The Universe Speaks in Numbers 12: Graham Farmelo interviews Robbert Dijkgraaf

The Dutchman Robbert Dijkgraaf is a rarity – not only is he a top-class mathematical physicist, he is also one of the world’s finest science communicators. In this bracing interview with Graham, Dijkgraaf lucidly describes the state of modern fundamental physics and the continually surprising – and extraordinarily productive – symbiosis between this science and modern mathematics. As Graham says: ‘Robbert gives us a real tour de force.’This is one of twenty interviews given by world-class experts to Graham on the themes he explores in his new book The Universe Speaks in Numbers. A new interview is posted every week. Among the other interviewees are Michael Atiyah, Ruth Britto, Simon Donaldson, Freeman Dyson, Juan Maldacena, Michela Massimi, Roger Penrose, Martin Rees, Simon Schaffer, Lenny Susskind and Edward Witten. https://www.faber.co.uk/9780571321803-the-universe-speaks-in-numbers.html