The TRM Essay showcase continues with articles covering the optimal strategy for "Guess Who?", the topologist's morning routine, and the connection between study hours and premature greying of your hair. Check the contents and read them all at the link above :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Shoutout to everyone in Belfast for a hugely enjoyable day of problem solving in this, and many other, universes. May your adventures be forever, successful, enjoyable and filled with mathematical mischief!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/10/t... Another group of excellent essays for you to enjoy as the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase nears its conclusion. Five more groups to go and then it will be time to announce the winners shortlist!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

That’s a wrap on Math50 - an introduction to the mathematics that will help kickstart your journey into computer science. The most fun project I’ve ever worked on, with the absolute best people. I hope you’ll all have as much fun taking the course as we have putting it all together. COMING SOON.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 07/09/2026

NEW VIDEO: youtube.com/shorts/J7rJh... Using only the numbers given, and the operations plus, minus, multiply and divide, can you make a total of 903? By far the hardest numbers round during my stint as co-host of Countdown last year - well done to anyone that can even get close!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 05/09/2026

Puzzle day 2026 with @cs50.harvard.edu and Meta live from @harvard.edu. Excited to bring this back to the UK in November at the Meta London office - look out for info on how to sign-up in the coming weeks!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/09/04/t... More maths essays for you to enjoy courtesy of group 23 in the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase. We've got maths applied to voting systems, maths applied to art, maths applied to music, and maths applied to baking sourdough. Read them all at the link above!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/calc... Join me in just under 3 weeks for my Intermediate Calculus course at Oxford University, where we'll cover my favourite topics from the calculus courses I teach to the first and second year undergrads. Full sign-up information at the link above :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Calculators at the ready. The Great Mathematical Detective is here to solve puzzles and grade exams. Both feature in the final 2 lectures of Math50 covering Statistics and Graph Theory - join live with the behind the scenes livestreams on the CS50 YouTube channel.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Welcome to the Tom Rocks Maths Casino! Tomorrow we’ll be exploring probability through a series of games including coin flips, cards, dice rolling, and bingo. Tune in @cs50.harvard.edu for the behind the scenes livestream of everything that happens on set.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Some snaps from my evening runs around Boston from the past week - it’s a beautiful city, which looks even better with these sunsets! Excited to record the final 4 lectures of Math50 over the next few days, which will include a minimum of 3 costume changes :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/08/29/t... After a brief hiatus, the essay showcase returns with group 22 and essays on optimal square-packing, speed-cubing, tarot cards, hair-braiding, and the maths behind the Enigma machine. Give them a read and learn something new :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 27/08/2026

How has the value of the rupee changed over the past 40 years? And is the kingdom of Hyrule in economic decline? Having far too much fun teaching you all about exponential functions with my Hylian Shield @cs50.harvard.edu.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 26/08/2026

A closer look at some of the Easter eggs hidden amongst the Math50 set - anything you recognise? Shoutout to the incredible production team @cs50.harvard.edu for putting this all together!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

That’s a wrap on lectures 2 and 3 for Math50 - the latest course to join the @cs50.harvard.edu portfolio. As you can see I’m having far too much fun with this set… what topic do you think I’ve been talking about?

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Final safari sights from beautiful Botswana 🇧🇼 and a fun puzzle to end the trip :) Chobe National Park is home to an estimated 50,000 elephants, which is approximately 40% of all elephants in Botswana, itself home to 1/3 of all elephants in Africa. How many elephants are in Africa?

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Filming for Maths for Introductory Computer Science with CS50 has begun. Bringing you all the maths you need to kickstart your Computer Science learning journey. Follow along next week for the behind the scenes livestreams and a first look at all the fun coming your way soon!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 19/08/2026

SIGN-UP: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/calc... Join my online Intermediate Calculus course at Oxford Lifelong Learning starting September 22nd. We'll cover my favourite parts from the first-year undergraduate course, all from the comfort of your own home via a weekly 1-hour live online class.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Rhino walk in Zambia. Such beautiful creatures <3 Zambia has the second highest percentage of protected land in Africa at 41%. Which country do you think has the highest?

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/08/16/t... We go again with another fantastic 20 essays for you to enjoy in the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase. You can look forward to drunken walks, African drum patterns, Sheldon Cooper's "Friendship Algorithm", and random world generation. Read them all at the link above!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Chasing waterfalls at Victoria Falls. SIMPLY INCREDIBLE. Victoria Falls can lay claim to the largest ‘sheet of water’ with a width of 1708m and a height of 108m. The tallest is Angle Falls in Venezuela at 979m, while the largest ‘waterfall system’ is Iguazu Falls with up to 275 separate falls.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 12/08/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/08/12/t... Almost 400 essays in but the quality just keeps on coming! Learn about a mathematic model for weight loss, the classic puzzle of the monkey and the coconuts, and why 37 is the most popular random number less than 100. Read them all at the link above :)

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 11/08/2026

Where does the French Baccalaureate General rank on my tier list of maths exams I've taken from around the world? Watch me take the exam in full - and find out the answer - here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d6C...

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 10/08/2026

THE BIG TREE. Exploring Victoria Falls on foot and making friends with warthogs. Welcome to Zimbabwe :) In case you’re wondering why I’m looking at my phone and not the river, I had just spotted an eagle and wanted to look it up on my birding app. African Fish Eagle - beautiful.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Hiking in Pretoria was one of the most surreal experiences I’ve ever had - being this close to wildlife is just <3 We managed to cover the 10.5km route with 312m elevation gain in 2 hours 46 minutes and 14,732 steps. This works out at an average of 71cm per step just below the male average of 75cm.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 07/08/2026

Exploring Sterkfontein caves where “little foot” was found and excavated over a 20-year period. Little foot is the world’s most complete Australopithecus skeleton with over 90% of bones. It dates back 3.7 million years making it half a million years older than the famous “Lucy” found in Ethiopia.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

Sunrise walk in the bush featuring a close encounter with some wild giraffe. A giraffes heart is 0.6m in length and can weigh up to 11kg making it 5 times longer and 30 times heavier than a humans. The extra size is needed to pump blood up almost 3 metres to the head.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Having far too much fun pretending I’m a real life Pokémon trainer. Which is your favourite? Managed to put together a pretty solid team at Kruger so far, though maybe missing a water type - any suggestions?

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 03/08/2026

tomrocksmaths.com/2026/08/03/t... The essays just keep on coming with Group 18 of the 2026 TRM Essay Showcase and the opportunity to learn about bubbles, butterflies, sausage rolls (yes, really), graph theory, fashion, drunk birds (apparently), and ambulances. Read them all at the link above!

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 02/08/2026

Day 1 at Kruger and I’ve already seen my favourite animal up close (elephants <heart>) and a baby hyena. Can’t wait to see what else we find over the next few days :) Fun maths fact of the day: Kruger National Park is approximately twice the size of the Safari Zone in Pokémon Gen 1.

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Dr Tom Crawford @tomrocksmaths.bsky.social · 01/08/2026

NEW VIDEO: youtube.com/shorts/LiESL... Can you solve the mutilated chessboard problem? Originally posted by Martin Gardner in Scientific American in 1957, it asks whether a chessboard with opposite corners removed can be covered completely using dominoes? With Dr Garth - YouTube's Head of Health.

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