Books by Clifford A. Pickover

From the ominous practice of human sacrifice to reading clues on the Internet, this book presents a list of fortune-telling techniques. It also evaluates the accuracy of some of the most astonishing prophecies made throughout history. Also included is a range of practical experiments and recipes - from Stone Age to New Age.

Exploring 250 milestone discoveries in medicine spanning more than 12,000 years, Pickover brings insight and acumen to the broad spectrum of medical studies.

In his most ambitious book yet, Clifford Pickover bridges the gulf between logic, spirit, science, and religion. While exploring the concept of omniscience, Pickover explains the kinds of relationships limited beings can have with an all-knowing God. Pickover's thought exercises, controversial experiments, and practical analogies help us transcend our ordinary lives while challenging us to better understand our place in the cosmos and our dreams of a supernatural God. Through an inventive blend of science, history, philosophy, science fiction, and mind-stretching brainteasers, Pickover unfolds the paradoxes of God like no other writer. He provides glimpses into the infinite, allowing us to think big, and to have daring, limitless dreams.

From the Black Hole of Calcutta and the Dark Side of the Moon to Black Bart, Black Beauty, and Black Sabbath, this unique journey into darkness sheds light on the worlds of science, history, art, and philosophy. Bestselling author Clifford A. Pickover takes us on an unusual and historic journey through curious, amusing, and important topics related to "black." Beware: this wondrous panoply of subjects, stunning images, and entertaining and informative text can shift from sexy to cosmic with just the turn of a page!With entries short enough to read in just a few minutes--but pithy enough for endless pondering--The Book of Black features 100 captivating black-and-white and full-color images. The book roams far and wide through politics, popular culture, science, sociology, history, sports, religion, and superstition. A reference section offers suggestions for further explorations of Black Pudding, Black Velvet Paintings, Blackbeard, "Black Magic Woman," and other dark matters.Dover (2013) original publication. See every Dover book in print atwww.doverpublications.com[back flap]The author of more than forty books that have been translated into over a dozen languages, Clifford A. Pickover has explored topics ranging from science and mathematics to religion, art, and history. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University and has been awarded more than 100 U.S. patents. His research has received considerable attention from media outlets ranging from WIRED to The New York Times, and his website, www.pickover.com, has received millions of visits.[optional back flap quotes]Praise for Clifford A. Pickover"A perpetual idea machine, Clifford Pickover is one of the most creative, original thinkers in the world today."--Journal of Recreational Mathematics"I can't imagine anybody whose mind won't be stretched by [Pickover's] books."--Arthur C. Clarke

Touching on such diverse subspecialties as genetics, pharmacology, neurology, sexology and immunology, the author intersperses obvious historical milestones; the Hippocratic Oath, general anesthesia, the Human Genome Project, with unexpected and intriguing topics like truth serum, the use of cocaine in eye surgery and face transplants.

Who were the five strangest mathematicians in history? What are the ten most interesting numbers? Jam-packed with thought-provoking mathematical mysteries, puzzles, and games, Wonders of Numbers will enchant even the most left-brained of readers. Hosted by the quirky Dr. Googol--who resides on a remote island and occasionally collaborates with Clifford Pickover--Wonders of Numbers focuses on creativity and the delight of discovery. Here is a potpourri of common and unusual number theory problems of varying difficulty--each presented in brief chapters that convey to readers the essence of the problem rather than its extraneous history. Peppered throughout with illustrations that clarify the problems, Wonders of Numbers also includes fascinating "e;math gossip."e; How would we use numbers to communicate with aliens? Check out Chapter 30. Did you know that there is a Numerical Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder? You'll find it in Chapter 45. From the beautiful formula of India's most famous mathematician to the Leviathan number so big it makes a trillion look small, Dr. Googol's witty and straightforward approach to numbers will entice students, educators, and scientists alike to pick up a pencil and work a problem.

Humanity's love affair with mathematics and mysticism reached a critical juncture, legend has it, on the back of a turtle in ancient China. As Clifford Pickover briefly recounts in this enthralling book, the most comprehensive in decades on magic squares, Emperor Yu was supposedly strolling along the Yellow River one day around 2200 B.C. when he spotted the creature: its shell had a series of dots within squares. To Yu's amazement, each row of squares contained fifteen dots, as did the columns and diagonals. When he added any two cells opposite along a line through the center square, like 2 and 8, he always arrived at 10. The turtle, unwitting inspirer of the ''Yu'' square, went on to a life of courtly comfort and fame. Pickover explains why Chinese emperors, Babylonian astrologer-priests, prehistoric cave people in France, and ancient Mayans of the Yucatan were convinced that magic squares--arrays filled with numbers or letters in certain arrangements--held the secret of the universe. Since the dawn of civilization, he writes, humans have invoked such patterns to ward off evil and bring good fortune. Yet who would have guessed that in the twenty-first century, mathematicians would be studying magic squares so immense and in so many dimensions that the objects defy ordinary human contemplation and visualization? Readers are treated to a colorful history of magic squares and similar structures, their construction, and classification along with a remarkable variety of newly discovered objects ranging from ornate inlaid magic cubes to hypercubes. Illustrated examples occur throughout, with some patterns from the author's own experiments. The tesseracts, circles, spheres, and stars that he presents perfectly convey the age-old devotion of the math-minded to this Zenlike quest. Number lovers, puzzle aficionados, and math enthusiasts will treasure this rich and lively encyclopedia of one of the few areas of mathematics where the contributions of even nonspecialists count.

Thought-provoking mysteries, puzzles, and problems ranging from zebra numbers and circular primes to Legion's number.