Is it possible to deduce the shape of the universe without stepping outside of it? Henri Poincaré thought so. Similar to how the Greeks were able to discern the spherical nature of the earth (and even its rough diameter) using mathematics, he proposed that we should be able to make conclusions about our universe. Stanford University mathematician Keith Devlin explains the Poincaré Conjecture, which became a legendary problem in mathematics, with the help of a short animation. Watch the Full Program Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PnnzB-1LcI Original Program Date: June 3, 2011 The World Science Festival gathers great minds in science and the arts to produce live and digital content that allows a broad general audience to engage with scientific discoveries. Our mission is to cultivate a general public informed by science, inspired by its wonder, convinced of its value, and prepared to engage with its implications for the future. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for all the latest from WSF. Visit our Website: http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/ Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/worldsciencefestival Follow us on twitter: https://twitter.com/WorldSciFest