The Langlands Program - Numberphile

Professor Edward Frenkel discusses the famed Langlands Program - "a kind of grand unified theory of mathematics". More links & stuff in full description below ↓↓↓

NUMBERPHILE

Video by Brady Haran and Pete McPartlan

Special thanks to Michael Colognori and Debbie Chakour for helping check the draft

[pixlark]

these long, detailed numberphile videos are rare but they're always the best

[drdeeglaze]

Edward’s a master of mathematical storytelling. Great video, great author.

[TheoriesofEverything]

I love Edward. Thanks for having him back on. He has the mindset that most esoteric subjects in math, like what a local system is, or a Drinfeld module, can be explained simply. I think this is a fantastic frame and a necessary precondition to indeed explain simply ;).

[ChrisShawUK]

This is one of the great numberphile videos. Exactly why I will be a patron for as long as Brady keeps making them

[sinaumath]

This guy is my favorite professor in Numberphile

[bmenrigh]

Possibly the best Numberphile video yet. I love this longer format where experts discuss huge topics.

[Zach]

The Langlands program is absolutely fascinating! I’m so glad Brady gave it an entire hour

[alexcarlman]

What a brilliant way to concretely elucidate an esoteric topic. He teaches it in a way a bright child could understand, with an unbridled and infectious enthusiasm. 10/10

[emmygold]

Frenkel is an extraordinary communicator and a joy to listen to. His passion for the material really comes through and you can feel that it's rubbing off on Brady.

[musicalmathmind]

This is awesome. As a recreational math guy that loves to tinker and try to understand these complex topics, these videos are invaluable!

[yoram_snir]

Watched the beginning of the Abel Prize lecture about Langlands just to realize the amazing effort that Brady is putting into the graphics. Here in this video, the graphics is so complimentary to the story. Wonderful work.

[Finkelthusiast]

Wow an hour long with Edward Frenkel! What a treat!

[tom]

I like that this guy is not afraid to really explain it!

[dominikrist]

This was brilliant! Please have more of these long, detailed videos on difficult topics. Edward Frenkel is a great explainer!

[lilydog]

Edward Frenkel is someone we need in every school.

[loganridings]

Brady always does a great job of bringing the importance of these topics to the surface with the right questions!

[samposyreeni]

What always surprises me most is how spot-on Brady is in all of his work. I've been called knowledgeable over a wide variety of fields myself, but I don't think I've ever been quite *that* incisive. For example the idea that there might be other kinds of between fields of mathematics really *did* have to be put in, while I would have missed that one, evenwhile being reasonably well educated and interested in math myself.

Obviously I'll be combing through Edward's book forthwith, and an hour-long with a mathematician (also a pedagogue) of his pedigree is always a treat. But since these videos are about science education and outreach, as an ardent follower, I think Brady's role in getting the thing done might be a bit understated.

[markzambelli]

I have two points to mention...

1. I find it mesmerising that Prof. Frenkel is able to not only make eye contact with Brady but also to stare directly into his camera lens to truly connect with the audience at large... a masterclass indeed!

2. I saw the BBC Horizon documentary on Wiles' feat (circa 1993) and the visuals have always struck me... a cross between a facetted torus and a weird cathedral-esque 4-d pan of columns... this always confused me yet I see now, thanks to Prof. Frenkel's simple description of what an elliptic curve and a modular form really is, that it is really so simple a concept to grasp (an example of how, sometimes, a popular documentary using flashy imagery can be misleading(?))

Thankyou for this indepth exploration... I've learned many things🥰

[thea.igamer]

We need more of these kinds of lectures covering different fields, their introductions, programs etc !

[ivankaramasov]

Edvard is an incredibly nice and down to earth guy. Listening to him almost makes me regret giving up mathematics