'SYNC' IS A STORY OF A DAZZLING KIND OF ORDER IN THE UNIVERSE, THE HARMONY THAT COMES FROM CYCLES IN SYNC. THE TENDENCY TO SYCHRONIZE IS ONE OF THE MOST FAR- REACHING DRIVES IN ALL OF NATURE. IT EXTENDS FROM PEOPLE TO PLANETS, FROM ANIMALS TO ATOMS. IN 'SYNC' PROFESSOR STEVEN STROGATZ CONSIDERS A RANGE OF APPLICATIONS - HUMAN SLEEP AND CIRCADIAN RHYTHMS, MENSTRUAL SYNCHRONY, INSECT OUTBREAKS, SUPERCONDUCTORS, LASERS, SECRET CODES, HEART ARRHYTHMIAS AND FADS - CONNECTING ALL TRHOUGH AN EXPLORATION OF THE SAME MATHEMATICAL THEME: SELF- ORGANISATION, OR THE SPONTANEOUS EMERGENCE OF ORDER OUT OF CHAOS. FOCUSED ENOUGH TO PRESENT A COHERENT WORLD UNTO THEMSELVES, STROGATZ'S CHOSEN TOPICS TOUCH ON SEVERAL OF THE HOTTEST DIRECTIONS IN CONTEMPORARY SCIENCE.
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About the Author
Steven Strogatz is Professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell University and one of the world's leading researchers into chaos, complexity and synchronization. His seminal reasearch has been featured in Nature, Science, Scientific American, The New York Times, the New Yorker, and the Daily Telegraph.
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First Sentence
SO WROTE PHILIP LAURENT IN THE JOURNAL Science in 1917, as he joined the debate about this perplexing phenomenon. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
SO WROTE PHILIP LAURENT IN THE JOURNAL Science in 1917, as he joined the debate about this perplexing phenomenon. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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33 of 35 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book is one of the best examples of popular science that I have read. The author is a scientist and knows his stuff but he also has the ability to explain his material in very simple terms. He does this by the use of relevant and well thought out analogies.
Sync is about things in nature that synchronize without any central controller. Strogatz starts with the example of Fireflies that flash on and off together in their thousands. The book then takes us on a journey through a surprisingly large range of natural phenomena that exhibit sync and the science that is revealing how sync works.
This is a relatively easy book to read. There are no equations. The writing style is as good as any I have encountered. There are real and interesting characters and just the right level of humour. It is not a text book and does not pretend to be. It is popular (but serious) science done very well.
Best of all for me is the genuine excitement which the book conveys about this subject. It has inspired me to seek out other books on the same theme and I would definitely read another book by Steven Strogatz.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
For the most part though,it reminded me of James Gleicks' Chaos book in the way that the Sync story is conveyed with tales of maverick characters on the fringes of established science, making serendipitous discoveries that lay around waiting for someone to slot them into a framework.Within this there are numerous enlightening insights and quirky facts about the rhythm and harmonies that universally pervade the fabric of existence,which make it well worth the effort.
Although I did enjoy this book,I didn't find it as thrilling and inspiring as some other people seemed to do.It does roll along pretty well until it hits part 3,where the ability of language and metaphor to convey non linear concepts of encryption and 3D sync left me needy in some respects.Although I was able to follow the general principles,it was still frustrating not to be able to fully comprehend some of the finer points involved.
Overall an entertaining popular science book,with a few moments of conceptual difficulties for non mathematicians,which can be circumvented without any deleterious effects to the whole.
Although I did enjoy this book,I didn't find it as thrilling and inspiring as some other people seemed to do.It does roll along pretty well until it hits part 3,where the ability of language and metaphor to convey non linear concepts of encryption and 3D sync left me needy in some respects.Although I was able to follow the general principles,it was still frustrating not to be able to fully comprehend some of the finer points involved.
Overall an entertaining popular science book,with a few moments of conceptual difficulties for non mathematicians,which can be circumvented without any deleterious effects to the whole.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Sync investigates the concept of universal harmony. The drive to synchronization is one of the most far-reaching phenomena in the universe, encompassing people, planets, atoms, animals and a whole lot more. But the laws of Thermodynamics seem to dictate the opposite - that nature should degenerate toward entropy. This is not so, as magnificent small and large structures like galaxies and cells keep assembling themselves in perfect harmony.
Drawing on Chaos & Complexity Theory, Strogatz examines the connections linking the phenomena of the mathematics of self-organization, where trillions of interactions result in order emerging from chaos. There is a steady and insistent pulse at the heart of the cosmos that resonates from the nucleus of the cell to the largest galaxy in a chorus of synchronized cycles that pervade all of nature.
The author refers to the work of scientists from many disciplines, including Einstein, Richard Feynman, Brian Josephson, Norbert Wiener, Paul Erdos, Stanley Milgram, Boris Belousov Edward Lorenz and Arthur Winfree. Part One, Living In Sync, deals with these manifestations in for example human brainwaves and the behaviour of fireflies, whilst Part Two, Discovering Sync, looks at the universe as a whole and at quantum theory. Part Three, Exploring Sync, investigates synchronization, chaos and small world networks.
There are some black and white illustrations, copious notes and an index. This book is a fascinating journey through the strange and beautiful phenomenon of synchronization, the harmonious music of the universe that builds and sustains life.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting and well written book
I bought this book mainly to read the chapter on the Circadian Cycle. Then I went on reading and found fascinating how synchronization affects so many aspects of our life and our... Read more
Published 1 month ago by M. Merino
5.0 out of 5 stars
Synchrony: self-organization and the emergence of order
The subject of the book is synchrony that is coupled phenomena which occur simultaneously. Synchrony is all permeating in nature and is encountered in both living and non living... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Serghiou Const
5.0 out of 5 stars
Spontaneous order brought to life.
This is a fantastic book packed with insights and wonderful ideas. Its subject is the power of synchronisation, or as the book's subtitle puts it, `the emergence of spontaneous... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Steven Unwin
4.0 out of 5 stars
Zis book makes you sync!
Strogatz seems well qualified and certainly has plenty of subject matter. The book follows a logical (chronological) order. Read more
Published on 5 Nov 2010 by J. Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excelent book
A marvellously readable book which gives feeling that sync is part of our life. Author provides very interesting live examples and describes complex theory in fascinating way.
Published on 30 Sep 2010 by krystian
5.0 out of 5 stars
The "Sync" is out there
To put it briefly, "Sync" discusses exciting and original ideas in a very enjoyable manner (Strogatz is a natural!). Readers that like Popular Science will love it. Read more
Published on 28 Dec 2009 by ArisX
5.0 out of 5 stars
Simply the best
This is beyond doubt one of the finest books I have read in recent years. It is obviously not intended as an easy read but the author has dealt with some extremely difficult... Read more
Published on 20 May 2009 by J. Robinson
5.0 out of 5 stars
A superb read.
Inspiring, entertaining, fascinating. Sync is a real treasure trove for anyone interested in emergence, non-linear dynamics, networks and A-Life. Read more
Published on 29 May 2007 by Interested in Books
5.0 out of 5 stars
A wonderfully interesting book - seeing the world from a different...
This book and the ideas it introduces are rather like going skydiving for the first time. Thrust into a whole new world of knowledge it is at first unnerving, later exhilirating,... Read more
Published on 21 Dec 2006 by A. Jessop
4.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly fascinating
Whilst the book lacked some cohesion and a decent conclusion much of the information was fascinating. I especially enjoyed the section on sleep cycles. Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2006 by Jaq
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