The Nonlinear Universe - Chaos, Emergence, Life

Written in Alwyn Scott's inimitable style, one that readers will find both lucid and accessible, this masterwork elucidates the explosion of activity in nonlinear science in recent decades. The book explains the wide-ranging implications of nonlinear phenomena for future developments in many areas of modern science, including mathematics, physics, engineering, chemistry, biology, and neuroscience. Arguably as important as quantum theory, modern nonlinear science is essential for understanding the scientific developments of the twenty-first century.


One of the pioneers in the area, Alwyn Scott entered nonlinear science as a teacher and researcher after completing his doctoral work at MIT in the late 1950s. His research, both experimental and theoretical, has addressed a wide range of topics from nonlinear laser optics to neuroscience. In 1981, Scott was selected as the founding director of the Center for Nonlinear Studies at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. He was also a founding editor of Physica D: Nonlinear Phenomena, the first journal devoted exclusively to the area. His other books include Neuroscience: A Mathematical Primer (Springer, New York) and Nonlinear Science: Emergence and Dynamics of Coherent Structures (Oxford University Press) and he served as editor of the recently published Encyclopedia of Nonlinear Science (Routledge). He completed 'The Nonlinear Universe' shortly before his untimely death in January 2007.