Christopher Havens was a smart kid. While it mightn’t have been the best move for his social status in the fourth grade, he was so keen on maths that he even tutored his classmates. Nerd alert! Maybe that’s why he eventually got caught up in the wrong crowd. He just wanted to fit in and be cool like everyone else.

And of course, being cool meant smoking weed and drinking alcohol, which led to mushrooms and LSD. And then things eventually spiralled into pain pills and crystal meth, which spiralled even more out of control, resulting in him murdering someone. Sigh.

Before going to prison, Haven’s dad gave him some helpful advice to survive incarceration - be the shark, not the clownfish. So, of course, Haven interpreted that advice as beating up another prisoner so he could join a gang. While that act might have confirmed his loyalty to the gang, it also opened the door to his new accommodation in solitary confinement. AKA Hell on earth. 

Nothing but blank concrete walls, the smell of your own shit, and a bright fluorescent light to keep you company all day and all night. It was enough to drive a person mad, and by the sounds of the constant kicking and screaming next door, his neighbours were already there. Thankfully Havens was thrown a lifeline…in the form of a maths puzzle.



CHAPTERS:
00:00 The Horrors of Solitary Confinement
02:42 Christopher Havens' downward spiral
03:30 Algebra: A Solitary Confinement Lifeline
10:06 Flow State in the Midst of Hell
14:31 Solving the Unsolvable for Umberto Cerruti
21:36 Giving Back with the Prison Math Project
23:17 The Journal of Prisoners on Prisons
26:31 Recidivism and Rehabilitation
28:50 The Power of Education in Reducing Recidivism
32:40 Spoiler Altert: Solitary Confinement Doesn’t Work
34:04 What’s Next on The Wholesome Show?



SOURCES:
A conversation with Christopher Havens, Prison Mathematics Project
A systematic review of criminal recidivism rates worldwide: 3-year update
An inmate’s love for math leads to new discoveries
How a maximum security prison offers a pathway to academic excellence and a PhD
Moving from prison to a PhD
Pioneering Advanced Math from Behind Bars
Recidivism Rates by Country 2024
This Inmate Used Solitary Confinement to Learn Math. Now He's Solving the World's Hardest Equations
Why Prison Education?

Christopher Havens was a smart kid. While it mightn’t have been the best move for his social status in the fourth grade, he was so keen on maths that he even tutored his classmates. Nerd alert! Maybe that’s why he eventually got caught up in the wrong crowd. He just wanted to fit in and be cool like everyone else.
And of course, being cool meant smoking weed and drinking alcohol, which led to mushrooms and LSD. And then things eventually spiralled into pain pills and crystal meth, which spiralled even more out of control, resulting in him murdering someone. Sigh.
Before going to prison, Haven’s dad gave him some helpful advice to survive incarceration - be the shark, not the clownfish. So, of course, Haven interpreted that advice as beating up another prisoner so he could join a gang. While that act might have confirmed his loyalty to the gang, it also opened the door to his new accommodation in solitary confinement. AKA Hell on earth. 
Nothing but blank concrete walls, the smell of your own shit, and a bright fluorescent light to keep you company all day and all night. It was enough to drive a person mad, and by the sounds of the constant kicking and screaming next door, his neighbours were already there. Thankfully Havens was thrown a lifeline…in the form of a maths puzzle.
 
CHAPTERS:
<ul>
<li>00:00 The Horrors of Solitary Confinement</li>
<li>02:42 Christopher Havens' downward spiral</li>
<li>03:30 Algebra: A Solitary Confinement Lifeline</li>
<li>10:06 Flow State in the Midst of Hell</li>
<li>14:31 Solving the Unsolvable for Umberto Cerruti</li>
<li>21:36 Giving Back with the Prison Math Project</li>
<li>23:17 The Journal of Prisoners on Prisons</li>
<li>26:31 Recidivism and Rehabilitation</li>
<li>28:50 The Power of Education in Reducing Recidivism</li>
<li>32:40 Spoiler Altert: Solitary Confinement Doesn’t Work</li>
<li>34:04 What’s Next on The Wholesome Show?</li>
</ul>
 
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://inclusionexclusion.org/2022/11/28/a-conversation-with-christopher-havens-prison-mathematics-project/">A conversation with Christopher Havens, Prison Mathematics Project</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6743246/">A systematic review of criminal recidivism rates worldwide: 3-year update</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://theconversation.com/an-inmates-love-for-math-leads-to-new-discoveries-130123">An inmate’s love for math leads to new discoveries</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2021/10/how-a-maximum-security-prison-offers-a-pathway-to-academic-excel">How a maximum security prison offers a pathway to academic excellence and a PhD</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-019-03370-1">Moving from prison to a PhD</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/pioneering-advanced-math-from-behind-bars/">Pioneering Advanced Math from Behind Bars</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/recidivism-rates-by-country">Recidivism Rates by Country 2024</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/math/a34887986/chris-havens-math-inmate/">This Inmate Used Solitary Confinement to Learn Math. Now He's Solving the World's Hardest Equations</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://prisonstudiesproject.org/why-prison-education-programs/">Why Prison Education?</a></li>
</ul>

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed. 

