### One Mathematically Gifted and Black person every day this Black History Month

February is Black History Month in the USA, so the website Mathematically Gifted and Black is honouring a different black mathematician each day in February, for the third year.

### #Noethember: a retrospective

Last November, under the banner of #Noethember, we helped organise an international drawing challenge themed around mathematician Emmy Noether. The project resulted in a huge number of drawings and a warm feeling among those who participated. For 30 days, people across Twitter shared their sketches illustrating facts about Noether’s life and work.

### Sir Michael Atiyah has died

Over the weekend we heard the sad news that mathematician Sir Michael Atiyah has passed away on 11th January. One of the few mathematicians to have been awarded both a Fields medal and an Abel prize, Atiyah leaves behind an extensive mathematical legacy and will be missed by many.

A tribute to former President of the Royal Society Sir Michael Atiyah OM FRS (1929 – 2019), on the Royal Society website

Mathematician Sir Michael Atiyah dies aged 89, at BBC News

Michael Atiyah, Mathematician in Newton’s Footsteps, Dies at 89 at the New York Times

### Mathematical Obituaries, December 2018

As 2018 drew to a close, we sadly lost several pioneering figures in mathematics. UPDATE: We have sadly also lost Rich Haberman, added 14/1/19.

### Happy Thirdsday!

Today is the third of January, and the third day of the year – and since this year it also falls on a Thursday, making for excellent pun opportunities, a group of mathematicians including Jim Propp, Evelyn Lamb, Zoe GriffithsBen Orlin, Matt Parker and several others have chosen to use today to celebrate the number $\frac{1}{3}$ (and in America, you’d even write the date as 1/3). Today is officially Thirdsday! Celebrate by:

I personally will be sketching the middle third Cantor set, as it’s my favourite fractal.

### Not Mentioned on The Aperiodical, 2018

We’ve had a bit of a break over the holidays, but mathematical news stops for no mince pie. From new prime numbers to mathematical doodling challenges, here’s a round-up of some of the facts/stories that we’ve seen while trying not to do any work.

### Particularly mathematical New Years Honours 2019

It’s that time of year when we take a look at the UK Government’s New Years Honours list for any particularly mathematical entries. Here is the selection for this year – any more, let us know in the comments and we’ll add to the list.

• Tim Harford, journalist and presenter of BBC Radio programme More or Less, appointed OBE for services to Improving Economic Understanding.
• Deirdre Houston, Deputy Principal, Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency, appointed OBE for services to Integrated Education in Randalstown.
• Valsa Koshy, Emeritus Professor, Brunel University and mathematics education researcher, appointed MBE for services to Education.

Get the full list here.