Ask a Scientist March 26, 2007

Topic: The World's Most Fascinating Numbers

Come meet the superstar celebrities of the number world! From zero to infinity (and not restricted to the range between the two), mathematics is teeming with a riveting cast of characters rich in history, intrigue, eloquence, and profound significance. There's pi, the ratio of the circumference of a circle to its diameter, whose mysterious identity was known (close enough) to ancient mathematicians. There's the Fibonnaci sequence and its close friend phi, a.k.a. the golden mean, a tantalizingly lovely ratio pondered by biologists, artists, architects, historians, and even mystics. You'll meet the irrational (e), the imaginary (i), and even the familiar (1). Keith Devlin — math professor, prolific author, NPR's "Math Guy," and advisor to the hit TV show NUMB3RS — will take us on a tour of his favorite values. A selection of Keith's books will be available for sale at the event.

About the series: Ask a Scientist is an informative, entertaining science lecture series, held at a San Francisco cafe. Each event features a speaker on a current topic, a short presentation, and the opportunity to ask all those burning questions that have been keeping you up at night. No tests, grades, or pressure…just food, drinks, socializing, and conversation about the universe’s most fascinating mysteries!

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