Beautiful Equations is an hour long programme looking at the use of equations in science and whether they can contain beauty. Abstract artist and self-professed know-no-maths Matt Collings talks to scientists about some of the great physics equations, tries to untangle what they mean and if they are indeed beautiful.

This is a very accessible program for the maths phobic, using the real symbols but explaining very clearly what each bit means and perhaps more importantly what it implies about the real world. It’s noticeable that the actual maths involved is no more that multiplication, division, squares and square roots. No calculus, operators or tricky vectors which is a bit of a shame because that opens up a lot of elegant things such as Maxwells equations. Some of the symbols such as entropy are named but not explained, but I’ll forgive that.

So can the equations be beautiful? I’m probably biased but I think so. The idea that mere symbols and maths can encapsulate the most profound behaviour of nature is startling. That every electron, every photon, everything behaves in a uniform way and that way can be understood, explained and predicted* by the relatively simple connections and patterns described in an equation is breathtaking. Albert Einstein’s quote “The most incomprehensible thing about our universe is that it can be comprehended.” sums it up nicely.

* yes I do know about quantum mechanics and no, not everything is neatly explained… yet.