Book Description
In this groundbreaking book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that physics—the basis for all other science—has lost its way. The problem is string theory, an ambitious attempt to formulate "a theory of everything" that explains all the forces and particles of nature and how the universe came to be. With its exotic new particles and parallel universes, string theory has captured the public"s imagination and seduced many physicists. But as Smolin reveals, there"s a deep flaw in the theory: no part of it has been proven, and no one knows how to prove it. As a scientific theory, it has been a colossal failure. And because it has soaked up the lion's share of funding, attracted some of the best minds, and penalized young physicists for pursuing other avenues, it is dragging the rest of physics down with it. With clarity, passion, and authority, Smolin charts the rise and fall of string theory and takes a fascinating look at what will replace it. A group of young theorists has begun to develop exciting new ideas that are, unlike string theory, testable. Smolin tells us who and what to watch for in the coming years and how we can find the next Einstein. This is a wake-up call, and Lee Smolin—a former string theorist himself— is the perfect person to deliver it.
Customer Reviews:
Scientific progress is never cut and dried.......2007-10-08
Lee Smolin presents a harsh critique of the last 30 years in theoretical physics, written by one of its practitioners. He makes the excellent point that science is a human activity like anything else. Progress is always hard to predict; scientists can and do get caught up in dead ends. Smolin thinks string theory is one such dead end, and makes a good case for it.
I think that, if anything, Smolin is a little too gentle on the field. The development of the atomic and hydrogen bombs left a tremendous impression that big money put into physics would bring big results. In recent years that hasn't happened. There are so many unanswered questions out there in science, so many important fields where solutions are desperately needed. When I consider the construction and operation of particle accelerators and other high-tech equipment, I can't help but think of the huge cost. The same amount of cash invested elsewhere might have brought much more in the way of useful results.
I am the mother of a 10-year-old boy attending public school. His instruction sometimes seems to me like a mishmash of well-meaning educational reforms that have been implemented with little or no testing to see if they worked or not. I am frankly disgusted by the quality of most research in the area of education--sample sizes too small, no proper controls, subjects followed for too short a time, etc. The cost of operating a single particle accelerator for six weeks probably exceeds all the funding for educational research around the world for the entire year. Yet which has the most potential for making major progress? Maybe it's time to back off on funding big physics projects for a while.
I would also like to point out that the building and use of instrumentation for high-energy physics is highly dependent on cheap fossil fuels. The future supply of such fuels is by no means guaranteed. The peak oil problem appears to be largely ignored by high-energy physicists today, but has the potential to significantly affect their ability to conduct experiments.
I really enjoyed Smolin's chapters on looking for seers rather than technicians in science. I especially liked his description of how unconventional scientists have built a career without a university job. Smolin points out that a typical professor spends a majority of his week on teaching, grant proposals, administrative tasks, and the like, leaving a surprisingly small amount of time available for actual research. Having a day job outside the field is not as big a hurdle as it might seem.
I tend to agree with Smolin that the big advances of the future are likely to come from completely unexpected directions. I can't wait to see what they are.
physics from many angles.......2007-10-05
This book provided several discussions pf physics and quantum theory. its good because the author speaks of the history the the originators of physics theory and the current champions of thought.
A mixed bag.......2007-10-04
At the moment, string theory appears to have many (possibly an infinite number) of "metastable vacua", each of which would allow for a universe with its own laws of physics. (For a brief, comic, yet essentially correct summary of the history of this idea, see Peter Shor's review here. For those who don't know, Shor is a celebrated quantum-information theorist.) According to the (far from established) inflationary model of cosmology, there is a vast collection of universes (the "multiverse") with diverse laws of physics. Which universe we find ourselves in is a matter of random selection, but of course we must be in a "biofriendly" universe, one whose laws of physics allow for the appearance of intelligent life.
The core argument of this book is presented on page 164-165 (US hardcover edition), where Smolin writes, "when it comes to the biofriendliness of our universe, we have at least three possibilities:
"1. Ours is one of a vast collection of universes with random laws.
"2. There was an intelligent designer.
"3. There is a so-far-unknown mechanism that will both explain the biofriendliness of our universe and make testable predictions by which it can be confirmed or falsified.
"Given that the first two possibilities are untestable in principle, it is most rational to hold out for the third possibility. Indeed, that is the only possibility we should consider as scientists, because accepting either of the first two would mean the end of our field."
I find this to be an astonishing argument. First of all, I don't know what "most rational" is supposed to mean. More importantly, to reject a scientific hypothesis for purely personal reasons (it "would mean the end of our field") is at best novel, and at worst absurd.
Very few string theorists are happy that #1 seems, at this point, to be the most likely outcome of string theory, and many hope that #3 will somehow eventually emerge. But to throw out the whole framework, simply because we don't like the result, cannot be said to be a scientific attitude.
