The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature - Couverture rigide

Ball, Philip

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0198502443 ISBN 13 : 9780198502449

Editeur : Oxford University Press, 1998

Synopsis

Book by Ball Philip

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur :

Why do similar patterns and forms appear in nature in settings that seem to bear no relation to one another? The windblown ripples of desert sand follow a sinuous course that resemles the stripes of a zebra or a marine fish. In the trellis-like shells of microscopic sea creatures we see the same angles and intersections as for bubble walls in a foam. The forks of lightning mirror the branches of a river or a tree. l This book explains why these are no coincidences. Nature commonly weaves its tapestry by self-organization, employing no master plan or blueprint but by simple, local interactions between its component parts - be they grains of sand, diffusing molecules or living cells - give rise to spontaneous patters that are at the same time complex and beautiful. Many of these patterns are universal: spirals, spots, and stripes, branches, honeycombs. Philip Ball conducts a profusely illustrated tour of this gallery, and reveals the secrets of how nature's patterns are made.

Revue de presse :

"Philip Ball has produced a superb book about patterns in nature, The Self-Made Tapestry. From the ribbed desert sands to tree-form streaks of lightening, countless examples give rise to fascinating reflections on the astounding order that exists amid chaos. Lavishly illustrated, this is a stunning book." (The Sunday Times)

À propos de cette édition

• Éditeur: Oxford University Press
• Date d'édition: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0198502443
• ISBN 13: 9780198502449
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 320