Novedades del último mes en ebooks de matemáticas

¿Para qué sirven las matemáticas? La pregunta reaparece con insistencia sin admitir una respuesta simple. Este libro la aborda a través de las historias concretas de ideas abstractas que no siempre surgieron con un fin practico y acabaron transformando la manera de contar, medir, predecir o comunicarnos. Desde las primeras tecnicas para registrar cosechas hasta la sofisticada matematica profesional contemporanea, el recorrido muestra como conceptos aparentemente inutiles estan en el origen de muchos avances. Es el caso de los numeros primos, que tras siglos de estudio son la base de la criptografia que hoy protege nuestros intercambios digitales. Aunque Rene Thom ironizaba sobre los cazadores de dragones para criticar cierta matematica demasiado encerrada en si misma, los dragones existen: modelos matematicos que permiten diseñar farmacos, explorar el universo, comprender la incertidumbre o construir ordenadores. Y todo ello sin menoscabo de otra utilidad de las matematicas, menos inmediata y no menos importante: formar una manera de pensar rigurosa, sensible a la curiosidad, el asombro y la belleza, y libre de presiones externas. Aquella que no solo puede servir para resolver problemas conocidos, sino prepararnos para los que aun no sabemos formular. Manuel de Leon es matematico, profesor de Investigacion del CSIC y fundador del Instituto de Ciencias Matematicas (ICMAT). Agata Timon es matematica y comunicadora. Es coordinadora de la Unidad de Cultura Matematica del ICMAT.

Los Elementos de Euclides es una de las escasísimas obras antiguas que puede presumir de haber constituido, casi de golpe, la base sobre la que se ha levantado toda una ciencia, en este caso la geometria y la aritmetica, al menos desde el siglo III a. C. hasta el siglo XIX. La razon de su prolongado exito radica en sus grandes virtudes expositivas y didacticas, asi como en su afan de sistematizacion deductiva.Gredos publica esta obra completa de Euclides en tres volumenes y en una exhaustiva edicion critica. En este ultimo tomo se reunen los libros X-XIII, que tratan la inconmensurabilidad, las rectas irracionales y la geometria de los cuerpos solidos.

Los Elementos de Euclides es una de las escasísimas obras antiguas que puede presumir de haber constituido, casi de golpe, la base sobre la que se ha levantado toda una ciencia, en este caso la geometria y la aritmetica, al menos desde el siglo III a. C. hasta el siglo XIX. La razon de su prolongado exito radica en sus grandes virtudes expositivas y didacticas, asi como en su afan de sistematizacion deductiva.Gredos publica esta obra completa de Euclides en tres volumenes y en una exhaustiva edicion critica. Este segundo tomo incluye los libros V-IX, en los cuales se trata la teoria generalizada de la proporporcion y la teoria aritmetica.

La historia del conocimiento humano está repleta de nombres, acontecimientos e ideas increíbles, y nunca más cierto cuando hablamos de una de las disciplinas que más han revolucionado el mundo científico en los ultimos siglos: la biologia. Consuelo Cuevas da cuenta de las disputas que esta ciencia suscito en Mexico, tanto en los laboratorios como en las aulas, las principales figuras que intervinieron en su desarrollo, sus centros de investigacion en el pais y muchas de las grandes aportaciones que la biologia ha hecho al pueblo mexicano desde la epoca del Porfiriato hasta finales del siglo xx.

Los Elementos de Euclides es una de las escasísimas obras antiguas que puede presumir de haber constituido, casi de golpe, la base sobre la que se ha levantado toda una ciencia, en este caso la geometria y la aritmetica, al menos desde el siglo III a. C. hasta el siglo XIX. La razon de su prolongado exito radica en sus grandes virtudes expositivas y didacticas, asi como en su afan de sistematizacion deductiva.Gredos publica esta obra completa de Euclides en tres volumenes y en una exhaustiva edicion critica. En este primer tomo (libros I-IV), el matematico griego desarrolla la teoria de la geometria plana.

If you have ever shined a flashlight into the woods at night and seen a pair of glowing eyes staring back at you, you have witnessed one of evolutions most brilliant optical engineering feats. That eerie glow is not a trick of the light; it is the Tapetum Lucidum, a microscopic mirror hidden just behind the retina.This biological retroreflector bounces photons back through the visual cortex a second time, effectively doubling the light available to nocturnal predators like wolves, cats, and owls. Without this tiny layer of crystalline cells, the night would belong exclusively to the prey.This fascinating dive into ocular biology explores the physics of light absorption and the evolutionary divergence that left humans essentially blind in the dark. It uncovers how scientists are currently reverse-engineering the Tapetum Lucidum to develop advanced optical technologies for deep-sea exploration and autonomous vehicles.Discover the silent, glowing war fought every night in the dark, and learn how a microscopic layer of eye tissue fundamentally dictated the hierarchy of the natural world.

