Author: A. Zee
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069118254X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 454
Book Description
The essential primer for physics students who want to build their physical intuition Presented in A. Zee's incomparably engaging style, this book introduces physics students to the practice of using physical reasoning and judicious guesses to get at the crux of a problem. An essential primer for advanced undergraduates and beyond, Fly by Night Physics reveals the simple and effective techniques that researchers use to think through a problem to its solution—or failing that, to smartly guess the answer—before starting any calculations. In typical physics classrooms, students seek to master an enormous toolbox of mathematical methods, which are necessary to do the precise calculations used in physics. Consequently, students often develop the unfortunate impression that physics consists of well-defined problems that can be solved with tightly reasoned and logical steps. Idealized textbook exercises and homework problems reinforce this erroneous impression. As a result, even the best students can find themselves completely unprepared for the challenges of doing actual research. In reality, physics is replete with back of the envelope estimates, order of magnitude guesses, and fly by night leaps of logic. Including exciting problems related to cutting-edge topics in physics, from Hawking radiation to gravity waves, this indispensable book will help students more deeply understand the equations they have learned and develop the confidence to start flying by night to arrive at the answers they seek. For instructors, a solutions manual is available upon request.
Fly by Night Physics
Author: A. Zee
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069118254X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 454
Book Description
The essential primer for physics students who want to build their physical intuition Presented in A. Zee's incomparably engaging style, this book introduces physics students to the practice of using physical reasoning and judicious guesses to get at the crux of a problem. An essential primer for advanced undergraduates and beyond, Fly by Night Physics reveals the simple and effective techniques that researchers use to think through a problem to its solution—or failing that, to smartly guess the answer—before starting any calculations. In typical physics classrooms, students seek to master an enormous toolbox of mathematical methods, which are necessary to do the precise calculations used in physics. Consequently, students often develop the unfortunate impression that physics consists of well-defined problems that can be solved with tightly reasoned and logical steps. Idealized textbook exercises and homework problems reinforce this erroneous impression. As a result, even the best students can find themselves completely unprepared for the challenges of doing actual research. In reality, physics is replete with back of the envelope estimates, order of magnitude guesses, and fly by night leaps of logic. Including exciting problems related to cutting-edge topics in physics, from Hawking radiation to gravity waves, this indispensable book will help students more deeply understand the equations they have learned and develop the confidence to start flying by night to arrive at the answers they seek. For instructors, a solutions manual is available upon request.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 069118254X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 454
Book Description
The essential primer for physics students who want to build their physical intuition Presented in A. Zee's incomparably engaging style, this book introduces physics students to the practice of using physical reasoning and judicious guesses to get at the crux of a problem. An essential primer for advanced undergraduates and beyond, Fly by Night Physics reveals the simple and effective techniques that researchers use to think through a problem to its solution—or failing that, to smartly guess the answer—before starting any calculations. In typical physics classrooms, students seek to master an enormous toolbox of mathematical methods, which are necessary to do the precise calculations used in physics. Consequently, students often develop the unfortunate impression that physics consists of well-defined problems that can be solved with tightly reasoned and logical steps. Idealized textbook exercises and homework problems reinforce this erroneous impression. As a result, even the best students can find themselves completely unprepared for the challenges of doing actual research. In reality, physics is replete with back of the envelope estimates, order of magnitude guesses, and fly by night leaps of logic. Including exciting problems related to cutting-edge topics in physics, from Hawking radiation to gravity waves, this indispensable book will help students more deeply understand the equations they have learned and develop the confidence to start flying by night to arrive at the answers they seek. For instructors, a solutions manual is available upon request.
