Martin Gardner CC-BY-SA-2.0-d Konrad Jacobs
Martin Gardner was a leading rationalist and the twentieth century’s greatest recreational mathematician. After his death in 2010, his fans established an annual Celebration of the Mind to take place on his birthday, 21 October. Each year, people hold events all over the world to remind us of his great legacy.
You can find out more about Martin Gardner via the links below:
- http://celebrationofmind.org/
- http://www.celebrationofmind.org/OCTOBER.html
- http://www.martin-gardner.org/Centennial.html
- http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/profile-of-martin-gardner/
Perhaps the greatest tribute to Gardner and his playful approach to mathematics was made by a colleague, Persi Diaconis, who wrote that Gardner “turned thousands of children into mathematicians, and thousands of mathematicians into children.”
As Good Thinking’s contribution to Celebration of the Mind 2014, science writer Simon Singh visited schools in his local borough of Richmond to talk about Martin’s life and discuss mathematical or scientific topics.
Simon visited Orleans Park School, Hampton Academy, Teddington School, Twickenham Academy and Waldegrave School for Girls (pictured here).
Simon with Pupils from Waldegrave School for Girls
