Podcast Summary: "Is Hasan Smarter than a 13-Year-Old Math Genius? (No)"

Podcast: Hasan Minhaj Doesn't Know
Host: Hasan Minhaj (Produced by 186k Films)
Guest: Soborno Bari (13-year-old NYU math & physics sophomore)
Date: October 8, 2025

Episode Overview

In this lively and humorous episode, Hasan Minhaj ("two-time Peabody Award-winning comedian and noted IBS sufferer") faces off with 13-year-old Soborno Bari, a prodigious sophomore at NYU, in a battle of wits, mental math, and deep philosophical musings. Blending comedy with curiosity, Hasan attempts to probe the mind of a young math whiz while also seeking advice—about science, life, destiny, romance, and even his father's obsession with buying pomegranates in bulk.

The conversation delivers a mix of genuine insight, rapid-fire jokes, existential questions, and moments of self-deprecating vulnerability—all in Hasan's signature irreverent, inquisitive style.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet Soborno Bari: The (Very) Young Math Prodigy

• Skipped several grades, started NYU at age 12 (01:27-02:01)
• Took SAT at 11, scored 1500.
• Hasan humorously downplays Soborno's achievements:

  "That's basically what I got, rounded to the nearest 1500." (01:48)

Soborno’s Beginnings in Science

• Sparked by seeing his dad study math:

  “I am looking at him writing equations on his blackboard, and I'm thinking, what is he writing up there that could be so important that he seems more invested in it than giving me toys?... Eventually I thought, well, I see patterns here, but what are they for, who made them up and why are they this way?” — Soborno, (12:54)

2. Hasan vs Soborno: Mental Math Duel

• A playful contest of multiplication, Hasan barely keeps up.

• Soborno easily explains complex calculations aloud:

  "[On 78 x 265] I'm going to reason it all out loud because that's a power move..." (08:39)
  "[On big mental math] ...your gut is almost always wrong when it comes to mathematics ...I've learned a bunch of particular tricks… But... creative tricks rather than just algorithmic repeats... make new mathematics." (09:19, 11:17)

• Hasan’s honest struggles:

  "[Stalled on 34 x 3] Ah, damn it, I froze. Give me the question one more time." (10:01)

3. Math, Creativity, and the Point of Learning

• Memorization ≠ Real Science:

  "Memorizing the periodic tables doesn't matter that much if you want to be a good scientist... Science is more about creative ideas than memorization." — Soborno (04:29)

• Why Soborno loves math:

  “It allows you to play around without being bound by any rules. Hate rules? Just change them. And now you have a new kind of math.” (11:52)
  “At the end of the day, most of the time, innovations that people call useless somehow end up being used 200 years later.” (12:14)

4. Fractals, the Coastline Paradox, and Mathematical Curiosity

• Explains fractals and their complexity in nature (05:17-06:22)

• Introduces the coastline paradox:

  "There is no good way to measure the length of a coastline because it's kind of a real life fractal." — Soborno (06:24)

• Hasan:

  "That is so brilliant, yet so confusing." (07:10)

5. Math & Physics, AI, and the Future of Learning

• Soborno: Math/physics is “protected from AI... AI is a worse teacher...the more good sounding [the answer], the less factual it is.” (15:27, 15:50)
• Hasan plays back a clip of Soborno at age 9 predicting AI-gone-wrong scenarios (16:29-17:21)
• Soborno’s current take: Cautiously optimistic, warns about giving AI too much power (18:52-20:05)
• Sober assessment of education's direction, warns against letting ChatGPT replace genuine curiosity (48:17, 49:08)

6. Free Will, Destiny, and Existential Questions

• Free will vs determinism explained lucidly (24:44-26:33)

• Soborno:

  “I don’t believe in predestination… there’s some sort of free will out there. But at some point, it’s just a belief.” (26:35)

• Great soundbite:

  “If I see my crush on a street corner and it's raining and I go, this was meant to be, was it meant to be?”—Hasan (27:03)

  Soborno:

  “That is a philosophical question that is very difficult to answer... the universe probably didn’t think it would get you with your crush. To be honest, I wouldn’t either.” (27:10)

7. Romance, Friendship, and Real Life Math

• Hasan seeks closure on a decades-old crush; Soborno’s answer is both scientific and empathetic (29:50-30:57)
• Soborno describes his own lack of teenage romance, landing a clever line about “quantum superposition” (30:18)
• Advice on toxic friendships—compares cutting off friends to removing an “exploding appendix” (32:06)