Fly By Night
Author: Frances Hardinge
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1683350790
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 314
Book Description
The award-winning author of The Lie Tree “has created a distinctly imaginative world full of engaging characters, robust humor, and true suspense” (School Library Journal, starred review). Everybody knew that books were dangerous. Read the wrong book, it was said, and the words crawled around your brain on black legs and drove you mad, wicked mad. Mosca Mye’s father insisted on teaching her to read—even in a world where books are dangerous, regulated things. Eight years later, Quillam Mye died, leaving behind an orphaned daughter with an inauspicious name and an all-consuming hunger for words. Trapped for years in the care of her cruel uncle and aunt, Mosca leaps at the opportunity for escape, though it comes in the form of sneaky swindler Eponymous Clent. As she travels the land with Clent and her pet goose, Mosca begins to discover complicated truths about the world she inhabits and the power of words. “Intricate plotting, well-developed and fascinating characters, delicious humor, and exquisite wordcraft envelop readers fully into this richly imagined world.” ?The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) “Hardinge’s stylish way with prose gives her sprawling debut fantasy a literate yet often silly tone that calls to mind Monty Python.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Mosca’s ferocity and authentic inner turmoil [are] both reminiscent of Philip Pullman’s Lyra Belacqua.” ?Booklist “Incredibly well written.” ?The Seattle Times
Publisher: Abrams
ISBN: 1683350790
Category : Young Adult Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 314
Book Description
The award-winning author of The Lie Tree “has created a distinctly imaginative world full of engaging characters, robust humor, and true suspense” (School Library Journal, starred review). Everybody knew that books were dangerous. Read the wrong book, it was said, and the words crawled around your brain on black legs and drove you mad, wicked mad. Mosca Mye’s father insisted on teaching her to read—even in a world where books are dangerous, regulated things. Eight years later, Quillam Mye died, leaving behind an orphaned daughter with an inauspicious name and an all-consuming hunger for words. Trapped for years in the care of her cruel uncle and aunt, Mosca leaps at the opportunity for escape, though it comes in the form of sneaky swindler Eponymous Clent. As she travels the land with Clent and her pet goose, Mosca begins to discover complicated truths about the world she inhabits and the power of words. “Intricate plotting, well-developed and fascinating characters, delicious humor, and exquisite wordcraft envelop readers fully into this richly imagined world.” ?The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review) “Hardinge’s stylish way with prose gives her sprawling debut fantasy a literate yet often silly tone that calls to mind Monty Python.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) “Mosca’s ferocity and authentic inner turmoil [are] both reminiscent of Philip Pullman’s Lyra Belacqua.” ?Booklist “Incredibly well written.” ?The Seattle Times
Fearful Symmetry
Author: A. Zee
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400874505
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
An engaging exploration of beauty in physics, with a foreword by Nobel Prize–winning physicist Roger Penrose The concept of symmetry has widespread manifestations and many diverse applications—from architecture to mathematics to science. Yet, as twentieth-century physics has revealed, symmetry has a special, central role in nature, one that is occasionally and enigmatically violated. Fearful Symmetry brings the incredible discoveries of the juxtaposition of symmetry and asymmetry in contemporary physics within everyone's grasp. A. Zee, a distinguished physicist and skillful expositor, tells the exciting story of how contemporary theoretical physicists are following Einstein in their search for the beauty and simplicity of Nature. Animated by a sense of reverence and whimsy, Fearful Symmetry describes the majestic sweep and accomplishments of twentieth-century physics—one of the greatest chapters in the intellectual history of humankind.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400874505
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 376
Book Description
An engaging exploration of beauty in physics, with a foreword by Nobel Prize–winning physicist Roger Penrose The concept of symmetry has widespread manifestations and many diverse applications—from architecture to mathematics to science. Yet, as twentieth-century physics has revealed, symmetry has a special, central role in nature, one that is occasionally and enigmatically violated. Fearful Symmetry brings the incredible discoveries of the juxtaposition of symmetry and asymmetry in contemporary physics within everyone's grasp. A. Zee, a distinguished physicist and skillful expositor, tells the exciting story of how contemporary theoretical physicists are following Einstein in their search for the beauty and simplicity of Nature. Animated by a sense of reverence and whimsy, Fearful Symmetry describes the majestic sweep and accomplishments of twentieth-century physics—one of the greatest chapters in the intellectual history of humankind.
