The Universe in Zero Words: The Story of Mathematics as Told through Equations by Dana Mackenzie (PDF)

Description

Most popular books about science, and even about mathematics, tiptoe around equations as if they were something to be hidden from the reader’s tender eyes. Dana Mackenzie starts from the opposite premise: He celebrates equations. No history of art would be complete without pictures. Why, then, should a history of mathematics–the universal language of science–keep the masterpieces of the subject hidden behind a veil? The Universe in Zero Words tells the history of twenty-four great and beautiful equations that have shaped mathematics, science, and society–from the elementary (1+1=2) to the sophisticated (the Black-Scholes formula for financial derivatives), and from the famous (E=mc2) to the arcane (Hamilton’s quaternion equations). Mackenzie, who has been called “a popular-science ace” by Booklist magazine, lucidly explains what each equation means, who discovered it (and how), and how it has affected our lives. Illustrated in color throughout, the book tells the human and often-surprising stories behind the invention or discovery of the equations, from how a bad cigar changed the course of quantum mechanics to why whales (if they could communicate with us) would teach us a totally different concept of geometry. At the same time, the book shows why these equations have something timeless to say about the universe, and how they do it with an economy (zero words) that no other form of human expression can match. The Universe in Zero Words is the ultimate introduction and guide to equations that have changed the world.

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “Dana Mackenzie, Winner of the 2012 Joint Policy Board for Mathematics Communications Award””Quietly learned and beautifully illustrated, Mackenzie’s book is a celebration of the succinct and the singular in human expression.” ― Nature”The equations Mackenzie exhibits in this wonderful book represent 24 of the most profound discoveries in the history of Mathematics. . . . Mackenzie’s writing is understated and clear. The complex ideas he explains so lucidly are beautiful in themselves, but this book is physically beautiful too, imaginatively illustrated and stylishly designed to complement its subject.” ― Irish Times”[M]ackenzie provides interesting insights regarding the equations, such as relating whale communications to a model of a non-Euclidean geometry or the role of cigar smoke in the quantization of angular momentum of quantum particles. . . . The book is an enjoyable read.” ― Choice”This well-designed and accessible book will delight and inform the student, mathematician or historian in your life and it may also help you rediscover your forbidden love for mathematics.”—Devorah Bennu, GrrlScentist”With a book that is both short and very easy to read, Mackenzie manages to introduce a very wide scope of ideas, and to produce a condensate of the history of mathematics that is at the same time enlightening and engaging. He succeeds in discussing highly advanced science while remaining very comprehensible, and in popularizing mathematics and physics while also giving food for thought to the specialist. His Universe in Zero Words will therefore seduce any scientist, but also anyone with some curiosity and desire to get more familiar with the history of human thinking and knowledge.”—Jean-Baptiste Gramain, London Mathematical Society Newsletter”[V]ery absorbing reading. . . . Two hundred pages, twenty-four equations, one endearing and well told story. I wholeheartedly recommend the book.”—Alexander Bogomolny, CTK Insights”A fascinating and informative look behind the equations.”—Lucy Sussex, Sydney Morning Herald”[The book] reads well and quick: I took it with me in the metro one morning and was half-way through it the same evening, as The Universe in Zero Words remains on the light side, especially for readers with a high school training in math. . . . The Universe in Zero Words makes for an easy and pleasant read, as well as a wonderful gift for mathematically inclined teenagers.” ― Chance Magazine”MacKenzie has the knack of getting and keeping your attention, and writes with fluency and wit, and he is a good story-teller.”—Anthony G. O’Farrell, Irish Mathematical Society Bulletin”[This] is brilliantly written, and this reviewer who has taught historical aspects of mathematics for a number of years enjoyed the book and learned some details that were unfamiliar. The author possesses a wonderful skill in presenting technical material to those without the facility to understand the mathematics. . . . In summary, a refreshing look at highlights from the History of Mathematics and a welcome addition to the literature, written in a very accessible style.”—Phil Dyke, Leonardo Reviews”Mackenzie has written an accessible account of mathematical equations through the ages, giving strong insights in a historical context and with a wider interpretation that does justice to the title.”—Wallace A Ferguson, Mathematics Today”The book is written in a very transparent and elegant manner; it is both enjoyable and informative reading. The reader will absolutely love exciting historical facts and excellent illustrations, diagrams, pictures carefully selected by the author. The volume concludes with a useful bibliography and a helpful index. A very entertaining text that appeals not only to mathematics enthusiasts, but also to a wide audience with a quite limited mathematical background.”—Yuri V. Rogovchenko, Zentralblatt MATH Review “Demanding very little prior mathematical knowledge, this is one of the best popular histories of mathematics in recent years. Dana Mackenzie’s prose is lively and easy to read, and his mix of historical background and personal biographies of the main characters is engaging.”―Eli Maor, author of The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History and e: The Story of a Number”Dana Mackenzie is a very good writer. I was constantly amazed at his ability to describe complicated mathematics in a few sentences in a way that the average reader―not the average mathematician or the average math major, but the average reader―can understand. This is a very entertaining book.”―David S. Richeson, author of Euler’s Gem: The Polyhedron Formula and the Birth of Topology”[A] terrific book. . . . [A] brilliant history of mathematics as told through equations.”―Dick Lipton, Professor of Computer Science at Georgia Tech From the Inside Flap “Demanding very little prior mathematical knowledge, this is one of the best popular histories of mathematics in recent years. Dana Mackenzie’s prose is lively and easy to read, and his mix of historical background and personal biographies of the main characters is engaging.”–Eli Maor, author of The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History ande: The Story of a Number”Dana Mackenzie is a very good writer. I was constantly amazed at his ability to describe complicated mathematics in a few sentences in a way that the average reader–not the average mathematician or the average math major, but the average reader–can understand. This is a very entertaining book.”–David S. Richeson, author of Euler’s Gem: The Polyhedron Formula and the Birth of Topology”[A] terrific book. . . . [A] brilliant history of mathematics as told through equations.”–Dick Lipton, Professor of Computer Science at Georgia Tech From the Back Cover “Demanding very little prior mathematical knowledge, this is one of the best popular histories of mathematics in recent years. Dana Mackenzie’s prose is lively and easy to read, and his mix of historical background and personal biographies of the main characters is engaging.”–Eli Maor, author of The Pythagorean Theorem: A 4,000-Year History and e: The Story of a Number”Dana Mackenzie is a very good writer. I was constantly amazed at his ability to describe complicated mathematics in a few sentences in a way that the average reader–not the average mathematician or the average math major, but the average reader–can understand. This is a very entertaining book.”–David S. Richeson, author of Euler’s Gem: The Polyhedron Formula and the Birth of Topology”[A] terrific book. . . . [A] brilliant history of mathematics as told through equations.”–Dick Lipton, Professor of Computer Science at Georgia Tech About the Author Dana Mackenzie is a frequent contributor to Science, Discover, and New Scientist, and writes the biennial series What’s Happening in the Mathematical Sciences for the American Mathematical Society. In 2012, he received the prestigious Communications Award from the Joint Policy Board for Mathematics. He has a PhD in mathematics from Princeton and was a mathematics professor for thirteen years before becoming a full-time writer. Read more

