Even down to 32px I can still clearly tell what it is. At 16px it becomes distorted, but I think you're going to have that effect with any logo. I did some analysis and didn't find any mathematical puns hidden in the logo, though the ratio of the word "aeon" to the rest of the logo is 4:27 which is also considered "international munchie time" (hardy-har-har).
I'm not sure why 16 px is needed, but perhaps a tweaked version could be created that is recognizable by shape even if not readable (mostly: brighten up the white a bit).
As far as mathematical puns, if we want them they can get inserted in the sort of "tweak" redesign I suggested, along with slightly changing the font, layout, etc. Ideally if inserted they should be left as undisclosed easter eggs for the curious to find later.