About the book
Our fascination with numbers begins when we are children and continues throughout our lives. We start counting our fingers and toes and end up balancing checkbooks and calculating risk. So powerful is the appeal of numbers that many people ascribe to them a mystical significance. Other numbers go beyond the supernatural, working to explain our universe and how it behaves.
Cosmic Numbers, mathematics professor James D. Stein traces the discovery, evolution, and interrelationships of the numbers that define our world. Everyone knows about the speed of light and absolute zero, but numbers like Boltzmann's constant and the Chandrasekhar limit are not as well known, and they do far more than one might imagine: They tell us how this world began and what the future holds. Much more than a gee-whiz collection of facts and figures, Cosmic Numbers illuminates why particular numbers are so important -- both to the scientist and to the rest of us.
Editions of Cosmic Numbers
- Hardcover
- ISBN 9780465021987
- EBook
- ISBN 9780465027880
Read an Excerpt
Our fascination with numbers begins when we are children and continues throughout our lives. We start counting our fingers and toes and end up balancing checkbooks and calculating risk. So powerful is the appeal of numbers that many people ascribe to them a mystical significance. Other numbers go beyond the supernatural, working to explain our universe and how it behaves.
Cosmic Numbers, mathematics professor James D. Stein traces the discovery, evolution, and interrelationships of the numbers that define our world. Everyone knows about the speed of light and absolute zero, but numbers like Boltzmann's constant and the Chandrasekhar limit are not as well known, and they do far more than one might imagine: They tell us how this world began and what the future holds. Much more than a gee-whiz collection of facts and figures, Cosmic Numbers illuminates why particular numbers are so important -- both to the scientist and to the rest of us.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Cosmic Numbers about?
Our fascination with numbers begins when we are children and continues throughout our lives. We start counting our fingers and toes and end up balancing checkbooks and calculating risk. So powerful is the appeal of numbers that many people ascribe to them a mystical significance. Other numbers go beyond the supernatural, working to explain our universe and how it behaves.
Cosmic Numbers, mathematics professor James D. Stein traces the discovery, evolution, and interrelationships of the numbers that define our world. Everyone knows about the speed of light and absolute zero, but numbers like Boltzmann's constant and the Chandrasekhar limit are not as well known, and they do far more than one might imagine: They tell us how this world began and what the future holds. Much more than a gee-whiz collection of facts and figures, Cosmic Numbers illuminates why particular numbers are so important -- both to the scientist and to the rest of us.
What core themes, tropes, or subjects are explored in Cosmic Numbers?
Mathematics and Science > Astronomy, space and time > Cosmology and the universe
Where can I read a sample of Cosmic Numbers?
You can read an official preview of the few pages here https://www.book2look.com/book/9780465021987
How long is Cosmic Numbers and how many pages does it have?
Cosmic Numbers has 240 page(s)
Who is/are the Author/s of the book Cosmic Numbers?
James D Stein
Who is the Publisher of the book Cosmic Numbers?
Basic Books
What are the ISBN numbers for the physical and digital editions?
Cosmic Numbers is available as hardcover(ISBN 9780465021987) and ebook(ISBN 9780465027880)
Where can I buy Cosmic Numbers online or support local independent bookshops?
You can buy Cosmic Numbers from below
Where can I buy Cosmic Numbers?