Untangling the Secrets of Knot Theory: An Introduction - Dr Richard Hadjii
28th February 2026
Richard will give a gentle introduction to the subject of Knot Theory - the branch of mathematics that studies "loops" in three-dimensional space. In this talk, we move beyond the frustration of tangled shoelaces to discover the elegant mathematics hidden within loops. During the session, we will dive into: The Big Questions: How can we tell if two knots or links are actually the same, or if one is fundamentally more complex than the other?Mathematical "Magic": We'll introduce Reidemeister moves, a set of three simple "rules" that allow us to twist and pull a knot or link without changing its identity.
Invariants: We will explore how mathematicians use "cheat codes", like polynomials, to label knots and prove their differences mathematically.