Overview
It Must Be Beautiful is a collection of 12 essays on the power and beauty of modern scientific equations by some of the world's foremost scientists and historians. Contributors include Steven Weinberg, Peter Galison, John Maynard Smith, and Frank Wilczek.
Synopsis
The equation has come to embody the mystery and terror of modern science. It Must Be Beautiful is a wide-ranging collection of writings that lift the lid on some of the most influential — and notorious — equations of all time. This book brings together gifted scientists and writers, including Nobel Prize winners, to interpret the scientific work of the 20th century and place it in historical perspective. Each essay presents the essence of an equation, explains why it is fundamental, defines its scope and limitations, and finally states its importance in the wider intellectual and popular culture.
Contributors include Peter Galison, of Harvard University, on E=mc2; Roger Penrose on Einstein s equation of general relativity; Robert May, President of the Royal Society, on the quadratic map; John Maynard Smith on the mathematics of evolution; award-winning journalist Aisling Irwin on the equations which predicted that a hole would appear in the ozone layer; Frank Wilczek on the Dirac equation for the electron; Oliver Morton, contributing editor to Wired magazine, on the Drake equation, which clarifies thinking about the likelihood of extra-terrestrial life; and a thoughtful afterword by Nobel Laureate Steven Weinberg.
Library Journal
The power of equations can seem magical, writes MIT physics professor Frank Wilczek in an essay on the Dirac Equation, which describes the movement of quantum particles. Like the brooms created by the Sorcerer's Apprentice, they can take on a life of their own, giving birth to consequences that their creator did not expect, cannot control, and may even find repugnant. Though it seems like an odd reversal of the scientific method to do the math first and then find the data that fit, it has happened time and again. These 11 essays contributed by various scientists and science writers (e.g., Roger Penrose, Peter Galison, Oliver Morton, and Steven Weinberg) describe scientific advances that derived from mathematical theory such as Einstein's thought experiments on relativity, a game theory equation that predicted animal behavior, or the discovery that the mathematics of chaos describes the real-world phenomenon. A fascinating history of science for educated nonmathematical readers; for larger public and academic libraries. Amy Brunvand, Univ. of Utah Lib., Salt Lake City Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.