"On November 25th, 1915, Albert Einstein published his field equations of general relativity and reinvented gravity. Rather than being some mysterious unseen force pulling objects together, gravity, Einstein told the world, is a manifestation of the curvature of space-time caused by the presence of massive objects. But Einstein's theory wasn't born in a vacuum, not even the vacuum of space. Instead, the theory of general relativity relies upon complicated...

The author focuses on how mathematics is created rather than on mathematical facts and teaches the subject without requiring memorization or any mathematical knowledge beyond basic computation.

Examines the nation's burgeoning inability to deal rationally with very large numbers, assesses the impact on government policymaking and everyday life, and shows what can be done about this.

Applied mathematics plays a major role in the sciences and in engineering, where it enhances our ability to use models and handle data. While pure mathematics mostly focuses on abstract structures, applied mathematics provides a tool for understanding and tackling a multitude of practical problems, such as medical imaging and neuroscience. Here, Alain Goriely explains the nature of applied mathematics, and discusses its early achievements in physics...

Presents an accessible, in-depth look at the history of numbers and their applications in life and science, from math's surreal presence in the virtual world to the debates about the role of math in science.