Infinite Powers
Categories: Science & Math
Mathematician Steven Strogatz, author of The Joy of x, argues that calculus is not about complexity but simplicity: it uses infinity to break hard problems into easy pieces and then reassembles the answers. His 2019 history traces calculus from its first glimmers in ancient Greece to the discovery of gravitational waves. Strogatz shows how it helped explain why Mars sometimes seems to move backward, how to make electricity with magnets and how to turn the tide against AIDS.
Recommended by 3 people
- Naval Ravikant
- Michael J. Mauboussin
- Shane Parrish: “His most recent book, Infinite Powers explores the power of calculus in reshaping our world, from its role in ensuring NASA's rocket wouldn't miss the moon, the development of technologies like GPS, cell phones, and ultrasound.”