BookOdyssey

Why do even well-educated people often understand so little about maths - or take a perverse pride in not being a \'numbers person\'?In his now-classic book Innumeracy, John Allen Paulos answers questions such as: Why is following the stock market exactly like flipping a coin? How big is a trillion? How fast does human hair grow in mph? Can you calculate the chances that a party includes two people who have the same birthday? Paulos shows us that by arming yourself with some simple maths, you don\'t have to let numbers get the better of you. Σελίδες: 160, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Brian Greene\'s The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos explores our most current scientific understanding of the universe, the \'string theory\' that might hold the key to unifying nature\'s laws, and our continuing quest to know more. There was a time when \'universe\' meant all there is. Everything. Yet, as physicist Brian Greene\'s extraordinary book shows, ours may be just one universe among many, like endless reflections in a mirror. He takes us on a captivating exploration of parallel worlds - from a multiverse where an infinite number of your doppelgangers are reading this sentence, to vast oceans of bubble universes and even multiverses made of mathematics - showing just how much of reality\'s true nature may be hidden within them. \'If extraterrestrials land tomorrow and demand to know what the human mind is capable of accomplishing ... hand them a copy of this book\'  The New York Times Book Review \'A writer of exceptional clarity and charm ... every chapter opens level after level of previously unimaginable, mind-expanding realities\'  Oliver Sacks \'The book serves well as an introduction to the multiverse and will open up many people\'s eyes\'  John Gribbin Brian Greene is well known to many fans as a populariser of theoretical physics. He is the author of the bestselling books about string theory, The Elegant Universe, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, The Fabric of the Cosmos, and The Hidden Reality. Educated at Harvard and Oxford, he has taught at both Harvard and Cornell and has been Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Columbia University since 1996. Σελίδες: 384, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

In God and the New Physics, Paul Davies explains how science has come of age, and can now offer a surer path to divinity than religion.Science is now on the verge of answering our most profound questions about the nature of existence. Here Paul Davies explains how the far-reaching discoveries of recent physics are revolutionizing our world and, in particular, throwing light on many of the questions formerly posed by religion, such as:Why is there a universe?Where did we come from?What is life?How is the world organized?Examining subjects from the creation to the soul, free will to time, black holes to miracles, he travels through science and religion to show us that there is more to the world than meets the eye.\'Excellent ... explains with fluent simplicity some of the profoundest questions of cosmology\' - Daily Telegraph\'One of the finest science writers of this generation\' - Independent\'Paul Davies is our best guide to this strange new world\' - Observer\'A list of topics to which he refers would constitute an outline for a dictionary of contemporary scientific excitement. His style is clear, interesting, chatty\' - The Times Higher Education Supplement Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Nobel Prize winner Werner Heisenberg\'s classic account explains the central ideas of the quantum revolution, and his celebrated Uncertainty Principle. Heisenberg reveals how words and concepts familiar in daily life can lose their meaning in the world of relativity and quantum physics.This in turn has profound philosophical implications for the nature of reality. Σελίδες: 176, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

Michio Kaku\'s Physics of the Future: The Inventions that will Transform our Lives is a hypothetical journey through the next 100 years of scientific innovation, as told by the scientists who are making it happen. We all wish we could predict the future, but most of us don\'t know enough about the science that makes it possible. That\'s why Michio Kaku decided to talk to the people who really know - the visionaries who are already inventing the future in their labs. Based on interviews with over three hundred of the world\'s top scientists, Kaku gives us an insider\'s perspective on the revolutionary advances that mean we\'ll soon be able to take an elevator into space, access the internet via our contact lenses, scan our DNA for signs of disease and even change the shape of objects - and all still within the laws of known physics. This isn\'t just the shape of things to come - as Kaku shows, it\'s already happening. \'Summons up the sheer wonder of science\' Daily Telegraph \'A whirlwind tour of technological possibilities\' New Scientist \'One of the gurus of modern physics\' Financial Times \'An entertaining account of envelope-pushing research\' Economist Michio Kaku is a leading theoretical physicist and one of the founders of string theory, widely regarded as the strongest candidate for the \'theory of everything\'. He is also one of the most gifted popularizers ofscience of his generation. His books published by Penguin include Parallel Worlds, The Physics of the Future and The Physics of the Impossible. He holds the Henry Semat Professorship in Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York, where he has taught for over twenty-five years. Σελίδες: 416, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

