Shapes: Nature's Patterns: A Tapestry in Three Parts

Erscheinungsjahr 2011
ISBN: 978-0-19-960486-9
Verlag: OXFORD UNIV PR

Buch, Englisch, 336 Seiten, Format (B × H): 128 mm x 197 mm, Gewicht: 364 g

Patterns are everywhere in nature - in the ranks of clouds in the sky, the stripes of an angelfish, the arrangement of petals in flowers. Where does this order and regularity come from? It creates itself. The patterns we see come from self-organization. Whether living or non-living, scientists have found that there is a pattern-forming tendency inherent in the basic structure and processes of nature, so that from a few simple themes, and the repetition of simple
rules, endless beautiful variations can arise.

Part of a trilogy of books exploring the science of patterns in nature, acclaimed science writer Philip Ball here looks at how shapes form. From soap bubbles to honeycombs, delicate shell patterns, and even the developing body parts of a complex animal like ourselves, he uncovers patterns in growth and form in all corners of the natural world, explains how these patterns are self-made, and why similar shapes and structures may be found in very different settings, orchestrated by nothing more
than simple physical forces. This book will make you look at the world with fresh eyes, seeing order and form even in the places you'd least expect.

Zielgruppe

Of great interest to general readers of popular science, for its accessible and broad-ranging introduction to topics like self-organization, emergence, and complexity. Also people interested in natural history, looking for an explanation of the science behind many of the incredible forms to be found in nature. The book cuts across the boundaries of many disciplines - physics, chemistry, biology, engineering - and will be of interest to students and professionals in those areas. The theme of forms, shapes, and 'natural creativity' will also be of interest to artists and architects.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Ball, Philip

Fachgebiete

• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften: Allgemeines Populärwissenschaftliche Werke
• Mathematik | Informatik EDV | Informatik Informatik Künstliche Intelligenz Mustererkennung, Biometrik
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften Interdisziplinär Naturwissenschaften, Technik, Medizin

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1: The Shapes of Things: Pattern and Form
2: Lessons of the Beehive: Building with Bubbles
3: Making Waves: Stripes in a Test Tube
4: Written on the Body: Hiding, Warning and Mimicking
5: Rhythms of the Wild: Crystal Communities
6: How Does Your Garden Grow?: The Mathematics of a Daisy
7: Unfolding the Embryo: The Formation of Body Plans
Bibliography

Über Autor(innen)

Ball, Philip
Philip Ball, Freelance writer and consultant editor for Nature
Philip Ball is a freelance writer and a consultant editor for Nature, where he previously worked as an editor for physical sciences. He is a regular commentator in the scientific and popular media on science and ist interactions with art, history and culture. His ten books on scientific subjects include The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature, H2O: A Biography of Water, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the World of Renaissance Magic and Science, and Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads To Another, which won the 2005 Aventis Prize for Science Books. He was awarded the 2006 James T. Grady - James H. Stack award by the American Chemical Society for interpreting chemistry for the public. Philip studied chemistry at Oxford and holds a doctorate in physics from the University of Bristol. His latest book The Music Instinct published in February 2010.

Philip Ball is a freelance writer and a consultant editor for Nature, where he previously worked as an editor for physical sciences. He is a regular commentator in the scientific and popular media on science and its interactions with art, history and culture. His ten books on scientific subjects include The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature, H2O: A Biography of Water, The Devil's Doctor: Paracelsus and the World of
Renaissance Magic and Science, and Critical Mass: How One Thing Leads To Another, which won the 2005 Aventis Prize for Science Books. He was awarded the 2006 James T. Grady - James H. Stack award by the American Chemical Society for interpreting chemistry for the public. Philip studied chemistry at Oxford and holds a doctorate in physics
from the University of Bristol. His latest book The Music Instinct published in February 2010.