Group Theory in a Nutshell for Physicists
Author: A. Zee
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400881188
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 632
Book Description
A concise, modern textbook on group theory written especially for physicists Although group theory is a mathematical subject, it is indispensable to many areas of modern theoretical physics, from atomic physics to condensed matter physics, particle physics to string theory. In particular, it is essential for an understanding of the fundamental forces. Yet until now, what has been missing is a modern, accessible, and self-contained textbook on the subject written especially for physicists. Group Theory in a Nutshell for Physicists fills this gap, providing a user-friendly and classroom-tested text that focuses on those aspects of group theory physicists most need to know. From the basic intuitive notion of a group, A. Zee takes readers all the way up to how theories based on gauge groups could unify three of the four fundamental forces. He also includes a concise review of the linear algebra needed for group theory, making the book ideal for self-study. Provides physicists with a modern and accessible introduction to group theory Covers applications to various areas of physics, including field theory, particle physics, relativity, and much more Topics include finite group and character tables; real, pseudoreal, and complex representations; Weyl, Dirac, and Majorana equations; the expanding universe and group theory; grand unification; and much more The essential textbook for students and an invaluable resource for researchers Features a brief, self-contained treatment of linear algebra An online illustration package is available to professors Solutions manual (available only to professors)
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 1400881188
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 632
Book Description
A concise, modern textbook on group theory written especially for physicists Although group theory is a mathematical subject, it is indispensable to many areas of modern theoretical physics, from atomic physics to condensed matter physics, particle physics to string theory. In particular, it is essential for an understanding of the fundamental forces. Yet until now, what has been missing is a modern, accessible, and self-contained textbook on the subject written especially for physicists. Group Theory in a Nutshell for Physicists fills this gap, providing a user-friendly and classroom-tested text that focuses on those aspects of group theory physicists most need to know. From the basic intuitive notion of a group, A. Zee takes readers all the way up to how theories based on gauge groups could unify three of the four fundamental forces. He also includes a concise review of the linear algebra needed for group theory, making the book ideal for self-study. Provides physicists with a modern and accessible introduction to group theory Covers applications to various areas of physics, including field theory, particle physics, relativity, and much more Topics include finite group and character tables; real, pseudoreal, and complex representations; Weyl, Dirac, and Majorana equations; the expanding universe and group theory; grand unification; and much more The essential textbook for students and an invaluable resource for researchers Features a brief, self-contained treatment of linear algebra An online illustration package is available to professors Solutions manual (available only to professors)
Back-of-the-Envelope Physics
Author: Clifford Swartz
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM
ISBN: 0801881641
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 174
Book Description
From an award-winning teacher, “a delightful and instructive accessory to an introductory physics course” (Physics World). Physicists use “back-of-the-envelope” estimates to check whether or not an idea could possibly be right. In many cases, the approximate solution is all that is needed. This compilation of 101 examples of back-of-the-envelope calculations celebrates a quantitative approach to solving physics problems. Drawing on a lifetime of physics research and nearly three decades as the editor of The Physics Teacher, Clifford Swartz—a winner of two awards from the American Association of Physics Teachers—provides simple, approximate solutions to physics problems that span a broad range of topics. What note do you get when you blow across the top of a Coke bottle? Could you lose weight on a diet of ice cubes? How can a fakir lie on a bed of nails without getting hurt? Does draining water in the northern hemisphere really swirl in a different direction than its counterpart below the equator? In each case, only a few lines of arithmetic and a few natural constants solve a problem to within a few percent. Covering such subjects as astronomy, magnetism, optics, sound, heat, mechanics, waves, and electricity, this book provides a rich source of material for teachers and anyone interested in the physics of everyday life. “This is a book that will help make the study of physics fun and relevant.” —Mark P. Silverman, author of Waves and Grains: Reflections on Light and Learning
