Brainstorms

The Edge Foundation, represented by its side edge.org, brings together the leading scientists and technologists of our time together, with the declared aim, through interdisciplinary contacts to catalyze new ideas.

Each year the founder, John Brockman, a question in the "Edge-room". 2012 was this: "What profound, elegant or beautiful explanation is your favorite?" From about 200 responses received Brockman has compiled 148 essays in "This Explains Everything", none longer than four pages (ie also suitable for media damaged and other ADS-affected), one of only three words long: "Keep it simple" (of course, to Ockham razors).

It is about the truly brilliant ideas that had inspired the natural sciences and medicine, and which one was common that they declared as much namely with as few assumptions (Ockham!), And the. Without regard to the prevailing mindsets and worldviews of the times Some names fall over again, first and foremost, of course, Darwin, the measure of all science revolutionaries, but also Galileo, Maxwell or Planck. But it is quite not so that it's all about the big issues, each of which has at least heard that before, and that's what makes the book so interesting.

In a few essays, I have but wondered how they made it to the selection, for example, had in which a retired psychology professor who the "your" of question misunderstood and sent its own work. But most others are a pleasure to read and offer numerous suggestions for further reading. In any case, almost all writers have the ability pleasant English-speaking scientists to express even the most complicated issues understandable, something that is of some German scientists could learn a lot.

2013 is the Edge-question "What should we be concerned?". It will be interesting to sleepless nights.