España
Italia 
United States 
Brasil 
Chile
Ecuador
Mexico
Colombia
Perú
United States
Do you know the wise man who measured the world? You’ve probably heard of the Library of Alexandria, but maybe you don’t know who directed it for years: Eratosthenes, a highly respected Greek scholar.
Born in Cyrene (modern-day Libya), Eratosthenes (276 BC – 194 BC) was a Greek scholar who studied in Athens and later was called to direct the Library of Alexandria, the largest and most prestigious of Antiquity.
Imagine all the knowledge he had at his fingertips! Eratosthenes became a central figure of Hellenistic science, working in fields as diverse as literature, mathematics, geography, and astronomy.
Today we especially remember him for being the first to measure the Earth’s circumference with surprising precision… more than two thousand years ago! He did it in a way as ingenious as it was simple: he observed that, in Syene (modern-day Aswan, Egypt), at noon on the summer solstice the Sun illuminated the bottom of a well, which meant that the rays fell completely vertically there. However, that same day and at the same hour in Alexandria, objects cast shadows.
By carefully measuring the angle of that shadow—about 7.2 degrees—and knowing the distance between the two cities, he calculated that this difference was equivalent to 1/50 of the Earth’s circumference. Multiplying that distance by 50, he obtained a value surprisingly close to the real one: about 40,000 kilometers.
This great scholar not only measured the Earth and directed the Library of Alexandria: he also inspires us today to keep learning and enjoying mathematics in our daily lives.
Let’s imagine Eratosthenes strolling among infinite shelves of knowledge, always ready to point us to a new book, a curious article, or even a game to awaken our minds.
And what better than letting him guide us? So… What do you recommend from your library, Eratosthenes?
Gaussianos (Miguel Ángel Morales, since 2007)
Would you like to find a corner on the internet where mathematics becomes a constant game of curiosities? Gaussianos is one of the oldest and most widely read math popularization blogs in Spanish, where every week we find ingenious problems, numerical curiosities, the history of mathematics, and challenges to test the mind. Its approachable style and its ability to explain complex concepts without losing rigor have made it a reference for teachers, students, and anyone curious who wants to enjoy mathematics from another angle.
Quanta Magazine (Simons Foundation, since 2012)
What if we could follow in real-time the big questions being asked by the world’s leading mathematicians and scientists? Quanta Magazine is a non-profit digital magazine in English that offers in-depth reporting on mathematics, physics, computer science, and biology, written with exceptional journalistic rigor but designed for a broad and curious audience. With careful illustrations and explanations that make the most advanced research accessible, Quanta is a privileged window into what is happening right now at the frontier of knowledge.
Cultura Científica (Cátedra de Cultura Científica de la UPV/EHU, since 2013)
How is science transmitted when we want it to reach everyone, not just experts? The Cuaderno de Cultura Científica, promoted by the University of the Basque Country, is a popularization space in Spanish that approaches mathematics along with other scientific disciplines through clear, well-documented articles written by researchers and science communicators. In it, we find everything from reflections on the history of mathematics to explanations of current concepts, always with the aim of bringing science closer to everyday life.
Marja van den Heuvel-Panhuizen (2008) – Children Learn Mathematics
A book that explores how children build their mathematical understanding through experience, play, and interaction with others. From a perspective focused on active learning, it shows how mathematical ideas emerge from everyday situations and transform into formal thinking thanks to the guidance of teachers. The work combines theory, research, and practical examples to demonstrate that learning mathematics is not about memorizing rules but about discovering patterns, formulating conjectures, and making sense of numbers and operations.
Edward Frenkel (2013) – Love and Math
A story that combines autobiography, passion, and intellectual discovery around the world of mathematics. Edward Frenkel narrates his personal journey from his childhood in the Soviet Union—marked by discrimination—to becoming one of the most recognized mathematicians of his generation. With a warm and passionate style, the author shows how mathematics is not just abstract formulas but a language capable of revealing the beauty and hidden structure of the universe. Love and Math is both a story of overcoming challenges and an invitation to share the thrill of great mathematical ideas.
