0:00:01.000,0:00:04.074 Subtitles downloaded from www.OpenSubtitles.org 0:00:06.760,0:00:08.960 BOY: 'One for sorrow 0:00:08.960,0:00:11.000 'Two for mirth 0:00:13.440,0:00:15.280 GIRL: 'Three for a wedding 0:00:15.280,0:00:16.880 'And four for death 0:00:16.880,0:00:18.520 BOY: 'Nine for hell.' 0:00:21.560,0:00:23.800 GIRL: '666.' 0:00:26.880,0:00:31.520 Hidden within this cathedral[br]are clues to a mystery, 0:00:31.520,0:00:34.400 something that could help answer 0:00:34.400,0:00:37.080 one of humanity's most[br]enduring questions... 0:00:38.480,0:00:42.080 ..why is the world the way it is? 0:00:43.800,0:00:47.160 The 13th-century masons[br]who constructed this place 0:00:47.160,0:00:49.400 had glimpsed a deep truth 0:00:49.400,0:00:52.680 and they built a message[br]into its very walls 0:00:52.680,0:00:56.480 in the precise proportions[br]of this magnificent cathedral. 0:01:01.080,0:01:03.240 To the medieval clergy, 0:01:03.240,0:01:06.880 these divine numbers[br]were created by God. 0:01:09.320,0:01:12.800 But to me, they're evidence[br]of something else, 0:01:12.800,0:01:16.440 a hidden code that underpins[br]the world around us, 0:01:16.440,0:01:21.440 a code that has the power to unlock[br]the laws that govern the universe. 0:01:48.720,0:01:52.400 As a mathematician,[br]I'm fascinated by the numbers 0:01:52.400,0:01:54.800 and patterns we see all around us... 0:02:04.440,0:02:08.000 ..numbers and patterns[br]that connect everything 0:02:08.000,0:02:10.720 from fish to circles 0:02:10.720,0:02:13.480 and from our ancient past 0:02:13.480,0:02:15.920 to the far future. 0:02:20.160,0:02:21.600 INDISTINCT COMMENT 0:02:28.120,0:02:30.840 Together they make up the Code... 0:02:33.200,0:02:36.040 ..an abstract world of numbers... 0:02:37.640,0:02:43.960 ..that has given us[br]the most detailed description[br]of our world we've ever had. 0:02:56.360,0:03:01.040 For centuries, people have seen[br]significant numbers everywhere... 0:03:02.680,0:03:08.120 ..an obsession that's left[br]its mark in the stones[br]of this medieval cathedral. 0:03:19.320,0:03:23.200 In the 12th century,[br]religious scholars here in Chartres 0:03:23.200,0:03:27.920 became convinced these numbers[br]were intrinsically linked[br]to the divine... 0:03:32.120,0:03:35.520 ..an idea that dates back[br]to the dawn of Christianity. 0:03:37.960,0:03:41.520 The fourth-century Algerian cleric[br]St Augustine believed 0:03:41.520,0:03:45.920 that seven was so special that it[br]represented the entire universe. 0:03:45.920,0:03:49.560 He described how seven[br]embraced all created things 0:03:49.560,0:03:52.240 and ten was beyond even the universe 0:03:52.240,0:03:55.920 because it was seven plus the three[br]aspects of the Holy Trinity - 0:03:55.920,0:03:58.920 Father, Son and Holy Ghost. 0:04:04.000,0:04:11.720 12 was also hugely important, not[br]simply because there are 12 tribes[br]of Israel or 12 disciples of Jesus, 0:04:11.720,0:04:19.240 but because 12 is divisible by one,[br]two, three, four, six and 12 itself, 0:04:19.240,0:04:21.480 more than any other number[br]around it. 0:04:21.480,0:04:24.920 For St Augustine,[br]numbers had to come from God 0:04:24.920,0:04:28.360 because they obey laws[br]that no man can change. 0:04:32.000,0:04:36.080 Around 800 years after St Augustine, 0:04:36.080,0:04:40.520 the 12th-century Chartres School[br]also recognised their significance. 0:04:44.120,0:04:48.000 It's thought that, under[br]their influence, sacred numbers 0:04:48.000,0:04:52.400 were built into the structure[br]of this majestic building. 0:04:55.400,0:05:00.320 Numbers, they believed, held[br]the key to the mystery of creation. 0:05:07.280,0:05:11.040 I've spent my entire working life[br]studying numbers, 0:05:11.040,0:05:14.680 and for me they're more[br]than just abstract entities. 0:05:14.680,0:05:16.920 They describe the world around us. 0:05:16.920,0:05:19.960 Although I don't share their[br]religious beliefs, I can't help 0:05:19.960,0:05:23.400 feeling something in common with[br]the people who built this place. 0:05:23.400,0:05:26.760 I share their awe and wonder[br]at the beauty of numbers. 0:05:26.760,0:05:32.360 For them, those numbers brought them[br]closer to God, but I think they're[br]important for another reason, 0:05:32.360,0:05:36.600 because I believe they're the key[br]to making sense of our world. 0:05:41.960,0:05:47.640 Numbers have given us[br]an unparalleled ability[br]to understand our universe. 0:05:50.440,0:05:55.080 And in places, this code[br]literally emerges from the ground. 0:06:01.600,0:06:04.200 Rural Alabama, 0:06:04.200,0:06:07.240 spring 2011. 0:06:09.280,0:06:12.360 Warm, lush and peaceful. 0:06:18.600,0:06:21.560 But this year,[br]there's a plague coming. 0:06:29.600,0:06:32.080 While some locals are moving out, 0:06:32.080,0:06:36.760 Dr John Cooley has driven[br]thousands of miles to be here. 0:06:40.480,0:06:44.440 He's on the trail of one[br]of the area's strangest residents. 0:06:51.400,0:06:56.440 We have been driving around[br]looking for the emergences for[br]about three and a half weeks. 0:06:56.440,0:07:01.400 I've driven 7,200 miles[br]since Good Friday trying to figure[br]out where these things are. 0:07:06.600,0:07:11.320 What makes these insects[br]so remarkable is their[br]bizarre lifecycle. 0:07:13.960,0:07:19.160 For 12 whole years, they live hidden[br]underground, in vast numbers. 0:07:23.160,0:07:26.080 Then, in their 13th year... 0:07:26.080,0:07:28.920 at precisely the same time... 0:07:30.600,0:07:34.640 ..they all burrow out[br]from the earth to breed. 0:07:40.760,0:07:46.600 At the full part of the emergence,[br]there will be millions of insects[br]out per acre. They'll be everywhere. 0:07:46.600,0:07:48.560 It really is insect mayhem. 0:07:55.120,0:07:59.400 This is the periodical cicada. 0:08:01.040,0:08:03.680 This one is a male... 0:08:05.320,0:08:08.120 ..and you know that[br]because on the abdomen, 0:08:08.120,0:08:10.440 there's a pair[br]of organs called timbles, 0:08:10.440,0:08:12.760 and they're sound-producing organs. 0:08:12.760,0:08:15.680 It's a little membrane that's[br]vibrated, it makes a sound. 0:08:15.680,0:08:18.720 Oh, yeah. I don't have to be[br]frightened of these, do I? 0:08:18.720,0:08:22.440 No, no, they're absolutely harmless.[br]They make wonderful pets. Really? 0:08:22.440,0:08:25.240 Mm-hm. They're quite ticklish.[br]It's a harmless insect. 0:08:25.240,0:08:28.720 It doesn't bite, it doesn't sting,[br]nothing of that sort. 0:08:28.720,0:08:31.600 Its only defence[br]is safety in numbers. 