Why do mathematicians still use blackboards?

Mathematicians are known to use blackboards to this day, but why?

Blackboards are typically seen as a relic from a bygone era, but the prevailing image of a mathematician is that of one writing in chalk on a blackboard. Famously, blackboards continue to be used by Stanford University mathematics lecturers, and among other mathematicians around the world

Professor Pierre Portal at Australian National University is one of those mathematicians, and in the new ANU mathematics building, blackboards continue to be used en masse.

Image: Image: Shutterstock – Gorodenkoff

Produced By: Steven Samaras

Featured In Story: Associate Professor Pierre Portal from the Australian National University Mathematical Sciences Institute, and

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 20 December 2023