The Pattern on the Stone

Daniel Hillis is one of the world's hottest computer scientists. He was co-founder and chief scientist of the Thinking Machines Corporation and principal architect of the company's major product, the Connection Machine. He is an Editor of several scientific journals, including Artificial Life and Future Generation Computer Systems and is currently Vice President and Disney Fellow at Walt Disney Imagineering. Adam Hart-Davis is a freelance photographer, writer and broadcaster. He won awards for the BBC 2 series, Local Heroes and his publications include Eurekaaarh! Born and raised in Henley-on-Thames, Adam Hart-Davis attended Eton College before studying for an MA in chemistry at Oxford University and later a DPhil in Organometallic Chemistry at the University of York. After carrying out three years' postdoctoral research at the University of Alberta in Canada, he took up a role at the Oxford University Press, editing science texts and chess manuals. His work in broadcasting began in 1977 when he joined Yorkshire Television as a researcher for Magnus Pyke, David Bellamy and Arthur C. Clarke among others. Adam has since followed an eclectic career path, but is best known as the presenter of a wide range of hugely popular television series, such as Local Heroes, What the Romans Did For Us and Science Shack. But as well as being television's favourite science enthusiast, he is the author of many books on popular science, including Why Does a Ball Bounce? and What the Past Did For Us. He is also a keen photographer and cyclist, and currently lives in Bristol with his partner, Sue Blackmore.