It's all in the numbers apparently

Radiolab from WNYC is, in my humble opinion, and in every sense of the word, RADIO GOLD. At just over 31 minutes into their latest podcast, on Numbers, Jad and Robert explore the beautiful, yet odd story of mathematician, Paul Erdös, and how he defied all the odds of succeeding in this life.

His two sisters die on the day he is born. His father is put in a Soviet Concentration camp when he is very young and eventually is killed. His mother, a mathematician, and understandably overprotective about losing her last child, basically locks him away in her home while she goes off to support herself and her son. The only books in the house are mathematics books, and lo and behold, young Paul gets 'lost in the numbers'.

Paul, despite his circumstances, earns a PhD from the University of Budapest in Hungary (his birthplace). He then goes on to steroid-ally social network like nobody's business, and before Facebook was even a twinkle in Zuckerberg's eye. This lends to Erdös authoring more papers in mathematics than any other mathematician to date.

During the segment, the reporter, Paul Hoffman, rhetorically asks how someone like Erdös could have been able to rise above his circumstances, whereas so many others in similar or less adverse situations do not.

I propose that Dr. Erdös was simply one of those special human beings who possesses undefeatable will, determination, and the ability to never give up. I think we all have the ability to gain this kind of tenacity toward life, but most of us (myself included) just are not challenged enough in our daily lives to demonstrate these most precious gifts.

I hope you enjoy this most unlikely, and interesting story on numbers. And, if you aren't there yet, at least learning how to pursue life with the same tenacity as Paul Erdös.

Thanks for stopping by,


Drew