You may remember Paul Lockhart as the author of a Mathematician’s Lament. I’m currently reading his newest book, Measurement. I’m halfway through it and reading it every chance I get. Here’s my favourite quote from the book so far:
"All of the events — past, present, and future — of our whole ridiculous universe are writ on this one four-dimensional canvas, and we are but the tiniest brush strokes." Paul Lockhart
Of course, what Paul says is true. Here’s a great mathematical investigation: Given a football sized canvas, how large a brush stroke would all of the aggregate movement of the human species require, assuming the canvas represents the entire universe.
If you are a math teacher, or just want to understand what people find fascinating about mathematics, I recommend reading Paul’s book.