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM
ISBN: 0801881641
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 174
Book Description
From an award-winning teacher, “a delightful and instructive accessory to an introductory physics course” (Physics World). Physicists use “back-of-the-envelope” estimates to check whether or not an idea could possibly be right. In many cases, the approximate solution is all that is needed. This compilation of 101 examples of back-of-the-envelope calculations celebrates a quantitative approach to solving physics problems. Drawing on a lifetime of physics research and nearly three decades as the editor of The Physics Teacher, Clifford Swartz—a winner of two awards from the American Association of Physics Teachers—provides simple, approximate solutions to physics problems that span a broad range of topics. What note do you get when you blow across the top of a Coke bottle? Could you lose weight on a diet of ice cubes? How can a fakir lie on a bed of nails without getting hurt? Does draining water in the northern hemisphere really swirl in a different direction than its counterpart below the equator? In each case, only a few lines of arithmetic and a few natural constants solve a problem to within a few percent. Covering such subjects as astronomy, magnetism, optics, sound, heat, mechanics, waves, and electricity, this book provides a rich source of material for teachers and anyone interested in the physics of everyday life. “This is a book that will help make the study of physics fun and relevant.” —Mark P. Silverman, author of Waves and Grains: Reflections on Light and Learning
Sleeping Beauties in Theoretical Physics
Author: Thanu Padmanabhan
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319134434
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
This book addresses a fascinating set of questions in theoretical physics which will both entertain and enlighten all students, teachers and researchers and other physics aficionados. These range from Newtonian mechanics to quantum field theory and cover several puzzling issues that do not appear in standard textbooks. Some topics cover conceptual conundrums, the solutions to which lead to surprising insights; some correct popular misconceptions in the textbook discussion of certain topics; others illustrate deep connections between apparently unconnected domains of theoretical physics; and a few provide remarkably simple derivations of results which are not often appreciated. The connoisseur of theoretical physics will enjoy a feast of pleasant surprises skilfully prepared by an internationally acclaimed theoretical physicist. Each topic is introduced with proper background discussion and special effort is taken to make the discussion self-contained, clear and comprehensible to anyone with an undergraduate education in physics.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319134434
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 305
Book Description
This book addresses a fascinating set of questions in theoretical physics which will both entertain and enlighten all students, teachers and researchers and other physics aficionados. These range from Newtonian mechanics to quantum field theory and cover several puzzling issues that do not appear in standard textbooks. Some topics cover conceptual conundrums, the solutions to which lead to surprising insights; some correct popular misconceptions in the textbook discussion of certain topics; others illustrate deep connections between apparently unconnected domains of theoretical physics; and a few provide remarkably simple derivations of results which are not often appreciated. The connoisseur of theoretical physics will enjoy a feast of pleasant surprises skilfully prepared by an internationally acclaimed theoretical physicist. Each topic is introduced with proper background discussion and special effort is taken to make the discussion self-contained, clear and comprehensible to anyone with an undergraduate education in physics.
The Physics of Christmas
Author: Roger Highfield
Publisher: Back Bay Books
ISBN: 0316054518
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 202
Book Description
Why might Rudolph's nose have been red? Why do we actually give Christmas gifts? Why has smell become an important component in the Christmas shopping experience? Roger Highfield, science editor of London's Daily Telegraph and co-author of the highly acclaimed The Arrow of Time, has taken a long-overdue look at our most cherished holiday from the rigorous (but highly entertaining) viewpoint of a scientist. What are the thermodynamics involved in cooking a turkey? What are the likely celestial candidates for the Star of Bethlehem? Is the concept of a virgin birth scientifically feasible? What happens to us physically when we overindulge in alcohol? How does snow form? Why are we always depressed after Christmas? How does Santa manage to deliver all those presents in one night? (He has, in fact, little over two ten- thousands of a second to get between each of the 842 million households he must visit.) The Physics of Christmas is that rare science book that manages to be as delightful as it is informative.
