Mirzakhani’s curve counting

 Mirzakhani proved two theorems about the asymptotic growth of the number of curves in a mapping class group orbit on a surface: one for simple curves and another for general curves. In this talk I will explain how to derive her second theorem from the one about simple curves. Time permitting, I will explain why similar methods can be used to also give a proof for the theorem about simple curves, hence giving a new (and very different) proof of both theorems.