On 14 March, we celebrate Pi Day 2026 and take the opportunity to appreciate how mathematical ideas continue to shape research, education, and our understanding of the world.
For thousands of years, π has fascinated mathematicians. Ancient civilizations in Babylon and Egypt already knew that every circle contains the same relationship between its circumference and diameter, and later mathematicians such as Archimedes helped determine it more precisely. Since then, π has become one of the best-known symbols in mathematics – simple to write, but impossible to finish.
π is not only known because its digits continue forever. It also illustrates something characteristic of mathematics: how a simple idea can lead to deeper and more complex questions. A circle may seem ordinary, yet from it comes a number that connects geometry, patterns, motion, and many areas of science.
π is important not only in classrooms and research, but also in everyday applications, often without us noticing. It appears in engineering, construction, architecture, navigation, medical imaging, sound waves, and digital technology. Whenever people design wheels, measure curves, model movement, or build the tools we rely on, π is often present in the background.
Pi Day is an opportunity to highlight not only a well-known constant, but also the role mathematics plays in research, education, and many aspects of modern society.
Listen to Assistant Professor Jan Gerken and Professor Johan Wästlund talk more about pi in the videos at the top of this page.
- Assistant Professor, Algebra and Geometry, Mathematical Sciences
- Professor, Analysis and Probability Theory, Mathematical Sciences