Ulam, famous for his solution to the difficulties of initiating fusion in the hydrogen bomb, devised the well-known Monte-Carlo method. Here he presents challenges in the areas of set theory, algebra, metric and topological spaces, and topological groups. Issues in analysis, physical systems, and the use of computers as a heuristic aid are also addressed. 

We all know that our planet is losing its biological diversity at an alarming rate, with frightening implications for our future. But when does an ecosystem hit the breaking point? In this important book, Princeton biologist Simon Levin offers general readers the first look at how the new science of complexity can help to solve our looming ecological crisis. Levin argues that our biosphere is the classic embodiment of what scientists call complex adaptive systems. By exploring how such systems work, we can determine how they might fail: How much loss can an ecosystem bear before it starts to collapse? How resilient are these systems? Do they in fact hover at the edge of chaos? A deeply original work on one of the most pressing issues of our time, Fragile Dominion is a powerful appeal to understand and protect the global “commons.”