science · 04 February 1925 · 100 years ago
birth
Born 4 Feb 1925.
Sir Erik Christopher Zeeman is an English mathematician who was born in Japan but grew up in England. His main field of study was topology (a form of geometry handling multi-dimensional shapes). But he is best known for his work advancing catastrophe theory after it was introduced in the 1960s by French mathematician René Thom. Such theory says that the probability that sudden events will occur can be forecast by plotting developments mathematically. One example Zeeman wrote about as a sudden event is for heated water when boiling begins. As other areas of applicability, he gives a range of disciplines as diverse as punctuated equilibria in evolution, meteorology and behavioral psychology. The latter would apply mathematics to analyze hijacking or hostage situations. He was knighted in 1991 for his leadership in promoting mathermatics education for children.
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