The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
by: Brian Greene
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Dewey 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
Sales Rank: 6383
Studio: Vintage
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Editorial Review:
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.
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
Average Rating: 
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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Read More
Rating:
- science fictionjust read lee smolin's book.
The Trouble With Physics: The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a ... Read More
Rating:
- Elegant Theory for an Inelegant UniverseBrian Greene provides an excellent introduction to the topic of superstring theory, its history and evolution; ... Read More
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Copyright ©2003, Mark Carey.