‘I have a truly marvellous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain.’ It was with these words, written in the 1630s, that Pierre de Fermat intrigued and infuriated the mathematics community. For over 350 years, proving Fermat’s Last Theorem was the most notorious unsolved mathematical problem, a puzzle whose basics most children could grasp but whose solution eluded the greatest minds in the world. In 1993, after years of secret toil, Englishman Andrew Wiles announced to an astounded audience that he had cracked Fermat’s Last Theorem. He had no idea of the nightmare that lay ahead. In ‘Fermat’s Last Theorem’ Simon Singh has crafted a remarkable tale of intellectual endeavour spanning three centuries, and a moving testament to the obsession, sacrifice and extraordinary determination of Andrew Wiles: one man against all the odds. Σελίδες: 368, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

From cells in our bodies to measuring the universe, big numbers are everywhere We all know that numbers go on forever, that you could spend your life counting and never reach the end of the line, so there can’t be such a thing as a ‘biggest number’. Or can there? To find out, David Darling and Agnijo Banerjee embark on an epic quest, revealing the answers to questions like: are there more grains of sand on Earth or stars in the universe? Is there enough paper on Earth to write out the digits of a googolplex? And what is a googolplex? Then things get serious. Enter the strange realm between the finite and the infinite, and float through a universe where the rules we cling to no longer apply. Encounter the highest number computable and infinite kinds of infinity. At every turn, a cast of wild and wonderful characters threatens the status quo with their ideas, and each time the numbers get larger. Σελίδες: 256, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0705, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Do high-speed, complicated arithmetic in your head using the Trachtenberg Speed System. Ever find yourself struggling to check a bill or a payslip? With The Trachtenberg Speed System you can. Described as the \'shorthand of mathematics\', the Trachtenberg system only requires the ability to count from one to eleven. Using a series of simplified keys it allows anyone to master calculations, giving greater speed, ease in handling numbers and increased accuracy. Jakow Trachtenberg believed that everyone is born with phenomenal abilities to calculate. He devised a set of rules that allows every child to make multiplication, division, addition, subtraction and square-root calculations with unerring accuracy and at remarkable speed. It is the perfect way to gain confidence with numbers. Σελίδες: 272, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0629, Διαστάσεις: 19.4x19.4cm

How to survive an earthquake. How to make an invisibility cloak. How to turn lead into gold. How to read someone\'s mind. Physics = tedious and unfathomable, right? No longer. If you thought physics was all about measuring the temperature of an ice bucket or trying to understand complicated equations, think again. How to Destroy the Universe will make you see the world around us through fresh eyes. Σελίδες: 352, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0101, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

From ancient Babylon to the last great unsolved problems, Ian Stewart brings us his definitive history of mathematics. In his famous straightforward style, Professor Stewart explains each major development - from the first number systems to chaos theory - and considers how each affected society and changed everyday life forever. Maintaining a personal touch, he introduces all of the outstanding mathematicians of history, from the key Babylonians, Greeks and Egyptians, via Newton and Descartes, to Fermat, Babbage and Godel, and demystifies maths\' key concepts without recourse to complicated formulae. Written to provide a captivating historic narrative for the non-mathematician, Taming the Infinite: The Story of Mathematics is packed with fascinating nuggets and quirky asides, and contains 100 illustrations and diagrams to illuminate and aid understanding of a subject many dread, but which has made our world what it is today. Σελίδες: 272, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1101, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Are you smarter than a Singaporean ten-year-old?Can you beat Sherlock Holmes?If you think the answer is yes - I challenge you to solve my problems. Here are 125 of the world\'s best brainteasers from the last two millennia, taking us from ancient China to medieval Europe, Victorian England to modern-day Japan, with stories of espionage, mathematical breakthroughs and puzzling rivalries along the way.Pit your wits against logic puzzles and kinship riddles, pangrams and river-crossing conundrums. Some solutions rely on a touch of cunning, others call for creativity, others need mercilessly logical thought. Some can only be solved be 2 per cent of the population. All are guaranteed to sharpen your mind. Let\'s get puzzling! Σελίδες: 352, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