One thing you won't learn in this book (unless you read it very carefully, and between the lines) is that the other approaches to quantum gravity advocated by Smolin have not come any closer to predicting specific experimental results than string theory has. Smolin talks about possible violations of special relativity, but these are not (as he admits on page 237) a definite prediction of loop quantum gravity. He has said (on Peter Woit's blog) that any quantum field theory in any number of dimensions is compatible with loop quantum gravity. If true, this would make loop quantum gravity even less capable than string theory of picking out our particular laws of physics.
Smolin also discusses issues of sociology in physics. On page 335-336, he asserts that the all the truly negative characterizations of job candidates that he has ever heard have had a component of racism and/or sexism. I am on the faculty of the physics department of a research university, and I can only say that my experience has been entirely different. I have simply never heard a racist or sexist denigration of one scientist by another, nor have I ever felt that anyone was being evaluated by criteria other than merit. I think that there are definitely issues of culture and how we can construct scientific communities that have broader appeal, and that there are physicists who are not as sensitive to these issues as they might be, but I cannot accept Smolin's claim that the relatively small percentage of women and blacks in physics is due to "blatant prejudice".
Finally, Smolin discusses the issues of "seers" vs "craftspeople" in science, and argues that we should be supporting more "seers". Among the existing seers, he lists some (such as Roger Penrose and Gerard 't Hooft) who made their reputations primarily as craftspeople ('t Hooft received the Nobel Prize for his work on the renormalization of gauge theories, and Penrose did celebrated work on the singularity theorems of general relativity). Their record as seers has been less successful; none of their recent ideas on modifications of quantum mechanics have panned out as yet. Smolin laments the fact that more attention is not paid to these forays into alternatives to quantum mechanics. But 't Hooft and Penrose do not agree on what modifications are needed. Other seers identified by Smolin propose violations of special relativity, rather than (or in addition to) violations of quantum mechanics. Perhaps this is all deep thought, but there is little to decide, at this point, which if any of these avenues should be pursued. Most physicists have therefore sensibly adopted a "wait and see" attitude.
Even if we accept Smolin's argument that we need new seers, how are we to find them? Smolin writes (page 353) that in order to discover "the visionaries who ignore the mainstream and follow their own ambitious programs", we should "find at least one accomplished person in the candidate's field who is deeply excited about what the candidate is trying to do". So, the candidate's program had better not be *too* far off the mainstream; there has to be at least one "accomplished person" who is "deeply excited" about it. But if one deeply excited professional is good, wouldn't more be better? Wouldn't that up the odds that the program was, indeed, worthwhile? Oh wait, that would be just what we have now ... a system where there is constant debate, emergent consensus on the most promising approaches, and distribution of research funds primarily (but by no means exclusively!) to those approaches that appear, in the consensus view, to be most promising. To paraphrase Winston Churchill on democracy, this system for distributing funds for science may be the worst ever devised, except for all the others.
So, should you buy the book? I feel that it gives a distorted picture, by emphasizing the weak points of string theory while ignoring the (many more, in my view) weak points of the alternatives. It seems to me that the essence of the book's argument against string theory is captured by the excerpts above, and by Shor's review. Then there is a lot of discussion of groupthink in scientific culture. For me, it doesn't add up to an appealing package, but your mileage may vary.
The Endless Quest Continues .......2007-10-04
I like Lee Smolin and this is a good exposition of the current quandary in Physics. When the mathematicians "hijacked" physics in the 1920's, they created ever-so elegant formulas and abstraction upon abstraction upon abstraction. "Just give me a formula!" was their mantra, and what it all really "means" was not their concern. This is the essence of Bohr's position (no pun intended), and Einstein was not able to answer, even though he knew something was missing.
String theory has many intriguing ideas, and it's supporters should not be easily dismissed. Again and again, we come back to the basic question...particle or wave? Wavicle? Partiwave? String?
Outstanding piece of writing, A must-read for any science enthusiast........2007-09-22
I found this book to be superbly written and full of fascinating insights. I really loved reading it. Many of the longer reviews here do a great job of reviewing the content of the book, so I'll stick to offering my opinion.
I will no doubt read this book again in the future as much of the content was way over my head. However, as with any great book on any subject, this did not prevent me from thoroughly enjoying it and learning a lot. What makes it so great is that each time I read it I will learn more.
I want to thank Lee Smolin for putting the current state of his field in some perspective. I highly, highly recommend this book!
Book Description
The universe has its secrets. It may even hide extra dimensions, different from anything ever imagined. A whole raft of remarkable concepts now rides atop the scientific firmament, including parallel universes, warped geometry, and threedimensional sink-holes. We understand far more about the world than we did just a few short years ago -- and yet we are more uncertain about the true nature of the universe than ever before. Have we reached a point of scientific discovery so advanced that the laws of physics as we know them are simply not sufficient? Will we all soon have to accept explanations that previously remained in the realm of science fiction?
Lisa Randall is herself making these extraordinary breakthroughs, pushing back the boundaries of science in her research to answer some of the most fundamental questions posed by Nature. For example, why is the gravitational field from the entire Earth so defenseless against the small tug of a tiny magnet? Searching for answers to such seemingly irresolvable questions has led physicists to postulate extra dimensions, the presence of which may lead to unimaginable gains in scientific understanding. Randall takes us into the incredible world of warped, hidden dimensions that underpin the universe we live in, describing how we might prove their existence, while examining the questions that they still leave unanswered.
Warped Passages provides an exhilarating overview that tracks the arc of discovery from early twentieth-century physics to the razor's edge of today's particle physics and string theory, unweaving the current debates about relativity, quantum mechanics, and gravity. In a highly readable style sure to entertain and elucidate, Lisa Randall demystifies the science and beguilingly unravels the mysteries of the myriad worlds that may exist just beyond the one we are only now beginning to know.
Customer Reviews:
AMERICA'S GOT TALENT!!!.......2007-09-28
You really don't need my opinion because there are already over 100 reviews. I don't have a serious review to offer because the serious ones have already been done. I will agree with the best of them because this lady author has many great talents in putting such an amazing book together with such STYLE!!!! Many points of praise. I got this book in hardcover and decided I needed another one so I got two.
You go scientists!!!! Please continue writing books like this one that are so so delicious to read and well put together in SO many ways. Keep them (books) real long like this one (or even longer) and packed with lots of goodies. Brian Greene, I still LOVE your work also--ESPECIALLY The Fabric of the Cosmos, so Lisa Randall, Briane Greene and other talented scientists--keep on dishing out books like these that keep us wanting more more more!!!
SOME speculation is HEALTHY SCIENCE. Always know that there is A BEYOND EVERYTHING! Be certain of that. You scientists have now acquired an audience of the MASSES. We will be there to hail you or boo you like the jury of Q in Star Trek The Next Generation. We want more and better and more and better. Ha Ha Ha. Great work!
The Problem With Math.......2007-09-26
Randall, along with many other, such as Susskind The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design makes a serious mistake in leaping to the conclusion that reality corresponds to her mathematical models. Along with other string theorists, they assume that if the math they use to build their models contains some number of additional dimensions, then the real world must contain those dimensions. I see this in much of the literature, including, for example Woit Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law who debunks string theory, but nevertheless seems to accept the idea that if the math contains extra dimensions, reality must also contain those extra dimensions.
A mathematical model is just that - a model. It is the best math we can construct at this point in time to describe the reality we are trying to model. It is not the reality itself. If the string theorists are successful in constructing a model that includes six or seven tiny dimensions, that does not mean that those dimensions actually exist. All it means is that the best model we can currently construct has to include those dimensions in the math. Susskind really goes off the deep end with this. We must remember that much more math will come along. Someday, we may have a math that describes the same reality without the additional dimensions.
That said, if the string theorists can make a prediction that absolutely, positively depends upon those extra dimensions and if that prediction is confirmed by experimental results, then they may have a case. So far, the string theorists have failed utterly to make such a prediction. Even here, a different math may come along. The night is young.
Readable!.......2007-09-24
In order to keep this short and sweet, this is a very readable book about string, superstring theory, and branes! An excellent job by the author! Also contains references to nice music lyrics and quotes! Fantastic book, highly recommended!
Randall re where we are........2007-08-24
Superb summary of contemporary cosmological crucial questions. Not not for the novice, but she writes so clearly--who knows?
Interesting, the idea is similar to the experiences left by some Buddists and Taoists.......2007-08-10
1.
Why not use any possible monitoring system to collect the local variatons in space as beings dying, being born and fertilizing? We may find something come from and go to some other dimensions or layers.
2.
According to some old chinese books of Buddhism and Taoism,(a) some Buddhists and Taoists could see the future, but they could not change the future, (b) the space is layered, (c) there is something called "the singular door and the invisible armour" in Taoism.
3.
The results of some experiments, such as experiments described in the book authored by "SHE DING MING", in hypnosis are seemly relevant to this dimensional idea.
Book Description
Based on lectures given in honor of Stephen Hawking's 60th birthday, this book comprises contributions from the world's leading theoretical physicists. Popular lectures progress to a critical evaluation of more advanced subjects in modern cosmology and theoretical physics. Topics covered include the origin of the universe, warped spacetime, cosmological singularities, quantum gravity, black holes, string theory, quantum cosmology and inflation. The volume provides a fascinating overview of the variety of subjects to which Stephen Hawking has contributed.
Customer Reviews:
Books like this don't come along often.......2006-03-21
This book collects a series of lectures given at a conference celebrating Stephan Hawking's sixtieth birthday. If you don't know who Stephen Hawking is then this book is definitely not for you! His contributions are too extensive to give a comprehensive list here, a very short list of highlights would include seminal contributions to singularity theorems, quantum cosmology, co-authoring one of the great books in general relativity and his discovery that black holes emit (approximately?) thermal radiation. The lectures collected in this book provide a more complete overview of the many areas in which he has contributed. Given Hawking's accomplishments it's not surprising that the books contributors include many of the world's most prominent physicists.
There are forty-four chapters covering a vast range of topics in theoretical physics. The level of the material also has a wide range, from introductory to very advanced discussions. I thought the selection of papers was great.
The first part of the book is at a very introductory level. That isn't to say the material isn't quite interesting. The topics include basic general relativity, gravity waves, cosmology and singularities. This part should be accessible to a general audience.
The remainder of the book is more advanced, some of it quite advanced. Nevertheless I would expect much of it to be accessible to advanced undergraduates. Some of the material is fairly standard such as cosmology (standard general relativity treatment), inflation and black holes (standard general relativity version). However, most of the topics presented involve less well understood physics.
It's difficult to describe the breadth of the content without just looking a table of contents, but I'll try to give a rough idea of it. Not surprisingly there are many talks on physics of black holes that isn't completely understood. A partial list of black hole topics includes: primordial black holes, inner-horizon stability (a tentative answer is given), string effects and information loss. Here is a very coarse grained list of the rest of the content: loop quantum gravity, chronology protection conjecture, topology change, the holographic principle (or conjecture, depending on who you ask), Euclidean quantum gravity, topology change, string theory (touched on in many talks), quantum cosmology (basic, with supersymmetry and implication for the problem of time), cosmology (a wide variety) and more.
In summary, many interesting ideas in theoretical physics are discussed. They naturally center on general relativity, quantum gravity and cosmology. Even the difficult topics are fairly accessible. I would expect most graduate students would enjoy it, as would many advanced undergraduates with a solid background in general relativity and quantum mechanics (however, a lot of the material is quite challenging). Some of the material would also be interesting to astronomy and astrophysics students too.
Book Description
"If there is one principle that has guided the spectacular advances in our understanding of the cosmos during the last hundred years, it is the concept of symmetry. In SYMMENTRY AND THE BEAUTIFUL UNIVERSE, Leon Lederman and Chris Hill have captured the essence of this simple yet profound concept and conveyed its wonders with art and precision. In accessible and entertaining language, the authors provide readers with a crystal-clear window to physics' most refined theories, allowing us all to appreciate the awe-inspiring beauty of the universe." BRIAN GREENE, Author of THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE and THE FABRIC OF THE COSMOS; Professor of Physics, Columbia University
"Symmetry is the way in to understanding the world; symmetry is part of beauty. Lederman and Hill, the mist skillful of guides, show us the multitude of ways in which the physical world is shaped by symmetry. They take us on a lively tour of our subtle symmetry (and understandably asymmetric) world, from planets to quarks. In Lederman and Hill's book we are led masterfully to an appreciation of the crucial role of symmetry in this world." ROALD HOFFMANN, Nobel Laureate; Frank H. T. Rhodes Professor of Humane Letters, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University
"An enigma of twentieth-century physics is the question of symmetry as a guiding principle of nature. Did nature start with the idea of symmetry, or is it an accidental consequence? Is symmetry, with its aesthetic appeal, a fundamental principle? In this penetrating and lucid book the authors, both top physicists, take on symmetry as a basic principle. They succeed in a marvelous way, and consequently this book is a must for the serious student of nature." MARTINUS VELTMAN, Nobel Laureate; Author of FACTS AND MYSTERIES IN ELEMENTARY PARTICLE PHYSICS
"Formidable as a snow-covered peak, the concept of symmetry looms as a central challenge to all those who would understand modern physics. In this delightful but instructive book, Leon Lederman and Christopher Hill have rendered the great service of making this concept accessible to lay readers." J. MADELEINE NASH, Author of EL NINO: UNLOCKING THE SECRETS OF THE MASTER WEATHER-MAKER.
Customer Reviews:
The symetry I missed.......2007-01-09
Somehow in college (66-70) I missed the importance on symetry in physics. I majored in math, and when I learned that a fellow math student (Frank Wilczek) won the Nobel in Physics based on his math work, I started trying to figure out what I had missed. Somehow the importance of group theory (while clear in math) was not being taught in undergraduate physics even at Chicago. I have read quite a bit, and found this book to be very enlightening. They never get around to proving (or ever really explaining) Noether's theorem, but this book is the best of a very large lot.
beautiful!.......2006-12-30
Most textbooks describe the conservation laws one at a time. Students learn them as a list of topics: Conservation of this, conservation of that. Pass the test. Forget about it. Yawn. This is why most people say they hate physics.
This book takes an important step in changing the way we think about physics, particularly the conservation laws. The conservation laws are much deeper, as explained by Noether's Theorem. They aren't separate topics at all. They are part of one important concept: symmetry. Now we see that there is a connection between conctrete concepts, such as conservation of momentum, and some of the theories in particle physics. Now we have reason to talk about modern physics in a course on classical mechanics.
Hopefully this book will inspire enough people that these ideas will show up in the classroom more. I will certainly incorporate these ideas in the physics classes I teach. In addition, I found that Emmy Noether's struggles are inspiring to many students, and her story provides an appropriate way to discuss something other than physics in a physics class.
Great Book About the Universe.......2006-06-18
This is a book about the history of the universe and the physical laws governing it. It also tells the story of the scientists whose work brought modern physics to the point where it is today.
This is a great book,
Not what I expected.......2006-06-10
I considered this book because of two main reasons: trying to get a deeper knowldege of the symmetries that are behind the main scientific theories, and Leon Lederman, its well-known author. After reading the book, I can say that I have not learnt almost anything new about Symmetry. Actually, I have read other physics books that have taught me much more on Symmetry, even if they did not focus on it.
The book is well written. I read it completely, and I do not think it was a waste of time, but it did not fulfil my expectations. Furthermore, it contains many ideas on political and social issues. I'm not going to judge them, but I do not think it is fair to use a book on Symmetry and the Universe for those purposes. If I wanted to read something on those matters, I would have chosen other books and other authors.
I have read lots of good reviews of this book, so I suspect that this book is not oriented to frequent readers of physics books. The problem is that they are the ones that most likely will read books written by Leon Lederman on Symmetry.
A superb book on modern physics.......2006-06-08
Wow. This is some book. Unlike many books that describe the evolution of modern cosmological theory, this one is dedicated to the understanding of physics itself, both its history and it's collation of knowledge about reality.
Through the course of the text, the history of discoveries in physics is described, giving all contributors from Aristarchis, Galileo and Newton, to Einstein, Feynman and Guth, among others, their just due. That it has been a globe effort is evident from the source nationalities of these intellects, as diverse as Scotland and Japan. The narration clearly illustrates that good science is the result of the cumulative efforts of many different individuals, from many different cultures throughout history.
Interesting too is that the book's basic starting point is the intellectual contribution of a brilliant female mathemation, Amalia Noether, working at about the same time and in the same country as the better known Einstein. It is her theory of symmetry in physics, worked out in mathematical theorems, that created a major connecting link between physics and mathematics. Although the book is not in depth enough to actually make her contribution clearer than "Noether's Theorum," her discoveries are obviously at the core of the entire movement in modern physics. It's nice to know that my old high school math teacher, who so disparaged the math abilities of his female students was wrong, wrong, wrong.
The book is well conceived in its presentation of the information. It begins with the earliest efforts of the ancient Greeks and Romans to understand the workings of nature. Their concepts, sometimes startlingly close to the truth, served as the starting point for later researchers. The character of physics as a discipline is presented from a Newtonian perspective in the earlier portions of the book, and I have to say, while it does not bog one down in detailed formulae, it makes much more sense of basic physics than many books do.
The next few chapters deal with Einstein and Bohr, relativity and quantum mechanics. Probably no other book I've read on these subjects has done as good a job of pulling the whole thing together; particularly the authors manage to connect the concepts of Newtonian and modern physics more clearly for the reader. While many books have attempted to do this, often it seems as though the authors make the assumption that the reader will see how the two are connected and hop from one topic to the next without connecting comments. Lederman and Hill put the entire thing out there for the student, assuming that it is not obvious how the two are connected. This description is in fact the bulk of the book.
The last pages of the book are dedicated to a detailed description of the more recent contributions to physics, particularly the theories relating to sub-atomic particles and their interactions and the concepts behind the Feynman diagrams. I have to admit that this aspect of physics has always been the most confusing to me. The authors went a good distance to clearing up some of the questions I had about the topic. This is, however, the most complex discussion in the book, and one that I will doubtless have to re-read before I am entirely comfortable with it.
A superb book on modern physics, one that I'll re-read. I suggest that it be used as an introductory text to high school physics classes, since it makes the details of Newtonian physics usually taught at this level clearer and introduces advanced physics in a more understandable form.
Average customer rating:
|
From SU(3) to Gravity: Festschrift in Honor of Yuval Ne'eman (3 to Gravity : Papers in Honor of Yuval Ne'eman)
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Cosmology
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Cosmology
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Mathematical Physics
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Nuclear Physics
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Cosmology
| Astronomy
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Mathematical Physics
| Physics
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Nuclear Physics
| Physics
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 0521307848 |
Book Description
This collection of specially written essays and articles celebrates the sixtieth birthday of Professor Yuval Ne’eman. Professor Ne’eman has been active at the forefront of many areas of modern physics; this book pays tribute to him by reporting and reflecting on the recent developments in these areas. The contributions have been grouped under five main headings: Groups and Gauges; Particles; Science Policy; Astronomy and Astrophysics; Gravity and Supergravity. Within each group are accounts of new work, developments and extensions of established approaches and discussions of current problems and future prospects. The resulting book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers in cosmology and astrophysics, particle theory and relativity, and to all who wish to keep up to date with the interactions and interrelations between these subject areas.
Book Description
The concept of multiple unperceived dimensions in the universe is one of the hottest topics in contemporary physics. It is essential to current attempts to explain gravity and the underlying structure of the universe. The Great Beyond begins with Einstein’s famous quarrel with Heisenberg and Bohr, whose theories of uncertainty threatened the order Einstein believed was essential to the universe, and it was his rejection of uncertainty that drove him to ponder the existence of a fifth dimension. Beginning with this famous disagreement and culminating with an explanation of the newest "brane" approach, author Paul Halpern shows how current debates about the nature of reality began as age-old controversies, and addresses how the possibility of higher dimensions has influenced culture over the past one hundred years.
Download Description
The fundamental conundrum in physics today is the incompatibility of Einstein's theory of general relativity with quantum mechanics. To bridge the gap between the two theories, a number of physicists have posited novel solutions involving hyperspace dimensions beyond the four that we can perceive and, most recently, branes, or membranes that exist in the fifth dimension and beyond. This lively account describes, in plain language, the history of hyperspace theory.
Customer Reviews:
History of Multidimensional Theories.......2006-09-14
This is a book about the history of multidimensional theories. The focus of the book is not on the theories themselves, but on how they developed. It is very well written. It is entertaining, and has good rhythm. It was not what I expected, but anyway I enjoyed the book.
Curiously, the best part of the book, in my opinion, is the one that is farthest from the own subject of the book, where the development of the Relativity and Quantum theories are explained, in the context of multidimensional theories. It is just close to having five stars, but I think that the last part of the book is weaker; too many names, in comparison with the excellent first two thirds of the book, where a hard selection of scientists is done.
Big disappointment.......2006-07-28
I just bought this book and I have to be honest that it really disappointed me. All the material inside is already known and has been explained from some other book like "Hyperspace" by Michio Kaku. The book just repeats some fact about kaluza-klein, flatlanders, mobius strip, supergravity or relativity theory of Einstein. It does not even consider explaining in detail the latest advancement in theoretical physics that explore the possibility of higher dimension or theory of everything as its title would suggest.
If you are looking for some introduction to popular science of space-time, matter and the universe in general, MAYBE this book will be suitable for you (even though I would advice you to get it from another book such as "Hyperspace" or "Parallel Worlds" by Michio Kaku). But if you are looking for some "advance" information in these area or the latest information in theoretical physics concerning the development of the Superstring, M-Theory, Brane Worlds and so on, this book is definitely NOT for you.
Out of this world. And that one. And that one........2006-04-02
I don't know about you, but I'm getting freaked out. It's this new theory of parallel worlds. Imagine: infinite universes out there, many of them with near identical copies of you. They say every possible outcome in your life will occur in another universe.
So, you're a dismal failure who never achieved anything. Don't fret. In a parallel universe, you might be drinking expensive champagne on your yacht and talking shop with Donald Trump.
So, your wife ran off with your brother and took the truck and the dog to boot. Take heart. One universe over, the shrew is serving you drinks and vacuuming floors in your palatial estate. Your dog watches over your fleet of trucks and your brother is in prison.
So, the Red Sox finally win a World Series after 86 years of heartbreak. It's been year after year of thwarted hopes, for as long as you can remember. But somewhere in the multiverse, the Sox have won so many championships, it's sickening.
Every possible outcome. Those horrible mistakes you made here never happened there. You ate right, exercised and took vitamins every day in some other universe. You are buff and not ashamed to take your shirt off on the beach in another dimension.
The multiverse has its privileges. And it is scientists who claim it as fact, not tabloid writers drunk on cheap wine. To account for errors in the math of quantum physics, some say the existence of multiple universes is the only possible solution.
"The Great Beyond" was one of several books I read on the subject during a recent quantum binge. Halpern writes with a style that will be appreciated by non-PhDs like myself. He uses analogy and visuals to bring his ideas home. He explains the science calmly, without the hysterical, desperate lunge toward the theory of everything so many other physicists succumb to. By the time you read the last page, you'll be wondering what other versions of you are doing in other worlds.
So really, man. It's time to relax. String theory dictates that our time here is really not that important. We're just an insignificant speck in an infinitesimal bubble in the froth of a sea of universes. Stop hollering and worrying all the time. Chill out and let some other you do all the heavy lifting.
I'm getting carried away. I know I am. People who don't absolutely love books like "Parallel Worlds" back slowly away from me when I start talking about the multiverse. My wife doesn't allow words like singularity or participatory anthropic principal around the house. Not in this world, anyway.
-- Mark LaFlamme, author of "The Pink Room," about, what else? A leading physicist who attempts to use the science of string theory to bring his daughter back from the dead.
Elegant explanation of the theory of relativity.......2006-01-04
The physic community was confident with Einstein's theory of relativity.
Contributions and foundations for relativity:
Gauss provided the matrix rotation mathematics.
Reimannian Geometry provided a more flexible structure called a manifold. A manifold is a collection of points each characterized by a set of coordinates. If the manifold is two or three dimension then each point may have two or three coordinates. Manifolds described the notion of curvature and embedding. Einstein was able to construct a four-dimensional model of the theory of relativity.
William Clifford wondered if he use non-Euclidean geometry and higher dimensions expressed in terms of his matrix algebra and encompass both the physical and mathematical world.
Stringham's hypercube demonstrated the possibility of four-dimensional objects: 1. a point moving out from a point into space forms a line 2. A line segment parallel to itself with same length form a square. 3. Moving the square in similar manner produce a cube.
Maxwell turned his attention to electricity and magnetism. Maxwell thought about Faraday observations charges, currents, and magnetic dipoles. Maxwell set out to create a mathematical language to explain Faraday's experimental discoveries. Maxwell applied the theories of hydrodynamics of water to the structure of electric fields and the result was a technique describing magnetic fields as electric fields. Maxwell's field theory replaced Newton's force theory. Maxwell's four equations explained the how electric and magnetic fields affect each other and how electric currents produce magnetic fields. Maxwell discovered electromagnetic waves produced from electric and magnetic fields travel at the speed of light. Maxwell arrived at the conclusion that light was an electromagnetic wave.
Newtons law of motion required that the speed that an object appears to move depends on the speed of the person doing the observing. In 1887, Michaelson and Morely built a device to measure the speed of light over exactly same distances, oriented perpendicular to each other taking advantage of the speed of the earth moving through space. The discovery was that the light velocities were identical, no difference in the speed of light.
Einstein's theory of relativity did not sacrifice the constancy of light speed nor the notion that light speeds are relative. Time dilation stats that the faster the observer travels, as they approach the speed of light, the slower their clocks move relative to those set on the ground. Special relativistic effect suggests a spaceship traveling close to the speed of light might seem 30 yards long for those on board, but only 10 yards long according to someone on earth.
Minkowski rewrote the equations of special relativity into four dimensions in an amalgamation called space-time manifold, also known as the continuum. The space-time continuum includes everything that has ever happened or will ever happen through eternity. The basic units of relativity are events and each event represents the location and time of a physical occurrence (x,y,z,t) Minokowski reduced Maxwell's four equations into one called the electromagnetic field tensor described in a four by array. The entire spectrum of light and the full scope of electricity and magnetism are all expressed in the equation. Einstein began too ponder the role of four-dimensional geometries in helping to expand special relativity into a comprehensive theory of dynamics and Einstein came to realize he need to employ the power of higher mathematics. The general theory of relativity is extraordinarily elegant set of equations that describe gravity by relating the mass and energy in any region of the universe to the structure of space-time in that sector. Stress energy tensor describes the material properties at a certain point and the Einstein curvature tensor conveys information about the geometry of the space-time at the same location. Trajectory through space-time has different outcomes "space-time tells matter how to move and matter tells space-time how to curve".
Einstein rejected Weyl non-Riemannian rewrite of the theory of relativity because Weyl injected a gauge term into the metric of the theory of relativity. Einstein found these variations in length and time scales troublesome and unphysical. Kuluza became acquainted with Weyl.
Kuluza came to a startling conclusion that he could discover Maxwell's equations if he extended Einstein's theory of relativity to the fifth dimension. Einstein initially rejected Kuluza fifth dimension because it lack physical proof.
Einstein considered Klein to be brilliant and began pondering the possibility and acceptance of Klein/Kuluza five dimensional Universes. The particle accelerator has revealed more subatomic particles and the current M-model uses String theory and 11-dimension higher dimensional mathematics to explain the Universe. 3D space is called the 3-Brane. Between the 3-Brane and another 3-Brane spans a four dimensional space called the Bulk. In the bulk there are compactified regions called the Calabi Yau strings all twisted and beyond all possible detection. The Calabi Yau sector house symetries of the standard particle model. There are 6 Calabi Yau strings in the 3-brane; open string attach to the 3-brane; close strings are allowed to move freely through the Bulk; and Gavitons, the carriers of gravity are model by closed strings.
As Good As Elegant.......2005-09-07
If you like Brian Greene's `The Elegant Universe,' you should like this book too. Both books are very comparable in coverage and readability. While Greene's occupies 448 pages, Halpern's does it in 326 pages. Main differences between them are in the compassion toward and the coverage thoroughness of inspiring/taunting and for/against views, persons and incidents. In these respects, I enjoyed reading Halpern's more. Greene tends to write like a story of `String Theory & Einstein;' thus omitting a lot of views, persons and incidents that were or have been inspiring/taunting and for/against Einstein and/or string theorists. Those omitted by Greene; for examples, how Einstein came to think seriously about the four-dimensional space-time approach developed by Hermann Minokowski, and how several other scientists (in spite of Einstein) followed Kaluza-Klein theory in adding the fifth and more dimensions; are well covered in Halpern's − together with the `flesh & blood' stories of persons involved and their plights during Nazi's tyranny − even of Einstein. Compassionately, Halpern tells stories of Edwin Abbott Abbott, Nima Arkani-Hamed, Valentine Bargmann, Peter Bergmann, Niels Bohr, Louis de Broglie, Charlie Chaplin, William Klingdon Clifford, Eugene Cremmer, Stanley Deser, Bryce Seligman DeWitt, Savas Dimopoulos, Paul Dirac, Georgi (Gia) Dvali, Arthur Eddington, Paul Ehrenfest, Albert Einstein, Richard Feynman, Abraham Flexner, Carl Friedrich Gauss, Murray Gell-Mann, Howard Georgi, Sheldon Glashow, Michael Green, Werner Heisenberg, David Hilbert, Charles Howard Hinton, Banesh Hoffmann, Pascual Jordan, Bernard Julia, Theodor Franz Eduard Kaluza, Immanuel Kant, Oskar Benjamin Klein, Hendrik Kramers, Hendrik Lorentz, James Clerk Maxwell, Walther Mayer, Hermann Minokowski, Gunnar Nordström, Wolfgang Pauli, Lisa Randall, Georg Friedrich Bernhard Riemann, Abdus Salam, Joël Scherk, Erwin Schrödinger, John Schwarz, Julian Schwinger, Raman Sundrum, Richard Tolman, Steven Weinberg, H.G. Wells, Hermann Weyl, John Wheeler, Edward Witten, Chen Ning (Frank) Yang, Hideki Yukawa, Johann Zöllner, etc. Having gone through similar `publish or perish' experience, though likely in a much less fierce arena, I can imagine their - like stated by Einstein − "the years of anxious searching in the dark, with their intense longing, their alternations of confidence and exhaustion, and final emergence into the light." Ironically, Halpern even covers the first and second superstring revolutions better than Greene. But one should not overlook the fact that Halpern, writing after, had about five years to improve on Green's. Another major difference between these two books, that one may pick up as a criticism against Halpern's, is in the explicit mentioning of the successes of string theory, so far. Rather explicitly, Greene claims successes of string theory in: solving the conflict between Einstein's general relativity and quantum mechanics, settling that the fabric of space can tear, solving a central puzzle concerning Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of black holes, and rationally modifying the conclusions of cosmic origins. But, my guess is that Halpern - unlike Greene - apparently belonging to an impartial party needs not feel obliged to try hard to sell the product, string theory.
Book Description
This comprehensive introduction to high transverse momentum reactions at hadron colliders begins with the Standard Model of high energy physics and a description of the specialized detectors used. It then analyzes the reactions and summarizes the state of the art in hadron collider physics defined by Tevatron results. The experimental program at the detectors being built for the Large Hadron Collider at CERN is also described, with details of the general strategy to find the postulated Higgs particle.
Average customer rating:
|
Gravity, Particles and Space-Time
Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
Astrophysics & Space Science
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Cosmology
| Astronomy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Particle Physics
| Nuclear Physics
| Physics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Physics
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Look Inside Science Books
| Trip
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 9810226683 |
Book Description
This volume comprises original and review articles on the frontier problems of the gravitation theory, theoretical and mathematical physics. The volume is dedicated to the memory of Professor Dmitri Ivanenko who made the great contribution to the physical science of the twentieth century.
Book Description
Volume 2 deals at some length with CP-violation, but is mainly devoted to QCD and its application to "hard" processes. The authors briefly cover "soft" hadronic physics, also. This work will provide a comprehensive reference and textbook for all postgraduate students and researchers interested in modern particle physics.
Customer Reviews:
A clear and well thought out treatment.......1998-09-16
Leader and Predazzi have written an exsellent text for graduate students. They cover the wide range of topics in great clarity. Especially in the chapter about renormalization they succeed in presenting the core in detail without technical obfuscation.
Book Description
Kenneth Lang's classic work Astrophysical Formulae. (Vol. I and II) is now available as soft cover edition in a set. This volume is a reference source of fundamental formulae in physics and astrophysics. In contrast to most of the usual compendia it carefully explains the physical assumptions entering the formulae. All the important results of physical theories are covered: electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, general relativity, atomic and nuclear physics, and so on. Over 2100 formulae are included, and the original papers for the formulae are cited together with papers on modern applications in a bibliography of over 1900 entries. For the third edition (first published in 1999), a chapter on space, time, matter and cosmology had been included and the other chapters carefully revised.
Books:
- Thermodynamics and an Introduction to Thermostatistics, 2nd Edition
- Time and Chance
- Visual Instrumentation: Optical Design & Engineering Principles
- Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel
- Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel
- Adventures Beyond the Body: How to Experience Out-of-Body Travel
- American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
- An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (Frontiers in Physics)
- An Introduction to Quantum Field Theory (Frontiers in Physics)
- An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits (Chapman & Hall/Crc Mathematical and Computational Biology Series)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Brooklyn Remembered: The 1955 Days of the Dodgers
- The Refuge: A Maxine and Stretch Mystery
- The Falling Nun: And Other Stories
- The Machine That Changed the World : The Story of Lean Production
- The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography
- The End of Medicine: How Silicon Valley
- The Reef Aquarium: A Comprehensive Guide to the Identification and Care of Tropical Marine Invertebr
- China Business: 20/20 Insight
- Sustained Innovation: Converging Business & Technology to Achieve Enduring Performance
- Saint Lucia Business & Investment Opportunities Yearbook
Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory And the Search for Unity in Physical Law
The Road to Reality: A Complete Guide to the Laws of the Universe
Warped Passages: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
The Cosmic Landscape: String Theory and the Illusion of Intelligent Design
Many Worlds in One: The Search for Other Universes