0:08:33.880,0:08:38.200 By emerging in such vast numbers,[br]each individual cicada 0:08:38.200,0:08:40.920 minimises its risk of being eaten. 0:08:40.920,0:08:43.440 Because there are so many of them, 0:08:43.440,0:08:47.120 their predators simply[br]can't eat them fast enough. 0:08:48.320,0:08:51.560 Well, you can certainly hear[br]the cicadas. 0:08:51.560,0:08:54.680 Yes, you can. There are probably[br]millions of them up there. 0:08:54.680,0:09:00.160 Millions? Yeah, millions. What[br]you probably don't realise is you're[br]only hearing half the population. 0:09:00.160,0:09:02.000 Only the males make[br]these loud sounds. 0:09:02.000,0:09:04.640 There are just as many females[br]up there as well. 0:09:04.640,0:09:08.280 And it's extraordinary to think[br]that if we came here next year, 0:09:08.280,0:09:11.960 we wouldn't hear this sound at all?[br]You'll have to come back[br]in 13 years. 0:09:11.960,0:09:16.200 So 2024 is when you'll hear the[br]forest singing like this again? 0:09:16.200,0:09:18.600 That's right. That's amazing. 0:09:25.480,0:09:30.840 Why have the cicadas evolved[br]with this 13-year lifecycle[br]as opposed to any other number? 0:09:30.840,0:09:36.120 Well, you have to remember[br]that these cicadas require[br]large numbers to survive predators, 0:09:36.120,0:09:41.360 and so we think that these[br]long lifecycles in some way help[br]them maintain large populations. 0:09:46.680,0:09:50.720 John believes that,[br]by appearing every 13 years, 0:09:50.720,0:09:54.040 the cicadas minimise their chances[br]of emerging at the same time 0:09:54.040,0:09:57.480 as other cicadas[br]with different lifecycles... 0:09:59.880,0:10:05.160 ..because if they were[br]to interbreed, it could have[br]disastrous consequences. 0:10:07.800,0:10:11.520 The offspring would have[br]unusual lifecycles. 0:10:11.520,0:10:17.000 They're going to emerge a little[br]bit here, a little bit there, some[br]this year and some that year in small 0:10:17.000,0:10:21.800 numbers, and that's key because[br]if they emerge in small numbers,[br]the predators eat them. 0:10:33.520,0:10:38.560 The cicadas' survival[br]depends on avoiding other broods. 0:10:53.840,0:10:58.480 Imagine you've got[br]a brood of cicadas[br]that appears every six years. 0:11:10.800,0:11:13.520 Now, let's suppose[br]there's another brood 0:11:13.520,0:11:16.880 which wants to try and avoid[br]the red cicadas. 0:11:16.880,0:11:21.760 One way to do that would be[br]to appear less often in the[br]forest, and that actually works. 0:11:21.760,0:11:25.160 So let's suppose[br]this brood appears every nine years. 0:11:33.480,0:11:36.920 So if the green cicada appears[br]every nine years, 0:11:36.920,0:11:40.720 then it only coincides[br]with the red cicada every 18 years. 0:11:41.840,0:11:46.320 But, rather surprisingly, a smaller[br]number, seven, works even better. 0:11:57.240,0:12:01.560 Coming out every seven years[br]instead of every nine 0:12:01.560,0:12:04.760 means the cicadas appear together[br]much less often. 0:12:07.240,0:12:11.480 Now they only[br]coincide every 42 years. 0:12:12.480,0:12:15.320 That's just twice every century. 0:12:18.600,0:12:20.920 And for the real cicadas, 0:12:20.920,0:12:26.960 a 13-year lifecycle has exactly[br]the same effect as seven does here 0:12:26.960,0:12:31.760 because they both belong[br]to a special series of numbers. 0:12:31.760,0:12:35.520 Like 13, seven is a prime number. 0:12:35.520,0:12:40.920 Unlike other numbers,[br]primes can only be divided[br]by themselves and one, 0:12:40.920,0:12:45.200 and it's this property[br]that means that numbers[br]that are separated by primes 0:12:45.200,0:12:49.000 are far less likely to coincide[br]with multiples of other numbers. 0:12:50.600,0:12:55.160 Because 13 is a prime number,[br]a 13-year lifecycle 0:12:55.160,0:12:59.800 makes the cicadas much less likely[br]to coincide with other groups. 0:13:02.240,0:13:06.200 Up in Georgia, there is another[br]brood of periodical cicada 0:13:06.200,0:13:09.040 and they, too,[br]have a prime number lifecycle. 0:13:09.040,0:13:11.840 They come out every 17 years. 0:13:11.840,0:13:16.080 Because 13 and 17[br]are both prime numbers, 0:13:16.080,0:13:22.440 the two broods only emerge together[br]once every 221 years. 0:13:29.920,0:13:34.760 Prime numbers are intimately[br]linked to the cicadas' survival 0:13:34.760,0:13:36.600 and, intriguingly, 0:13:36.600,0:13:41.280 they're one of the most[br]important elements of the Code, 0:13:41.280,0:13:45.920 because the Code[br]is a mathematical world, 0:13:45.920,0:13:49.160 built from numbers. 0:13:49.160,0:13:53.920 Just as atoms[br]are the indivisible units[br]that make up every physical object, 0:13:53.920,0:13:58.480 so prime numbers are the indivisible[br]building blocks of the Code. 0:14:03.360,0:14:07.280 Prime numbers are indivisible,[br]which means they can't be made 0:14:07.280,0:14:10.640 by multiplying[br]any other numbers together. 0:14:12.280,0:14:17.200 But every non-prime number[br]can be created by multiplying[br]primes together. 0:14:20.560,0:14:23.720 It's impossible to make[br]any numbers without them. 0:14:29.760,0:14:33.280 And if any primes are missing, 0:14:33.280,0:14:36.920 there will always be[br]some numbers you can't create. 0:14:44.040,0:14:48.520 For me, the fact that the most[br]fundamental units of mathematics 0:14:48.520,0:14:50.880 can be found woven[br]into the natural world 0:14:50.880,0:14:55.400 is not only compelling evidence[br]that the Code exists, 0:14:55.400,0:14:59.160 but also that numbers[br]underpin everything... 0:15:00.520,0:15:04.080 ..including our own biology. 0:15:34.200,0:15:37.280 This is an innately human[br]characteristic. 0:15:37.280,0:15:43.560 Music is one of the things which[br]defines who we are, and each culture[br]has its own particular style. 0:15:43.560,0:15:46.400 These guys make it seem[br]so effortless, as if the notes 0:15:46.400,0:15:50.560 are just thrown together,[br]but that's simply an illusion. 0:15:54.000,0:15:57.160 MUSIC ENDS, APPLAUSE 0:15:58.400,0:16:02.440 Because, just as numbers[br]govern the cicadas' lives, 0:16:02.440,0:16:05.280 so they determine how WE hear sound. 0:16:26.520,0:16:28.240 That's a C. 0:16:28.240,0:16:31.400 And using this oscilloscope,[br]I can get a picture of that note. 0:16:32.480,0:16:36.160 So I can actually[br]SEE the sound wave. 0:16:36.160,0:16:40.040 Now, the height of the wave[br]corresponds to how loudly[br]I'm playing the note, 0:16:40.040,0:16:42.760 so if I play the note[br]very quietly... 0:16:42.760,0:16:47.560 play it very loudly...I suddenly[br]get a huge wave on the screen. 