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The Equation that couldn’t be solved - How Mathematical Genius discovered the language of symmetry

by Mario Livio

This book is full of really interesting facts. The author has clearly spent a long, long time researching all their information. They have a lot of background detail on all the mathematicians they have met, and described how their maths and lives were intertwined.

The book does have a serious trend running though it as it tries to explain Group theory to its readers and for the most part, I could follow what it was saying. The beautiful thing about this book is that every time you think you are lost, the story twists a little and suddenly you are back on solid ground, being presented with more information you can understand. If you don’t understand a page, you can always re-read it.

The book helped to show just how much influence symmerty has on our daily lives. The researxh on humans and their love of things symmetrical is amazing. The most funny fact I foun out in this area was some scientists made a group of volunteers wear the same t-shirt for three days. After 3 days, other volunteers had to score the smell of the t-shirt in terms of sexiness. Amazingly the men with the most symmtrical bodies, were chosen by women - but oddly enough, only why they were ovulating! Also the same research found out the the most symmetrical men where also the ones most likely to cheat on you - presumably with other ovulating women!

The book looked at symmetry and art through the ages and discussed what was considered as symmetry and how this was influenced by the golden ratio - a ratio which appears time and again throughout nature.

It also looked at how symmetry affects quantum mechanics and atoms and how it is a key part of the universal string theory. The book will provide any keen mathematician with enough fun facts and figures to entertain anyone who has a dim view of their school maths days.

If you do get this book - drop me an email and tell me what you thought of the book!