Publisher: Back Bay Books
ISBN: 0316054518
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 202
Book Description
Why might Rudolph's nose have been red? Why do we actually give Christmas gifts? Why has smell become an important component in the Christmas shopping experience? Roger Highfield, science editor of London's Daily Telegraph and co-author of the highly acclaimed The Arrow of Time, has taken a long-overdue look at our most cherished holiday from the rigorous (but highly entertaining) viewpoint of a scientist. What are the thermodynamics involved in cooking a turkey? What are the likely celestial candidates for the Star of Bethlehem? Is the concept of a virgin birth scientifically feasible? What happens to us physically when we overindulge in alcohol? How does snow form? Why are we always depressed after Christmas? How does Santa manage to deliver all those presents in one night? (He has, in fact, little over two ten- thousands of a second to get between each of the 842 million households he must visit.) The Physics of Christmas is that rare science book that manages to be as delightful as it is informative.
The Physics Behind...
Author: Russ Swan
Publisher: Cassell
ISBN: 1788400968
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 466
Book Description
Can you really lose weight by consuming nothing but ice cream and beer? How does the latest blockbuster movie get squeezed onto a disk, and how do they make the pictures seem 3D? How much does a selfie weigh? What's the science behind forensic investigations, body scans, and the dating of ancient artefacts? The Physics Behind... takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the scientific principles that that make the modern world work. Could there be life on Mars? Why is north really south? How do self-driving cars find their way around? These and many more topics are explored by starting with the basic science that makes them tick - examining the physics behind them. Packed with detailed original artwork and infographics, The Physics Behind... is perfect for anyone who has ever been curious about the science of life. Including: - The physics behind modern life: Wi-Fi, Facial recognition, touchscreens, microwave ovens, the ice cream and beer diet, taking a selfie, Flash memory, a bag of sugar, catching the train, calendars and clocks - The physics behind entertainment: optical discs, lasers, white water, executive toys, the electric guitar, music, 3D movies - The physics behind analysis: medical imaging, looking at little things, spectroscopy, crime scene investigation, tricorder, microfluidics, radiocarbon dating, proving the Earth is round - The physics behind space: rocket science, space weather, Planet Nine, space telescopes, is there anybody out there? life on Earth, life on Mars - The physics behind big science: what's the matter?, time travel, bomb or meltdown?, the Large Hadron Collider, the Human Genome Project, the Standard Model, gravity, everything - The physics behind the weird universe: strings, rings and other things, N-dimensional space, the hypercube, antimatter, the dark universe, quantum weirdness, quantum biology, time crystals and Majorana - The physics behind the environment: weather forecasts, climate change, renewable energy, migration, peacock feathers, sunburn, rainbows, spider silk - The physics behind transportation: autonomous autos, Hyperloop, Maglev, satellite navigation, motor sport, going rreeaallllyy fast, stealth - The physics behind everything else: curve balls, the Mpemba Effect, why north is really south, perpetual motion and the heat death of the universe, and the physics behind this book.
Publisher: Cassell
ISBN: 1788400968
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 466
Book Description
Can you really lose weight by consuming nothing but ice cream and beer? How does the latest blockbuster movie get squeezed onto a disk, and how do they make the pictures seem 3D? How much does a selfie weigh? What's the science behind forensic investigations, body scans, and the dating of ancient artefacts? The Physics Behind... takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the scientific principles that that make the modern world work. Could there be life on Mars? Why is north really south? How do self-driving cars find their way around? These and many more topics are explored by starting with the basic science that makes them tick - examining the physics behind them. Packed with detailed original artwork and infographics, The Physics Behind... is perfect for anyone who has ever been curious about the science of life. Including: - The physics behind modern life: Wi-Fi, Facial recognition, touchscreens, microwave ovens, the ice cream and beer diet, taking a selfie, Flash memory, a bag of sugar, catching the train, calendars and clocks - The physics behind entertainment: optical discs, lasers, white water, executive toys, the electric guitar, music, 3D movies - The physics behind analysis: medical imaging, looking at little things, spectroscopy, crime scene investigation, tricorder, microfluidics, radiocarbon dating, proving the Earth is round - The physics behind space: rocket science, space weather, Planet Nine, space telescopes, is there anybody out there? life on Earth, life on Mars - The physics behind big science: what's the matter?, time travel, bomb or meltdown?, the Large Hadron Collider, the Human Genome Project, the Standard Model, gravity, everything - The physics behind the weird universe: strings, rings and other things, N-dimensional space, the hypercube, antimatter, the dark universe, quantum weirdness, quantum biology, time crystals and Majorana - The physics behind the environment: weather forecasts, climate change, renewable energy, migration, peacock feathers, sunburn, rainbows, spider silk - The physics behind transportation: autonomous autos, Hyperloop, Maglev, satellite navigation, motor sport, going rreeaallllyy fast, stealth - The physics behind everything else: curve balls, the Mpemba Effect, why north is really south, perpetual motion and the heat death of the universe, and the physics behind this book.