8. Cultural Commentary and Humor

• Hasan’s never-ending struggle with his dad’s pomegranate hoarding becomes a running joke (03:01, 36:14–38:12)
• Soborno:

  “People learn things when they're young and then really don't like changing them when they're old. He's learned that habit. It's deeply ingrained.” (37:07)

• Hilariously passionate about pomegranates:

  "I love pomegranates. They've always been my favorite fruit ever since I was really little. ...I have to hold back tears when someone insults them the way you have now." (38:52)

9. Online Fame & Academic Gatekeepers

• Soborno’s viral presence is largely out of his control; says “it’s just a crazy train” (39:41)

• Discusses “rage bait” and the educational part of his online output (40:05, 40:41)

• On critics:

  “Those titles of youngest professor and God of Math mislead people... At the end of the day, I’m a college sophomore...that doesn’t mean I can produce groundbreaking research right away.” (41:34)

• Warns that his experience is not desirable or healthy for every gifted kid (43:20-44:47)

10. Rapid-Fire Science & Pop Culture Questions

• Explains relativity, time dilation (Interstellar), and why we can’t go faster than light with clarity and humor (51:41-54:19)
• Tries (and fails) to explain the Interstellar "bookshelf" scene:

  Hasan: “He sees through the bookshelf, bro, I don't know.”
  Soborno: “I don't remember this part from the movie.” (54:55-55:00)

11. Wisdom for the Audience

• Advice to kids:

  “Please be more curious. Honestly, just stop using ChatGPT. It sucks... You have the opportunity to do anything, learn anything... and instead you're letting ChatGPT take that opportunity for you.” (49:08)

• Failure is essential:

  “In the end, it'll all feel meaningless if you don't at least have something you consider a failure.” (50:57)

• Special anecdote about his dad failing Calculus repeatedly—and refusing to quit because of his love for math (50:17)

• Advice to Hasan:

  “Stay curious, keep inventing new jokes, stay creative... creativity and humanity is the one thing AI can’t replace.” (51:25)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On being a prodigy:

  "Is he a math genius? I don't know, but he's definitely 13 years old." — Hasan (02:01)

• On learning and memorization:

  "Real chemists always carry around the periodic table with them. ...science is more about creative ideas than memorization." — Soborno (04:29)

• On living a life worth living:

  "In the real world, you'll never feel any whimsy or joy because you also let ChatGPT take over your job. And at the end of the day, is it a life really lived if you let ChatGPT live that life for you?" — Soborno (49:08)

• On romantic ambiguity:

  "I've thought about it 988 times. So does she or does she not?" — Hasan (30:12)
  "It's a quantum superposition." — Soborno (30:18)

• On pomegranates and family:

  "He puts them in duffel bags and makes me travel with them. Yes. You finally get it. You get the hell that I'm living through. I'm a pomegranate smuggler." — Hasan (38:07)

• On being a 13-year-old with a boomer's outlook:

  "How are you 13 years old and also a boomer at the same time?" — Hasan (48:53)
  "I don't know. Maybe I was reincarnated or something. Maybe some Freaky Friday stuff happened." — Soborno (48:58)

Important Timestamps

• Intro / Mental Math Duel: (01:27–11:00)
• Fractals and Nature: (04:55–07:12)
• Deep questions: Free will, destiny, crushes: (24:44–30:57)
• Pomegranate saga and fatherly quirks: (36:10–38:12)
• Online presence & dealing with haters: (39:23–42:47)
• Rapid-fire science and relativity (Interstellar, gravity): (51:41–54:19)
• Advice to kids & reflection on curiosity: (49:08–51:20)

Episode Tone

The episode balances thoughtful discussions on science and humanity with Hasan Minhaj’s trademark self-deprecating humor and cultural riffing. Soborno is articulate, amusingly deadpan, and wise beyond his years—often flipping the script and playfully roasting Hasan in return.

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers both laughs and substance, highlighting the marvel of youthful genius, the joy and agony of lifelong learning, and the universal confusion of being human—no matter your IQ or your age. As Soborno says:

“Creativity and humanity is the one thing AI can’t replace.” (51:25)

Perfect listening for anyone who loves science, comedy, and the wonder of asking questions (even dumb ones).