"Thermal Equilibrium: The Hidden Mechanics of Human Perspiration" tackles a biological function that is often considered socially embarrassing but is secretly our species greatest evolutionary superpower: sweating. This book removes the stigma from perspiration to uncover the remarkable biological engineering of the human thermoregulatory system. It reveals how our millions of eccrine glands give humans a critical endurance advantage over almost every other land mammal, allowing our ancestors to hunt down faster prey simply by outlasting them in the heat.The reader will explore the complex physiological cascade that occurs when core temperature rises, triggering the brains hypothalamus to release fluids that cool the skin through rapid evaporation. The text delves into the modern implications of this system, analyzing how athletes optimize heat acclimatization, the dangers of dehydration, and how our biological cooling mechanism is being pushed to its absolute limits by rising global temperatures."Thermal Equilibrium: The Hidden Mechanics of Human Perspiration" provides a fascinating, science-backed look at the body under stress. It empowers general readers to understand their own physiology, turning the simple act of sweating into a profound appreciation for the resilience and evolutionary brilliance of the human machine.

We cry when we slice an onion, and we cry when our hearts are broken. To the naked eye, these tears look identical. But under a microscope, they are entirely different chemical compositions. The human body has engineered a brilliant, silent exhaust valve for overwhelming psychological stress.While basal and reflex tears are mostly water and salt meant to lubricate and protect the eye, emotional tears are thick with protein-based hormones. When we experience profound grief or extreme joy, our lacrimal glands actively filter stress hormones like cortisol and natural painkillers like leucine enkephalin out of our bloodstream and physically expel them from the body.This book breaks down the astonishing physiological differences between physical irritation and emotional weeping. It explains how holding back tears is not a sign of stoic strength, but a biological error that traps inflammatory stress markers inside your endocrine system.By understanding the therapeutic chemistry of crying, readers can reframe how they view emotional vulnerability. Discover why a "good cry" literally flushes toxic stress from your veins, acting as the ultimate neurological reset button.

We navigate our entire existence through the boundary of our skin, effortlessly differentiating between the smooth surface of glass and the rough texture of sandpaper. Yet, the biological machinery that translates this physical friction into electrical signals understood by our brain remains largely invisible. The secret lies in a microscopic network of specialized structures known as Merkel cells.This book unlocks the astonishing neurobiology of human touch. It explores the hidden mechanical problem of sensory transduction, revealing how Merkel cells act as highly sensitive biological switches that instantly convert pressure and spatial features into high-fidelity neural code. You will discover how these cells allow our fingertips to achieve a level of tactile resolution that modern robotics can barely comprehend.The narrative investigates what happens when this intricate epidermal circuitry breaks down due to aging or neuropathy, leading to a profound disconnection from our physical environment. It demonstrates that touch is not just a passive sensation, but an active, continuous computation of reality.Discover the microscopic sentinels guarding your interaction with the world. Read this book to understand the incredible biological engineering behind every single thing you feel.

How can the microscopic flap of a tiny insects wing in the Amazon rainforest dictate the trajectory of a massive hurricane over the Atlantic Ocean? The Butterfly Effect is not just a poetic metaphor; it is the fundamental mathematical reality of our universe. Every seemingly isolated event is deeply entangled in a web of chaotic, non-linear dynamics.We suffer from a dangerous delusion of control, falsely believing that minor actions yield only minor consequences. This profound cognitive blind spot leaves us vulnerable to catastrophic cascading failures. From global supply chain collapses to sudden ecological disasters, the failure to respect systemic complexity ensures that we are constantly ambushed by the compounding ripples of microscopic errors.This book decodes the fascinating science of chaos theory. It explores how meteorologist Edward Lorenz accidentally discovered that perfect prediction is mathematically impossible. It translates complex atmospheric physics into practical insights, revealing how tiny shifts in our daily habits, business strategies, and environmental policies trigger monumental global shifts.Embrace the uncontrollable nature of our reality. Learn to navigate through profound uncertainty, harness the leverage of microscopic improvements, and understand that every tiny choice you make ripples endlessly across the fabric of time.

