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REPOST: From Ancient Greece to AI: Can Mathematics Really Be Patented?

July 29, 2026 · 18 min

Show notes

Can mathematics be patented? In this episode, I explore one of the most fascinating questions in mathematics, intellectual property, and computer science by tracing the history of patents from the ancient world to today's software and AI algorithms. Along the way, we'll discover why mathematical ideas themselves remain unpatentable while the innovative ways we apply them can change technology, and the future.

🌐 Website: https://www.MathScienceHistory.com ☕Support the show: https://paypal.com/ncp/payment/PR7F7ST49GDNA

You'll learn:

• Why mathematics itself cannot be patented but mathematical applications sometimes can. • How ancient patent and copyright ideas evolved into modern intellectual property law. • How the MP3, Fourier Series, FFT, and the Alice v. CLS Bank case shaped today's software patents.

Follow the show, subscribe on your favorite podcast platform, and leave a review to help more people discover Math! Science! History! Music: All music is public domain and has no Copyright and no rights reserved. Selections from The Little Prince by Lloyd Rodgers

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Until next time, carpe diem!

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