Magicienii

Magicienii shows how maths can reveal things before scientists see them. Marcus Chown looks at bold claims that broke science’s usual slow pace. Why do maths equations fit the real world so well? They work, but why they work is still unclear.

This science book explains physics for those with no prior training. Le Verrier used maths to predict that Neptune exists and where it lies. Chown covers the equations of Maxwell and Dirac, too. He tells how Pauli said the neutrino must exist. He also looks at Higgs’s account of how elementary particles gain mass. These are the basic bits of matter.

Chown follows the thinkers and those who put their ideas to the test. Some tests came decades after the first claims. He builds suspense in the wait for proof. These tales show the scientists’ faith in maths. They show their courage in backing bold ideas, too. They teach basic physics and ask questions that still lack answers. Walter Fotescu translated this edition.