Some Like It Algorithmic

A playful defense of algorithms, reminding us that humanity would not have come this far—for better or worse—without their astonishing applications

Some Like It Algorithmic is, at its core, a passionate and engaging defense of algorithms—those essential procedures that quietly shape everything from our smartphones to our medical systems. In a time when the word “algorithm” often evokes fear or suspicion, this book reclaims its meaning and beauty. With clarity, humor, and intellectual generosity, the author guides readers through the role algorithms have played—and continue to play—in how we understand, navigate, and improve the world.

Structured as an accessible journey across nine chapters, the book begins in ancient Greece with seemingly simple algorithms that still underpin something as modern as cybersecurity. From there, we travel to outer space to explore the mathematical foundations that made it possible to land on the Moon. Back on Earth, we uncover the logic behind route optimization in transportation, the compression algorithms that power digital music and Instagram photos, and the cutting-edge technique driving breakthroughs in medical imaging. Along the way, we meet algorithms that mimic ant colonies and human neurons—creative systems designed to find optimal solutions to complex problems. Artificial intelligence and its dilemmas will be the final chapter in this captivating dive into the world of algorithms.

At the same time, Clara Grima pays tribute to the brilliant minds—men and women—who made all this possible, from Euclid to the 2020 Princess of Asturias laureates.