In this month’s podcast, Australian author Matt Parker looks at the unique relationship that exists between human beings and numbers, and how it inevitably leads to mistakes large and small.

Humble Pi portrait

Using a series of examples sourced from mainly publicly available information, Parker explains how a simple misunderstanding between a human and a computer could lead to a catastrophic accident – or just a bizarre chain of events. As well as stories of how computers have got it wrong, the author also suggests ways that we can work with technology to avoid problems occurring.

Next time, we’ll be reading The Truth About Fat by Anthony Warner, author of The Angry Chef. This time, Warner directs his fury at one of society’s biggest concerns – what makes us obese and unwell in enormous numbers – and debunks theories in search of the raw truth we might not want to hear.

We want to include you, the Chemistry World reader, in the conversation so tweet your thoughts to @ChemistryWorld, or use the hashtag #BookClubCW and we’ll endeavour to include your opinions (or questions) in the podcast.