From the 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, a remarkable journey into the practice of groundbreaking science \'Giorgio Parisi is renowned for his scientific creativity, originality, and power. In this exhilarating little book, he shows his human side, too. By its end, readers will feel they\'ve made a charming, witty new friend\' Frank WilczekThe world is shaped by complexity. In this enlightening book, Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi guides us through his unorthodox yet exhilarating work to show us how. It all starts with investigating the principles of physics by observing the sophisticated flight patterns of starlings. Studying the movements of these birds, he has realized, proves an illuminating way into understanding complex systems of all kinds - collections of everything from atoms to planets to other animals like ourselves. Along the way, Parisi reflects on the lessons he\'s taken from a life in pursuit of scientific truth: the importance of serendipity to the discovery of new ideas, the surprising kinship between physics and other fields of study and the value of science to a thriving society. In so doing, he removes the practice of science from the confines of the laboratory and into the real world. Complexity is all around us - from climate to finance to biology, it offers a unique way of finding order in chaos. Part elegant scientific treatise, part thrilling intellectual journey, In a Flight of Starlings is an invitation to find wonder in the world around us. Σελίδες: 144, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Brian Clegg was always fascinated by Isaac Asimov\'s classic Foundation series of books, in which the future is predicted using sophisticated mathematical modelling of human psychology and behaviour.Only much later did he realise that Asimov\'s \'psychohistory\' had a real-world equivalent: game theory.Originating in the study of probabilistic gambling games that depend on a random source - the throw of a dice or the toss of a coin - game theory soon came to be applied to human interactions: essentially, what was the best strategy to win, whatever you were doing? Its mathematical techniques have been applied, with varying degrees of wisdom, to fields such as economics, evolution, and questions such as how to win a nuclear war.Clegg delves into game theory\'s colourful history and significant findings, and shows what we can all learn from this oft-misunderstood field of study. Σελίδες: 176, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Möbius bagels, Euclid\'s flourless chocolate cake and apple pi - this is maths, but not as you know it. In How to Bake Pi, mathematical crusader and star baker Eugenia Cheng has rustled up a batch of delicious culinary insights into everything from simple numeracy to category theory (\'the mathematics of mathematics\'), via Fermat, Poincaré and Riemann. Maths is much more than simultaneous equations and pr2 : it is an incredibly powerful tool for thinking about the world around us. And once you learn how to think mathematically, you\'ll never think about anything - cakes, custard, bagels or doughnuts; not to mention fruit crumble, kitchen clutter and Yorkshire puddings - the same way again. Stuffed with moreish puzzles and topped with a generous dusting of wit and charm, How to Bake Pi is a foolproof recipe for a mathematical feast. *Previously published under the title Cakes, Custard & Category Theory* Σελίδες: 304, Διαστάσεις: 19.6x19.6cm

Few things are as fundamental to human happiness as sex, and few writers are as entertaining about the subject as Mary Roach.Can a woman think herself to orgasm?Is your penis three inches longer than you think?Why doesn\'t Viagra help women - or, for that matter, pandas?Does orgasm boost fertility? Or cure hiccups?The study of sexual physiology - what happens, and why, and how to make it happen better - has been taking place behind closed doors for hundreds of years. In this fascinating and funny book, Mary Roach steps inside laboratories, brothels, pig farms, sex-toy R&D labs - even Alfred Kinsey\'s attic - to tell us everything we wanted to know about sex, and more we\'d never even thought to ask. Σελίδες: 320, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

