Mathematical Punch-Ons: Recent Episodes
Adam vanLangenberg
Scandalous and often bizarre stories from the people behind mathematics. No mathematical ability is required here, just an interest in people.
Alan Turing saves the world and as a reward, gets castrated.
(The line about the nappies is not true)
Sir Isaac Newton stood on the shoulders of giants. Wilhelm Gottfried Leibniz stood on Isaac's toes.
Georg Cantor is called a little girl and pushed over in the playground by the big bully, Leopold Kronecker.
Alfred Nobel incurs the wrath of the entire mathematical community, but doesn't seem to mind.