When astronauts reach orbit and look back at the Earth, they frequently experience a profound and permanent psychological shift. This phenomenon, known as the Overview Effect, instantly dissolves national borders, political ideologies, and earthly anxieties. The human mind is suddenly forced to comprehend the fragility of a glowing blue sphere suspended in an infinite void.This reaction is not merely poetic; it is a violent cognitive restructuring. For our entire evolutionary history, the human brain has been calibrated to understand the world from a grounded, horizontal perspective. Being thrust into an omniscient vantage point overloads the brains spatial and philosophical frameworks. Astronauts return to Earth with rewired priorities, struggling to communicate a state of planetary awareness that the terrestrial mind is literally unequipped to grasp."Orbital Epiphany" dives into the psychological ramifications of leaving the planet. It analyzes the specific training protocols designed to handle this cognitive overload and questions how the commercialization of space travel will alter global consciousness.Step outside the horizontal limits of human perspective. Understand the profound fragility of our planetary ecosystem, and discover how a single change in vantage point can permanently rewrite your entire belief system.

Our brain is divided into two distinct hemispheres, each with its own specialized processing capabilities. The left side handles logic and language, while the right side interprets spatial relationships and emotion. The only reason we do not experience reality as two completely different people is a thick, fibrous bundle of two hundred million nerve fibers known as the corpus callosum.This vital neurological bridge acts as a high-speed data cable, synchronizing our thoughts in milliseconds. When this connection is surgically severedoften to prevent severe epileptic seizuresthe results are terrifying and profound. Patients exhibit "split-brain" syndrome, where one hand might attempt to button a shirt while the other actively tries to unbutton it. The two hemispheres become completely isolated, trapped in a single skull, proving that our sense of a unified "self" is a fragile biological illusion."Split Decisions" explores the fascinating mechanics of this central neural highway. By examining extreme medical cases, the narrative reveals the deeply fragmented nature of human consciousness and how the brain seamlessly covers up its own internal divisions.Understand the biological architecture of your own identity. Learn how heavily you rely on this invisible neurological bridge, and discover the shocking truth about how your brain constructs a single reality.

For centuries, medical science dismissed the itch as nothing more than a mild, low-grade form of pain. It was assumed that a light tap on a nerve caused an itch, while a hard hit caused agony. It wasnt until the late 1990s that neuroscientists discovered the bizarre truth: itching has its own dedicated, high-speed neural highway wired directly into the spinal cord, entirely separate from the pain receptors.This distinct sensory pathway, known as pruritus, is not an annoyanceit is a hyper-tuned evolutionary defense mechanism. While pain teaches us to withdraw from fire or sharp rocks, the itch evolved specifically to alert us to the microscopic, silent invasion of parasites, toxins, and venomous plants. It is a biological alarm system so deeply ingrained in our neurology that merely watching someone else scratch can trigger a phantom itch across our own skin, a primitive form of empathetic survival. Yet, when this delicate system malfunctions, it creates chronic conditions that drive patients to the brink of insanity.This book delves into the strange somatosensory network of the human skin and the evolutionary arms race between our nerves and the microscopic world. It uncovers why scratching provides such euphoric relief and why the sensation is so difficult to suppress.Readers will discover the brilliant, highly specialized engineering of their own skin, finally understanding the complex neurobiology behind the most universal and frustrating human impulse.

We have all experienced the undeniable, contagious urge to yawn. For centuries, medical science dismissed this reflex as a simple sign of boredom or a biological desperate gasp to pull more oxygen into the blood. But the true physiological trigger behind this mundane action is far more complex and essential to our survival.Yawning is not a symptom of low oxygen; it is the bodys built-in radiator. As our brains process massive amounts of information, solve problems, and battle sleep deprivation, they physically heat up. The act of yawning functions as a powerful biological exhaust fan. By violently stretching the jaw and inhaling a massive gulp of ambient air, the body forces cooler blood upward, immediately dropping the temperature of the cerebral cortex.This book investigates the fascinating thermoregulatory mechanics of the human brain. It explores why psychopathic individuals are immune to contagious yawning, how ambient room temperature dictates our reflex frequency, and what this microscopic cooling process reveals about our neurological health.Stop suppressing your yawns and learn to appreciate the ingenious, automatic maintenance cycle that keeps your most vital organ from overheating.