0:16:47.560,0:16:51.400 The more important thing[br]is the distance between[br]the peaks of the wave, 0:16:51.400,0:16:54.840 because that's determined by[br]the pitch or frequency of the note. 0:16:55.840,0:16:57.400 'The higher the note... 0:16:58.960,0:17:02.960 'the shorter the distance[br]between the peaks.' 0:17:09.240,0:17:11.680 Now, look what happens[br]when I play a C... 0:17:13.840,0:17:17.600 ..and compare that with the same[br]note, a C, but an octave higher. 0:17:20.520,0:17:24.040 Something rather surprising emerges, 0:17:24.040,0:17:27.760 because now you can see[br]that the higher note has twice 0:17:27.760,0:17:29.720 as many peaks as the lower note, 0:17:29.720,0:17:35.480 which means the frequency of the[br]high C is twice that of the low C. 0:17:35.480,0:17:38.120 And this happens whatever[br]two notes you choose. 0:17:38.120,0:17:44.000 Provided they're an octave apart,[br]then their frequencies are going[br]to be in this one-to-two ratio. 0:17:48.880,0:17:53.480 Two notes which are an octave[br]apart just sound nice together,[br]and they're actually the most 0:17:53.480,0:17:56.560 harmonious combination of notes[br]that you can have. 0:17:56.560,0:18:02.560 And that's because one to two[br]is the simplest possible frequency[br]relationship, and that's what 0:18:02.560,0:18:09.160 music is all about, because it's[br]these simple whole-number ratios[br]that sound so good to the ear. 0:18:09.160,0:18:11.720 A perfect fifth... 0:18:11.720,0:18:14.440 is a frequency ratio[br]of three to two. 0:18:14.440,0:18:16.400 A perfect fourth... 0:18:16.400,0:18:17.920 is four to three. 0:18:17.920,0:18:21.560 And a slightly more complex sound,[br]a minor sixth... 0:18:23.240,0:18:26.840 ..that's a frequency ratio[br]of five to eight. 0:18:28.720,0:18:34.480 Every combination of notes used in[br]music is defined by simple ratios. 0:18:36.360,0:18:40.960 Although we might not be aware of[br]it, these numerical rules underpin 0:18:40.960,0:18:46.360 everything from the simplest song[br]to the most elaborate symphony. 0:18:46.360,0:18:50.240 They're so deeply ingrained[br]that when they're broken, 0:18:50.240,0:18:53.040 we intuitively know[br]something is wrong. 0:19:05.800,0:19:09.520 Professor Judy Edworthy[br]understands this more than most. 0:19:14.040,0:19:20.080 She spends her time subjecting[br]people to some of most unpleasant[br]noises imaginable. 0:19:21.080,0:19:22.520 Hi, Judy. 0:19:22.520,0:19:24.560 Ah, hello. Marcus. 0:19:24.560,0:19:28.800 'Her research investigates[br]the psychological effects of sound. 0:19:33.400,0:19:41.640 'And by using complex ratios[br]instead of simple ones, the noises[br]she creates are nothing like music.' 0:19:41.640,0:19:45.600 You can see just by looking at it[br]it's not going to sound nice. 0:19:45.600,0:19:47.360 The wave looks a mess. 0:19:47.360,0:19:49.920 The wave is a mess.[br]It's very difficult to see a pattern. 0:19:49.920,0:19:54.200 CONSTANT DRONE 0:19:54.200,0:19:56.440 OK. It sounds really quite odd now. 0:19:56.440,0:20:01.240 It doesn't have any pitch. It sounds[br]harsh and I could make it louder[br]and that would make it harsher. 0:20:01.240,0:20:05.200 When the various frequencies aren't[br]simple multiples of one another, 0:20:05.200,0:20:08.000 there's no common pattern[br]for the ear to respond to, 0:20:08.000,0:20:12.280 and the more complex you make[br]the ratios, the more dissonant[br]and harsh the sound will get. 0:20:16.040,0:20:20.400 By monitoring her victims' reactions[br]to these appalling noises, 0:20:20.400,0:20:23.960 Professor Edworthy has found[br]they have a very different effect 0:20:23.960,0:20:25.440 on our minds than music. 0:20:25.440,0:20:27.480 ALARM BEEPS 0:20:27.480,0:20:30.160 HONKING 0:20:30.160,0:20:31.200 WHIRRING 0:20:31.200,0:20:33.880 They're so unpleasant...[br]HAMMERING 0:20:33.880,0:20:37.080 ..they shock our brains into action. 0:20:37.080,0:20:38.960 For example, a siren. 0:20:38.960,0:20:42.720 HIGH-PITCHED SIREN BLARES 0:20:45.840,0:20:50.480 That's quite a harsh sound,[br]but it's designed for a purpose -[br]to get you out of the way. 0:20:50.480,0:20:54.000 Sometimes you find these sounds[br]in the animal world as well. 0:20:54.000,0:20:56.960 So this, for example, this is[br]a chimpanzee and an orang-utan. 0:20:56.960,0:21:00.360 INTERMITTENT SCREECHING 0:21:03.480,0:21:07.560 OK, these animals are obviously[br]quite bothered by something. 0:21:07.560,0:21:11.840 You don't need to know[br]what that sound means to know[br]that that animal's not happy 0:21:11.840,0:21:17.680 and also that the other animals in[br]that environment and us, for example,[br]should just get out of the way. 0:21:17.680,0:21:20.040 SHORT SCREECH 0:21:20.040,0:21:23.200 So it's interesting[br]that we really hear pattern, 0:21:23.200,0:21:27.560 and when it isn't there,[br]it creates an effect in all of us. 0:21:27.560,0:21:30.480 LOW-PITCHED SCREECH 0:21:37.200,0:21:41.280 Remarkably,[br]it's numerical patterns in the Code 0:21:41.280,0:21:45.080 that dictate the combinations[br]of sounds we hear as music... 0:21:45.080,0:21:47.360 RUSTLING 0:21:47.360,0:21:51.000 ..and those we hear simply as noise.[br]CHIRPING, SIREN 0:21:51.000,0:21:54.120 BELL TOLLS 0:21:54.120,0:21:58.840 And perhaps stranger still,[br]it's these same numbers 0:21:58.840,0:22:02.160 that are built into the walls[br]of this medieval cathedral. 0:22:08.440,0:22:12.600 Two notes[br]which are an octave apart are[br]going be in this one-to-two ratio. 0:22:20.240,0:22:23.960 The width of the nave here is twice[br]the distance between 0:22:23.960,0:22:30.360 each of the columns that run up[br]its length - a ratio of two to one. 0:22:30.360,0:22:34.680 The most harmonious[br]combination of notes from a pair. 0:22:34.680,0:22:38.520 The altar divides the nave[br]into a ratio of eight to five. 0:22:40.280,0:22:42.560 A minor sixth... 0:22:42.560,0:22:44.000 eight to five. 0:22:47.960,0:22:49.680 A perfect fifth... 0:22:49.680,0:22:51.920 three to two. 0:22:51.920,0:22:55.440 A perfect fourth is four to three. 0:22:55.440,0:22:57.600 Major third, five to four. 0:23:00.720,0:23:04.360 And that's what music is all about. 0:23:04.360,0:23:09.000 St Augustine believed[br]these ratios were used by God[br]to construct the universe 0:23:09.000,0:23:13.040 and that that was why[br]they produced harmony in music. 0:23:18.480,0:23:22.240 By constructing their cathedral[br]using the same ratios, 0:23:22.240,0:23:26.280 the clergy at Chartres[br]hoped to echo God's creation. 0:23:26.280,0:23:29.800 This entire place[br]is a symphony set in stone. 