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Why Beauty is Truth - A short history of symmetry

In this podcast series Professor Ian Stewart of Warwick's Department of Mathematics explores the history of symmetry and its impact on mathematics, physics and our understanding of the Universe.

  1. Introducing Symmetry
  2. Babylonian and Greek mathematics and the role of Omar Khayyam
  3. Competitive mathematics in Renaissance Italy
  4. Évariste Galois - the failed revolutionary
  5. Physicists start to notice and Einstein changes everything
  6. Symmetry and Quantum Mechanics
  7. Symmetry, string theory and an equation for everything (plus - could we be living in an asymmetrical universe?)

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Babylonian and Greek mathematics

10:35, Fri 4 May 2007

In this episode Professor Ian Stewart talks about the Babylonian approach to mathematics, how the Greeks used geometry to solve equations and the impact of Omar Kyham.

(MP3 format, 11 MB)

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A short history of symmetry

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Professor Ian Stewart's book, Why Beauty is Truth , is published by Basic Books inc.