Infinite Powers The Story of Calculus - The Language of the Universe

Short list Ed for the royal society Science book Prize 2019 a magisterial history of calculus (and the people behind it) from one of the world's foremost mathematicians. This is the captivating story of Mathematics' Greatest ever idea calculus. Without it there would be no computers no microwave ovens no GPS and no space travel. But before it gave modern man almost infinite powers calculus was behind centuries of controversy competition and even death. Taking us on a thrilling journey through three millennia Professor Steven strogatz charts the development of this seminal achievement from the days of Archimedes to today's breakthroughs in chaos theory and artificial intelligence. Filled with idiosyncratic characters from Pythagoras to Fourier infinite powers is a compelling human drama that reveals the legacy of calculus on nearly every aspect of modern civilisation including Science politics medicine philosophy and much besides.