From tales of historical idiocracy and scientific genius to weird and wacky cultural phenomena, Dr Rod Lamberts and Dr Will Grant are here to take you on a wild conversational journey, deep diving into the crevices of science, history and culture that you never knew existed.

Science stories for people who sit up the back of…

The Wholesome Show

Prison Mathematician Christopher Havens' Redemption Through Maths

Back in the old days, there were pretty slim pickings about what to do for a career. Basically, people just did what their father or mother did. Then, as education became more available to the masses, every parent’s dream was for their child to become a doctor, lawyer or accountant. Secure a respectable job and make the big bucks. 



But what if you didn’t want to drag out your days in an ordinary job, working for the man in a major multinational corporation? What if you were more interested in say, mystical and astrological matters?



In 1996, when Rod was deciding his career fate, there was actually a one-year diploma in Astrology and Jungian psychology from The Urania Trust in London. He nearly signed up but chickened out and did the corporate grad entry thing instead. He loved it (NOT). Don’t make his mistake! Whatever you’re interested in, there’s a degree out there and some of them are pretty wild.



CHAPTERS:

00:00 Rod’s dreams for psychoanthropology

05:07 Masters of Science: Brewing and Distilling

09:36 Royal School of Needlework

12:18 Unusual Performance Degrees

15:20 The Art and Science of Time Measurement

20:56 Puppets and Existential Sadness

25:10 Surf Science In England

27:20 Theme Park Engineering

29:07 Bagpipe Studies at Carnegie Mellon

34:45 Ethical Hacking: Training criminals

38:56 What Next on The Wholesome Show



SOURCES:
BSc (Hons) Ethical Hacking Degree | Abertay University
Policy Statement - 99-12 Engineering, Bachelor of Science in, Option in Theme Park Engineering- Academic Senate | California State University Long Beach
What Is Piobaireachd?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathspey_(dance)
16 most unusual university degrees - Save the Student
Ten of the most unusual degrees in the world | Student
20 Strangest Bachelor's Degrees
Urania Trust
Royal School of Needlework

Back in the old days, there were pretty slim pickings about what to do for a career. Basically, people just did what their father or mother did. Then, as education became more available to the masses, every parent’s dream was for their child to become a doctor, lawyer or accountant. Secure a respectable job and make the big bucks. 
 
But what if you didn’t want to drag out your days in an ordinary job, working for the man in a major multinational corporation? What if you were more interested in say, mystical and astrological matters?
 
In 1996, when Rod was deciding his career fate, there was actually a one-year diploma in Astrology and Jungian psychology from The Urania Trust in London. He nearly signed up but chickened out and did the corporate grad entry thing instead. He loved it (NOT). Don’t make his mistake! Whatever you’re interested in, there’s a degree out there and some of them are pretty wild.
 
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Rod’s dreams for psychoanthropology
05:07 Masters of Science: Brewing and Distilling
09:36 Royal School of Needlework
12:18 Unusual Performance Degrees
15:20 The Art and Science of Time Measurement
20:56 Puppets and Existential Sadness
25:10 Surf Science In England
27:20 Theme Park Engineering
29:07 Bagpipe Studies at Carnegie Mellon
34:45 Ethical Hacking: Training criminals
38:56 What Next on The Wholesome Show
 
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.abertay.ac.uk/course-search/undergraduate/ethical-hacking">BSc (Hons) Ethical Hacking Degree | Abertay University</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.csulb.edu/academic-senate/policy-statement-99-12-engineering-bachelor-of-science-option-theme-park">Policy Statement - 99-12 Engineering, Bachelor of Science in, Option in Theme Park Engineering- Academic Senate | California State University Long Beach</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.piobaireachd.co.uk/what-is-piobaireachd">What Is Piobaireachd?</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathspey_(dance)">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strathspey_(dance)</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.savethestudent.org/extra-guides/10-most-unusual-uk-university-degrees.html">16 most unusual university degrees - Save the Student</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.timeshighereducation.com/student/blogs/ten-most-unusual-degrees-world">Ten of the most unusual degrees in the world | Student</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.online-bachelor-degrees.com/strangest-bachelors-degrees/">20 Strangest Bachelor's Degrees</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.uraniatrust.org">Urania Trust</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://royal-needlework.org.uk">Royal School of Needlework</a></li>
</ul>

Bagpipes, Weed, OR Puppets: What's Your Next Degree?