0:23:33.440,0:23:38.440 Using the Code's numbers has created[br]a building of awe-inspiring beauty. 0:23:52.760,0:23:54.480 The only truth there is... 0:23:54.480,0:23:56.960 Seemingly significant numbers... 0:24:03.240,0:24:06.680 By searching[br]for divine meaning in numbers, 0:24:06.680,0:24:11.560 12th-century scholars had stumbled[br]across elements of the Code. 0:24:11.560,0:24:14.280 It's very difficult to see a pattern. 0:24:16.960,0:24:21.920 Mysterious numbers and patterns that[br]seem to be written into our biology. 0:24:22.960,0:24:25.560 Its only defence[br]is safety in numbers. 0:24:27.880,0:24:34.200 And as we've looked closer, we[br]haven't simply found more numbers - 0:24:34.200,0:24:41.600 we've begun to uncover their[br]strangest properties and started to[br]see deep connections between them. 0:24:45.720,0:24:49.760 Back in the distant past,[br]in Neolithic times, 0:24:49.760,0:24:55.160 around 4,000 years ago, an ancient[br]people brought these stones here 0:24:55.160,0:24:57.680 and arranged them like this. 0:24:57.680,0:25:02.480 This is Sunkenkirk stone circle in[br]Cumbria and it's one of around 1,000 0:25:02.480,0:25:07.360 such structures that our ancient[br]ancestors built across the UK. 0:25:13.840,0:25:17.400 Stretching back[br]into the mists of time, 0:25:17.400,0:25:21.000 the circle has been[br]steeped in mysticism. 0:25:24.720,0:25:27.760 But whether the people who built[br]this structure knew it or not, 0:25:27.760,0:25:31.800 there is deep significance[br]hidden inside this circle. 0:25:31.800,0:25:36.080 OK, so I need to start[br]by measuring the diameter 0:25:36.080,0:25:41.360 of my circle, so that's the[br]distance from one edge to the other. 0:25:43.600,0:25:46.200 I need to go roughly[br]through the centre. 0:25:48.640,0:25:51.480 So that's 27 and 90. 0:25:55.480,0:25:58.680 Right, so now I'm going[br]to measure the circumference 0:25:58.680,0:26:01.120 of the circle. So off we go. 0:26:01.120,0:26:03.480 So around the outside. 0:26:05.520,0:26:08.320 Oh, I've never got so much exercise[br]doing maths before! 0:26:10.680,0:26:13.440 And that's the circumference. 0:26:13.440,0:26:17.880 So I've got 91 metres 0:26:17.880,0:26:20.760 and 70 centimetres. 0:26:23.000,0:26:28.160 I'm going to do[br]a little calculation. I'm going[br]to divide the circumference 0:26:28.160,0:26:32.120 of the circle by the diameter. 0:26:32.120,0:26:36.160 So 917 divided by 279. 0:26:36.160,0:26:38.440 So that's roughly three... 0:26:38.440,0:26:42.320 Bit of, er, mental arithmetic, not[br]a mathematician's strongest point. 0:26:42.320,0:26:45.040 OK, two lots of 279, 0:26:45.040,0:26:46.600 so... 0:26:46.600,0:26:49.400 not far out[br]from what I was hoping for. 0:26:49.400,0:26:54.840 So when I do that,[br]I get roughly 3.2 as the answer. 0:27:00.000,0:27:03.280 My measurements[br]weren't very precise... 0:27:04.920,0:27:10.320 ..but my answer is close[br]to a mysterious number[br]hidden within every circle. 0:27:15.000,0:27:19.840 So, for example,[br]let's take this circular plate here. 0:27:19.840,0:27:21.880 I'm going to measure its diameter. 0:27:21.880,0:27:25.120 26.4 centimetres.[br]Now its circumference. 0:27:27.160,0:27:29.080 That's a bit trickier. 0:27:29.080,0:27:31.640 82.9 centimetres. 0:27:31.640,0:27:35.640 Divide the circumference[br]by the diameter, I get 3.14. 0:27:35.640,0:27:38.560 Now let's take another circle.[br]Measure its diameter. 0:27:38.560,0:27:40.880 12.8 centimetres. 0:27:42.360,0:27:47.200 So the circumference[br]is 40.2 centimetres. 0:27:47.200,0:27:52.160 Divide the circumference[br]by the diameter and I get 3.14. 0:27:52.160,0:27:56.240 In fact, whatever circle I take,[br]divide the circumference 0:27:56.240,0:28:01.080 by the diameter and you're going[br]to get a number which starts 3.14. 0:28:01.080,0:28:04.320 This is a number we call pi. 0:28:09.440,0:28:13.920 No matter where the circles are,[br]no matter how big or small... 0:28:15.480,0:28:17.920 ..they will always contain pi. 0:28:20.200,0:28:26.680 It's this universality of the[br]number pi which tells you you've[br]identified a piece of true Code. 0:28:26.680,0:28:28.720 In fact, if you get another number, 0:28:28.720,0:28:30.840 it means[br]that you haven't got a circle. 0:28:30.840,0:28:34.000 In some sense,[br]pi is the essence of circleness, 0:28:34.000,0:28:36.840 distilled into the language[br]of the Code. 0:28:37.880,0:28:43.440 And because circles and curves[br]crop up again and again in nature, 0:28:43.440,0:28:47.560 pi can be found all around us. 0:28:51.280,0:28:54.480 It's in the gentle curve[br]of a river... 0:28:55.720,0:28:58.360 ..the sweep of a coast line... 0:29:00.440,0:29:04.240 ..and the shifting patterns[br]of the desert sands. 0:29:07.120,0:29:12.960 Pi seems written into the structures[br]and processes of our planet. 0:29:18.800,0:29:22.160 But, strangely,[br]pi also appears in places 0:29:22.160,0:29:25.640 that seem to have nothing[br]to do with circles. 0:29:31.400,0:29:35.560 I started fishing Brighton in 1972. 0:29:35.560,0:29:39.200 I've been a fisherman 40 years,[br]catching Dover sole. 0:29:41.400,0:29:45.480 That's the main target species[br]for the English Channel. 0:29:46.520,0:29:48.520 How many fish[br]do you think you get a day? 0:29:48.520,0:29:51.000 300 some days, 150 other days, 0:29:51.000,0:29:53.040 so I'd say 200 would be average. 0:29:53.040,0:29:58.080 And you've got me some[br]Dover sole today so I can have a[br]weigh of what you've caught today. 0:29:58.080,0:29:59.920 Yeah, you can play with them! OK! 0:30:02.360,0:30:06.600 What's remarkable is that, with just[br]a small amount of information... 0:30:06.600,0:30:08.840 It's 180 grams. 0:30:09.840,0:30:11.880 ..and by weighing a few fish... 0:30:11.880,0:30:13.120 That's a whopper. 0:30:13.120,0:30:14.520 ..I can use the Code 0:30:14.520,0:30:17.360 to tell me things[br]about not just today's catch... 0:30:17.360,0:30:21.320 360 grams. 50 grams. 110 grams. 0:30:22.000,0:30:25.280 ..but about all the Dover sole[br]Sam's ever fished... 0:30:25.280,0:30:28.040 Whoa, jeez, come back! 0:30:28.040,0:30:30.640 ..I can even get an estimate[br]for the largest sole 0:30:30.640,0:30:33.440 that Sam is likely[br]to have caught during his career. 0:30:33.440,0:30:34.800 Right... 0:30:34.800,0:30:41.320 First , I need to work out what[br]the average weight of a fish is, 0:30:41.320,0:30:45.560 so 140 plus 190 0:30:45.560,0:30:48.080 plus 150... 0:30:48.080,0:30:53.040 So now I need to work out[br]the standard deviation,[br]so that's 140 minus square that... 0:30:53.040,0:30:55.560 Bear with me, all right?