|
|
List Price: $15.95 Amazon.com's Price: $10.85 You Save: $5.10 (32%)Prices subject to change. Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
This item ships for FREE with Super Saver Shipping.
Binding: PaperbackDewey Decimal Number: 539.7258 EAN: 9780375708114 ISBN: 0375708111 Label: Vintage Manufacturer: Vintage Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 464 Publication Date: February 29, 2000 Publisher: Vintage Release Date: February 29, 2000 Studio: Vintage Editorial Review: Amazon.com Review: 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 Product 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. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - The Final UniverseThis is a fine book but the Real Universe is only HERE: Schroedinger's Universe and the Origin of the Natural Laws Rating:  - Excellent resource for the layman....Don't know much about new physics? This is stuff I didn't get the first time around--they weren't discussing it back then since all of us were running from the dinosaurs.... Anyway, Greene has a good descriptive edge that will keep you reading even if the subject of string theory and quantum physics gets a little too deep. Even if you've had physics 1 and 2 in college, I guarantee that those basic classes won't cover anything mentioned here, but you'll better have the mindset to take ... Read More Rating: - Quantum Foam and Hidden DimensionsThere were parts of this book that were difficult to grasp, but what I liked about it was it's explanation of quantum foam and hidden dimensions. Quantum foam is a general concept in physicis that I had heard of, but didn't really understand. The author explained the meaning of it in a clear and succinct way, and showed why it is such a stumbling block for a unified theory. Also, his description of hidden dimensions made that concept much clearer for me. A good book if you are interested in physics ... Read More Rating: - Don't know if its the subject matter or Greene......but this stuff is good. Greene goes a little overboard with the analogies, but it's almost necessary to do so with such technical material (at least when it's obvious his target reader is someone with little collegiate-level training in physics). I personally love anything that attempts to explain our physical world, and Greene does just that in a very original and sincere way. String theory is a hard concept to grasp -and quantum mechanics is even harder, but after reading this book two times through, ... Read More Rating:  - science fictionjust read lee smolin's book. The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next (Paperback) over 30 years,the gang of stringers have been trying to find any evidence even at atomic level for their theory , but they failed. better to read science fiction novels.. |
