The pursuit of perfect packing

the long version

The Pursuit of Perfect Packing explores the densest possible arrangement of identical spheres and many others problems that have to do with packing things together. The examples from mathematics, physics, biology, and engineering include the arrangement of soap bubbles in foam, atoms in a crystal, the architecture of the bee's honeycomb, and the structure of the Giant's Causeway. The book also contains brief accounts of the lives of many of the scientists who devoted themselves to problems of packing over many centuries, together with wry comments on their efforts. It is an entertaining introduction to the field for both specialists and the more general public.