World War II pilots ate a bunch of carrots. Back then, people were well aware that vitamin A was critical for healthy eyesight and that carrots were a good source of beta-carotene. So in 1940, versions of high-carotene strains of carrots were being tested on pilots to reduce night blindness. This was pretty important at the time because during the 1940 Blitzkrieg, the Luftwaffe often struck under the cover of darkness. The British government issued citywide blackouts to make it more difficult for German planes to hit targets, so maximising vision among pilots and civilians was critical. 



The year before, the RAF had built the new secret Airborne Interception Radar (aka AI). Instead of being limited to land-bound detection stations, the AI Radar was on planes, able to pinpoint enemy bombers before they even reached the English Channel. 



In 1940, RAF night fighter, John Cunningham, became the first pilot to shoot down an enemy plane using AI. He eventually tallied 20 kills - 19 of them at night - and became known as “cat eye” Cunningham. But, the Poms needed to make sure the Germans didn’t know about the secret of their success. So, the UK Ministry of Food came up with a different reason: Carrots. 



Make the Germans think that carrots gave Cunningham night vision.. And just don’t mention the little Airborne Interception Radar that he had on his plane.



CHAPTERS:

00:00 Debunking Food Myths: Bread Crusts and Apples

02:16 The Spinach Iron Myth

04:32 Carrots and Night Vision

06:55 Ancient Egyptian cure: Liver Juice in the Eyes

09:17 Carrot Man Can’t Poop

13:19 WWII Airborne Interception Radar

16:49 Dig for Victory Campaign

19:59 Dr. Carrot and Wartime Propaganda

23:41 The Wholesome Verdict

29:01 What’s Next on The Wholesome Show



PREVIOUS EPISODES MENTIONED:

Arctic Cold Case Solved: Who Was First To The North Pole?



SOURCES:
- Fact or Fiction?: Carrots Improve Your Vision | Scientific American
A WWII Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth That Carrots Help You See in the DarkK. Annabelle Smith August 13, 2013
https://web.archive.org/web/20220519172618/http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/ww2seeinthedark.html 
Carrots and Night Vision - WW2 Copyright 1996-2022 World Carrot Museum. 
The Myth About Carrots and Vision Started to Foil Nazis - The Atlantic By Ed Yong November 13, 2015
Do carrots really help you see in the dark? - BBC Science Focus Magazine
What's so super about superfoods? by Cecilia Duong 26 September 2022
The True Science of Spinach and What the Popeye Mythology Teaches Us about How Error Spreads – The Marginalian
An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away — Fact or Fiction?
Carrot man: a case of excessive beta-carotene ingestion

Int J Eat Disord. 2012 Sep;45(6):816-8  doi: 10.1002/eat.22015.Epub 2012 Mar 19.

World War II pilots ate a bunch of carrots. Back then, people were well aware that vitamin A was critical for healthy eyesight and that carrots were a good source of beta-carotene. So in 1940, versions of high-carotene strains of carrots were being tested on pilots to reduce night blindness. This was pretty important at the time because during the 1940 Blitzkrieg, the Luftwaffe often struck under the cover of darkness. The British government issued citywide blackouts to make it more difficult for German planes to hit targets, so maximising vision among pilots and civilians was critical. 
 
The year before, the RAF had built the new secret Airborne Interception Radar (aka AI). Instead of being limited to land-bound detection stations, the AI Radar was on planes, able to pinpoint enemy bombers before they even reached the English Channel. 
 
In 1940, RAF night fighter, John Cunningham, became the first pilot to shoot down an enemy plane using AI. He eventually tallied 20 kills - 19 of them at night - and became known as “cat eye” Cunningham. But, the Poms needed to make sure the Germans didn’t know about the secret of their success. So, the UK Ministry of Food came up with a different reason: Carrots. 
 
Make the Germans think that carrots gave Cunningham night vision.. And just don’t mention the little Airborne Interception Radar that he had on his plane.
 CHAPTERS:
00:00 Debunking Food Myths: Bread Crusts and Apples
02:16 The Spinach Iron Myth
04:32 Carrots and Night Vision
06:55 Ancient Egyptian cure: Liver Juice in the Eyes
09:17 Carrot Man Can’t Poop
13:19 WWII Airborne Interception Radar
16:49 Dig for Victory Campaign
19:59 Dr. Carrot and Wartime Propaganda
23:41 The Wholesome Verdict
29:01 What’s Next on The Wholesome Show
 PREVIOUS EPISODES MENTIONED:
<a href="https://youtu.be/gGIpr6r7LVU">Arctic Cold Case Solved: Who Was First To The North Pole?</a>
 
