Ten Patterns That Explain the Universe

by Brian Clegg

Overview

How patterns--from diagrams of spacetime to particle trails revealed by supercolliders--offer clues to the fundamental workings of the physical world.

Our universe might appear chaotic, but deep down it's simply a myriad of rules working independently to create patterns of action, force, and consequence. In Ten Patterns That Explain the Universe, Brian Clegg explores the phenomena that make up the very fabric of our world by examining ten essential sequenced systems. From diagrams that show the deep relationships between space and time to the quantum behaviors that rule the way that matter and light interact, Clegg shows how these patterns provide a unique view of the physical world and its fundamental workings.
Guiding readers on a tour of our world and the universe beyond, Clegg describes the cosmic microwave background, sometimes called the "echo of the big bang," and how it offers clues to the universe's beginnings; the diagrams that illustrate Einstein's revelation of the intertwined nature of space and time; the particle trail patterns revealed by the Large Hadron Collider and other accelerators; and the simple-looking patterns that predict quantum behavior (and decorated Richard Feynman's van). Clegg explains how the periodic table reflects the underlying pattern of the configuration of atoms, discusses the power of the number line, demonstrates the explanatory uses of tree diagrams, and more.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780262542869
Publisher:	MIT Press
Publication date:	09/28/2021
Pages:	224
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Brian Clegg is an award-winning popular science writer and the author of more than thirty books, including A Brief History of Infinity, Dice World, Dark Matter and Dark Energy: The Hidden 95% of the Universe, and Everyday Chaos: The Mathematics of Unpredictability, from the Weather to the Stock Market (MIT Press).

Table of Contents

Introduction 6

11 The Cosmic Microwave Background 10

Patterns of radiation forming the echo of the Big Bang.

2 Minkowski Diagrams 30

Patterns explaining the connections between space and time.

3 Particle Trail Patterns 52

Patterns of particles revealing antimatter and the Higgs boson.

4 Feynman Diagrams 74

Diagrammatic patterns explaining the interplay of light and matter.

5 The Periodic Table 94

Tabular patterns indicating the configuration of atoms.

6 Weather Patterns 112

Large-scale patterns that underlie complex weather systems.

7 Number Lines 134

The number line is a pattern that forms the basis of arithmetic and many mathematical calculations.

8 Cladograms 154

Sophisticated patterns indicating the relationship between species and the pattern of evolution.

9 DNA Double Helix 178

The pattern of life providing the data store for constructing a living organism.

10 Symmetries 198

Patterns revealing symmetry in nature, mathematics, and physics.

Index 220

Acknowledgments 224

Editorial Reviews

06/21/2021

“We understand the world around us through patterns,” suggests science writer Clegg (Quantum Computing) in this perhaps too brisk survey, and without them, “the universe would be a realm of chaos.” In 10 short (and attractively illustrated) chapters, he describes the patterns he deems to be most striking; of them, DNA’s double helix, weather patterns, and the periodic table (with its “tabular patterns”) will be the most familiar. He also covers cosmic microwave background radiation arising from the big bang as part of a wider consideration of the expanding universe, light, and gravitational lensing. A chapter on cladograms, which depict the evolutionary relationships between species, meanwhile, touches on Darwin, fossilization, and genetic variations. Clegg’s complex topics don’t always get the attention they deserve (a quick mention of Higgs boson, for example, may not answer lay readers’ questions), but brief histories of relevant scientists and the era in which they worked add perspective. This is a fine place to start, but readers will likely be left wanting. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

"Ingenious, often complex insights from an expert." – Kirkus

“This book is a valuable contribution to popular science, providing a kaleidoscope of visuals that will appeal to readers across generational divides” – Science

"Using beautiful illustrations and illuminating diagrams, the book is a feast for the eyes. The final chapter, on symmetries in nature of all shapes and sizes, is particularly enlightening. Anyone interested in the natural world will enjoy the unique perspective offered in the book." – Physics Today

"Clegg's lucid prose, clever design and an array of photos and illustrations come together to present a procession of intriguing ideas, making this a great, approachable introduction to the bedrock of modern science" – BBC Sky at Night Magazine

From the Publisher

2021-07-18
The prolific science writer offers another illuminating education on many scientific phenomena.

“It would be impossible to cope with the world,” writes the author, “if we didn’t have patterns…that inform us of how to deal with, say, an apple or a light switch, so that we don’t have to start from scratch each and every time.” After proposing this theme, Clegg delivers 10 isolated essays on topics ranging from the recognizable (DNA, periodic table) to the arcane (number lines, Feynman diagrams). Teachers traditionally portray evolution as a tree; a primitive life form, the trunk, evolves into numerous, more complex organisms, the thinner branches. In reality, this is not what happens. The “branches” often thicken, double back, and become simpler. Fifty years ago, biologists offered a more accurate description in the form of a cladogram, which merely shows in what order a species split from a common ancestor. This works even when scientists haven’t found that ancestor. Regarding more cosmic matters, Clegg shows that while everyone can picture length, width, and depth, three of Einstein’s four dimensions, adding time seems nonsensical. Enter Einstein’s math professor, Hermann Minkowski, who developed an ingenious diagram that shows how time and space are related and inseparable. After the Big Bang, the universe was so hot that only charged particles such as protons and electrons existed. Charged particles absorb photons (i.e. light), so the early universe was dark. After 380,000 years of expansion and cooling, most charged particles combined to form electrically neutral atoms. Suddenly photons could travel, and the cosmos filled with light. These light photons expanded and cooled along with the universe, and today, 13.8 billion years later, they shine from everywhere as the cosmic microwave background. First detected in 1964, they reveal the earliest structures of the universe. This is not TV science; Clegg presents difficult concepts—e.g., infinity is not a number; genes form only a trivial part of a chromosome—but there are satisfying rewards to science-inclined readers.

Ingenious, often complex insights from an expert.

Kirkus Reviews