This excellent book, written by the established author David Acheson, makes mathematics accessible to everyone. Providing an entertaining and witty overview of the subject, the text includes several fascinating puzzles, and is accompanied by numerous illustrations and sketches by world famous cartoonists. This unusual book is one of the most readable explanations of mathematics available. Σελίδες: 184, Διαστάσεις: 12.2x12.2cm

\'The whizz-kid making maths supercool. . . A brilliant book that takes everything we know (and fear) about maths out of the equation - starting with numbers\' The Times\'A cheerful, chatty, and charming trip through the world of mathematics. . . Everyone should read this delightful book\' Ian Stewart, author of Do Dice Play God?The only numbers in this book are the page numbers.The three main branches of abstract math - topology, analysis, and algebra - turn out to be surprisingly easy to grasp. Or at least, they are when our guide is a math prodigy. With forthright wit and warm charm, Milo Beckman upends the conventional approach to mathematics, inviting us to think creatively about shape and dimension, the infinite and the infinitesimal, symmetries, proofs, and all how all these concepts fit together. Why is there a million dollar prize for counting shapes? Is anything bigger than infinity? And how is the \'truth\' of mathematics actually decided?A vivid and wholly original guide to the math that makes the world tick and the planets revolve, Math Without Numbers makes human and understandable the elevated and hypothetical, allowing us to clearly see abstract math for what it is: bizarre, beautiful, and head-scratchingly wonderful. Σελίδες: 224, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

In About Time: Einstein\'s Unfinished Revolution Paul Davies confronts the puzzles and paradoxes of time that have bemused the world\'s greatest thinkers throughout the ages.When Albert Einstein formulated his theory of relativity it brought about a revolution in our understanding of time, yet also presented a new set of mysteries. Einstein\'s time can be warped, leading to bizarre possibilities such as black holes and time travel, while making a nonsense of our perception of a \'now\' or a division of time into past, present and future.In About Time Paul Davies tackles the tough questions about time, including the strange relationship between physical time and our psychological perception of it. He gives straightforward descriptions of topics such as the theory of relativity, the relation between time dilation and the speed of light and Hawking\'s \'imaginary time\'. He concludes that, despite decades of progress in unravelling the mysteries of time, the revolution is still underway...\'Confirms his place as one of the most lucid and readable science writers today\' - Sunday Times\'Intriguing and important ... a fascinating discussion of why Einstein\'s can\'t be the last word on the subject\' - Independent on Sunday\'Sublime stuff for armchair physicists\' - Guardian\'A tour of some of the most exciting - and outlandish - work in modern physics ... Writing with passion and wit, he lets his scientific message shine through\' - New Statesman Σελίδες: 320, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

Why did Gandhi hate iodine (I, 53)? Why did the Japanese kill Godzilla with missiles made of cadmium (Cd, 48)? How did radium (Ra, 88) nearly ruin Marie Curie\'s reputation? And why did tellurium (Te, 52) lead to the most bizarre gold rush in history?The periodic table is one of our crowning scientific achievements, but it\'s also a treasure trove of passion, adventure, betrayal and obsession. The fascinating tales in The Disappearing Spoon follow carbon, neon, silicon, gold and every single element on the table as they play out their parts in human history, finance, mythology, conflict, the arts, medicine and the lives of the (frequently) mad scientists who discovered them. Why did a little lithium (Li, 3) help cure poet Robert Lowell of his madness? And how did gallium (Ga, 31) become the go-to element for laboratory pranksters? The Disappearing Spoon has the answers, fusing science with the classic lore of invention, investigation, discovery and alchemy, from the big bang through to the end of time. Σελίδες: 400, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR ‘A peerless intellectual biography. The Glass Universe shines and twinkles as brightly as the stars themselves’ The Economist #1 New York Times bestselling author Dava Sobel returns with a captivating, little-known true story of women in science Before they even had the right to vote, a group of remarkable women were employed by Harvard College Observatory as ‘Human Computers’ to interpret the observations made via telescope by their male counterparts each night. The author of Longitude, Galileo’s Daughter and The Planets shines light on the hidden history of these extraordinary women who changed the burgeoning field of astronomy and our understanding of the stars and our place in the universe. Σελίδες: 336, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\'The physicist transforming how we see the universe\' (Financial Times)\'An utter joy\' (Adam Rutherford)\'A hugely engaging book... Rovelli is a charming, thought-provoking tour guide\' (Manjit Kumar Prospect)Do space and time truly exist? What is reality made of? Can we understand its deep texture?Scientist Carlo Rovelli has spent his whole life exploring these questions and pushing the boundaries of what we know. In this mind-expanding book, he shows how our understanding of reality has changed throughout centuries, from Democritus to loop quantum gravity. Taking us on a wondrous journey, he invites us to imagine a whole new world where black holes are waiting to explode, spacetime is made up of grains, and infinity does not exist -- a vast universe still largely undiscovered.Translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre Σελίδες: 272, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

