Mario Livio

Draws on the careers of five renowned scientists including Charles Darwin, William Thomson, Linus Pauling, Fred Hoyle and Albert Einstein to reveal the important roles of their mistakes in advancing science, from Pauling's error in his model of DNA molecule structure to Hoyle's dismissal of the "Big Bang" theory.

From Darwin to Einstein - Colossal Mistakes by Great Scientists That Changed Our Understanding of Life and the Universe

Brilliant Blunders

Offers a look at phi, or "the golden ratio," discovered by Euclid more than two thousand years ago, examining the meaning of this remarkable mathematical proportion in terms of science, biology, philosophy, and other fields.

The Story of Phi, the World's Most Astonishing Number

The Golden Ratio

This fascinating exploration of the great discoveries of history's most important mathematicians seeks an answer to the eternal question: Does mathematics hold the key to understanding the mysteries of the physical world? Illustrations throughout.

Is God a Mathematician?

"Experiments demonstrate that people are more distracted when they overhear a phone conversation--where they can know only one side of the dialogue--than when they overhear two people talking and know both sides. Why does half a conversation make us more curious than a whole conversation? ... Livio interviewed scientists in several fields to explore the nature of curiosity, [examining] the lives of two of history's most curious geniuses, Leonardo da Vinci and Richard Feynman, [and talking] to people with boundless curiosity"--Amazon.com.

What Makes Us Curious

Why?

How Mathematical Genius Discovered the Language of Symmetry

The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved

A fresh interpretation of the life of Galileo Galilei, one of history’s greatest and most fascinating scientists, that sheds new light on his discoveries and how he was challenged by science deniers. “We really need this story now, because we’re living through the next chapter of science denial” (Bill McKibben). Galileo’s story may be more relevant today than ever before. At present, we face enormous crises—such as the minimization of the dangers of climate change—because the science behind these threats is erroneously questioned or ignored. Galileo encountered this problem 400 years ago. His discoveries, based on careful observations and ingenious experiments, contradicted conventional wisdom and the teachings of the church at the time. Consequently, in a blatant assault on freedom of thought, his books were forbidden by church authorities. Astrophysicist and bestselling author Mario Livio draws on his own scientific expertise to provide captivating insights into how Galileo reached his bold new conclusions about the cosmos and the laws of nature. A freethinker who followed the evidence wherever it led him, Galileo was one of the most significant figures behind the scientific revolution. He believed that every educated person should know science as well as literature, and insisted on reaching the widest audience possible, publishing his books in Italian rather than Latin. Galileo was put on trial with his life in the balance for refusing to renounce his scientific convictions. He remains a hero and inspiration to scientists and all of those who respect science—which, as Livio reminds us in this gripping book, remains threatened even today.

And the Science Deniers

Galileo

storia di un numero e di un mistero che dura da tremila anni

La sezione aurea

Este livro é um exame fascinante daquela que talvez seja a nossa característica mais humana: o desejo profundo de conhecer e entender as coisas. A curiosidade é essencial para a criatividade, e também o principal agente motivador por trás da ciência. Ainda assim, não existe um consenso científico sobre o motivo que torna os seres humanos curiosos, tampouco sobre que mecanismos específicos do nosso cérebro são responsáveis pela curiosidade. Seria esta característica um produto direto da seleção natural? Por que até questões aparentemente triviais às vezes nos deixam extremamente curiosos? Como nossa mente escolhe os objetos da nossa curiosidade? Estas e muitas outras questões intrigantes são exploradas por Mario Livio, cuja curiosidade insaciável dá origem a este livro irresistível, que cativará qualquer um que esteja curioso em relação à curiosidade.

Por quê? O que nos torna curiosos

come un genio della matematica ha scoperto il linguaggio della simmetria

L'equazione impossibile

Drawing on the lives of five great scientists, this “scholarly, insightful, and beautifully written book” (Martin Rees, author of From Here to Infinity) illuminates the path to scientific discovery. Charles Darwin, William Thomson (Lord Kelvin), Linus Pauling, Fred Hoyle, and Albert Einstein all made groundbreaking contributions to their fields—but each also stumbled badly. Darwin’s theory of natural selection shouldn’t have worked, according to the prevailing beliefs of his time. Lord Kelvin gravely miscalculated the age of the earth. Linus Pauling, the world’s premier chemist, constructed an erroneous model for DNA in his haste to beat the competition to publication. Astrophysicist Fred Hoyle dismissed the idea of a “Big Bang” origin to the universe (ironically, the caustic name he gave to this event endured long after his erroneous objections were disproven). And Albert Einstein speculated incorrectly about the forces of the universe—and that speculation opened the door to brilliant conceptual leaps. As Mario Livio luminously explains in this “thoughtful meditation on the course of science itself” (The New York Times Book Review), these five scientists expanded our knowledge of life on earth, the evolution of the earth, and the evolution of the universe, despite and because of their errors. “Thoughtful, well-researched, and beautifully written” (The Washington Post), Brilliant Blunders is a wonderfully insightful examination of the psychology of five fascinating scientists—and the mistakes as well as the achievements that made them famous.

warum das Buch der Natur in der Sprache der Mathematik geschrieben ist

Ist Gott ein Mathematiker?

As relações matemáticas representadas pelo número fi - 1,6180339887..., conhecida como 'razão áurea' ou 'proporção divina' - são encontradas na conformação das conchas, dos girassóis, dos cristais, das galáxias, nas proporções do corpo humano, nas pirâmides, em símbolos mágicos e até na Mona Lisa, de Leonardo da Vinci. Nesta obra, o astrofísico e matemático Mario Livio esclarece as origens das ocorrências da razão áurea na natureza e seus usos na arquitetura, na pintura e na música. Um número infinito tão laureado por suas qualidades harmônicas que no século XIV foi elevado a proporções divinas.

Razão áurea

Secțiunea de aur

greşeli colosale ale unor mari savanţi, care ne-au schimbat perspectiva asupra vieţii şi universului

Gafe strălucite

From the author of the bestseller "The Golden Ratio" comes the story of the 4,000-year-long mathematical quest that uncovered the laws of symmetry in nature and the arts.

The Equation that Couldn't be Solved

Advance Praise for The Accelerating Universe """"The Accelerating Universe"" is not only an informative book about modern cosmology. It is rich storytelling and, above all, a celebration of the human mind in its quest for beauty in all things."" --Alan Lightman, author of Einstein's Dreams ""This is a wonderfully lucid account of the extraordinary discoveries that have made the last years a golden period for observational cosmology. But Mario Livio has not only given the reader one clear explanation after another of what astronomers are up to, he has used them to construct a provocative argument for the importance of aesthetics in the development of science and for the inseparability of science, art, and culture."" --Lee Smolin, author of ""The Life of the Cosmos"" ""What a pleasure to read! An exciting, simple account of the universe revealed by modern astronomy. Beautifully written, clearly presented, informed by scientific and philosophical insights."" --John Bahcall, Institute for Advanced Study ""A book with charm, beauty, elegance, and importance. As authoritative a journey as can be taken through modern cosmology."" --Allan Sandage, Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington

Infinite Expansion, the Cosmological Constant, and the Beauty of the Cosmos

The Accelerating Universe

Explores the plausibility of mathematical answers to puzzles in the physical world, in an accessible exploration of the lives and thoughts of such figures as Archimedes, Galileo, and Newton. By the author of The Golden Ratio. 50,000 first printing.

Mario Livio

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