Jim Holt writes the "Hypotheses" column in Lingua Franca and the newly inaugurated "Theories" column in the New York Times Sunday Magazine. He is a regular contributor to the New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, Prospect (U.K.), and Slate. His book on the history of the infinitesimal, "Worlds Within Worlds," will be published next fall by Four Walls Eight Windows (New York) and the Fourth Estate (London).

Diary by Jim Holt, Why did Fermat write his proof in the butter?

Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2000

and

Thursday, Nov. 30, 2000