Sync: How Order Emerges from Chaos in the Universe, Nature, and Daily LifeThe tendency to synchronize may be the most mysterious and pervasive drive in all of nature. But only in the past decade have scientists from disparate disciplines come to the stunning realization that the study of synchrony could revolutionize our understanding of everything from the origin of life to certain types of human behavior. At once elegant and riveting, SYNC tells the story of the dawn of a new science. As one of its pioneers, Steven Strogatz, a leading mathematician in the fields of chaos and complexity theory, explains how enormous systmes can synchronize themselves, from the electrons in a superconductor to the pacemaker cells in our hearts. Along with vivid explanations of cutting-edge theory, Strogatz provides an intimate and highly personal narrative filled with often humorous anecdotes about some of the visionary thinkers of our time. A tour de force of science and prose, SYNC reveals the hidden but beautiful order that governs the rhythms of nature and the rhythms of ourselves--Publisher's description. |
