The Mathematical Universe

I first had a quick look, then I started reading it. I couldn't stop. -Gerard 't Hooft (Nobel Prize, in Physics 1999)
This is a book about the mathematical nature of our Universe. Armed with no more than basic high school mathematics, Dr. Joel L. Schiff takes you on a foray through some of the most intriguing aspects of the world around us. Along the way, you will visit the bizarre world of subatomic particles, honey bees and ants, galaxies, black holes, infinity, and more. Included are such goodies as measuring the speed of light with your microwave oven, determining the size of the Earth with a stick in the ground and the age of the Solar System from meteorites, understanding how the Theory of Relativity makes your everyday GPS system possible, and so much more. These topics are easily accessible to anyone who has ever brushed up against the Pythagorean Theorem and the symbol , with the lightest dusting of algebra. Through this book, science-curious readers will come to appreciate the patterns, seeming contradictions, and extraordinary mathematical beauty of our Universe.

Requires only a basic knowledge of high school-level math Provides colorful visuals of famous mathematical concepts Includes entertaining stories and historical tidbits about famous scientists and discoveries over time

Autorentext

Joel Schiff has a PhD in Mathematics from the University of California Los Angeles and spent his academic career at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He is the author of seven other books, four of which are mathematical in nature. He and his wife discovered the asteroid 12926 Brianmason from their own observatory. Schiff was also the publisher of the international quarterly, Meteorite, for many years.

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