The world around us is a complex, confusing place. In spite of huge developments in modern technology, we still seem to be at the mercy of dramatic changes that occur out of the blue: earthquakes happen at random, stock markets go from boom to bust without warning - and we all know that weather forecasters can't always get it right. Life itself seems to be the most complex phenomenon in the Universe. Like a zen painting, a fractal image or the intricate pattern on a butterfly's wings, the universe is built on simple elements, which interact and organize themselves to create a highly sophisticated whole. Simplicity, Gribbin shows, is the bedrock of our existence, the deep structure and harmony underlying everything.