\'This book is officially for adults but would also be really interesting to older teenagers. Somehow Alom has, very cleverly, extended a primary school answer to questions such as \'why is the sky blue?\' into in depth and accurate explanations without ever patronising the reader or leaving them behind.\' - Caroline Fielding, Teen LibrarianReaders are loving Why Don\'t Things Fall Up?: \'Captures the heart and soul of science.\' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ \'Why Don\'t Things Fall Up? is that rare thing: a popular science book that doesn\'t preach to the choir.\' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\'Excellent book for both myself and my teenager...devoured in days.\' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐\'Buy it, you won\'t be disappointed.\' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐-------------- Alom Shaha\'s mission is to show that science is one of humanity\'s greatest cultural achievements, which can enrich our lives in the same way as art, music, and literature.So he wrote the acclaimed Why Don\'t Things Fall Up? to deliver what he believes every adult and schoolchild deserves, but rarely gets: an authoritative and accessible exploration of the key ideas in science.Alom is the ideal guide to this world. He is acknowledged as one of our best science communicators, having worked with leading scientific institutions and scientists to help them explain their ideas and work to the public. Perhaps more importantly, he has a wealth of classroom teaching experience, and has spent decades teaching these ideas to thousands of young people. He really knows how to make science come alive, whether you\'re already fascinated or struggling to grasp the fundamentals.In seven chapters, each starting with a simple question, Alom takes us on a journey to understand everything from the physics of space and matter to the biology of our bodies - and even the origins of life itself.Why Don\'t Things Fall Up? answers the big questions about life and the universe in a way that makes us realise that science is the most exciting story ever told. -------------- \'Shaha\'s lucid enthusiasm makes complex ideas graspable. It\'s an ideal resource for curious readers - especially those who don\'t like science - and their parents. Think Richard Feynman for KS4\' - Tom Tolkien, School Reading List\'A great idea, beautifully executed.\' - Popular Science\'A book of quiet wonder.\' - Ian Dunt\'I have learnt (and remembered) so much, and so easily. It\'s the mango ice cream of science books.\' - Hilary McKay\'Everything Alom writes is a joy to ponder, his love of science is utterly contagious, the perfect guide through things that might perplex.\' - Robin Ince\'A joyful exploration of fundamental questions about our world; Shaha proves that science is for everyone!\' - Roma Agrawal\'Friendly, informative and such fun to read.\' - Christopher Edge\'Alom Shaha is the science teacher many people will wish they had but didn\'t.\' - Philip Ball\'A gentle and reassuring journey through school science, perfect for polishing up both long-forgotten knowledge and confidence, and helping everyone to make science a part of their world.\' - Helen Czerski\'This is a fantastic book, incredibly clearly written. Amongst many fascinating things, I learned exactly why/how mirrors reflect! Perfect for older kids but also great Christmas gift for curious adults, get your pre-orders in!\' - Dr Rebecca Wragg Sykes Σελίδες: 304, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0211, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

