The Maths of Mozart and Birds

"In America each day, more than 2 million birds die crashing into window panes” - a fact from a recent episode of a BBC quiz show, The Unbelievable Truth. And according to the British Trust for Ornithology, 100 million crash into windows in the UK each year, with a third dying as a result. These are oft-repeated facts, but are they true? Tim Harford investigates.

Mozart’s final opera, The Magic Flute, premiered just ten weeks before the composer’s death, was the biggest hit of his life. With its pantomime-style storyline and catchy tunes, it is said to be one of the most accessible operas for the uninitiated. But, there is an awful lot going on beneath the jokes and the musical notes. Mathematician Marcus du Sautoy recently took to the stage at London’s Royal Opera House to give a mathematical reading of The Magic Flute. BBC’s Charlotte McDonald was in the audience.