Communication

Public Understanding of Science

Most of my published popular science writing has appeared in the magazine Plus, as listed and linked below. There are quite a few book reviews, but also some articles which may be of interest. Don’t forget to check out the old article on my blog (and bear in mind the caveat on the Welcome page, that the views are my own).

If you have ideas for a collaborative public outreach project, or comments on any of my articles, please get in touch.

Popular science writing
Constructive mathematics. Plus 49. Read.
Book review of “The Symmetries of Things” by JH Conway, H Burgiel & C Goodman-Strauss. Plus 49. Read.
Book review of “Galileo Antichrist” by M White. Mathematics Today 44(6) 263-4.
Book review of “Lewis Carroll in Numberland” by R Wilson. Plus 48. Read.
Book review of “The Mind of the Mathematician” by M Fitzgerald & I James. Mathematics Today 44(4) 175.
Book review of “The Shoelace Book” by B Polster. Plus 47. Read.
Book review of “Numbers at Work” by R Taschner. Plus 47. Read.
Book review of “One to Nine” by A Hodges. Mathematics Today 44(3) 132.
Book review of “Arthur Cayley” by T Crilly. Mathematics Today 44(1) 53.
Physdamentalism. Letter to the editor, Physics World 21(1) 17. Read a copy on my blog.
Book review of “Chaos: A Very Short Introduction” by L Smith. Mathematics Today 43(6) 218-219.
Book review of “The Mathematician’s Brain” by D Ruelle. Plus 45. Read.
Book review of “Euler’s Elements of Algebra” by C Sangwin. Plus 45. Read.
Frugal nature: Euler and the calculus of variations. Plus 44. Read.
Book review of “Nonplussed!” by J Havil. Plus 44. Read.
Book review of “The Art of Mathematics: coffee time in Memphis” by B Bollobas. Plus   44. Read.
Book review of “From Zero to Infinity” by C Reid. Plus 40. Read.
Graphical methods III: the slugs bounce back. Plus 40. Read.
Graphical methods II: the return of the slime. Plus 39. Read.
Graphical methods I: slug wars. Plus 38. Read.
Book review of “A Different Universe” by R Laughlin. Plus 37. Read.
The right mistakes. Letter to the editor, Physics World 18(4) 20.
Thomas Bayes and Mr Zootpooper. Plus 32. Read.
Mathematics for Aliens. Plus 30. Read.
Model behaviour. Plus 25. Read.
Book review of “How to Dunk a Doughnut” by L Fisher. Plus 23. Read.
Essay “Rice Grains and High-Speed Trains”, a runner-up in the international Wellcome Trust/New Scientist Millenial Essay Competition 2002. Please email me if you would like to read this essay.  Popular science talking
“Get Into Net!” as part of the Maths Department’s enrichment series of events for schools in NZ, 5th September 2008.
“Building Numbers: from Ancients to Aliens via Starfish and mp3s” as part of the Maths Department’s enrichment series of events for schools in NZ, 3rd August 2007.