One of the most potent questions we ask about the cosmos is: are we alone? From astrobiology to exoplanets in the \'Goldilocks Zone\', Jaime Green traces our understanding of what and where life in the universe could be, drawing on the long tradition of scientists, writers and artists who have stimulated research by extrapolating worlds. Bringing together expert interviews, cutting-edge astronomy, philosophical inquiry and pop culture touchstones ranging from A Wrinkle in Time to Star Trek, The Possibility of Life delves into our evolving conception of the cosmos to wonder what we might find... out there.  Σελίδες: 304, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023 A NEW SCIENTIST BEST BOOK OF 2023 WINNER OF THE LA TIMES SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023 BOOK PRIZE \'A generous tour of mathematics for anyone whose instincts tend less towards \"Just tell me the answer\" and more towards \"Wait, but why?\"\' JORDAN ELLENBERG To many, maths feels like an unmapped wilderness. Between abstract concepts like imaginary numbers and infinity, it can sometimes feel like a lot of maths is just made up. Why, for example, is 1 not a prime? Why do two negatives cancel each other out? Where does trigonometry come from? Is maths even real? Abstract mathematician Eugenia Cheng shows that curiosity is the best teacher. Is Maths Real? takes us on a scintillating tour of the simple questions that provoke mathematics\' deepest insights. \'Intriguing...celebrates the dizziness and disorientation engendered by childlike questions that hint at the deep mysteries beneath\' NEW SCIENTIST \'Masterfully uncovers what\'s simply profound in the profoundly simple\' FRANCIS SU \'Discover what it feels like to be a real mathematician\' DAILY TELEGRAPH Σελίδες: 336, Διαστάσεις: 12.6x12.6cm

The full inside story of the detection of gravitational waves at LIGO, one of the most ambitious feats in scientific history*Selected as a Book of the Year 2016 in the Sunday Times*\'This is empirical poetry. A fascinating tale of human curiosity beautifully told, and with black holes and lasers too\' Robin InceIn 1916 Albert Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves: miniscule ripples in the very fabric of spacetime generated by unfathomably powerful events. If such vibrations could somehow be recorded, we could observe our universe for the first time through sound: the hissing of the Big Bang, the low tones of merging galaxies, the drumbeat of two black holes collapsing into one… In 2016 a team of hundreds of scientists at work on a billion-dollar experiment made history when they announced the first ever detection of a gravitational wave, confirming Einstein’s prediction a century ago. Based on complete access to LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and the scientists who created it, Black Hole Blues offers a first-hand account of this astonishing achievement: an intimate story of cutting-edge science at its most awe-inspiring and ambitious. Σελίδες: 256, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

From the discovery of entirely new kinds of galaxies to a window into cosmic ‘prehistory’, Bothwell shows us the Universe as we’ve never seen it before – literally. Since the dawn of our species, people all over the world have gazed in awe at the night sky. But for all the beauty and wonder of the stars, when we look with just our eyes we are seeing and appreciating only a tiny fraction of the Universe. What does the cosmos have in store for us beyond the phenomena we can see, from black holes to supernovas? How different does the invisible Universe look from the home we thought we knew? Dr Matt Bothwell takes us on a journey through the full spectrum of light and beyond, revealing what we have learned about the mysteries of the Universe. This book is a guide to the ninety-nine per cent of cosmic reality we can’t see – the Universe that is hidden, right in front of our eyes. It is also the endpoint of a scientific detective story thousands of years in the telling. It is a tour through our Invisible Universe. Σελίδες: 320, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1101, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

\'Stewart is Britain\'s most brilliant and prolific populariser of maths\' Alex Bellos \'The instructive equivalent of a Michelin-starred tasting menu\' Tim Radford Many people think mathematics is useless. They\'re wrong. In the UK, the 2.8 million people employed in mathematical science occupations contributed £208 billion to the economy in a single year - that\'s 10 per cent of the workforce contributing 16 per cent of the economy. What\'s the Use? asks why there is such a vast gulf between public perceptions of mathematics and reality. It shows how mathematics is vital, often in surprising ways, behind the scenes of daily life. How politicians pick their voters. How an absurd little puzzle solved 300 years ago leads to efficient methods for kidney transplants. And how a bizarre, infinitely wiggly curve helps to optimise deliveries to your door. Σελίδες: 336, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0804, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

