steve baker: Yes, one of the points that Bailey makes is that Newton retreated to the countryside to avoid the plague, and it was there that he developed calculus. He could have chosen (at considerable risk) to stay in London and focus instead on the mathematics of contagion. Mar. 2, 2010, 11:07am
Delaney Turner: I always recommend "The Ghost Map" by Steven Johnson. A great read about the London cholera epidemic and the emergence of data visualization. Also an early example of how data and its correct presentation can challenge / overturn erroneous beliefs. Mar. 2, 2010, 9:47am