Are there more possible games of chess than atoms in the universe?

Published: Jan. 20, 2024, 6 a.m.

We investigate how the vast possibilities in a game of chess compare to the vastness of the observable universe.

Dr James Grime helps us understand the Shannon number \u2013 a famous figure on the chess side of the equation - and astronomer Professor Catherine Heymans takes on the entire observable universe.

Presenter: Tim Harford\nProducers: Debbie Richford and Nathan Gower\nProduction Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown\nSeries Producer: Tom Colls\nSound Mix: Andy Fell\nEditor: Richard Vadon