Sync: How Order Emerges from Chaos in the Universe, Nature, and Daily Life

by Steven H. Strogatz

Overview

At the heart of the universe is a steady, insistent beat, the sound of cycles in sync. Along the tidal rivers of Malaysia, thousands of fireflies congregate and flash in unison; the moon spins in perfect resonance with its orbit around the earth; our hearts depend on the synchronous firing of ten thousand pacemaker cells. While the forces that synchronize the flashing of fireflies may seem to have nothing to do with our heart cells, there is in fact a deep connection.

Synchrony is a science in its infancy, and Strogatz is a pioneer in this new frontier in which mathematicians and physicists attempt to pinpoint just how spontaneous order emerges from chaos. From underground caves in Texas where a French scientist spent six months alone tracking his sleep-wake cycle, to the home of a Dutch physicist who in 1665 discovered two of his pendulum clocks swinging in perfect time, this fascinating book spans disciplines, continents, and centuries. Engagingly written for readers of books such as Chaos and The Elegant Universe, Sync is a tour-de-force of nonfiction writing.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780786887217
Publisher:	Hachette Books
Publication date:	04/14/2004
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	781,383
Product dimensions:	5.19(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)
Age Range:	13 - 18 Years

About the Author

Steven Strogatz received his doctorate from Harvard University and served on the faculties of Harvard and MIT before becoming a professor of applied mathematics at Cornell Universitty in 1994. Widely recognized for his groundbreaking discoveries in chaos and complexity theory, he has received numerous awards throughout his career, including MIT's highest teaching prize and a Presidential Young Investigator Award from the White House. He lives in Ithaca, New York, with his wife, Carol, and their two daughters, Leah and Joanna.

Editorial Reviews

The most exciting new book of the spring . . . Masterful . . . A gem.

Popular Science

Strogatz has just written a book arguing that the universe is an orderly place marked by harmony and cooperation. In an era of war, terror, and chaos, his viewpoint sounds a bit curious. But if SYNC is, well, out of sync with global news, it's certainly in tune with the scientific world.

Newsweek

A vivid, first-hand account of what it is like to be at the beginning of a scientific revolution.

Focus

Compulsively readable.

Science

Strogatz . . . is a first-rate storyteller and an even better teacher . . . SYNC is a great read.

Nature

Offers a real sense of what it's like to be at the beginning of Something Big.

New Scientist

Describes dozens of sights and sounds that arise from collective, synchronized behavior . . . Delightful.

Discover

Every now and then you come across a science book that's just fun and amazing to read.

Leader-Post [Regina]