In May 2000, the Clay Mathematics Institute in Paris announced that $1m prizes were being offered for solutions to each of seven unresolved problems of mathematics.
This book doesn't explain the problems in detail but rather aims to give the background that a lay reader can understand and more important why the problems themselves are considered important.
The Riemann Hypothesis - about the pattern of primes
Yang-Mills Theory - quantum physics behaviour of particles
P vs NP problem - proof that certain equations are unsolvable by computation
Navier-Stokes equations - familiar to engineers of fluid dynamics but there is no formal solution to them
The Poincare conjecture - how do you tell the difference between an apple and a doughnut?
The Birch and Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture that builds on Fermat's Last Theorem and points to possible solutions
The Hodge Conjecture - about an obscure issue deep within abstract topology.
Wednesday 1 June 2005
The Agile Gene
Matt Ridley follows on from his earlier work 'Genome' to explore the nature vs nurture debate. In the end he describes it as a false dichotomy with nurture favouring certain individuals and hence the genes that will continue their lineage, in turn defining the personality of those who will nurture the next generation.
The Ancestors Tale - A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Life
Richard Dawkins travels back over the human family tree to the dawn of life and introduces us to the other life forms that branched out along the way (including who there descendants are today, or were in the fossil record)
I must admit I lost interest before the end of the book. Once you get the idea it is more of a review of the taxonomy of life than a deeply philosophical study that many of his other books are. I would recommend it to anyone interested in biology or taxonomy though.
I must admit I lost interest before the end of the book. Once you get the idea it is more of a review of the taxonomy of life than a deeply philosophical study that many of his other books are. I would recommend it to anyone interested in biology or taxonomy though.
The Gold Mine
An explanation of lean manufacturing written as a novel (similar to The Goal several years before). If you, or someone you know, wants to leanr about the subject but doesn't get on with conventional text books - then this could be the book for you.
Published by the Lean Enterprise Institute - who have many more conventional books on the subject if you are interested.
Published by the Lean Enterprise Institute - who have many more conventional books on the subject if you are interested.
The Definitive Book of Body Language
From Allan & Barbara Pease (grandmasters in the art) comes a truly definitive guide to reading other people and hence improving your depth and effectiveness of communications with them.
Much more than just a guide to body signals, the book also explores the underlying psychology and physiology behind the body language signals.
A very readable book whether you are a complete novice or an expert in the craft.
The book has been reprinted many times in slightly different versions but they all contain the same material.
Much more than just a guide to body signals, the book also explores the underlying psychology and physiology behind the body language signals.
A very readable book whether you are a complete novice or an expert in the craft.
The book has been reprinted many times in slightly different versions but they all contain the same material.
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