| The Parsimonious Universe: Shape and Form in the Natural World Softcover Repri Edition Contributor(s): Hildebrandt, Stefan (Author), Tromba, Anthony (Author) |
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ISBN: 1461275326 ISBN-13: 9781461275329 Publisher: Copernicus Books OUR PRICE: $80.74 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: July 2012 |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - Philosophy | Metaphysics - Mathematics | Calculus - Mathematics | Geometry - General |
| Dewey: 117 |
| Physical Information: 0.72" H x 7.5" W x 9.25" (1.32 lbs) 330 pages |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Why does nature prefer some shapes and not others? The variety of sizes, shapes, and irregularities in nature is endless. Skillfully integrating striking full-color illustrations, the authors describe the efforts by scientists and mathematicians since the Renaissance to identify and describe the principles underlying the shape of natural forms. But can one set of laws account for both the symmetry and irregularity as well as the infinite variety of nature's designs? A complete answer to this question is likely never to be discovered. Yet, it is fascinating to see how the search for some simple universal laws down through the ages has increased our understanding of nature. The Parsimonious Universe looks at examples from the world around us at a non-mathematical, non-technical level to show that nature achieves efficiency by being stingy with the energy it expends. |