[br]Almost there. 0:30:55.560,0:31:00.800 So he said he fished for 40 years, 0:31:00.800,0:31:06.000 and eight weeks during the year,[br]six days out of the week 0:31:06.000,0:31:10.280 and 200 sole each day, 0:31:10.280,0:31:14.160 so that gives you[br]a total of 384,000 fish. 0:31:15.880,0:31:19.600 Using these numbers,[br]I can calculate that the largest one 0:31:19.600,0:31:22.800 out of those 384,000 fish 0:31:22.800,0:31:27.880 should be about 1.3 kilograms,[br]which is roughly three pounds. 0:31:30.000,0:31:34.400 So what's the largest Dover sole[br]that you've caught in your career? 0:31:34.400,0:31:37.160 We call them door mats,[br]the large ones, 0:31:37.160,0:31:40.480 and you maybe get[br]four or five a season. 0:31:40.480,0:31:45.240 The largest, I'd say, was three[br]to three and a half pounds. 0:31:45.240,0:31:49.800 An average Dover Sole[br]is that sort of size 0:31:49.800,0:31:51.240 and these... 0:31:51.240,0:31:54.520 Wow, that's huge! Yeah! 0:31:54.520,0:31:58.400 It's a whopper. It's always nice[br]to catch big stuff, you know. 0:31:58.400,0:32:00.960 Well, I think it is anyway.[br]HE CHUCKLES 0:32:05.360,0:32:08.520 Using the Code,[br]it's possible to estimate the size 0:32:08.520,0:32:11.560 of the biggest fish[br]Sam's ever caught, 0:32:11.560,0:32:16.280 despite not weighing a single fish[br]anywhere near that size. 0:32:21.120,0:32:27.520 Now, the reason this calculation is[br]possible is because the distribution[br]of the weights of fish, 0:32:27.520,0:32:32.840 in fact the distribution[br]of lots of things like the height[br]of people in the UK or IQ, 0:32:32.840,0:32:35.720 is given by this formula. 0:32:35.720,0:32:38.760 'This is the normal[br]distribution equation, 0:32:38.760,0:32:42.160 'one of the most important bits[br]of mathematics 0:32:42.160,0:32:46.480 'for understanding variation[br]in the natural world.' 0:32:46.480,0:32:51.360 The most remarkable thing about this[br]formula isn't so much what it does 0:32:51.360,0:32:53.680 as this term here, pi. 0:32:53.680,0:32:55.840 It seems totally bizarre 0:32:55.840,0:32:59.640 that a bit of the Code[br]that has something to do[br]with the geometry of a circle 0:32:59.640,0:33:02.120 can help you to calculate[br]the weight of fish. 0:33:02.120,0:33:07.080 Pi shouldn't have anything[br]to do with fish, yet there it is. 0:33:15.320,0:33:19.800 Just as the circle[br]appears everywhere in nature, 0:33:19.800,0:33:24.200 so pi crops up again and again[br]in the mathematical world. 0:33:25.840,0:33:31.600 It's an astonishing example of[br]the interconnectedness of the Code. 0:33:31.600,0:33:36.880 A glimpse into a world where numbers[br]don't just have strange connections, 0:33:36.880,0:33:40.520 they have deeply puzzling[br]properties of their own. 0:33:43.960,0:33:46.840 Pi is what's known[br]as an irrational number. 0:33:49.040,0:33:53.120 Written as a decimal,[br]it has an infinite number of digits 0:33:53.120,0:33:56.520 arranged in a sequence[br]that never repeats. 0:33:58.200,0:34:02.720 And it's thought that any number[br]you can possibly imagine 0:34:02.720,0:34:07.360 will appear in pi somewhere,[br]from my birthday 0:34:07.360,0:34:11.080 to the answer to life,[br]the universe and everything. 0:34:14.120,0:34:17.240 Because they go on for ever,[br]we can never know all the digits 0:34:17.240,0:34:18.880 that make up pi. 0:34:18.880,0:34:22.600 But, luckily,[br]we only need the first 39 0:34:22.600,0:34:28.040 to calculate the circumference[br]of a circle the size[br]of the entire observable universe, 0:34:28.040,0:34:31.480 accurate to the radius[br]of a single hydrogen atom. 0:34:38.440,0:34:43.440 But as strange as Pi is, it does[br]at least describe a physical object. 0:34:44.680,0:34:48.200 Some numbers don't make[br]any sense in real world, 0:34:48.200,0:34:51.400 despite the fact we use them[br]all the time. 0:34:51.400,0:34:54.240 Numbers, like negative numbers. 0:34:56.920,0:35:01.320 It's impossible to trade anything,[br]stocks, shares, currency, 0:35:01.320,0:35:04.200 even fish, without negative numbers. 0:35:04.200,0:35:06.240 Most of us are comfortable them. 0:35:06.240,0:35:09.240 Even though we may not like it,[br]we understand what it means 0:35:09.240,0:35:11.520 to have a negative bank balance. 0:35:11.520,0:35:13.760 But when you start[br]to think about it, 0:35:13.760,0:35:17.400 there's something deeply strange[br]about negative numbers, 0:35:17.400,0:35:21.240 cos they don't seem to correspond[br]to anything real at all. 0:35:23.760,0:35:28.920 The deeper we look into the Code,[br]the more bizarre it becomes. 0:35:33.640,0:35:40.160 It's easy to imagine one fish[br]or two fish, or no fish at all. 0:35:40.160,0:35:44.520 It's much harder to imagine[br]what minus-one fish looks like. 0:35:44.520,0:35:49.440 Negative numbers are so odd[br]that if I have minus-one fish[br]and you give me a fish, 0:35:49.440,0:35:53.320 then all you can be certain of[br]is that I've got no fish at all. 0:36:00.880,0:36:06.680 Numbers, can exist regardless[br]of whether they make any sense[br]in the physical world. 0:36:11.040,0:36:15.680 And if you think that's odd,[br]some numbers are so strange 0:36:15.680,0:36:18.720 they don't even seem[br]to make sense as numbers. 0:36:19.960,0:36:24.080 Now, this is one of the most[br]basic facts of mathematics. 0:36:24.080,0:36:28.520 A positive number multiplied[br]by another positive number[br]is a positive number. 0:36:28.520,0:36:34.800 So for example,[br]one times one is one. 0:36:34.800,0:36:38.200 A negative number multiplied[br]by another negative number 0:36:38.200,0:36:41.200 also gives a positive number. 0:36:41.200,0:36:47.400 So for example, minus-one[br]times minus-one is plus-one. 0:36:47.400,0:36:53.080 'It's not only a rule, it's a proven[br]truth of multiplication. 0:36:53.080,0:36:57.120 'Whenever the signs are the same,[br]the product is always positive.' 0:36:57.120,0:36:59.160 From this, it's obvious 0:36:59.160,0:37:01.840 if I take any number[br]and multiply it by itself, 0:37:01.840,0:37:04.360 then the answer[br]is going to be positive. 0:37:04.360,0:37:06.680 However, in the Code, 0:37:06.680,0:37:09.480 there's a special number[br]which breaks this rule. 0:37:09.480,0:37:13.400 When I multiply it by itself,[br]it gives the answer minus-one. 0:37:13.400,0:37:17.160 It's impossible to imagine what[br]this number could be, 0:37:17.160,0:37:21.120 because there simply is no number 0:37:21.120,0:37:24.960 that when multiplied by itself,[br]gives minus-one. 0:37:24.960,0:37:29.240 This isn't a number I can calculate.