Bücher von Brian Clegg

Brian Clegg was always fascinated by Isaac Asimov's classic Foundation series of books, in which the future is predicted using sophisticated mathematical modelling of human psychology and behaviour.Only much later did he realise that Asimov's 'psychohistory' had a real-world equivalent: game theory.Originating in the study of probabilistic gambling games that depend on a random source - the throw of a dice or the toss of a coin - game theory soon came to be applied to human interactions: essentially, what was the best strategy to win, whatever you were doing? Its mathematical techniques have been applied, with varying degrees of wisdom, to fields such as economics, evolution, and questions such as how to win a nuclear war.Clegg delves into game theory's colourful history and significant findings, and shows what we can all learn from this oft-misunderstood field of study.

The mysterious phenomena that could unlock the secrets of the universe.

Brainjacking takes us on a journey through advertising and marketing's attempts to understand and influence our thoughts and desires, from the earliest billboards to the technologies of the future. To discover how science intersects with our desires and decisions, the book pulls together three strands that have a huge impact on our lives: advertising, how much privacy we can and should have in the new electronic world, and how to draw the line been information and influence. With Brian Clegg as your guide, this is a book that will help you unpick the insidious world of brainjacking. Expertly pulling together different strands on disparate topics including AI, Big Data, subliminal advertising and more, this essential investigation shows how new and old technology and science can be combined to influence human behaviour and beliefs.

Everyone has an interest in the weather, whether it's to check the prospects for a day out or to know when best to harvest a crop. The Earth's weather systems also provide some of the most dramatic forces of nature, from the vast release of energy in a lightning flash to the devastating impact of tornadoes and hurricanes.For centuries, our only real guide to future weather was folklore, but with the introduction of the first weather forecasts and maps in Victorian times, attempts were made to give some warning of the weather to come. Until relatively recently, these forecasts could be wildly inaccurate - think of Michael Fish's denial that there was a storm on the way the night before the UK's great storm of 1987. This was due to the mathematically chaotic nature of weather systems, first discovered in the 1960s, understanding of which would transform forecasting from the 1990s and mean that meteorologists became amongst the foremost users of supercomputers.

"An exploration of the transformative ways in which nature has inspired the technological advancement of humankind. Biomimetics literally means emulating biology and in a broader sense the term covers technological advances where the original inspiration came from nature"--

According to a recent survey, the most popular question about science from the general public was: what came before the Big Bang? We all know on some level what the Big Bang is, but we don't know how it became the accepted theory, or how we might know what came before. In "Before the Big Bang," Brian Clegg (the critically acclaimed author of "Upgrade Me "and "The God Effect") explores the history of this remarkable concept. From the earliest creation myths, through Hershel's realization that the Milky Way was one of many galaxies, to on-going debates about Black Holes, this is an incredible look at the origins of the universe and the many theories that led to the acceptance of the Big Bang. But in classic scientist fashion Clegg challenges the notion of the "Big Bang" itself, and raises the deep philosophical question of why we might want to rethink the origin of the universe. This is popular science at its best, exploratory, controversial, and utterly engrossing.

An exploration of the terrifying threats to our world that fill today's headlines: from global warming epidemic to the threat of nuclear weapons and the risk posed by the leading edge devices like the Large Hadron Collider. Armageddon Science by Brian Clegg is everything you want to know about potential man-made disaster. Climate change. Nuclear devastation. Bio-hazards. The Large Hadron Collider. What do these things have in common? They all have the potential to end our world. Every great scientific creation of man is balanced by an equal amount of danger-as there's no progress without risk. Armageddon Science is an authoritative look at the real "mad science" at work today, that recklessly puts life on Earth at risk for the pursuit of knowledge and personal gain. This book explores the reality of the dangers that science poses to the human race, from the classic fear of nuclear destruction to the latest possibilities for annihilation. Combining the science behind those threats with an understanding of the real people responsible as well as providing an assessment of the likelihood of the end of the world, this isn't a disaster movie, it's Armageddon Science.

