Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
Antonio Padilla <\/strong>Allen Lane \u00a325 HB <\/p>\n\n
The title Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them <\/em>might imply that this is a maths book, but that\u2019s not true. It\u2019s actually part maths, part physics, and part history book. While the narrative is dictated broadly by numbers, the content is mostly about cosmology and particle physics.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Beginning with large numbers, then moving to small numbers, and finally back to infinity, the topics flip around between chapters. But for the reader, this all adds to the variety.<\/span> The book is not an easy read. You need to keep your wits about you, as it is packed with information, whether that\u2019s the history of the zero, an analogy about spacetime or the story of particle physics. <\/p>\n\n
It\u2019s all introduced in a way that\u2019s intended to be accessible and, providing you pay attention, generally hits the mark. Unless you\u2019re a theoretical physicist, there will be bits that will make your head hurt to think about, but that\u2019s partly the point. <\/p>\n\n
A Higgs boson particle, produced by two colliding protons <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n
There are times when the narrative of numbers seems to get forgotten in the interest of exploring physics. In chapter 0.0000000000000001 there\u2019s a few dozen pages during which we explore bosons, leptons, quarks, gauge theory, Feynman diagrams, quantum chromodynamics and supersymmetry, and the Higgs boson. It\u2019s a lot to take in, but it\u2019s broken up with some helpful and often entertaining analogies, along with clear diagrams, sometimes involving wine bottles and Rapunzel in space (though not at the same time!). <\/p>\n\n
As well as the analogies, there\u2019s also some interesting history to be found. Whether that\u2019s the history of maths or physics and cosmology, the historical focus is generally on the people involved. Some of their personal lives are incredibly tragic, but this helps bring the history to life.<\/span> Pleasingly, the book is not too western-focused, as many accounts often are. <\/p>\n\n
It may be dense and not for the faint-hearted, but for those with an interest in maths and\/or physics, there\u2019s an awful lot of interesting content here. And, since it barely scratches the surface of some topics, it might just persuade some people to become theoretical physicists themselves. \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605<\/span><\/p>\n\n
Dr Chris North <\/strong>is Head of Public Engagement in Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University <\/em><\/p>\n\n
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Interview with the author: Antonio Padilla <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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What\u2019s your favourite number? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Zero. Medieval thinkers saw the devil in zero, in the absence of God, but it\u2019s the most beautiful number of all, an avatar for the symmetries that underpin the clockwork of our Universe. When something vanishes – when there is a zero – there is always symmetry at play. Take the photon, a particle of light travelling at the cosmic speed limit. It can only do this because it has a zero – avanishing mass guaranteed by the elegant symmetries of electromagnetism. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
You will never catch a photon and you will never find a number more beautiful than zero. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is there a smallest number or a biggest number? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Very small and very big numbers are, in a way, one and the same. If I have a very big number, like a googol, I can also find a very small number just by taking its reciprocal. The mathematics of infinitesimals is really the mathematics of infinity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Our quest to understand nature on the smallest scales is to conquer the infinities that plague our calculations. Some infinities have been conquered, but the infinities of gravity remain untamed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
With gravity, we cannot think about the fabric of space over distances shorter than the Planck length (a universal set of units for length, time, mass, temperature and other physical qualities devised by Max Planck in 1899) \u2013 about 10 -35<\/sup>metres. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is the shortest meaningful distance in nature. The distance to the edge of the visible Universe is about 10 61<\/sup>times larger, so in a way, that is the biggest number, at least in our Universe. And 10 -61<\/sup>is the smallest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Antonio Padilla <\/strong>is a theoretical physicist and cosmologist at the University of Nottingham <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n
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Venus <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
William Sheehan, Sanjay Shridhar Limaye <\/strong>Reaktion \u00a325 HB <\/p>\n\n
What can we learn about our own planet\u2019s origins \u2013 and possible fate \u2013 by studying its sister Venus? The two planets are similar in size and composition, and yet have evolved differently. <\/p>\n\n
