Is there any connection between the vastness of the universes of stars and galaxies and the existence of life on a small planet out in the suburbs of the Milky Way? This book shows that there is. In their classic work, John Barrow and Frank Tipler examine the question of Mankind's place in the Unive[...]

Infinity is surely the strangest idea that humans have ever had. Where did it come from and what is it telling us about our Universe? Can there actually be infinities? Can you do an infinite number of things in a finite amount of time? Is the Universe infinite? Infinity is also the place where thing[...]

How can sprinter fast Usain Bolt break his world record without running any faster? Why do high-jumpers use the Fosbury Flop? What's the best strategy for taking football penalties? What statistical advantage do left-handed boxers have over their right-handed opponents? And did you know that gymnast[...]

In Impossibility, John D. Barrow--one of our most elegant and accomplished science writers--argues convincingly that there are limits to human discovery, that there are things that are ultimately unknowable, undoable, or unreachable. Barrow first examines the limits of the human mind: our brain evol[...]

In The Artful Universe (OUP, 1995) John D. Barrow explored the close ties between our aesthetic appreciation and the basic nature of the Universe, challenging the commonly held view that our sense of beauty is entirely free and unfettered. It looked at some of the unexpected ways in which the struct[...]

We live in a visual age, an age of images iconic, instant, and influential that have crystallized our conception of the large, the small, and the complex, of both inner and outer space. Some, like Robert Hooke's first microscopic views of the natural world, arose because of new technical capabilitie[...]

Einstein's theory of general relativity opens the door to other universes, and weird universes at that: universes that allow time travel, universes where you can see the back of your head, universes that spin and bounce or multiply without limit. The Book of Universes gives us a stunning tour of the[...]

Einstein s theory of general relativity opens the door for the study of other possible universes and weird universes at that. The Book of Universes gives us a stunning tour of these potential universes, introducing us to the brilliant physicists and mathematicians who first revealed these startling [...]

Bonnie and Clyde were responsible for multiple murders and countless robberies. But they did not act alone. In 1933, during their infamous run from the law, Bonnie and Clyde were joined by Clyde's brother Buck Barrow and his wife Blanche. Of these four accomplices, only one--Blanche Caldwell Barrow-[...]

A leading mathematician, cosmologist, and author of The Constants of Nature furnishes an eye-opening study of the concept of infinity, tracing the history and meaning of infinity, from ancient times to the present day, and examining the diverse permutations of the infinite and their influence on the[...]

What can maths tell us about sports? "100 Essential Things You Didn't Know You Didn't Know About Sport" sheds light on the mysteries of running, jumping, swimming and points scoring across the whole sporting spectrum. Whether you are a competitor striving to go faster or higher, or an armchair enthu[...]