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Binding: HardcoverDewey Decimal Number: 539.7258 EAN: 9780393058581 ISBN: 0393058581 Label: W. W. Norton & Company Manufacturer: W. W. Norton & Company Number Of Items: 1 Number Of Pages: 464 Publication Date: October 20, 2003 Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company Studio: W. W. Norton & Company 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: A new edition of the New York Times bestseller—now a three-part Nova special on PBS-TV coming in Fall 2003: a fascinating and thought-provoking journey through the mysteries of space, time, and matter. Now with a new preface (not in any other edition) that will review the enormous public reception of the relatively obscure string theory—made possible by this book and an increased number of adherents amongst physicists—The Elegant Universe "sets a standard that will be hard to beat" (New York Times Book Review). 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 eleven 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. Today physicists and mathematicians throughout the world are feverishly working on one of the most ambitious theories ever proposed: superstring theory. String theory, as it is often called, is the key to the Unified Field Theory that eluded Einstein for more than thirty years. Finally, the century-old antagonism between the large and the small-General Relativity and Quantum Theory-is resolved. String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe, from the frantic dancing of subatomic quarks to the majestic swirling of heavenly galaxies, are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy, a billionth of a billionth the size of an atom. In this brilliantly articulated and refreshingly clear book, Greene relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind twentieth-century physics' search for a theory of everything. Through the masterful use of metaphor and analogy, The Elegant Universe makes some of the most sophisticated concepts ever contemplated viscerally accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works. Average Rating:
 Rating:  - An uncanny ability to explainThis is a tour de force of explaining the great effort to unified all fields of physics through the superstring theory. Needless to say, it is an extremely difficult subject and requires a great deal of technical knowledge and imagination to understand. Compounding that difficulty is the fact that this effort has not yet succeeded. Therefore, the theories are a work in progress and could take many different forms. However, Brian Greene has an uncanny ability to boil down the physics into pieces ... Read More Rating:  - Elegant BookNutshell review - This is a comprehensive review of the development of various theories that try to explain and understand the universe at its most fundamental level. From Newtons laws to quantum physics and beyond, the book covers a lot of material in an accessible and interesting way which keeps the reader fascinated. It is an excellent book for us layman and is similar to books like In Search of Schrödinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality by John Gribbin, and Dancing Wu Li Masters: An Overview ... Read More Rating: - The Elegant Universe - Highly recommended, highly readableIn this age of rapidly changing theories of cosmology and physics The Elegant Universe explores the shortcomings of quantum physics and classical theory and the emergence of Super String Theory as the possible Great Unified Theory. This is a very well written book; eminently readable. I enjoyed it immensely and was highly impressed by the analogies used to explain the most difficult of concepts which are being tackled by today's theoretical physicists. This book discusses ... Read More Rating: - The Elegant UniverseA good read i would recommend for anyone who is interested in science or astronomy. 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 |