Collecting legendary lectures from freewheeling scientific genius Richard P. Feynman, The Character of Physical Law is the perfect example of his gift for making complex subjects accessible and entertainingA series of classic lectures, delivered in 1960 and recorded for the BBC. This is Feynman\'s unique take on the problems and puzzles that lie at the heart of physical theory - with Newton\'s Law of Gravitation; on whether time can ever go backwards; on maths as the supreme language of nature. Demonstrates Feynman\'s knack of finding the right everyday illustration to bring out the essence of a complicated principle - eg brilliant analogy between the law of conservation energy and the problem of drying yourself with wet towels.\'Feynman\'s style inspired a generation of scientists. This volume remains the best record I know of his exhilarating vision\' Paul Davies Σελίδες: 192, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

THE CLASSIC GUIDE, NOW FULLY REVISED AND UPDATEDWhy do we need Statistics?What do terms like \'dispersion\', \'correlation\', \'normal distribution\' and \'significance\' actually mean?How can I learn how to think statistically?This bestselling introduction is for anyone who wants to know how statistics works and the powerful ideas behind it. Teaching through words and diagrams instead of requiring you to do complex calculations, it assumes no expert knowledge and makes the subject accessible even to readers who consider themselves non-mathematical. This clear and informative \'tutorial in print\' includes questions for you to respond to in the light of what you have read so far, ensuring your developing ability to think statistically. Σελίδες: 208, Διαστάσεις: 12.7x12.7cm

Celebrate the rise of superwomen and discover the science behind the abilities of Wonder Woman, Scarlet Witch, Black Widow, Catwoman, and more! Superhero fiction has been with us for almost a century; high-octane tales crammed with concepts and contrasting themes, from superpowers and the post-human, to masked vigilantes and immortality. In that time, superwomen have evolved from comic book caricatures (created by men, for men) to stronger representations of female power.The Science of Superwomen looks at this evolution, from its hypersexualised origins to today’s more nuanced diversity. Focusing on characters from Star Wars and X-Men, as well as the likes of Wonder Woman, Batgirl, Captain Marvel, Harley Quinn, Wednesday Addams, Doctor Who, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, The Science of Superwomen explores the relationship between superhero film and fiction and the underlying science of our ever-evolving universe. Σελίδες: 192, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0815, Διαστάσεις: 15.2x15.2cm

A Waterstones Best Popular Science Book of 2023\'Delightfully clear and vivid to read...A splendid book! Philip Pullman\'Absolutely fascinating\' James O\'Brien\'An exceptional book - readable, funny and more needed than ever\' Dr Chris van Tulleken, bestselling author of Ultra-Processed People· Are you more likely to become a professional footballer if your surname is Ball?· How can you be one hundred per cent sure you will win a bet?· Why did so many Pompeiians stay put while Mount Vesuvius was erupting?· How do you prevent a nuclear war?Ever since the dawn of human civilisation, we have been trying to make predictions about what\'s in store for us. We do this on a personal level, so that we can get on with our lives efficiently (should I hang my laundry out to dry, or will it rain?). But we also have to predict on a much larger scale, often for the good of our broader society (how can we spot economic downturns or prevent terrorist attacks?). For just as long, we have been getting it wrong. From religious oracles to weather forecasters, and from politicians to economists, we are subjected to poor predictions all the time. Our job is to separate the good from the bad. Unfortunately, the foibles of our own biology - the biases that ultimately make us human - can let us down when it comes to making rational inferences about the world around us. And that can have disastrous consequences.How to Expect the Unexpected will teach you how and why predictions go wrong, help you to spot phony forecasts and give you a better chance of getting your own predictions correct. Σελίδες: 448, Έτος Έκδοσης: 1112, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm

