James D. Stein explores the physical constants that structure our universe, but sometimes misses out the context that makes them Cosmic Numbers
PHYSICISTS try to understand the universe by seeking out its patterns and regularities, all of which are most successfully expressed in the language of mathematics. Amid seemingly endless strings of equations, a handful of numbers stand out. These are the physical constants, numbers that hold their value in any situation – the unbreakable scaffolding of reality.
In Cosmic Numbers, mathematician James Stein offers a tour of some of these constants, from Avogadro’s number, the number of particles in…