Erfolgsautor Brian Clegg erläutert anschaulich, welche Muster und Strukturen die Welt zusammenhalten.Von den Gesetzen der Vererbung über das Zusammenspiel der Elementarteilchen bis hin zur kosmischen Hintergrundstrahlung.Leicht verständlich und unterhaltsam, über 150 Illustrationen.Unser Universum mag auf den ersten Blick chaotisch erscheinen. Dahinter liegt jedoch eine Vielzahl von Regelmäßigkeiten und Gesetzen, die mathematisch beschreibbare Muster und Strukturen schaffen. Dank ihnen können wir heute verstehen, wie Elementarteilchen miteinander interagieren, wie chemische Elemente beschaffen sind oder nach welchen Prinzipien die Evolution des Lebens fortschreitet und Vererbung funktioniert. Diese Muster und Strukturen führen uns vor Augen, was die Welt zusammenhält. Der britische Wissenschaftsjournalist Brian Clegg erläutert zehn von ihnen in unterhaltsamer und leicht verständlicher Sprache.

150 Bücher in einem Buch!Naturwissenschaft als Lesevergnügen: Diese Werke veränderten unsere Sicht auf die Welt.Eine bibliophile Zeitreise von den alten Griechen bis ins 21. Jahrhundert.Brian Clegg macht auch komplexe Sachverhalte leicht verständlich.Der bekannte britische Sachbuchautor Brian Clegg nimmt uns mit auf eine bibliophile Reise durch die Zeit. Sein reich bebilderter Überblick zu den einflussreichsten Büchern der Naturwissenschaften führt von den alten Griechen und islamischen Gelehrten über mittelalterliche europäische Naturphilosophen bis ins 21. Jahrhundert. Dabei stellt er nicht nur die Entwicklung wissenschaftlicher Konzepte, sondern auch die der Sprache und des Buches an sich dar. Von Einritzungen und Schriftrollen bis zu gebundenen Büchern in ihrer heutigen Form, illustriert der Autor die Entwicklung der wissenschaftlichen Kommunikation. Dieses Buch zeigt, wie das geschriebene Wort unser Wissen über das Universum und über uns selbst erweitert hat.

Ewigkeit dauert lange, besonders gegen Ende.(Woody Allen)"Auch der längste Weg, beginnt mit dem ersten Schritt!" und womit beginnt der erste Schritt? Mit den ersten zehn Zentimetern! Und womit beginnen die? Mit den ersten fünf Zentimetern" Und weil es endlos so weitergeht, kann man erst gar nicht anfangen, sich zu bewegen. Diogenes Antwort auf dieses "Paradox von Xenon" war schlicht: Er stand auf und ging einmal um seine Tonne herum.Unendlichkeit entzieht sich unserer alltäglichen Vorstellungskraft, trotzdem gehen wir wie selbstverständlich mit ihr um. Die auf sie hoffen, nennen sie "Himmel" oder "ewiges Leben", in der Mathematik geht schon mal gerne etwas "gegen Unendlich", Physiker sprechen von "Singularität" oder "schwarzen Löchern".Das Risiko der Unendlichkeit ist aufkommende Langeweile, weil ja alles immer so weitergeht. Das wird Ihnen mit diesem Buch nicht passieren: es ist erstens endlich und zweitens lebendig. Wegdösen in den ewigen Schlaf unmöglich.

The popular science equivalent of the NBC TV show Who Do You Think You Are?

The phenomenon that Einstein thought too spooky and strange to be trueWhat is entanglement? It's a connection between quantum particles, the building blocks of the universe. Once two particles are entangled, a change to one of them is reflected---instantly---in the other, be they in the same lab or light-years apart. So counterintuitive is this phenomenon and its implications that Einstein himself called it "e;spooky"e; and thought that it would lead to the downfall of quantum theory. Yet scientists have since discovered that quantum entanglement, the "e;God Effect,"e; was one of Einstein's few---and perhaps one of his greatest---mistakes.What does it mean? The possibilities offered by a fuller understanding of the nature of entanglement read like something out of science fiction: communications devices that could span the stars, codes that cannot be broken, computers that dwarf today's machines in speed and power, teleportation, and more. In The God Effect, veteran science writer Brian Clegg has written an exceptionally readable and fascinating (and equation-free) account of entanglement, its history, and its application. Fans of Brian Greene and Amir Aczel and those interested in the marvelous possibilities coming down the quantum road will find much to marvel, illuminate, and delight.

Whatever is needed, from in-depth research material for a report or academic paper, to the telephone number of a company on the other side of the world or what is showing at the local cinema, this guide aims to help readers find the answer on the internet, faster and more easily.

The fully updated 2nd edition of this critically acclaimed book covers the exciting developments in light science of the past five years. Light Years is an engaging survey of everything we know of the universe's most enigmatic phenomenon and the remarkable people who have been captivated by it.