For most of human history, the sky was viewed as a chaotic, unpredictable canvas of the gods. Clouds were considered ephemeral, shapeless vapors that vanished too quickly to ever be studied or categorized. The scientific revolution had named the plants, the animals, and the stars, but the atmosphere remained completely untamed.This chaos ended in 1802 thanks to an unassuming London pharmacist and amateur meteorologist named Luke Howard. Recognizing that clouds were not random, but physical structures governed by atmospheric laws, he proposed a brilliant, elegant Latin naming system. By classifying them into three main typesCirrus, Cumulus, and StratusHoward instantly provided science with a vocabulary for the sky. His taxonomy allowed researchers to finally track weather patterns globally, earning him the admiration of Goethe and laying the absolute foundation for modern meteorology.This historical biography explores the profound impact of giving a name to the transient. It details the scientific struggles of the 19th century and how one mans quiet obsession with the weather saved millions of lives through early forecasting.Look up at the sky with renewed wonder. Discover the story of the pharmacist who caught the clouds, classified the chaos, and gave humanity the language of the atmosphere.

Deep within almost every cell in your body lies a separate, ancient strand of genetics that does not come from your father. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is passed down exclusively from mother to child, perfectly preserved across generations. Originally an independent bacterium that merged with our cellular ancestors billions of years ago, these microscopic powerhouses not only generate the energy that keeps us alive but serve as an unbroken biological ledger of human history.This book traces the astonishing journey of mtDNA through the ages. It explains how geneticists used these maternal markers to map the entire migration of Homo sapiens out of Africa, leading to the discovery of "Mitochondrial Eve"the matrilineal most recent common ancestor of all living humans. The narrative also explores how defects in this cellular battery are responsible for devastating, hidden diseases.Unlock the diary written in your cells. Understand the profound evolutionary symbiosis that powers human existence and learn how a tiny, separate ring of DNA allows us to track our ancestry back to the dawn of our species.

Esse é uma obra dirigida aos estudantes de astrofísica interessados em ingressar na seara observacional, e a profissionais que queiram consultar ou sanar eventuais dúvidas. É orientada à introdução d

The human brain is a fragile, gelatinous mass of fat and neurons. Left to its own devices, its sheer weight would cause it to collapse in on itself, crushing the blood vessels at the base of the skull. Fortunately, our consciousness is literally floating. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is a crystal-clear liquid that bathes the brain and spinal cord, providing a miraculous hydraulic cushion that reduces the brains net weight by 97 percent.This fascinating biological exploration delves into the mechanics of this internal ocean. It explains how CSF not only acts as a physical shock absorber against daily impacts, but also functions as the brains private waste management system, flushing out toxic metabolic byproducts while we sleep. The narrative examines what happens when this delicate fluid balance is disrupted, leading to debilitating conditions and chronic pressure shifts.Discover the silent, flowing protector of your intellect. Learn how this dynamic, constantly regenerating fluid suspends our neurology in a state of weightless grace, ensuring that human consciousness survives the physical trauma of everyday movement.

On average, a human being blinks between 15 and 20 times a minute. While we assume this rapid closure of the eyelids is merely a mechanical reflex to lubricate the cornea and clear away dust, the math doesnt add up; we blink far more frequently than physiology requires.Neuroscientists have uncovered a profound hidden function: the blink is a cognitive punctuation mark. Rather than blinking randomly, our brains subconsciously time our blinks to occur at the precise end of sentences while reading, or during the cut-away of a film scene. During those split milliseconds of darkness, the brains default mode network briefly activates, allowing the mind to dump working memory and refocus attention.This book explores the fascinating neurological machinery behind this involuntary reflex. You will discover how the timing of blinks reveals hidden fatigue, why psychopaths blink less frequently, and how magicians and filmmakers expertly manipulate your blink rate to hide their illusions in plain sight.Realize the power of the dark spaces between your vision. By understanding the neuroscience of the blink, you will uncover how your brain constantly edits reality to keep you focused.

We are taught that the human senses are outward-facing tools: sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell exist to navigate the external world. However, there is a hidden internal sense that dictates our emotional states and decision-making processes far more profoundly than our eyes or ears. It is called interoception.Interoception is your brains continuous, subconscious perception of your internal organsthe subtle shift in your heart rate, the microscopic tension in your gut, or the shallowing of your breath. Long before your conscious, logical brain can process a complex threat or an opportunity, your interoceptive network generates "somatic markers." These are physical sensations that guide your intuition. When you say you have a "gut feeling" about a bad investment, it is not a metaphor; it is your vagus nerve aggressively signaling danger based on pattern recognition faster than conscious thought.This book breaks down the biology of intuition. You will discover why people with poor interoceptive awareness struggle with debilitating indecision, how chronic anxiety is often a misinterpretation of normal internal signals, and how you can actively train your brain to "listen" to your bodys precognitive warnings.Stop treating your body merely as a vehicle for your brain. Learn to read your internal telemetry and harness the rapid-fire intelligence of your somatic markers.