Héctor Ruiz (2020) – How do we learn
A book that brings the findings of cognitive science into the classroom and daily life. Héctor Ruiz explains clearly and rigorously what research tells us about how memory works, what conditions make learning long-lasting, and what practices are most effective for teaching and studying. Against widespread myths, the author offers evidence and concrete strategies to help us harness the potential of our minds. How We Learn is both an accessible introduction to the science of learning and a practical guide for students, teachers, and anyone interested in improving the way they acquire and retain new knowledge.
Butterfield & Strong (2022) – Dear Math
A book that celebrates mathematics as a human, creative, and emotional experience. Through letters written by students, educators, and enthusiasts of the subject, it offers an intimate and diverse view of the relationship each person maintains with numbers, formulas, and problems. Some voices speak of fascination and gratitude; others of frustrations and challenges overcome. Taken together, Dear Math is a mosaic of personal stories showing that mathematics is not just a set of abstract rules but a living language that connects with our emotions, aspirations, and ways of seeing the world.
Good Will Hunting (1997, Gus Van Sant)
A film that combines drama, emotion, and reflection around talent, opportunities, and second chances. Will Hunting, a young man with a prodigious gift for mathematics, works as a janitor at MIT until a professor discovers his talent. However, his life is marked by deep wounds and a fierce resistance to trusting others. The arrival of Sean Maguire, a psychologist played by Robin Williams, opens the door to a transformative relationship where friendship, pain, and the search for identity intersect. Good Will Hunting is an intimate portrait of the struggle between fear and human potential, as well as a tribute to the power of authentic relationships.
A Beautiful Mind (2001, Ron Howard)
A film inspired by the life of mathematician John Nash, Nobel Prize winner in Economics. The story follows his rise as a young prodigy at Princeton, where he stands out for his brilliance and originality in developing revolutionary theories about games and strategies. His tireless pursuit of a unique discovery leads him to face intense personal and professional challenges. A Beautiful Mind is a moving portrait of human genius, as well as a reflection on creativity, ambition, and the power of the relationships that sustain us in the hardest times.
Fermat’s Room (2007, Luis Piedrahita y Rodrigo Sopeña)
A mathematical thriller in which four strangers, each with a special talent for puzzles, are invited by a mysterious host to solve a great intellectual challenge. Locked in a room that slowly begins to shrink, they discover they must solve a series of logic and math riddles to survive. As the tension grows, suspicions and secrets emerge, revealing that nothing is what it seems. Fermat’s Room combines intrigue, ingenuity, and suspense in a deadly game where mathematics is both the key to the solution and the trap.
Moneyball (2011, Bennet Miller)
A film showing how statistics and data analysis revolutionized baseball. Based on true events, it follows Billy Beane, general manager of the Oakland Athletics, who, with a limited budget, faces the challenge of building a competitive team. With the help of a young economist, he defies the sport’s old traditions and bets on an innovative method: selecting players using mathematical models and undervalued metrics.
The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015, Matt Brown)
A film inspired by the life of Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan, a self-taught genius with extraordinary talent for numbers. Set in the early 20th century, it tells the story of his journey from Madras to the University of Cambridge, where he develops an intense and transformative relationship with Professor G.H. Hardy. The story portrays the cultural clash, academic difficulties, and personal sacrifices that marked his life, while highlighting the beauty of his discoveries.
The first school (2024, Éric Besnard)
Set in 1889, Louise Violet follows a passionate young teacher who arrives in a rural French village to lead the first public school for girls. Facing suspicion, resistance, and prejudice, she perseveres with courage and hope. A moving portrait of education as a force for freedom and social change.
Hidden Figures (2016, Theodore Melfi)
A film that rescues the real-life story of three brilliant African American women scientists—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—who worked at NASA during the space race. In a context marked by racial and gender segregation, their calculations and contributions proved decisive to the success of historic missions, such as John Glenn’s launch into orbit.
Professor Layton – Video Game Series (Nintendo DS/3DS)
A series of video games starring archaeologist Hershel Layton and his apprentice Luke. The storyline combines narrative adventures with hundreds of logic and math puzzles, perfect for learning while playing.
Prime climb – Dan Finkel
A board game to learn and have fun with prime numbers and basic operations. Widely used in schools and families around the world, it combines learning and strategy in a playful way.
