Thinking about Systems

This book of thoroughly engaging essays from one of today's most prodigious innovators provides a uniquely personal perspective on the lives and achievements of a selection of intriguing figures from the history of science and technology. Weaving together his immersive interest in people and history with insights gathered from his own experiences, Stephen Wolfram gives an ennobling look at some of the individuals whose ideas and creations have helped shape our world today. From his recollections about working with Richard Feynman to his insights about how Alan Turing's work has unleashed generations of innovation to the true role of Ada Lovelace in the history of computing, Wolfram takes the reader into the minds and lives of great thinkers and creators of the past few centuries and shows how great achievements can arise from dramatically different personalities and life trajectories.

For many of us, our eyes widened to nature’s genius and the possibility, power, and promise of biomimicry when we first watched Janine take the TED stage. To date, an estimated more than 700,000 people have shared the experience. If you have not seen it, please enjoy. If you have, we are certain you will enjoy it again. In either case, we hope it inspires you to spread the word (“biomimicry”) and perhaps even begin your own learning journey.