Pi Day Celebrates Math and Dessert

Annual March 14 event honors the infinite mathematical constant that powers science and technology.

Mar. 14, 2026 at 4:24pm by Ben Kaplan

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Math lovers and pie fans unite every March 14 to celebrate Pi Day, honoring the mathematical constant pi that has endless applications in science, technology, and even dessert. The holiday was created in 1988 by a physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco, and has grown into an annual celebration featuring a parade of people carrying pi digits. Pi is fundamental to calculations in fields like aerospace engineering, bioengineering, and COVID-19 testing, showcasing its wide-ranging importance.

Why it matters

Pi Day highlights how a simple mathematical concept can have profound real-world applications, from space exploration to medical breakthroughs. The annual celebration brings together math enthusiasts and the general public to appreciate the joy of learning and the power of numbers to drive scientific progress.

The details

Pi, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter, is an infinite constant with digits that go on forever. While it's commonly used in school to calculate the area of a circle or volume of a cylinder, pi has endless applications in science and technology. In aerospace engineering, pi is used in formulas for spacecraft motion, materials science, and propulsion systems. In bioengineering, pi is crucial for creating tiny fluid droplets that act as test tubes for cells, enabling new medical research. Pi also factors into the flow of liquids in COVID-19 tests and other diagnostic tools.

  • Pi Day is celebrated annually on March 14, representing the first three digits of pi (3.14).
  • The celebration at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco begins at 1:59 pm, signifying the next three digits of pi (3.1415).

The players

Larry Shaw

A physicist at the Exploratorium science museum in San Francisco who created Pi Day in 1988.

Sam Sharkland

Program director of public programs at the Exploratorium, who worked with Larry Shaw before his death in 2017.

Artur Davoyan

A professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles, whose research looks at creating new propulsion systems for space exploration.

Dino Di Carlo

Chair of the bioengineering department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering, who conducts research on creating tiny fluid droplets to study cells and develop new medical tests.

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What they’re saying

“He had a very open and expansive view of the world and saw an opportunity with this number, mathematical concept, to invite people into the joy of mathematical learning.”

— Sam Sharkland, program director of public programs at the Exploratorium (3newsnow.com)

“As an engineer and scientist, (pi) is just a part of life. Maybe I've taken it for granted.”

— Dino Di Carlo, chair of the bioengineering department at the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering (3newsnow.com)

What’s next

The Exploratorium in San Francisco will host its annual Pi Day celebration on March 14, 2027, featuring a parade of people carrying pi digits and other festivities.

The takeaway

Pi Day showcases how a simple mathematical constant can have profound real-world applications, from space exploration to medical breakthroughs. The annual celebration brings together math enthusiasts and the general public to appreciate the power of numbers and the joy of scientific discovery.