Lecture 5 – Fearful symmetry
From the 1997 Lectures' DVD companion:
The entire development of mathematics can be seen as a slow broadening of what we accept under the term 'pattern'.
It is fitting, therefore, that the 1997 Lectures draw to a close by taking an in-depth look at the truth and beauty of patterns, as illustrated in phenomena ranging from slime mould to the orbit of planets.
About the 1997 CHRISTMAS LECTURES
In our 1997 CHRISTMAS LECTURES, mathematician Ian Stewart shares his enthusiasm for mathematics and how it governs almost every aspect of our lives.
From the 1997 Lectures' DVD companion:
Okay. We all know that mathematics can be about as interesting as watching a silent movie wearing a blindfold. The trick is to make it relevant. Make it electric. Plug mathematics in and make it live! Professor Ian Stewart does just that. He's a best-selling author whose enthusiasm for his subject spreads like a forest fire through his audience. In the 1997 Royal Institution CHRISTMAS LECTURES, he shows how maths governs almost every aspect of our lives, ranging from our birthdays to American game shows, calling in at panthers, petals, and the logic of chaos.
If you're already interested in mathematics, these lectures will remind you of the magic. But if you've yet to see the beauty and fascination of the subject, why not let Professor Stewart remove the blindfold for you?
