Main content

Ian Stewart

Sue Lawley's castaway is mathematician Ian Stewart.

Sue Lawley's castaway this week believes he has the answer to "life, the universe and everything". According to mathematician Ian Stewart, it's 137-and-a-half degrees.

He calls it "the golden angle", and says it can be found everywhere in nature - whether in the pattern of seeds on a sunflower head or in the spiral of a snail's shell. Mathematics, he says, has nothing to do with arithmetic and everything to do with being able to pack the luggage into the boot of the car. But for a broken collarbone which meant he stayed at home working out puzzles with his mum, he would have remained bottom of the class and never discovered how much fun maths could be.

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: Scarborough Fair by Simon and Garfunkel
Book: Godel, Escher, Bach by Douglas Hofstadter
Luxury: Mrs Thatcher pickled in a Damien Hurst sculpture

Available now

40 minutes

Last on

Fri 20 Mar 1998 09:05
成人快手 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Sir Anthony Dowell

Next

Andrew Motion

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Starship

    We Built This City

    • Knee Deep in the Hoopla.
    • RCA.

  • The Savage

  • The Beatles

    You Can't Do That

    • A Hard Day鈥檚 Night.
    • Parlophon.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Simon & Garfunkel

      Scarborough Fair

      • Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme.
      • CBS.

  • Erik Satie

    Trois Gymnop茅dies - No. 1

    Performer: Sky.
    • Sky.
    • Ariola.

  • Richard Burton

    War of the Worlds

    • The War of the Worlds.
    • CBS.

  • Led Zeppelin

    Kashmir

    • Remasters.
    • Atlantic.

  • Nirvana

    In Bloom

    • Nevermind.
    • Geffen.

  • Book Choice

    • Godel, Escher, Bach - Douglas Hofstadter

  • Luxury Choice

    • Mrs Thatcher pickled in a Damien Hurst sculpture

Credits

Presenter Sue Lawley
Interviewed Guest Ian Stewart

Broadcasts

  • Sun 15 Mar 1998 12:15
    成人快手 Radio 4
  • Fri 20 Mar 1998 09:05
    成人快手 Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast