Amazon.com
There is an ill-concealed skeleton in the closet of physics: "As they are currently formulated, general relativity and quantum mechanics cannot both be right." Each is exceedingly accurate in its field: general relativity explains the behavior of the universe at large scales, while quantum mechanics describes the behavior of subatomic particles. Yet the theories collide horribly under extreme conditions such as black holes or times close to the big bang. Brian Greene, a specialist in quantum field theory, believes that the two pillars of physics can be reconciled in superstring theory, a theory of everything.
Superstring theory has been called "a part of 21st-century physics that fell by chance into the 20th century." In other words, it isn't all worked out yet. Despite the uncertainties--"string theorists work to find approximate solutions to approximate equations"--Greene gives a tour of string theory solid enough to satisfy the scientifically literate.
Though Ed Witten of the Institute for Advanced Study is in many ways the human hero of The Elegant Universe, it is not a human-side-of-physics story. Greene's focus throughout is the science, and he gives the nonspecialist at least an illusion of understanding--or the sense of knowing what it is that you don't know. And that is traditionally the first step on the road to knowledge. --Mary Ellen Curtin
Book Description
"[Greene] develops one fresh new insight after another...In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses,
The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat." --George Johnson, The New York Times Book Review
In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter-from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas-is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.
Green uses everything from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling. Dazzling in its brilliance, unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain,
The Elegant Universe is a tour de force of science writing-a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.
Customer Reviews:
Anyone who is curious about the horizons of theoretical physics will enjoy this book.......2007-08-30
In this brilliantty articulated and refreshingly clear book, Greene, a leading string theorist, relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind the search for the ultimate theory. String theory, as the author vividly and easily describes, reveals a vision of the universe that is sending shock waves through the world of physics. Thrilling and revolutionary ideas such as new dimensions hidden within the fabric of space, black holes transmuting into elementary particles, rips and puncutures in the space time continuum, gigantic universes interchangealbe with minusclule ones, and a wealth of others are playing a pivotal role as physicists use string theory to grapple with some of the deepest questions of the ages.
Almost 5 Stars.......2007-07-19
Although I felt this book was excellent and covered all the bases there were a few areas that lacked for me and I couldn't quite give it 5 stars. The book started out phenomenally and the section on quantum mechanics was the best that I've read. The analogies that Mr. Greene used made the concepts clear and comprehendable but there were a few chapters in the middle where he used no analogies and I found myself completely lost even after re-reading the chapters. I might be too much of a layman for this book and that would certainly not be Mr. Greene's fault. There were additional parts of the book where I found myself easily destracted and those chapters were almost a chore to finish. Over all I think parts of this book are great for readers who are just begining to study this subject but other whole chapters are definately not.
First half zipped along with insight after insight........2007-07-19
First half zipped along with insight after insight. Second half got a bit heavy and bogged down. Overall I'm glad I made it through.
science or science fiction? .......2007-07-08
"Theoretical physicist is the one whose experiments don't work".
So says my friend, an engineer by profession, and The Elegant Universe fully confirms this view - more, since we learn that the theories of modern physics are beyond our technological ability to test them experimentally.
The theories themselves are indeed very elegant, composed with great care for estetics and symmetry, and well illustrated by pictures. Nonetheless, we are left with an impression that most of it is the stuff of phantasy, and just as one calculation will "prove" some idea, another set of equations will "disprove" it with identical claim to "scientific truth". I've put all this terms in quotes because the maybe factor of all proofs is too strong to take the presented theories seriously. The author admits that all the calculations are based on approximations and numerous assumptions, raising from still more approximations and probabilities. And when the result is absurd, the theorists quickly solve the problem by inventing one more spatial dimention, not accessible to our perceptions because it never expanded from its initial state.
Actually, the whole string theory deals with aspects of reality not accessible to our perceptions, and not provable by any experiments. Is it still reality or already a fiction? We don't know, and chances are will never know.
With all this, it is indeed an extremely elegant text, beautifully written and holding our attention all the way to the end. I just wish the author did not say all of the time that string theory had been "discovered", since for all we know theories are not material reality, such as a continent of America or a rare species of a butterfly, and so they cannot be discovered, theories can only be conceived, invented, or created. This lexical misuse is eye-catching due to the prevalence of hypotheses over the facts so stronly visible in string theory.
Crackling and sizzling ! - This one requires some attention and tenacity though........2007-06-27
A good book which covers the below topics
1) Requirement of single physical law which brings together all the four fundamental forces: Electromagnetic, Strong nuclear, weak nuclear and gravity.
2) Disparity between theory of relatively (the world of the big) with quantum mechanics (world of the very small)
2) The need of a higher theory to explain the standard model (Explanation for the disparate mass and charges of the subatomic particles)
3) The concept of 11 dimensional space; Mass and charge of the numerous particles found in atom smashers being a result of frequency of vibrations of strings (closed or open) in different dimensions. Meaning a string vibrating with a certain frequency along one of the hidden 7 pinched up spatial dimensions (also termed calabi Yau spaces) will represent a subatomic particle
4) Membrane theory (2 branes, 3 branes etc)
5) M theory unifying the 5 known strings theories (by the addition of another spatial dimension)
6) Thus everything in this universe including the keyboard you are right now typing on is made up of tiny vibrating strings and below this level there is nothing. A string would be the last divisible entity beyond which it is not possible to divide anymore.
Basically everthing stripped down to strings. This is a book for the reader who doesn't know anything about string theory but wants to learn something. As a general reader, you are not in a position to take a stand for or against string theory, because the person picking up this book will be layman and hence rightly there are no equations, so you have to accept things at face value. If you were more deeply interested you would be a physicist doing his PHD and hence will read more dense and technical books as college courses.
But as a layman, you will also appreciate the paucity of physical evidence to support string theory. Particle physicists consider it the right theory because of its mathematical elegance in it's equations. As a layman, you and I are not able to see this elgance as we dont read equations. So I cant form a real opinion about this but I can say that this book will provide the uninitiated a quick cursory primer on string theory with the help of analogies. But this book wont make you believe or disbelieve string theory but you will become more aquainted with what this hype is all about.
regards, Vikram
Book Description
Science has recently begun to prove what ancient myth and religion have always espoused: There may be such a thing as a life force.
Lynne McTaggart, indefatigable investigative journalist, reveals a radical new biological paradigm -- that on our most fundamental level, the human mind and body are not distinct and separate from their environment but a packet of pulsating power constantly interacting with this vast energy sea.
The Field is a highly readable scientific detective story that offers a stunning picture of an interconnected universe and a new scientific theory that makes sense of supernatural phenomena. Original, well researched, and well documented by distinguished sources, The Field is a book of hope and inspiration for today's world.
Customer Reviews:
its all in the Field.......2007-09-30
I am on my second reading. The information is important enough for me to be able to re-late it to others, especially in my progressive Christian church group. Although written in 2001...science is still kicking against some of this wisdom of it's own. Bucky Fuller said we're always 50 years behind the leading edge.
Excellent coverage of research bringing science to Consciousness.......2007-09-29
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is heartening to see that science is finally "discovering" what has been known (but not well publicized) since the dawn of humanity--that we are all part of an infinite, unified energy field which I and many others choose to call God or Consciousness or Omniverse.
Ramifications of the Zero-Point Field are infinite as is the field itself. It is the source of all present and future energy and the ultimate solution to the apparent energy shortage on earth. It is the primordial, timeless energy source from which all physical matter is created. Well done, Lynne!
Forever One: Letters from God--You Are Perfect Love, My Ego, My Higher Power and I, The Science of Mind: Original 1926 Text 1998 Edition See more books along these lines at www.hiconections.com
WOW.......2007-09-22
I had this pegged as a new-agey book that presented pseudo-science as science and fact. Not so. This book presents experiments done, from the 70s on, that will blow your mind and challenge your ideas of reality. McTaggart presents each experiment as an engaging story and overall, she feels authoritative. There are a few moments where I questioned the deductions that were made, but for the most part, I was surprised at how rigorous these experiments were - some at prestigious universities and some even backed by the CIA. McTaggart does little synthesis of her own, mainly just relying on the experiments & scientists to speak for themselves.
Sadly enough, the reason why none of us have heard about this stuff isn't because it isn't scientifically valid, but, according to McTaggart, it's because the scientific community is extremely conservative, and many of the experiments shake the foundations of what modern science has been based on.
I cannot recommend this book enough. The writing style is engaging and thorough. It really has changed my view of the world and opened my mind to a realm that I was always highly suspicious about, but interested in nonetheless. This book makes me want to explore reality and the power of my mind!
Simply superb.......2007-09-16
Mind blowing stuff ! I bought mine about a year ago and another one for a pal. Probably the best in a long list of books of this type
A scientific compilation of our true identity.......2007-09-09
I have followed this line of thinking for many years and have always believed this, but Lynne McTaggart brings it all together in one book, "The Field". This was fascinating reading and difficult to put down for any period of time. It has a wonderful ending. The Field is must reading for those with thirst for self knowledge.
Book Description
In Quest of the Universe, Fourth Edition is a comprehensive introduction to astronomy designed for non-science majors. The book uses the development of astronomical theories, both historical and current, to show how science works. The authors take a "planets first" approach, engaging students with an exploration of our own solar system before moving on to the stars and then to distant galaxies. With accessible writing, stunning images, and up-to-date content, In Quest of the Universe, Fourth Edition sparks a curiosity about our universe.
Customer Reviews:
In Quest of the Universe.......2006-07-31
this is the best and cheatest that u can get mann
A high and clear path through the jungle of details........1999-09-23
I taught from this book (in 2 editions) for 6-7 years. Market forces assure that the content of college level astro books is quite uniform, but what sets Kuhn apart is his strong conceptual approach--he does a better job than most competitors in NOT BURYING the student under a welter of suffocating detail. He also tries to keep vocabulary to the minimum necessary. In other words, he works hard to combat that #1 demon infesting intro. college courses: factual overload. In recent years, other authors have jumped on the bandwagon of making astro texts more concise and focussed--beginning to cater to one of the strongest needs of the typical student--but Karl Kuhn was one of the first and best to blaze the conceptual trail. Highly recommended.
good price, clear explanation.......1999-03-19
This book is significantly cheaper than the competing books, but more important, it does a better job of explaining many topics.
Average customer rating:
- Intellectualizing ADD-style
- the cosmos summed up
- This book could be a drug itself
- A tapas bar for the mind
- Expand your mind
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Sex, Drugs, Einstein & Elves: Sushi, Psychedelics, Parallel Universes and the Quest for Transcendence
Clifford A. Pickover
Manufacturer: Smart Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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| Physics
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Essays & Commentary
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ASIN: 1890572179 |
Book Description
A smorgasbord of subjects designed to bend reality and stretch the reader's mind.
Customer Reviews:
Intellectualizing ADD-style.......2007-08-16
This book is not a drug in itself. Any serious thought it generates will not be due to Pickover's examination of the topic in question, but by its mere mention. For example, he mentions that a general formula exists from which one can generate a modern best-selling novel. He even gives you several permutations of that formula and tips on using language in a way that will engage the reader. Fascinating stuff, right? Not really. Pulp novels are described as "formulaic" on a regular basis, thus implying that the existence of an underlying formula behind them is common knowledge. A true analysis of this concept would involve asking various permutations of the question: "what does this all mean?" Is it a good thing that most of what passes as literature these days can be reduced to a simple formula based on psychological smoke and mirrors? What does this say about the human condition? What does this say about literature in general... particularly the institution of a "modern novel? These are the sorts of questions that a truly great book would ask, given that subject.
Reading this feels like an immersion in Pickover's thought process. He jumps around all over the place (sometimes in mid-paragraph), covering all sorts of intellectual ground. The title really is no lie; there isn't much that ISN'T mentioned in this book. That said, it's completely useless to jump around like this if it does not result in any in-depth analysis. It's almost as if the auther is a kid in a mental candystore, jumping around and screaming "Oh, that looks yummy!" "Oh wow, that will be really delicious to eat!" However, he never truly eats and digests anything, instead going around and exicitedly nibbling on a lot of things. This book may well be useful to someone looking for interesting questions related to modern life, but it certainly doesn't say anything profound in itself. Although Pickover is certainly of above-average intelligence, this alone does not make him a "deep thinker" in any way, shape, or form. I recommend skipping this book and looking at something that might be a bit more narrow in its scope, but deeper. "Sex, Drugs, Einstein, and Elves" reeks of dillitantism.
the cosmos summed up.......2007-07-14
In Pickover's recent novel, he takes us for a journey to the farthest reaches of the cosmos all within our own consciousness. In a manner of prose that is insightful and humanistic, he flows seamlessly through subjects such as Language dynamics, Psychic exploration of altered states, quantum physics and the continued resonance felt by infamous physicists and literary giants. What is most compelling about Pickover's work is his sincere desire to fully unveil the many shrouds of reality using an incredible sense of curiosity and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. He approaches each subject with the academic intensity of a scholar, yet he relates to the reader as an amateur (albeit, genius) autodidact.
One would do well to read Pickover's books if you are ready for a complete remake of your psychological and intellectual framework.
This book could be a drug itself.......2007-07-09
Just simply a fascinating read. I had my copy on the coffee table during a party, and one guest picked it up casually, and never put it down throughout the whole event.
This book is just a wildly ecclectic assortment of essays, but taken as a whole it is much more than that. I think it changed my view of the world.
A tapas bar for the mind.......2007-06-21
DO NOT MISS! There are more things pointed out in SDE&E than are dreamt of in ANYBODY's philosophy. SDE&E is the intellectual and imaginative equivalent of an evening at the world's most wonderful tapas bar, where everything on the menu is free (once you've cleared the cover charge by buying the book). If you like Rudy "Karl Tucker" Rucker, Vernor "Powers" Vinge, Gregory "Cosm" Benford, James "Connections" Burke, Douglas "Strange Loop" Hofstadter and/or Terry "SHRDLU" Winograd (not to mentions Proust and Joyce), then Clifford Pickover's the sentient entity for you! He'll be your spirit guide and trip-sitter through 3+1d (or is it 10+1d?) spacetime, the mind, infinity and beyond! This is your brain. This is your brain on Pickover. Any questions?
Expand your mind.......2007-03-22
As the title suggests, Sex, Drugs, Einstein, & Elves presents the reader with a seemingly endless variety of topics that stimulate and expand the mind. Although it may seem overwhelming at first, the transitions between topics such as DMT, Proust, religion, reality, perception, and countless others are smooth and surprisingly relevant. It's brain candy.
Book Description
Beyond Einstein takes readers on an exciting excursion into the discoveries that have led scientists to the brightest new prospect in theoretical physics today -- superstring theory. What is superstring theory and why is it important? This revolutionary breakthrough may well be the
fulfillment of Albert Einstein's lifelong dream of a Theory of Everything, uniting the laws of physics into a single description explaining all the known forces in the universe. Co-authored by one of the leading pioneers in superstrings, Michio Kaku, and completely revised and updated with the newest groundbreaking research, the book approaches scientific questions with the excitement of a detective story, offering a fascinating look at the new science that may make the impossible possible.
Customer Reviews:
Very interesting and within reach of ordinary folks like me..........2006-07-28
I really liked this book. It found it easier to understand (and less gee-whiz) than Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe (paperback and CD). Kaku and his co-writer presented a very clear description of what hyperspace would look like to four-dimensional creatures such as ourselves. (This was the first clear layman's description I have read.) I only wish I understood better the quantum mechanics that "vanquished" Newton's and Einstein's propositions about gravity in very small spaces; perhaps some drawings would have helped. In addition, perhaps a chart or diagram of basic sub-atomic particles would have helped.
Nevertheless, I was intrigued by the book. Thompson's co-writing makes it intelligible to lay persons such as myself. The one element that Kaku leaves out is whether string or superstring theory is "testable." In dimensions of the size of 10^-18 cm, perhaps we cannot really make testable predictions, as Greene asserts in his book and CD.
A Magnificent Books That Will Make You Think.......2006-04-18
This fascinating book will take you through the realm of cosmology, physics, and the world of mathematics. However, the book at times can be hard to understand because it uses very hard language and refers to several theories and scientist. It is necessary to have small background knowledge in physics and in many of the scientists and theories the book mentions. It mentions scientist such as Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, Hawkins, Newton, Maxwell, Feynman, Glashow, Nambu, and many more. The book mainly talks about the Theory of Relativity and Quantum Mechanics; however, it does mention several other theories too. It talks about Quantum Mechanics and Einstein's theories in detail; therefore, those theories are easy to follow. Nevertheless, once the book starts talking about all the theories that came in response to Quantum Mechanics and the Grand Unifying Theory the book becomes hard to follow. This book tells the history of how several theories have evolved and are being developed to create one theory that unites the four fundamental forces of the world. The four fundamental forces are electromagnetism, gravity, weak nuclear force, and strong nuclear force. All these forces are very different, however, with the Superstring Theory; all these forces will be unified. I recommend this book because it will change you perception of the universe all everything that is around us. It will baffle your mind with new ideas that seem to be science fiction, yet are somewhat true. This book is also a great book to learn the basis of the theory of Relativity, Quantum Mechanics and many more astonishing theories that have shaped the way we view space, time, and the world.
Fascinating book.......2006-02-07
This isn't Kaku's best book-its one of his earlier efforts and his writing skills have gotten quite a bit better since then. However I still recommend this book. At the time I read it, I was studying electrical engineering in college and one day I ran into a friend in the student union. He started talking about all this physics stuff he was reading and how it was blowing his mind. It was like he had been through a religious conversion. He promised to let me borrow the book and it was Kaku's Beyond Einstein. A very easy read, Kaku got me hooked on physics right away, exposing me to ideas like extra dimensions and grand unified theories of particle physics I had never heard of in my engineering studies. He follows the standard historical treatment, talking about Maxwell, Einstein and the development of quantum mechanics. While it is a bit "breezy", its thoroughly enjoyable reading filled with historical antecdotes and nice descriptions of Einsteins spacetime warps. Then after the big bang he heads into his favorite topic, talking about extra dimensions and string theory. I was so hooked by this I began buying up every pop physics book I could find and soon changed my major from electrical engineering to math/physics. After reading Kaku engineering actually seemed mundane. Anyway, like I said this isn't Kaku's best book because his writing style has matured and he writes a lot better now. But the book is a gem that I recommend to those interested in science.
A thought-provoking book.......2005-04-03
This was the first of Kaku's books that I read, and I enjoyed it a great deal. He has not written as many books as my other two favorite science writers, Gribbin and Davies, but Kaku is always very clear and produces fun reads.
Fuzzy!.......2004-01-14
This book reads well and it is easy to grasp, however there is little focusing on the various subjects especially string theory in general. Overall for the beginner and casual reader this is a good book.
Book Description
The dark matter problem is one of the most fundamental and profoundly difficult problems in the history of science. Not knowing what makes up most of the mass in the Universe goes to the heart of our understanding of the Universe and our place in it. In Search of Dark Matter is the story of the emergence of the dark matter problem, from the initial 'discovery' of dark matter by Jan Oort to contemporary explanations for the nature of dark matter and its role in the origin and evolution of the Universe.
Written for the intelligent non-scientist and scientist alike, it spans a variety of scientific disciplines, from observational astronomy to particle physics. Concepts that the reader will encounter along the way are at the cutting edge of scientific research. However the themes are explained in such a way that no prior understanding of science beyond a high school education is necessary.
Customer Reviews:
In Search of Dark Matter.......2007-08-04
I found this book to be very informative, up to date, and could be understood by the layman
An EXCELLENT book on Dark Matter.......2007-05-10
This book sets out the evidence for missing matter in the universe in an entertaining yet thorough way. There is virtually no math in the entire book, and yet each subject area is treated fully. I had thought the first evidence for dark matter was star rotation rates in galaxies as set out by Vera Rubin and others. However this book traces the roots of the "something is wrong with our picture of the universe" back to the 1930s and Fritz Zwicky and Jan Oort--two astronomers who could not be more different from each other. And that is another strength of this book--we learn something about Zwicky and Oort without being seriously sidetracked.
"In Search of Dark Matter" strikes a perfect balance between moving the story along (and it does read like a story) and stopping here and there for brief asides about the personalities and milieu involved at the various stages of dark matter research. Finally, alternatives such as MOND theory are discussed. This book is not a deep tome--it is only roughly 150 pages. But it certainly piqued my interest and made me want to find out more. The authors succeed in bringing up most topics assuming little or no background in astronomy, yet don't get mired explaining the basics. A great read!
Excellent Book.......2007-02-22
The book is very well organized and enjoyable to read. Well done!
Amazon.com
Just about everyone in the scientific community accepts the theory that our universe began in a "big bang"--but that theory leaves numerous unanswered questions about why the cosmos formed in just the manner we observe today. In The Inflationary Universe, physicist Alan Guth recounts his and others' struggle to expound a theory that could plug the gaps. The outcome is a theory of "inflation" that postulates that the universe underwent an incomprehensibly large expansion in the first fraction of a microsecond of its existence. With the perspective that only a first-person account could provide, The Inflationary Universe sheds light on a leading theory in humankind's continuing quest to understand the universe we live in.
Book Description
Rarely have any scientist's predictions been so dramatically confirmed as when NASA's COBE satellite measured the pattern of the cosmic background radiation for the first time in 1992, and showed dramatically that Alan Guth's decade-long struggle to justify his theory of what made the Big Bang BANG had not been in vain.
The Inflationary Universe Theory was proved triumphant!
Customer Reviews:
The Inflationary Universe: The Quest for a New Theory of ..........2006-08-13
This is an excellent read for persons with a non-academic interest in Cosmology. I have, for some time, wondered what Alan Guth meant by rapid inflation and now, I believe I am beginning to understand
Ten years later, Guth's survey is still interesting and relevant.......2006-06-16
During the past decade, a number of books by the likes of Stephen Hawking, Brian Greene, Martin Rees, or Robert Penrose have, with varying success, brought a new generation of lay readers up to speed on new research and conjectures in cosmology, especially on the Big Bang Theory and its ancillary explorations. Even though it was written ten years ago, Alan Guth's "The Inflationary Universe" is still one of the best of the bunch, in terms both of its writing and its information.
Guth, of course, focuses on the theory he was instrumental in formulating: that, in less than a second, a "repulsive gravitational field created by a false vacuum" caused the universe to expand from relatively "nothing" and formed all the matter in the observable cosmos. In other words, the theory offers explanations for several dilemmas that had been perplexing scientists, including how the Bang occurred in the first place, and how it became so unaccountably Big.
If Guth had simply written an up-to-date report summarizing what scientists believed about the Big Bang in 1997, then his book would have fallen by the wayside long ago. Instead, he portrays the wonky disputes and contrasting theories, along with biographical anecdotes showing his own role in the development of "inflationary universe" theory. For Guth and his peers, science isn't filled with "Eureka!" moments; rather, their work is impeded by doubts, by false leads, by mistakes and omissions, and even by job insecurity.
Above all, there is a palpable sense of camaraderie, excitement, and (yes) fun. Towards the end of the book, Guth offers some thoughts on where theoretical physics might be going in future decades, and he examines some of the more speculative solutions to current problems, such as the possible existence of wormholes, or the question of whether the universe has a beginning, or how new universes might be created in a laboratory (a misunderstood subject which has morphed into the urban legend that such experimentation will destroy our own planet).
That's not to say that Guth's survey isn't a challenging read. I imagine his definitions of Higgs fields, quantum tunneling, and false vacuums will perplex the uninitiated; I had to read several sections twice--particularly when the author was trying to describe in English what can only be truly understood in equations. But the effort is worth it. And be sure to read the footnotes; Guth uses them not only to present additional detail but also to recount interesting anecdotes and to share funny asides.
While the author is not shy in touting his own role in these far-flung explorations, neither is he chary of compliments and credit for his colleagues. Steven Weinberg, Andrei Linde, David Wilkinson, So-Young Pi, Robert Dicke, Sheldon Glashow, Jim Peebles, Paul Steinhardt, Michael Turner, Henry Tye--they all get due billing. Their generosity and collegiality gives their vocation a human edge that often seems lacking in scientific accounts.
Not your average cosmology.......2006-06-15
This is a marvelous work. It provides the reader with such a cross section of information about physics and does so in a very readable style.
For one thing, the author, one of the co-founders of the inflationary theory of cosmology, provides the reader with a glimpse into the world and life of a physicist. The urgency to produce noticeable work, the concern over obtaining a tenured position in an institution that supports a physics program not only by course work but by time to work on projects and the equipment necessary to do so, the desire to collaborate with the "best", and the demands made on the family of the individual researcher are all described in intimate detail. One comes away with a strong sense of the physicist as human being.
The individual personalities of the high profile physicists and of those just beginning to work on their programs is also provided, giving a very human picture of the "rocket scientists" of whom the rest of us often make fun but of whom we are also in awe. It makes the progress in science more obviously a triumph of human endeavor. The insecurities and concerns of the author as he prepares to unveil his ideas before a daunting audience of famous people, have the reader on the edge of his/her seat. In places the discussion reads like a cliff hanger novel.
The most important aspect of the book is the clear presentation of a theory in evolution. It was surprising to see just how much creative, almost artistic, thought is involved in the process of theoretical physics. It was also interesting to see the degree to which even potential competitors collaborated on difficult problems. Even those from vastly different cultures and political environments contributed in an effort to "make it work."
Against this backdrop story of human beings looking for answers to big questions, the discussion of the theory of early universe inflation is put forth for the reader. The author describes its simple inception as an intriguing question recommended by a peer as a potential project for collaboration, the gradual accretion of ideas from various sources, and the flowering of the initial concept into a full blown theory able to explain observable facts, provide direction for research, and predict likely future discoveries.
Guth is careful to explain clearly the details needed for the amateur to understand his theory and its evolution. He discusses relativity and quantum physics, particle physics, the "big bang" cosmology, fields and their interaction, the quantum character of what most of us think of as "empty" space, and so on. He also provides a history of physics and its personalities that provides the reader with a background in what has been learned and who made the contributions.
All explanations are clear and concise, and the author provides additional information for the curious in detailed foot notes and even more detailed in appendices so as not to distract from his central theme. Although I found the going slow in places, I came away with a distinct feeling that I knew what he was talking about, and a sense of awe over the magnificence of the entire theory.
The description leaves one feeling as though one was actually there at the beginning of the beginning.
interesting and personal.......2006-02-14
Cosmology is fairly fascinating. I enjoyed this book although if it weren't for the apendixes I would have been lost. Fortunatly Guth saw that coming. I enjoyed learning about Guth's career along side his theories. While I don't know enough to know how true any of the physics in this book tend to be, I took comfort in the fact that Alan Guth is a real person with a career and an interesting story. Even if (or when) these theories change, his place in the story of figuring out the universe won't.
One of best popular cosmology books ever written.......2005-05-05
This is one of the best popular cosmology books ever written. He tells the extremely complex story of inflation and related areas of particle physics in such an absorbing style that it reads like a detective novel--in fact, it is a detective novel--how he and others found out how the universe started!
The interweaving of his personal story and that of many colleagues along with their photos and many wonderfully clear diagrams allows just the right amount of relaxation from the intensity of the physics. In places the style reminds one of Watson's famous book ``The Double Helix``. He tells how his work on magnetic monopoles and spontaneous symmetry breaking led to the discovery of the inflationary theory of the very early universe(ca 10 to minus 35 seconds!).
Along the way you will learn many gems that should stay with you a long time such as: the observed universe(eg, everything the Hubble telescope etc can see out to ca. 15 billion light years when the universe began) is likely just a vanishingly tiny part of the entire inhomogeneous universe which is about 10 to the 23rd times larger; the big bang probably took place simultaneously and homogeneously in our observed universe; there probably have been and will continue to be an infinite number of big bangs in an infinite number of universes for an infinite time; when a bang happens, everything(space, time, all the elements) from the previous universe are destroyed; the stretching of space can happen at speeds much greater than the speed of light; our entire observed universe lies in a single bubble out of an endless number so there may be trillions of trillions just in our own entire(pocket) universe(and there may be an endless number of such); none of these infinite number of universes interact--ie, we can never find out anything about the others; each universe started with its own big bang and will eventually collapse to create a new big bang; all this implies that the whole universe is fractal in nature and thus infinitely regresses to ever more universes(which can lead one to thinkgof it as a giant hologram); disagreements between the endless(hundreds at least) variations of inflation are sometimes due to lack of awareness that different definitions of time are being used; some theories suggest that there was a first big bang but we can never find out what happened before it; nevertheless it appears increasingly plausible that there was no beginning but rather an eternal cycle of the destruction and creation, each being the beginning of spacetime for that universe; to start a universe you need about 25g of matter in a 10 to minus 26cm diameter sphere with a false vacuum and a singularity(white hole).
Regardless of all this we still want to know how and why it all started even if this question seems to make no sense and he notes that Tryon speculated long ago that quantum fluctuations could give rise to our universe instantly any time from the very beginning(eg, 10 to minus 35 seconds) to this instant, complete with our particle accelerators and Guth with his ``memories`` of inventing inflation! The probability is incredibly small, but as there may be an infinite amount of time and space even the improbable becomes certain! The physicist Vilenkin extended Tryon's idea in a mathematically well defined way, giving a quantum description of general relativity that shows that the universe (spacetime) can arise from nothing. It seems this is based on the fact that one of the possible geometries of the universe is an empty one with no points in which quantum tunnels to a nonempty state which then inflates. Inflation requires only a false vacuum and some mechanism to produce baryons and is independent of and GUTs. Even Einstein's infamous cosmic constant has reappeared as teh energy density in the vacuum--which is a very complex state in which particles and antiparticles are appearing(from the vacuum!), annihilating one another, and disappearing at an enormous rate. When you get to the most advanced(basic) theory, it is utter chaos, with only thin threads of observation from accelerators and astronomical instruments linking it the universe.
Hawking came up with perhaps the most outrageous theories of the beginning--a set of equations in which (at 10 to minus 43 sec) the concepts of space and time dissolve into quantum ambiguity. The universe just is and can inflate from there:ie, the famous Hartle-Hawking quantum wave function where spacetime has no initial boundary with quantum fluctuations(randomness) determining the probability of every possible outcome(all possible universes). This implies that the universe must be, because nothingness is impossible, but then why are there laws of physics?
Strings are an alternative to quantum fluctuations but they are even harder to connect to reality. It is their mathematical elegance(so elegant that we have to develop more complex math before it can evolve further!) and power(24 dimensional geometry!)that makes them irresistible. One gets the impression that String Theory could explain any possible universe and indeed, that is one of the major problems--the equations have millions of solutions and which one is for our universe!? (if you want to know about this see my review of Kaku's ' Hyperspace' )
Guth gets into a 'very interesting discussion of what 'nothing' and 'beginning'mean. In fact the last chapter(Epilogue) is the most speculative and for many probably the most interesting part of the book and is(like much of modern physics for most people) almost indistinguishable from science fiction--incredible special effects, but it lacks a plot, character development, a beginning and an end!
Nobody knew in 1997 that the universe was expanding at an increasing rate but due to the endless variations on the theory and the high degree of arbitrariness and virtually limitless nature of possible assumptions, I doubt it will consitute a problem for very long. Likewise with the various theories about how space itself is expanding, not just the matter in it.
Cosmology and particle physics are intimately connected and since we have probably reached the limit in cost for accelerators(the world's entire GDP would not be near enough to build one that could get remotely near the 10 to the 19th BEV required to examine events at the Planck length) the next few years may see the end of input to cosmology from the bottom end. The top end--mostly outer space instruments- are less costly and will likely yield new info for a few decades yet -but the coming collapse of civilization will likely put an end to them as well by mid century. So it seems we may have another 50 years to evolve our GUTs(Grand Unified Theories) and our cosmology and `know the mind of God`(Hawking).
He does not spend alot of time in philosophical digressions but I think most would agree that our psychology(eg, the cognitive templates or inference engines) severely limits the kinds of theories we can produce. Perhaps one day computers will generate many(an infinite number?) of advanced theories but we probably will not be able to understand most of them. One needs a certain level of brain power to understand something and ours was evolved about a million years ago to get food, find mates and manipulate other monkeys. Just as a truck needs a certain horsepower to haul a load up a hill, a brain must have a certain calculating ability to understand an idea or an algorithm and it seems probable to me that our computers will soon produce many beyond our reach.
It occurs to me that if the universe is a giant computer(as many have theorized--eg Wolfram most recently in ``A New Kind of Science``) then we hope that it uses some kind of algorithm that we can understand -and prove with our math. But if so, maybe only our computers will be able to understand it or communicate with it! Also since the incompleteness theorems of Godel and Chaitin show that there are an infinite number of well formed algorithms that we cannot, even in principle ever prove or disprove(and no computer can do it either), it occurs to me that it is possible that the algorithms of the universal computer may be among those, and in that case even our most advanced computers may never prove the all the algorithms of the universal computer*ie the universe) and so it will forever remain as physics is now, with some laws that cannot be connected to the others and some teh truth of which will be always undecidable. Perhaps Chaitin's omega number( giving the limits of math) may someday tell us something about the ability of computers(our most advanced future one vs the universe) to prove each others algorithms. Perhaps it is consistent with one of the endless versions of inflation that each universe has a different algorithm or that the algorithms change with time(and they have already used such ideas as gravity changing with time).
He deliberately spends little time on the endless variants of inflation such as chaotic, expanded and supernatural inflation or on dark matter', supersymmetry and string theory, though they were well known at the time as you can find by reading other books such as Michio Kaku's `Hyperspace` published in 1994(see my review).
Average customer rating:
- The Mysteries of the Universe and Life revealed
- an excellent book
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Origins: The Quest for Our Cosmic Roots
Tom Yulsman
Manufacturer: Taylor & Francis
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Book Description
With stunning regularity, the search for our cosmic roots has been yielding remarkable new discoveries about the universe and our place in it. In his compelling book, Origins: The Quest for Our Cosmic Roots, veteran science journalist Tom Yulsman chronicles the latest discoveries and describes in clear and engaging terms what they mean. From the interior of protons to the outer reaches of the universe, and from the control room of one of the world's most powerful particle accelerators to an observatory atop the tallest mountain in the Pacific basin, Yulsman takes readers on a fantastic voyage at the cutting edge of science. How could the universe have sprouted from absolute nothingness? What is the origin of galaxies? How do stars and planets form? And despite what now seem to be incredible odds, how did Earth come to be a rich oasis of biodiversity-one that has given rise to a species intelligent enough to ask these questions? In laying out the answers, Origins addresses some of the most profound issues humans have ever confronted.
Customer Reviews:
The Mysteries of the Universe and Life revealed.......2003-12-06
Tom Yulsman has succeeded in explaining extremely difficult concepts, such as quantum mechanics, planet, star and galaxy formation, as well as theories on the creation of the universe and life, in a concise, interesting and understandable way. His writing is both humerous and gripping and kept me intrigued, thirsting for more information with every turn of the page.
an excellent book.......2003-04-23
I highly recommend this book. It is a clear and fascinating account. Highly readable and informative. If you ever wondered about this topic before, read this book!
Book Description
Based on interviews with today's cutting-edge scientists, investigative journalist Lynne McTaggart wrote The Field (HarperCollins, 2002)--a compelling presentation of the theory that there is a measurable "life force" in the universe. Now in this original audio adaptation by the author, McTaggart takes listeners on a journey into this exciting arena of science called the "Zero-Point Field" that could be the key to understanding "supernatural" forces, healing energy, and the nature of consciousness. Offering a challenging new vision of the future--and insights on how this science can immediately affect our own lives--here is a unique opportunity to hear Lynne McTaggart as she unveils the mysteries, discoveries, and wonder of The Field.
Customer Reviews:
Insights into Universal Energy.......2007-09-03
Lynn McTaggart has done it again by providing us with more insight into how we can co-create successfully with Universal Energy....I've also read her book called "The Intention Experiment" and it was just great!
I especially enjoy The Field in audio CD format since I like the fact that it's based on the true story of pioneers in science and how they're developing understanding about 'consciousness.'
Just sit back and listen to this CD, what an amazing and enjoyable way to experience self growth and deepening insight.
A favorite recent novel that I also recommend works with similar ideas to the 'Zero Point Field' such as connectedness, and consciousness and provides a soul-stirring, spell-binding, as well as insightfull story about transformation...
Nexus: A Neo Novel
The audio is not the same as the book.......2007-05-08
I was extremely disappointed with the audiobook of The Field. I purchased it for a friend who is handicapped and unable to turn the pages for herself. Instead of getting the book on audio...I thought I was listening to an unending introduction to the book The Field. What a huge disappointment! Now I will have to read it to my friend instead. Do not waste your money!
Buyer Beware--This CD is not the Book........2007-02-23
The CD uses the title to Lynne's book "The Field" and the word "unabridged". This all implies to me that the cd is the book. I loved the book. If you think you're getting the book in any way, forget it. If you're a mystic and know you're going to get some type of free wheeling discussion of daily activities talking to people whose work may or may not have been in the book and maybe alluding to some of the content of the book, then buy the cd.
Scientists Explore the Last Frontier - the Zero Point Field.......2007-01-07
With an ear for human interest and eye for detail, Lynne McTaggart masterfully tells the true story in THE FIELD of how pioneers in science and consciousness research are working to achieve a more complete understanding of the true nature of reality -- an understanding which includes (rather than ignores) consciousness.
THE FIELD describes how scientists have gradually become aware of what appears to be a unifying energy structure in our universe. This "Zero Point Field" provides us with a simpler explanation for how things work than previous overly-complex ideas require. Simplicity in science is a good thing, because it generally indicates which theories will win out as time goes by. The Zero Point Field theory demonstrates it's elegant simplicity by allowing physicists to derive the famous equation F=ma (rather than take it as a starting assumption), and by helping medical practitioners understand the underlying scientific basis for homeopathy.
Our scientific conceptualization of this universe has changed considerably over the last few centuries and now faces one of the biggest overhauls ever -- and THE FIELD demonstrates why the Zero Point Field is likely to be the last frontier for us to explore. THE FIELD is packed with detailed descriptions of some of the most exciting experiments recently conducted by leading researchers in the field of consciousness such as: Cleve Backster, Jacques Benveniste, William Braud, Bob Jahn, Edgar Mitchell, Fritz-Albert Popp, Hal Puthoff, Rupert Sheldrake, Russell Targ, Elisabeth Targ, and Charles Tart.
I give this book my highest recommendation.
(Cynthia Sue Larson has a degree in physics from UC Berkeley and is author of the book "AURA ADVANTAGE: How the Colors in Your Aura Can Help You Attain Your Desires & Attact Success")
Exploring cutting-edge research.......2006-06-18
This book examines developments at the frontiers of science. Schroedinger, Heisenberg, Bohr and Pauli were the pioneers of quantum physics, but numerous scientists in various disciplines have been conducting experiments that reveal profound new possibilities in our view of the universe. The author investigates the work of those scientists who are at the cutting edge of exploration, all with reference to the life force, universal energy field or Zero Point Field, an ocean of microscopic vibrations. It would appear that evidence is mounting that the universe is one vast quantum field.
Part One: The Resonating Universe, looks at the work of amongst others, Rupert Sheldrake, Fritz Albert Popp, Robert O Becker, Jacques Benveniste and Karl Pribram. The theory of the universe as a collection of resonating frequencies is here examined. Part Two: The Extended Mind, explores the work of inter alia Helmut Schmidt, Jahn & Dunne and Puthoff & Targ. The topics include nonlocality, remote influence and viewing, dreams, clairvoyance, ESP, precognition, the nature of time and how the observer influences the observed, like quantum particles.
Part Three: Tapping into the Field, deals with the experiments of for example Elisabeth Targ and her positive findings of remote healing in AIDS cases, and the work of William Braud, Dean Radin and Roger Nelson. The concept of collective consciousness is fascinating. The speculations include the possibility that negative consciousness is like a germ that infects large numbers of people and could produce evil like the Inquisition, Hitler and the Salem Witch Trial.
On the other hand, positive consciousness might give rise to great periods in history, like the Renaissance and many benign popular trends. The question of the existence of emotional and intellectual synchronicity is addressed here. McTaggart also looks at developments in artificial intelligence and considers how these recent discoveries might influence the future. They are hinting at an immense human potential, validating alternative medicine and confirming some mythical and religious beliefs. The author believes that this scientific revolution has forever ended the concept of dualism.
The book contains notes by chapter, a vast bibliography and an index. McTaggart has performed a great service by making the research of a large number of scientists known to a wide popular audience. Sometimes the reading pleasure is lost in the overly detailed descriptions of various experiments and their preparation. Also, the physical descriptions of the scientists under discussion are often a bit irritating and unnecessary, although it might have been done to keep the narrative accessible and conversational.
Book Description
Back Bay takes pleasure in restoring to print the first book by the author of Einstein in Love. Everywhere hailed as a paragon of science journalism, Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos is the dramatic, heartbreaking, and often comical story of cosmology and the men and women devoted to discovering the secrets of the universe. Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction and a Los Angeles Times Book Award in Science.
Customer Reviews:
Great Introduction to Cosmology.......2006-09-05
Author Dennis Overbye studied physics at MIT and for years has been Deputy Science Editor of the New York Times. He has been associated with science his entire career and his journalistic style stands apart from the usual writings of scientists. I have yet to find a scientist write something like, "photographic plates whose grains were hysterical for the light that had left some star or galaxy before the human race was born."
Overbye spent some five years attending PhD cosmology seminars and conducting recurrent weeks-long working interviews with world-class scientists. What results is a series of mini-biographical sketches of the important players while new technologies blew this exciting field wide open - and the never-ending fight for who would get credit.
For those interested only in the history, technical and scientific paragraphs are easy enough to skip, but the interspersed science is manageable under Overbye's direction. I learned the easy way - about ages of stars, anthropic principle, antimatter, background radiation, black holes, big bang theory, bottom-up theory of galaxy formation - just a few items selected from the "a's" and "b's" in the index.
Although the book was published in 1991, the science is still almost current. Recent publications suggest there have been no new significant findings in physics in the immediate past decade (although astronomy has been booming). This is a great read, and a valuable kick-start in my on-going efforts to understand particle physics and cosmology.
A History of Physical Cosmology.......2006-05-29
In Overbye's "Lonely Hearts" the reader will find a contemporary history of one of the most exciting fields of science in the 20th century. Told with a personal style that helps the reader understand that the both the scientists and the science exist in a very real sociological frame work, the narrative focuses on the developments in answering, "What is the Earth's place in the cosmos?" and "What is the fate of the universe?"
Overbye centers his story around the life of Allan Sandage, the sometimes hesitant successor to Hubble. In examining his life as well as the lives of numerous other astronomers and physicists he helps the reader see both the high and the lows of a life of pursuing knowledge in a scientific context. He also helps us understand the sometimes rough and tumble world of publication, scientific ego and underlying uncertainty found in such pursuits.
The only drawback is that the book's original edition was written so long ago. While the newer edition seeks to add more information about recent progress in the field, there is a lack of the exploration of the personalities that are doing the science. Additionally, even with the update, the book is once again somewhat behind the latest work in the field.
That having been said, I still strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in astronomy or physics as well as for anyone who is a student in the history of science. I would also recommend this book for students seeking to pursue a career in the sciences. The book does a wonderful job of showing what a person must do to be successful and what obstacles a person faces when following that path.
Wish I read in school..........2005-12-05
This is one of the best books on physics I have read. Not only doees the author Dennis Overbye present the information about the fascinating personalities in astrophysics, cosmology and astronomy, he will actually explain in laymen's terms some of the scientific formulas they were after and why. Wish I had this in school, would have helped me understand all those calculations a little better
What a swell book!.......2004-01-29
Okay, I KNOW I'm a little biased, being an astronogrl and all, but this book is an AMAZING read! It reads like a novel, and yet contains so many interesting astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology concepts, that it will blow you away. Covers everything from the big bang to inflation to black holes to string theory to dark matter... Dennis Overbye (the author) has hob-nobbed with so many big names and been able to glean personal interviews that you begin to feel like you know these people and their astronomy struggles. And don't worry; This book contains no equations. This book makes me excited to do astronomy and it is the best book I have read this year and will always remain one of my favorites.
Beautiful Mystery of the Universe.......2002-11-09
Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos is the greatest book every written about the search for ultimate answers about the universe. But the science is secondary to the gallery of scientists who are revealed in all their pettiness, persistence and ultimately greatness. The story of Allan Sandage - from boyhood dreamer to discoverer of mysteries - could be a book in itself. This is a book of almost poetic prose - a real page-turner that I couldn't set down. Get it today
Books:
- The Encyclopedia of Country Living: An Old Fashioned Recipe Book
- The Field: The Quest for the Secret Force of the Universe
- The Formation of Stars (Physics Textbook)
- The Geography of Urban Transportation, Third Edition
- The Grouchy Ladybug
- The Historical Statistics of the United States
- The HOK Guidebook to Sustainable Design
- The Mathematical Theory of Black Holes (Oxford Classic Texts in the Physical Sciences)
- The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe
- The Slave Community: Plantation Life in the Antebellum South
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