Author: Hildebrandt, Stefan; Author: With Tromba, Anthony
Hardback; Book; 300 Figures
350 pages
Published: February 1996
Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
ISBN: 0387979913

Beautifully illustrated, The Parsimonious Universe explores the efforts of scientists and mathematicians since the Renaissance to identify and describe the basic laws underlying the shape of natural forms. The book reveals centuries of historical discussions, including examples ranging from atomic nuclei to soap bubbles to honeycombs to igloos to spirals and fractals. 300 illus., 35 in color.Through both illustrations and text, the authors of this book describe the efforts by scientists and mathematicians since the Renaissance to identify and describe the basic laws underlying the shape of natural forms. Can one set of laws account for both the symmetry and variety in nature?