[br]I can't show you this number. 0:37:29.240,0:37:31.720 Nevertheless, we've given[br]this number a name. 0:37:31.720,0:37:35.040 It's called "i", and it's part[br]of a whole class of new numbers 0:37:35.040,0:37:36.520 called imaginary numbers. 0:37:38.240,0:37:42.800 Calculating with imaginary numbers[br]is the mathematical equivalent 0:37:42.800,0:37:44.880 of believing in fairies. 0:37:46.080,0:37:50.560 But even these strangest elements[br]of the Code turn out to have 0:37:50.560,0:37:53.440 some very practical applications. 0:37:58.040,0:38:01.720 The ground's close, will you call[br]me, please, 1-1-9 next... 0:38:04.360,0:38:09.440 Runway 25, clear to land. Surface[br]is 1-3-0, less than five minutes. 0:38:09.440,0:38:12.080 'Especially on a day like this.' 0:38:15.560,0:38:21.040 8-5 Foxtrot, thank you, vacate next[br]right and park yourself 1-3 short. 0:38:21.040,0:38:25.040 '8-5 Foxtrot, 8-2-0, both making[br]approach down direct and right, 2-5.' 0:38:25.040,0:38:27.520 So where's this one coming from? 0:38:27.520,0:38:31.680 That is from Barcelona.[br]It's an Easyjet flight, EZZ6402. 0:38:31.680,0:38:35.440 Don't know how many people are[br]on board, but it seats about 190. 0:38:35.440,0:38:37.880 And here he is.[br]He's getting pretty close now. 0:38:37.880,0:38:40.120 Just less than two miles[br]till he lands. 0:38:40.120,0:38:43.760 What information is the radar[br]giving you about the aeroplanes? 0:38:43.760,0:38:47.240 The first and most important thing[br]is the position of the aircraft. 0:38:47.240,0:38:50.520 The yellow slash there[br]is where the aircraft is. 0:38:50.520,0:38:54.600 You've got the blue trail,[br]the history of where[br]the aircraft's been. 0:38:54.600,0:38:59.240 From that you get two things -[br]you get its rough heading,[br]where he's going, and its speed. 0:38:59.240,0:39:02.040 The longer the trail,[br]the faster the aircraft's going. 0:39:07.840,0:39:11.040 Radar works by sending out[br]a pulse of radio waves 0:39:11.040,0:39:14.840 and analysing the small fraction[br]of the signal that's reflected back. 0:39:19.040,0:39:23.000 Complex computation is then needed[br]to distinguish moving objects, 0:39:23.000,0:39:26.800 like planes,[br]from the stationary background. 0:39:26.800,0:39:29.880 RADIO COMMUNICATION 0:39:29.880,0:39:36.160 At the heart of that analysis lies[br]"i", the number that cannot exist. 0:39:37.800,0:39:42.560 Imaginary numbers are useful[br]for working out the complex way 0:39:42.560,0:39:44.920 radio waves interact[br]with each other. 0:39:44.920,0:39:48.600 It seems to be the right language[br]to describe their behaviour. 0:39:48.600,0:39:51.800 Now, you could do these calculations[br]with ordinary numbers. 0:39:51.800,0:39:53.600 But they're so cumbersome, 0:39:53.600,0:39:57.480 by the time you've done[br]the calculation the plane's[br]moved to somewhere else. 0:39:57.480,0:40:02.000 Attitude 6,000[br]on a squawk of 7-7-1-5. 0:40:02.000,0:40:05.040 Using imaginary numbers[br]makes the calculation simpler 0:40:05.040,0:40:07.680 that you can track the planes[br]in real time. 0:40:07.680,0:40:12.880 In fact without them,[br]radar would be next to useless[br]for Air Traffic Control. 0:40:16.640,0:40:20.680 It's kind of amazing that this[br]abstract idea lands planes. 0:40:20.680,0:40:23.520 It's a bit surprising, you're talking[br]about imaginary numbers 0:40:23.520,0:40:26.120 and this isn't imaginary,[br]this is real. This is very real. 0:40:26.120,0:40:30.000 I'm surprised at the fact[br]that something so abstract 0:40:30.000,0:40:32.040 is being used[br]in such a concrete way. 0:40:46.560,0:40:49.720 As strange as it may seem,[br]the code provides us 0:40:49.720,0:40:53.760 with an astonishingly successful[br]description of our world. 0:40:59.680,0:41:04.360 Its most ethereal numbers[br]have starkly real applications. 0:41:04.360,0:41:10.400 Its patterns[br]can explain one of the most[br]profound processes in nature - 0:41:10.400,0:41:13.880 how living things grow. 0:41:16.720,0:41:19.840 This is a picture of something[br]I've been fascinated by 0:41:19.840,0:41:22.000 ever since I became a mathematician. 0:41:22.000,0:41:26.480 It's an X-ray of a marine animal[br]called a nautilus. 0:41:26.480,0:41:31.160 And this spiral here is one[br]of the iconic images of mathematics. 0:41:31.160,0:41:34.400 Now, while I've seen pictures[br]like this hundreds of times, 0:41:34.400,0:41:37.080 I've never actually seen[br]the animal for real. 0:41:40.520,0:41:45.240 'At Brooklyn College,[br]biologist Jennifer Basil keeps[br]five of these aquatic denizens, 0:41:45.240,0:41:49.080 'for her research[br]into the evolution of intelligence.' 0:41:51.280,0:41:56.120 We keep the animals[br]in these tall tanks because[br]they're naturally active at night 0:41:56.120,0:41:59.360 and they like darkness,[br]they live in deep water. 0:41:59.360,0:42:01.680 They also like to go up[br]and down in the water column, 0:42:01.680,0:42:03.840 that kind of makes them happy. OK! 0:42:03.840,0:42:06.720 We give them the five-star[br]treatment here. Right... 0:42:08.440,0:42:11.400 This is Number Five. Ah, wow. Yeah. 0:42:11.400,0:42:12.760 Gosh, big eyes. 0:42:12.760,0:42:16.560 They have huge eyes, great for seeing[br]in low light conditions. Right. 0:42:17.680,0:42:20.000 So, here's that beautiful shell.[br]Yeah. 0:42:20.000,0:42:23.360 And the striping pattern helps them[br]hide where they live. 0:42:40.000,0:42:44.680 I've never seen the animal before[br]inside the shell, what is it? 0:42:44.680,0:42:47.520 They're related to octopuses,[br]squids and cuttlefish. 0:42:47.520,0:42:50.480 It's a little bit like[br]an octopus with a shell 0:42:50.480,0:42:54.240 and what's amazing about them[br]is that their lineage 0:42:54.240,0:42:58.120 is hundreds of millions of years old[br]and they haven't changed very much 0:42:58.120,0:43:00.520 in all that time.[br]We call them a living fossil. 0:43:00.520,0:43:05.200 It's a great opportunity to look[br]at an ancient brain and behaviour 0:43:05.200,0:43:08.800 and they're a wonderful way to study[br]the evolution of intelligence. 0:43:08.800,0:43:11.320 So are these guys intelligent, then? 0:43:11.320,0:43:15.760 Some are smarter than others,[br]like that's Number Four, 0:43:15.760,0:43:18.400 he outperforms everybody[br]in all the memory tests. 0:43:18.400,0:43:21.560 He's quite active all the time,[br]he's quite engaging. 