School maths is not the interesting part. The real fun is elsewhere. Like a magpie, Ian Stewart has collected the most enlightening, entertaining and vexing \'curiosities\' of maths over the years... Now, the private collection is displayed in his cabinet. There are some hidden gems of logic, geometry and probability -- like how to extract a cherry from a cocktail glass (harder than you think), a pop up dodecahedron, the real reason why you can\'t divide anything by zero and some tips for making money by proving the obvious. Scattered among these are keys to unlocking the mysteries of Fermat\'s last theorem, the Poincaré Conjecture, chaos theory, and the P/NP problem for which a million dollar prize is on offer. There are beguiling secrets about familiar names like Pythagoras or prime numbers, as well as anecdotes about great mathematicians. Pull out the drawers of the Professor\'s cabinet and who knows what could happen... Σελίδες: 320, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0701, Διαστάσεις: 19.6x19.6cm

If superheroes stepped off the comic book page, could they actually work their wonders in a world constrained by the laws of physics? How strong would Superman have to be to \'leap tall buildings in a single bound\'? Could Storm of the \'X-Men\' possibly control the weather? James Kakalios provides an engaging and witty commentary while introducing the reader to classical and cutting-edge concepts in physics, including: what Superman\'s strength can tell us about the Newtonian physics of force, mass, and acceleration;what villains like Electro and Magneto tell us about electricity and magnetism;how Iceman\'s powers show the principles of thermal dynamics;what the Human Top can tell us about angular momentum;why physics professors gone bad are the most dangerous evil geniuses... and more! Σελίδες: 384, Διαστάσεις: 12.9x12.9cm

What are the mysterious numbers that unlock the secrets of the universe?In Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them, leading theoretical physicist and YouTube star Antonio Padilla takes us on an irreverent cosmic tour of nine of the most extraordinary numbers in physics. These include Graham\'s number, which is so large that if you thought about it in the wrong way, your head would collapse into a singularity; TREE(3), whose finite value could never be reached before the universe reset itself; and 10^{-120}, which measures the desperately unlikely balance of energy the universe needs to exist. . .Leading us down the rabbit hole to the inner workings of reality, Padilla demonstrates how these unusual numbers are the key to unlocking such mind-bending phenomena as black holes, entropy and the problem of the cosmological constant, which shows that our two best ways of understanding the universe contradict one another. Combining cutting-edge science with an entertaining cosmic quest, Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them is an electrifying, head-twisting guide to the most fundamental truths of the universe. Σελίδες: 352, Διαστάσεις: 13x13cm

Readers worldwide know the work of Stephen Hawking through his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time. In this collection of essays and other pieces - on subjects that range from warmly personal to the wholly scientific- he is revealed variously as the scientist, the man, the concerned world citizen, and - as always - the rigorous and imaginative thinker. Whether remembering his first experience of nursery school; puncturing the arrogance of those who think science can best be understood only by other scientists and should be left to them; exploring the origins and the future of the universe; or reflecting on the phenomenon of A Brief History of Time, Stephen\'s wit, directness of style and absence of pomp are vital characteristics at all times. Σελίδες: 192, Διαστάσεις: 12.7x12.7cm

In this rare personal investigation, His Holiness the Dalai Lama discusses his vision of science and faith working hand in hand to alleviate human suffering. Drawing on a lifetime of scientific study and religious practice, he explores the great debates and makes astonishing connections between seemingly disparate topics - such as evolution and karma - that will change the way we look at the world. While he sees science and faith as \'complementary but different investigative approaches with the same goal of seeking the truth,\' the fact is that the two have often been at the root of human conflict for centuries. The Dalai Lama challenges us to see that the benefits of opening our hearts and minds to the connections between science and faith are far preferable to perpetuating the divisive rhetoric that often surrounds them. Now, as we face such troubled and uncertain times, the need has never been greater for this extraordinary man\'s compassion and wisdom. Σελίδες: 240, Έτος Έκδοσης: 0101, Διαστάσεις: 12.8x12.8cm