Equations lie at the heart of many of the most successful scientific theories. Here, the best-known equations are unpacked for the layman with an explanation of how they were arrived at, what they can do and what remains to be understood about them.

"It Must Be Beautiful" is a collection of 12 essays on the power and beauty of modern scientific equations by some of the world's foremost scientists and historians. Contributors include Steven Weinberg, Peter Galison, John Maynard Smith, and Frank Wilczek.