Lumen Naturae

Written by a scholar recognized for important and diverse contributions to mathematical physics, geometry and number theory, this book is a erudite and brilliantly original exploration of parallel developments in (mostly modern) art, mathematics, and physics through the study of topics such as the still-life genre, physical and artistic visions of nothingness, the mathematical concept of space, the geometry of prime numbers, particle physics and cosmology, and artistic and mathematical encounters with randomness. A final chapter shows how the language of art, especially surrealist and dadaist art, can help raise awareness and stimulate debate around some darker aspects of the mathematical profession and some of the psychological difficulties associated to the work of mathematical research. While the intended audience does not necessarily consist of readers with a scientific background, the book will be organized in such a way that it can be read at two different levels, with some chapters that require no prior knowledge of mathematics, and some others that explore more advanced material. All key mathematical notions will be introduced and explained.