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">- <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/fact-or-fiction-carrots-improve-your-vision/">Fact or Fiction?: Carrots Improve Your Vision | Scientific American</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/a-wwii-propaganda-campaign-popularized-the-myth-that-carrots-help-you-see-in-the-dark-28812484/#:~:text=But%20as%20John%20Stolarczyk%20knows,blueberries%20will%20turn%20you%20blue">A WWII Propaganda Campaign Popularized the Myth That Carrots Help You See in the Dark</a> <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/author/k-annabelle-smith/">K. Annabelle Smith</a> August 13, 2013</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220519172618/http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/ww2seeinthedark.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20220519172618/http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/ww2seeinthedark.html </a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20220519172618/http://www.carrotmuseum.co.uk/ww2seeinthedark.html">Carrots and Night Vision - WW2</a> Copyright 1996-2022 World Carrot Museum. </li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2015/11/the-myth-about-carrots-and-vision-started-to-foil-nazis/625815/">The Myth About Carrots and Vision Started to Foil Nazis - The Atlantic</a> By <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/author/ed-yong/">Ed Yong</a> November 13, 2015</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/do-carrots-really-help-you-see-in-the-dark">Do carrots really help you see in the dark? - BBC Science Focus Magazine</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2022/09/what-s-so-super-about-superfoods-">What's so super about superfoods?</a> by Cecilia Duong 26 September 2022</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.themarginalian.org/2013/07/02/spinach-popeye-error-half-life-of-facts">The True Science of Spinach and What the Popeye Mythology Teaches Us about How Error Spreads – The Marginalian</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/an-apple-a-day-keeps-the-doctor-away">An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away — Fact or Fiction?</a></li>
<li aria-level="1">Carrot man: a case of excessive beta-carotene ingestion</li>
</ul>
Int J Eat Disord. 2012 Sep;45(6):816-8  doi: 10.1002/eat.22015.Epub 2012 Mar 19.

Did Carrots Really Help Us Win World War 2?

Besides unnecessary wars, assassinations and scandalous affairs, what comes to mind when you think about American presidents? The Oval Office, the Star-Spangled Banner, Air Force One, the official military salute… and of course golf.



With the exception of three presidents (Hoover, Truman and Carter), golf has been the presidential sport of choice throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. While Hoover avoided golf during the great depression (a bit rude while everyone was starving), others like Woodrow Wilson were fanatics, playing over 1600 rounds during his presidency. 



But when it comes to golf, there’s one President who brings a flair of colour to the green - and we’re not talking about the colour of his polo shirt. This president is renowned less for his golfing prowess and more for his boastful claims of golf accolades and notorious cheating habits. None other than Donald Trump.



SOURCES:
Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump, by Rick Reilly
Does Trump lie about how good he is at golf? 5 cheating stories about the ex-president
Hand-in-cap
How Donald Trump Cheats at Golf, According to a Sportswriter: 'He Will Do Anything'
How golf explains Trump. Seriously.
Obama Golf Counter
The President’s club: How golf took over the White House
The Serial Golf Cheat in the White House
Trump Golf Count

Besides unnecessary wars, assassinations and scandalous affairs, what comes to mind when you think about American presidents? The Oval Office, the Star-Spangled Banner, Air Force One, the official military salute… and of course golf.
 
With the exception of three presidents (Hoover, Truman and Carter), golf has been the presidential sport of choice throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. While Hoover avoided golf during the great depression (a bit rude while everyone was starving), others like Woodrow Wilson were fanatics, playing over 1600 rounds during his presidency. 
 
But when it comes to golf, there’s one President who brings a flair of colour to the green - and we’re not talking about the colour of his polo shirt. This president is renowned less for his golfing prowess and more for his boastful claims of golf accolades and notorious cheating habits. None other than Donald Trump.
 
SOURCES:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.amazon.com.au/Commander-Cheat-Explains-brilliant-bestseller-ebook/dp/B07LGFM8JP">Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump, by Rick Reilly</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.indy100.com/politics/trump/donald-trump-golf-cheat-handicap-2659934249">Does Trump lie about how good he is at golf? 5 cheating stories about the ex-president</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand-in-cap">Hand-in-cap</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://people.com/donald-trump-cheats-golf-rick-reilly-claims-8621189">How Donald Trump Cheats at Golf, According to a Sportswriter: 'He Will Do Anything'</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.vox.com/2019/5/10/18524172/donald-trump-commander-in-cheat-rick-reilly">How golf explains Trump. Seriously.</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20171229181219/http://obamagolfcounter.com/">Obama Golf Counter</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2014/10/20/sport/golf/golf-presidents-white-house/index.html">The President’s club: How golf took over the White House</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/donald-trump-the-serial-golf-cheat-in-the-white-house">The Serial Golf Cheat in the White House</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://trumpgolfcount.com/">Trump Golf Count</a></li>
</ul>

Prison Mathematician Christopher Havens' Redemption Through Maths

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