In a Flight of Starlings

The Wonder of Complex Systems

By Giorgio Parisi | Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

About the book

From the 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, a remarkable journey into the practice of groundbreaking science

'Giorgio Parisi is renowned for his scientific creativity, originality, and power. In this exhilarating little book, he shows his human side, too. By its end, readers will feel they've made a charming, witty new friend' Frank Wilczek

The world is shaped by complexity. In this enlightening book, Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi guides us through his unorthodox yet exhilarating work to show us how. It all starts with investigating the principles of physics by observing the sophisticated flight patterns of starlings. Studying the movements of these birds, he has realized, proves an illuminating way into understanding complex systems of all kinds - collections of everything from atoms to planets to other animals like ourselves.

Along the way, Parisi reflects on the lessons he's taken from a life in pursuit of scientific truth: the importance of serendipity to the discovery of new ideas, the surprising kinship between physics and other fields of study and the value of science to a thriving society. In so doing, he removes the practice of science from the confines of the laboratory and into the real world. Complexity is all around us - from climate to finance to biology, it offers a unique way of finding order in chaos.

Part elegant scientific treatise, part thrilling intellectual journey, In a Flight of Starlings is an invitation to find wonder in the world around us.

Editions of In a Flight of Starlings

Hardcover
ISBN 9780241587485
Paperback
ISBN 9781802060881
EBook
ISBN 9781802060898
AudioStreaming
ISBN 9781802063479

Read an Excerpt

From the 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, a remarkable journey into the practice of groundbreaking science

'Giorgio Parisi is renowned for his scientific creativity, originality, and power. In this exhilarating little book, he shows his human side, too. By its end, readers will feel they've made a charming, witty new friend' Frank Wilczek

The world is shaped by complexity. In this enlightening book, Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi guides us through his unorthodox yet exhilarating work to show us how. It all starts with investigating the principles of physics by observing the sophisticated flight patterns of starlings. Studying the movements of these birds, he has realized, proves an illuminating way into understanding complex systems of all kinds - collections of everything from atoms to planets to other animals like ourselves.

Along the way, Parisi reflects on the lessons he's taken from a life in pursuit of scientific truth: the importance of serendipity to the discovery of new ideas, the surprising kinship between physics and other fields of study and the value of science to a thriving society. In so doing, he removes the practice of science from the confines of the laboratory and into the real world. Complexity is all around us - from climate to finance to biology, it offers a unique way of finding order in chaos.

Part elegant scientific treatise, part thrilling intellectual journey, In a Flight of Starlings is an invitation to find wonder in the world around us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is In a Flight of Starlings about?

From the 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Physics, a remarkable journey into the practice of groundbreaking science

'Giorgio Parisi is renowned for his scientific creativity, originality, and power. In this exhilarating little book, he shows his human side, too. By its end, readers will feel they've made a charming, witty new friend' Frank Wilczek

The world is shaped by complexity. In this enlightening book, Nobel Prize winner Giorgio Parisi guides us through his unorthodox yet exhilarating work to show us how. It all starts with investigating the principles of physics by observing the sophisticated flight patterns of starlings. Studying the movements of these birds, he has realized, proves an illuminating way into understanding complex systems of all kinds - collections of everything from atoms to planets to other animals like ourselves.

Along the way, Parisi reflects on the lessons he's taken from a life in pursuit of scientific truth: the importance of serendipity to the discovery of new ideas, the surprising kinship between physics and other fields of study and the value of science to a thriving society. In so doing, he removes the practice of science from the confines of the laboratory and into the real world. Complexity is all around us - from climate to finance to biology, it offers a unique way of finding order in chaos.

Part elegant scientific treatise, part thrilling intellectual journey, In a Flight of Starlings is an invitation to find wonder in the world around us.

What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in In a Flight of Starlings?

Mathematics and Science > Physics

Where can I read a sample of In a Flight of Starlings?

You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780241587485

Who is/are the Author/s of the book In a Flight of Starlings?

Giorgio Parisi

Who is the Publisher of the book In a Flight of Starlings?

Penguin Books Ltd

What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?

In a Flight of Starlings is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780241587485) and paperback(ISBN 9781802060881) and ebook(ISBN 9781802060898) and audiostreaming(ISBN 9781802063479)

Where can I buy In a Flight of Starlings online or support local independent bookshops?

You can buy In a Flight of Starlings from below

Where can I buy In a Flight of Starlings?