From Cosmos to Chaos: The Science of Unpredictability - Softcover

Coles, Peter

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0199588147 ISBN 13: 9780199588145

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA, 2010

Synopsis

Cosmology has undergone a revolution in recent years. The exciting interplay between astronomy and fundamental physics has led to dramatic revelations, including the existence of the dark matter and the dark energy that appear to dominate our cosmos. But these discoveries only reveal themselves through small effects in noisy experimental data. Dealing with such observations requires the careful application of probability and statistics. But it is not only in the arcane world of fundamental physics that probability theory plays such an important role. It has an impact in many aspects of our everyday life, from the law courts to the lottery. Why then do so few people understand probability? And why do so few people understand why it is so important for science? Why do so many people think that science is about absolute certainty when, at its core, it is actually dominated by uncertainty? This book attempts to explain the basics of probability theory, and illustrate their application across the entire spectrum of science.

About this title

About the Author

Professor Peter Coles is Chair in Theoretical Astrophysics at Cardiff University, UK.

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Publication date: 2010
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0199588147
• ISBN 13: 9780199588145
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224