0:43:21.560,0:43:23.880 If you put your in the water[br]he comes up to you, 0:43:23.880,0:43:27.160 whereas Number Three,[br]who happens to be a teenager, 0:43:27.160,0:43:30.320 is I'd guess you'd say more shy[br]and you put him in a new place 0:43:30.320,0:43:34.440 and he sort of just attaches[br]to the wall and sits there. 0:43:34.440,0:43:37.480 I'm interested in the shell[br]as a mathematician, 0:43:37.480,0:43:40.080 but what does the nautilus[br]use the shell for? 0:43:40.080,0:43:42.440 I think the most obvious use[br]is protection. 0:43:43.600,0:43:45.840 They also use it for buoyancy. 0:43:45.840,0:43:47.880 They only live in the front chamber 0:43:47.880,0:43:50.240 and all the other chambers[br]are filled with gas 0:43:50.240,0:43:51.520 and with some fluid. 0:43:51.520,0:43:56.560 By regulating that, they can[br]gently and passively move up and down 0:43:56.560,0:43:58.600 in the water like a submarine. 0:43:58.600,0:44:00.920 The really cool thing they can do 0:44:00.920,0:44:04.320 is they can actually survive[br]on the oxygen in the chambers, 0:44:04.320,0:44:08.600 if there's a period where[br]the oxygen goes down in the oceans. 0:44:08.600,0:44:12.840 It's one of the reasons why[br]they've lived for millions of years. 0:44:12.840,0:44:15.680 It's a really great adaptation.[br]The shell is really amazing. 0:44:18.120,0:44:22.560 But perhaps even more remarkably,[br]the rules this ancient creature 0:44:22.560,0:44:24.240 uses to construct its home 0:44:24.240,0:44:28.280 are written in the language[br]of the Code. 0:44:28.280,0:44:30.600 HORNS BLARE 0:44:38.120,0:44:42.520 The nautilus shell is one[br]of the most beautiful and intricate[br]structures in nature. 0:44:42.520,0:44:45.760 Here you can see the chambers.[br]This is the one where it lives 0:44:45.760,0:44:48.200 and these are the ones[br]it uses for buoyancy. 0:44:48.200,0:44:51.640 Now, at first sight, this looks[br]like a really complex shape, 0:44:51.640,0:44:54.240 but if I measure the dimensions[br]of these chambers 0:44:54.240,0:44:57.080 a clear pattern begins to emerge. 0:45:10.800,0:45:15.000 Now there doesn't seem to be any[br]connection between these numbers, 0:45:15.000,0:45:17.840 but look what happens[br]when I take each number 0:45:17.840,0:45:20.680 and divide it[br]by the previous measurement. 0:45:20.680,0:45:26.360 If I take 3.32 and divide by 3.07, 0:45:26.360,0:45:28.400 I get 1.08. 0:45:28.400,0:45:31.920 Divide 3.59 by 3.32 0:45:31.920,0:45:35.120 and I get 1.08. 0:45:35.120,0:45:38.760 Take 3.88 and divide by 3.59[br]and I get, again, 1.08. 0:45:40.960,0:45:45.120 So every time I do this calculation,[br]I get the same number. 0:45:45.120,0:45:47.920 So although it's not clear[br]by looking at the shell, 0:45:47.920,0:45:52.560 this tells us that the nautilus[br]is growing at a constant rate. 0:45:52.560,0:45:56.240 Everytime the nautilus builds a new[br]room, the dimensions of that room 0:45:56.240,0:46:00.080 are 1.08 times the dimensions[br]of the previous one. 0:46:00.080,0:46:03.160 And it's just by following[br]this simple mathematical rule 0:46:03.160,0:46:06.800 that the nautilus builds[br]this elegant spiral. 0:46:09.640,0:46:13.080 And because many living things[br]grow in a similar way, 0:46:13.080,0:46:16.520 these spirals are everywhere. 0:46:18.600,0:46:24.000 The rules nature uses to create[br]its patterns are found in the Code. 0:46:51.320,0:46:56.360 Behind the world we inhabit,[br]there's a strange[br]and wonderful mathematical realm. 0:46:56.360,0:47:00.200 They're actually related[br]to octopus, squids and cuttlefish. 0:47:00.200,0:47:01.840 They're quite ticklish. 0:47:05.680,0:47:11.360 The numbers and connections[br]at its heart describe the processes[br]we see all around us. 0:47:11.360,0:47:12.760 Bear with me, all right? 0:47:17.480,0:47:22.160 But the Code doesn't just contain[br]the rules that govern our planet - 0:47:22.160,0:47:28.040 its numbers also describe the laws[br]that control the entire universe. 0:47:40.520,0:47:45.800 For centuries, we've gazed out[br]into the night's sky 0:47:45.800,0:47:50.160 and tried to make sense[br]of the patterns we see in the stars. 0:48:08.280,0:48:13.320 To take a closer look, I've come[br]to Switzerland's Sphinx Observatory, 0:48:13.320,0:48:18.600 perched precariously[br]on the Jungfrau mountain. 0:48:31.240,0:48:38.280 At nearly 3,600 metres, it's one[br]of the highest peaks in the Alps. 0:48:43.200,0:48:46.840 And after the sun[br]has sunk below the horizon... 0:48:49.080,0:48:52.080 ..it's a great place[br]to gaze at the stars. 0:49:00.680,0:49:05.520 Well, it's a really clear night,[br]so you can see loads of stars. 0:49:05.520,0:49:08.920 There's Sirius over here,[br]the brightest star in the night sky 0:49:08.920,0:49:14.000 and right here a really recognisable[br]constellation, which is Orion. 0:49:14.000,0:49:16.120 Have people always picked out Orion 0:49:16.120,0:49:18.560 as a significant pattern[br]in the night sky? 0:49:18.560,0:49:22.360 It seems like different cultures[br]all picked out that group 0:49:22.360,0:49:23.880 as being a significant one. 0:49:23.880,0:49:26.280 They all have[br]different legends about it. 0:49:26.280,0:49:29.720 The Egyptians associated it[br]with Osiris, their god of death[br]and rebirth 0:49:29.720,0:49:32.560 Other cultures group them together. 0:49:32.560,0:49:35.360 A native American tribe[br]called the three stars of the belt, 0:49:35.360,0:49:38.000 the three footprints of the flee god. 0:49:38.000,0:49:42.560 One group of the Aborigines[br]in Australia called it the canoe. 0:49:47.600,0:49:52.320 Today, we don't need legends to[br]explain the patterns in the stars 0:49:52.320,0:49:56.880 because we know[br]their precise positions in space. 0:50:00.200,0:50:03.440 And we don't just know[br]where they are now, 0:50:03.440,0:50:06.680 we know where they were yesterday[br]and where they'll be 0:50:06.680,0:50:09.600 millions of years into the future. 0:50:10.720,0:50:15.440 So the Sun and all the stars in our[br]galaxy, including the stars in Orion, 0:50:15.440,0:50:18.680 are all moving in orbits[br]around the centre of the galaxy, 0:50:18.680,0:50:23.160 but like a swarm of bees,[br]although they're all moving[br]in roughly the same direction, 0:50:23.160,0:50:27.360 they all follow their own paths[br]and that means that[br]their positions will change, 0:50:27.360,0:50:29.640 as thousands of years tick by. 0:50:29.640,0:50:33.200 And now we're two-and-a-half[br]million years in the future 0:50:33.200,0:50:37.760 and the constellation of Orion[br]has completely gone. 0:50:38.880,0:50:44.440 In fact, thousands of years ago[br]our ancestors would have seen[br]different patterns in the sky 0:50:44.440,0:50:49.800 and our descendants,[br]millions of years in the future,[br]will also see different patterns. 