The Pursuit of Perfect Packing

the solution of a problem which has long teased

eminent mathematicians: what is the densest

possible arrangement of identical spheres? In this

book Denis Weaire and Tomaso Aste recount the

story of this problem and many others which have

to do with packing things together. The examples

range through mathematics, physics, biology and

engineering; they include the arrangement of

soap bubbles in a foam, atoms in a crystal, the

architecture of the bee's honeycomb, and the

structure of the Giant's Causeway. While

conveying all of the essential information in each

case, with key references, the style is informal.

Included are brief accounts of the lives of many of

the scientists who devoted themselves to

problems of packing over many centuries,

together with wry comments on their efforts. It is

an entertaining introduction to the field for both

specialists and the more general public.