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐This book continues to both challenge and enlighten. Every page satiates on a myriad of levels. My inner Sheldon is beginning to surface.

⭐In his chapter on prime numbers, Mackenzie commits a serious error in his discussion of the Riemann Hypothesis. On page 131, he says, “In 1859, Bernard Riemann took another amazing step forward, which explains why the zeta function (discussed in Chapter 12) is now named after him rather than Chebyshev.” Three sentences later, he continues, “…you need to know the infinitely many places in the plane where the Riemann zeta function takes the value zero.” The zeta function discussed in Chapter 12 is the Euler zeta function, not the Riemann zeta function. There is no value of x, real or complex, for which the zeta function presented in Chapter 12 is zero! Mackenzie shows only the Euler zeta function (page 102). Any serious reader who attempts to find a value of x for which it is zero will become very frustrated, for there are no such values. The Riemann zeta function is an analytic continuation of the Euler zeta function and is significantly different in form. It does have zeros. I appreciate the fact that this book is not aimed at an audience literate in advanced mathematics, but there is no excuse for conflating these two very different functions; this makes nonsense of his discussion of the Riemann Hypothesis on pages 132 and 133. A simple solution would be to display the Riemann zeta function and note its similarity, in part, to the Euler zeta function. Mackenzie could then say that while the Euler zeta function has no zeros, the Riemann zeta function does. His discussion of the Riemann Hypothesis and the importance of the (nontrivial) zeros of the Riemann zeta function would then make sense. Unhappily, I should add that Mackenzie is not the first popular expositor of the Riemann Hypothesis to commit this serious error.

⭐The author selected 24 mathematical equations for a more detailed discussion than found in most books written for the non-mathematician reader. He selected the equations based on criteria of is it: (1) surprising, (2) concise, (3) consequential and (4) universal. He introduces each equation by giving its historical and social setting, and a cameo bio of the mathematician. Special attention is given to explaining the equation’s function and significance, and the reaction of other mathematicians to its discovery.I was surprised at how many equations I understood. The equations from antiquity (zero, square of the hypotenuse, pi, etc.) are easy to understand because they are so basic and even intuitive. My ancient education in calculus and geometry enabled me to understand the fundamental theorem of calculus and non-Euclidean geometries (except for varying curvature geometry, which I still fail to grasp). And my experience in geophysics allowed me to understand the beauty and utility of Fourier transforms. Which leaves most of the other 24 equations that I do not have the math skill to really understand. But because of the author’s skill as a communicator, my not being able to “do the math” did not interfere with my ability to appreciate the importance and poetry of the equation.Highly recommended!

⭐I bought this book for my son, who is an 8 year old boy. He loves math more than everything else. He loves solving hard math problems and reading almost everything about math. He keeps challenging himself by all kinds of problems. For example: Pie (3.1415926…) is a irrational number and irrational number can not be a fraction. but Pie can be calculated by perimeter / diameter. How does this happen?He loves this kind of books. He is reading this book.

⭐Whether a math enthusiast or desiring to rekindle your interest, this may be the right place to start. Author does a credible job of a walk through the annals of math history. The highlights and breakthrough discoveries in math are discussed and the illustrations are terrific. Bibliography looks excellent, if I can find the time to tap into it. Get the book – it’s a keeper – skip the e-version, if there is one.

⭐This puts the perspective on what you learn when you learn math. This is something mathematicians, whoare so wrapped up in the “beauty” of mathematics itself, that you seldom hear about the connection withreality. I wish I had read this book after high school geometry class.

⭐The only reason I am giving this 2 stars, is because I bought this book a second time for someone else, and it arrived with the cover ripped both times…. Otherwise, the book itself is wonderful, fantastic. Incredible read, especially for those who “hate math”.

⭐happy

⭐interesting indeed

⭐Anyone with a basic knowledge of maths will thoroughly enjoy the book. It’s a wonderful intellectual tour de force of how mathematical equations evolved throughout human history and the vast areas of knowledge they encompassed. Even as a non-mathematician with some maths background, I found it easy to navigate and remain engaged throughout the book. Something very different from the usual routine stuff on maths.

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