0:50:58.200,0:51:03.160 The reason we can predict how the[br]stars will move into the far future 0:51:03.160,0:51:06.360 is because we've uncovered the rules[br]that govern their behaviour. 0:51:08.080,0:51:12.880 And we've found these rules[br]not in the heavens, but in numbers. 0:51:19.440,0:51:24.600 It's only through the Code[br]that we can understand[br]the laws that govern the universe. 0:51:49.160,0:51:52.680 Laws that describe everything[br]from the motion of the planets 0:51:52.680,0:51:55.400 to the flight of projectile. 0:51:56.560,0:51:59.640 When you watch the fireball[br]fly through the air 0:51:59.640,0:52:02.240 then it appears in the first[br]part of its flight, 0:52:02.240,0:52:04.160 when it's just left the trebuchet, 0:52:04.160,0:52:08.320 that it's accelerating upwards[br]and then it begins to slow down, 0:52:08.320,0:52:10.440 before it stops just above me 0:52:10.440,0:52:14.800 and then, finally, accelerates[br]back down towards the ground. 0:52:19.120,0:52:22.000 But if you analyse the flight[br]using numbers, 0:52:22.000,0:52:24.360 it reveals something[br]rather surprising. 0:52:26.440,0:52:30.560 When you plot a graph[br]of the projectile's vertical speed 0:52:30.560,0:52:32.680 against time... 0:52:33.760,0:52:36.760 ..you then you get a graph[br]which looks like this. 0:52:41.080,0:52:44.160 To start with,[br]the projectile is moving upwards 0:52:44.160,0:52:47.960 so it's vertical speed is positive,[br]but decreasing. 0:52:49.200,0:52:53.040 As it reaches the top of its arc,[br]the vertical speed becomes negative 0:52:53.040,0:52:58.360 as the fireball turns round[br]and falls back to Earth. 0:53:01.800,0:53:05.920 Because the graph is going like[br]this, it means that the projectile, 0:53:05.920,0:53:10.360 from the moment it leaves the[br]trebuchet, is actually slowing down. 0:53:10.360,0:53:14.800 So at no point during the flight[br]is it ever accelerating upwards. 0:53:21.080,0:53:26.160 Throughout its flight, the fireball[br]is accelerating downwards 0:53:26.160,0:53:29.040 towards the Earth[br]at a constant rate. 0:53:30.840,0:53:34.040 Something you would never realise[br]simply by watching it 0:53:34.040,0:53:36.280 fly through the air. 0:53:39.120,0:53:41.400 And this is a profound truth 0:53:41.400,0:53:44.480 about one of the fundamental[br]forces of nature... 0:53:46.400,0:53:48.160 ..gravity. 0:53:49.320,0:53:52.600 Drop, throw, fire or launch[br]anything you like - 0:53:52.600,0:53:55.760 a rock, a bullet,[br]a ball or even a pot plant 0:53:55.760,0:53:58.880 and it will accelerate towards[br]the ground at a constant rate 0:53:58.880,0:54:02.600 of 9.8 metres per second,[br]per second. 0:54:02.600,0:54:06.200 This is a fundamental law[br]of gravity on our planet. 0:54:06.200,0:54:11.040 But it's only revealed[br]by changing the flight path[br]of the object into numbers. 0:54:16.760,0:54:21.000 Appreciating this simple fact[br]about how gravity works on Earth 0:54:21.000,0:54:26.160 is the first step towards[br]understanding gravity everywhere. 0:54:39.680,0:54:45.160 It's the foundation stone[br]of Newton's Law[br]of Universal Gravitation. 0:54:46.400,0:54:51.280 A mathematical theory that can[br]describe the orbits of the planets, 0:54:51.280,0:54:56.160 predict the passage of the stars[br]into the distant future... 0:54:59.000,0:55:04.640 ..and has even enabled human kind[br]to step foot on the Moon. 0:55:08.920,0:55:14.280 The laws that command the heavens[br]are written in the Code. 0:55:26.000,0:55:29.840 'We call them the door mats,[br]the large ones. 0:55:29.840,0:55:32.560 'Two-and-a-half million years[br]in the future... 0:55:32.560,0:55:35.200 'This isn't imaginery, this is real! 0:55:39.520,0:55:44.120 'You don't need to know[br]what that means to know[br]that animal's not happy. 0:55:44.120,0:55:45.920 'Whatever circle I take, 0:55:45.920,0:55:48.880 'you're going to get[br]a number which starts 3.14.' 0:55:53.040,0:55:57.680 It's an incredible thought[br]that the only way we can[br]really make sense of our world 0:55:57.680,0:56:00.960 is by using[br]the abstract world of numbers. 0:56:00.960,0:56:05.400 And yet those numbers have allowed[br]us to take our first tentative[br]steps off our planet. 0:56:05.400,0:56:10.240 They've also given us the technology[br]to transform our surroundings. 0:56:12.320,0:56:15.120 'A hidden Code[br]underpins the world around us. 0:56:18.320,0:56:21.840 'A Code that has the power[br]to unlock the rules that[br]cover the universe.' 0:56:25.520,0:56:30.000 This place was constructed[br]to satisfy a spiritual need. 0:56:30.000,0:56:34.240 But we couldn't have built it[br]without the power of the Code. 0:56:34.240,0:56:39.920 For me, it's an exquisite[br]example of the beauty[br]and potency of mathematics. 0:56:51.120,0:56:53.880 From the patterns and numbers[br]all around us, 0:56:53.880,0:56:57.160 we've deciphered a hidden code. 0:57:11.000,0:57:15.240 We've revealed a strange[br]and intriguing numerical world, 0:57:15.240,0:57:16.960 totally unlike our own. 0:57:18.720,0:57:24.840 Yet it's a Code that also describes[br]our world with astonishing accuracy. 0:57:30.800,0:57:34.200 And has given us[br]unprecedented power to describe... 0:57:37.600,0:57:39.200 ..control... 0:57:41.640,0:57:43.880 ..and predict our surroundings. 0:57:56.920,0:58:01.280 The fact that the Code[br]provides such a successful[br]description of nature 0:58:01.280,0:58:04.160 is for many one of the greatest[br]mysteries of science. 0:58:05.240,0:58:08.600 I think the only explanation[br]that makes sense for me 0:58:08.600,0:58:11.360 is that by discovering[br]these connections, 0:58:11.360,0:58:15.000 we have in fact uncovered[br]some deep truth about the world. 0:58:15.000,0:58:18.240 That perhaps, the Code[br]is THE truth of the universe 0:58:18.240,0:58:22.880 and it's numbers that dictate[br]the way the world must be. 0:58:29.520,0:58:31.120 Go to... 0:58:34.280,0:58:37.360 ..to find clues to help you solve[br]the Code's treasure hunt. 0:58:37.360,0:58:41.000 Plus, get a free set of mathematical[br]puzzles and a treasure hunt clue 0:58:41.000,0:58:43.520 when you follow the links[br]to The Open University 0:58:43.520,0:58:46.160 or call 0845 366 8026. 0:59:00.880,0:59:03.920 Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 0:59:03.920,0:59:06.960 E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk 0:59:07.000,0:59:10.117 Download Movie Subtitles Searcher from www.OpenSubtitles.org