This short but thorough book is a chronological assessment of what we know about Venus, from its importance as the \u2018Queen of Heaven\u2019 in ancient Babylon to the latest tantalising detection of phosphine and possible evidence of life. Paradoxically, Venus\u2019s extreme brilliance (it can even be observed during the day) has also made it very difficult to study. <\/p>\n\n
Not until the 1970s and the Soviet Venera missions did we get decent images of the planet\u2019s surface underneath its thick atmosphere of carbon dioxide. Studies of Venus are not just important in their own right but have also contributed to other aspects of astronomy: the authors explain clearly how Galileo\u2019s observations of the planet\u2019s phases provided crucial support for the heliocentric model, and how its transit across the Sun enabled 18thcentury astronomers to measure the radius of Earth\u2019s orbit for the first time. <\/p>\n\n
It\u2019s well-written and Illustrations of Venus from ancient times to modern day make this visually appealing. The authors cover a huge amount of science, perhaps straying a bit too far from their brief in discussing evidence for a greenhouse effect on Earth, as well as post-WWII rocketry. All in all, It\u2019s a worthy addition to Reaktion\u2019s science \u2018Kosmos\u2019 series. \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 <\/span><\/p>\n\n
Pippa Goldschmidt <\/strong>is a science and astronomy writer <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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SCI-FI SCIENCE<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n
The Science of Star Trek <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
Mark Brake <\/strong>Skyhorse Publishing \u00a310.99 PB <\/p>\n\n
Sometimes, considering the science behind a beloved science fiction world takes a little of the magic out of the story, placing it back within the mundane. But here Mark Brake boldly goes where none have gone before and explains the science behind the Star <\/em>Trek <\/em>franchise in a way that adds to the wonder of the Universe, rather than detracting from it. <\/p>\n\n
The Science of Star Trek <\/em>explores one of the best known and most loved science fiction universes in incredible detail, covering a huge range of topics in short, snappy chapters. The author explains the science behind space travel, exoplanet exploration, cyborgs and much more with an authoratitive voice in an easily digestible format. The stand-out feature of this book is how it covers not just the ways in which <\/span>Star <\/em>Trek <\/em>was influenced by science, but the ways in which science itself has been influenced by Star <\/em>Trek.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
Brake discusses how our own space culture has been impacted by Star <\/em>Trek, <\/em>with its sci-fi inventions that might be less fiction than we expect, and what the series can teach us about the political science of war. Each chapter is concise and to the point, prefaced by quotes, and Brake\u2019s voice is warm and witty. He gives an uplifting view of what humanity might be able to achieve in the future, provided we learn the right lessons. <\/p>\n\n
Perfect for any fan of the franchise, The <\/em>Science <\/em>of <\/em>Star <\/em>Trek <\/em> is a fascinating and insightful read. \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 <\/span><\/p>\n\n
Katie Sawers <\/strong>is a science writer specialising in cosmology and the history of astronomy <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Elephant In The Universe <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n
Govert Schilling <\/strong>Harvard University Press \u00a323.95 HB <\/p>\n\n
The \u2018elephant\u2019 in this particular book is dark matter \u2013 the enigmatic constituent accounting for 85 per cent of matter in the Universe. <\/p>\n\n
Giving a thoroughly up-to-date history of the emergence of cold dark matter (CDM) cosmology, the author covers the work of Kapteyn, Oort and Zwicky, and Rubin\u2019s discovery of flat galaxy rotation curves. Thankfully, the book also redresses the often overlooked work of radio astronomers: notably Roberts, Bosma and Shostak. Armed with this good grounding in the background physics, and its development, we next join the hunt for the nature of the invisible beast. <\/p>\n\n
Rather than a dry, terse recounting of scientific fact, Schilling has chosen to play out the adventure of discovery with an emphasis on the characters of those involved. Based on numerous interviews and discussions with scientists in the field, the book is both an advertisement for the thrill of scientific discovery and the visionaries who pursue the big questions simply because they are there. Schilling has craftily combined his lucid and accessible descriptions of science with the personal story of those unlocking the finer details of the missing mass mystery. The result is enthralling. <\/p>\n\n
Sometime in the future, maybe this year, maybe a century or more hence, someone is going to write the final chapter of this story. But even without that final revelation, this scientific \u2018whodunit\u2019, with its diverse cast of characters, false leads and enticing clues, is still a captivating scientific thriller. Future generations will no doubt be grateful for this fascinating contemporary account. \u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 <\/span><\/p>\n\n
Alastair Gunn <\/strong>is a radio astronomer based at Jodrell Bank, Cheshire <\/em><\/p>\n\n
Photos: MARK GARLICK\/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY\/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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