Mobius and his Band: Mathematics and Astronomy in Nineteenth-Century Germany

by John Fauvel (editor), Robin Wilson (Editor), Raymond Flood (Editor)

Most people have heard of the Mobius band. But the work and influence of August Mobius are more far-reaching than a topological toy. For some fifty years of the nineteenth century, August Mobius taught astronomy and researched in mathematics at Leipzig University. During those years, which saw the German nation move towards unification, German mathematics developed into the most powerful and influential in the world and German astronomers became the world leaders. How did this come about? In this fascinating, richly illustrated, and accessible book, leading scholars assess the contribution of Mobius and others of his time to the practice of mathematics and astronomy today. Mobius and his band has been written for all those interested in the historical development of ideas and their legacy, and thus both the general reader and specialists in particular fields will find much of interest.

180 pages, Hardcover

First published August 26, 1993

Reviews

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some lovely moments. Here's from Ian Stewart's essay:

It is said that you can judge the state of advancement of science by the value of n for which the n-body problem is insoluble. In Newtonian mechanics, you cannot solve the three-body problem. In relativity, you cannot solve the two-body problem. In quantum mechanics, you cannot solve the one-body problem; and in quantum field theory, you cannot solve the no-body problem - the vacuum!