NMBR 9 – Peter Wichmann
NMBR 9 is an abstract board game designed by Peter Wichmann (2017) where players build structures using three-dimensional number tiles. The goal is to place the numbers strategically to score as many points as possible — the higher the number is placed, the more it’s worth. Easy to learn but full of tactical depth and visually engaging.
Arcavi (1999) – What Do We Build When Teaching Mathematics?
An article that invites reflection on the deeper meaning of teaching mathematics. Arcavi argues that, beyond transmitting procedures and results, teachers help shape ways of thinking, reasoning, and relating to knowledge. Teaching mathematics also means transmitting values, attitudes, and approaches to solving problems, as well as a certain image of what mathematics is and what it is for. The author emphasizes the responsibility of teachers to open spaces for creativity, exploration, and dialogue so that learning goes beyond mechanical repetition and becomes a comprehensive formative experience.
Randall Charles (2005) – Big Ideas and Understandings
An article highlighting the importance of identifying and working with the “big ideas” in mathematics teaching. Randall Charles argues that deep learning does not come from accumulating isolated procedures but from understanding central concepts that organize and give meaning to mathematical knowledge. These big ideas act as guiding threads that allow students to connect different topics, transfer learning, and develop a more coherent view of the discipline. He contends that, by focusing on these essential understandings, teachers make mathematics more meaningful, accessible, and useful for all students.
Barba & Calvo (2012–2021) – Serie “Ell@s tienen la palabra”
A series of publications giving voice to the true protagonists of learning: the students themselves. Barba and Calvo collect, analyze, and share reflections, experiences, and perceptions of children and young people about mathematics and its teaching. Through their testimonies, both the usual difficulties and tensions in the classroom and the moments of discovery, motivation, and enjoyment are revealed. The series shows that listening to and understanding students’ voices is key to rethinking teaching practice and building a closer, more meaningful, and transformative mathematics education.
Niss & Højgaard (2019) – Mathematical Competencies Revisited
An article that updates and expands the influential framework of mathematical competencies first proposed by Mogens Niss. Niss and Højgaard refine the notion of “competence” to specify what it means to be competent in mathematics and how this concept can guide teaching, learning, and assessment. The text describes different competencies—such as modeling, representation, communication, and reasoning—and analyzes how they interrelate in practice. With both a theoretical and applied approach, the authors show that working on these competencies allows students to develop not only technical knowledge but also the ability to use mathematics meaningfully in diverse contexts.
Cecilia Calvo, David Barba y Anna Cerezo – Puntmat
A blog that brings together resources, articles, and proposals to connect research in didactics with classroom practice. In addition to materials and activities, it seeks to build community among teachers passionate about mathematics education, encouraging the exchange of ideas and experiences.
Albert Vilalta – La Pregunta
A Substack newsletter that explores the questions shaping meaningful mathematics teaching — one layer, one story, one classroom at a time, across languages and latitudes. Albert Vilalta, PhD, invites readers to reflect on the role of inquiry in mathematics education and to engage with diverse perspectives that highlight how powerful questions can transform both teaching and learning.
Dan Meyer – Mathworlds
An educational newsletter that proposes reflections, resources, and examples to turn math classes into meaningful and engaging experiences. Dan Meyer, a well-known educator and popularizer, provides innovative ideas for rethinking the roles of teachers and students in the classroom.
Cambridge University – Espressos
Short publications summarizing current findings in mathematics education research. Published every two months, these “espressos” clearly and accessibly explain the contributions of recent studies, bringing the academic world closer to teachers.
Numberphile – Youtube Channel
One of the most influential math popularization channels, with videos exploring numbers, theorems, paradoxes, and curiosities. Presented in an engaging and entertaining way, they make mathematics a fascinating subject for all audiences.
Apostolos Doxiadis & Christos Papadimitriou – Logicomix
A graphic novel that combines history, philosophy, and mathematics to narrate the search for the logical foundations of the discipline through the figure of Bertrand Russell. With an immersive narrative style and expressive illustrations, it turns a complex topic into an accessible and captivating intellectual adventure.
Veritasium – Youtube Channel
A science popularization channel with millions of followers, known for its attractive and visual style. Through experiments, explanations, and paradoxes, it brings mathematical and scientific phenomena closer in a provocative and inspiring way.