For the Love of Physics
Author: Walter Lewin
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 145160713X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
Original publication and copyright date: 2011.
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
ISBN: 145160713X
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 322
Book Description
Original publication and copyright date: 2011.
Trespassing on Einstein's Lawn
Author: Amanda Gefter
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 034553963X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 434
Book Description
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWS In a memoir of family bonding and cutting-edge physics for readers of Brian Greene’s The Hidden Reality and Jim Holt’s Why Does the World Exist?, Amanda Gefter tells the story of how she conned her way into a career as a science journalist—and wound up hanging out, talking shop, and butting heads with the world’s most brilliant minds. At a Chinese restaurant outside of Philadelphia, a father asks his fifteen-year-old daughter a deceptively simple question: “How would you define nothing?” With that, the girl who once tried to fail geometry as a conscientious objector starts reading up on general relativity and quantum mechanics, as she and her dad embark on a life-altering quest for the answers to the universe’s greatest mysteries. Before Amanda Gefter became an accomplished science writer, she was a twenty-one-year-old magazine assistant willing to sneak her and her father, Warren, into a conference devoted to their physics hero, John Wheeler. Posing as journalists, Amanda and Warren met Wheeler, who offered them cryptic clues to the nature of reality: The universe is a self-excited circuit, he said. And, The boundary of a boundary is zero. Baffled, Amanda and Warren vowed to decode the phrases—and with them, the enigmas of existence. When we solve all that, they agreed, we’ll write a book. Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn is that book, a memoir of the impassioned hunt that takes Amanda and her father from New York to London to Los Alamos. Along the way, they bump up against quirky science and even quirkier personalities, including Leonard Susskind, the former Bronx plumber who invented string theory; Ed Witten, the soft-spoken genius who coined the enigmatic M-theory; even Stephen Hawking. What they discover is extraordinary: the beginnings of a monumental paradigm shift in cosmology, from a single universe we all share to a splintered reality in which each observer has her own. Reality, the Gefters learn, is radically observer-dependent, far beyond anything of which Einstein or the founders of quantum mechanics ever dreamed—with shattering consequences for our understanding of the universe’s origin. And somehow it all ties back to that conversation, to that Chinese restaurant, and to the true meaning of nothing. Throughout their journey, Amanda struggles to make sense of her own life—as her journalism career transforms from illusion to reality, as she searches for her voice as a writer, as she steps from a universe shared with her father to at last carve out one of her own. It’s a paradigm shift you might call growing up. By turns hilarious, moving, irreverent, and profound, Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn weaves together story and science in remarkable ways. By the end, you will never look at the universe the same way again. Praise for Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn “Nothing quite prepared me for this book. Wow. Reading it, I alternated between depression—how could the rest of us science writers ever match this?—and exhilaration.”—Scientific American “To Do: Read Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn. Reality doesn’t have to bite.”—New York “A zany superposition of genres . . . It’s at once a coming-of-age chronicle and a father-daughter road trip to the far reaches of this universe and 10,500 others.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer
Publisher: Bantam
ISBN: 034553963X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 434
Book Description
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY KIRKUS REVIEWS In a memoir of family bonding and cutting-edge physics for readers of Brian Greene’s The Hidden Reality and Jim Holt’s Why Does the World Exist?, Amanda Gefter tells the story of how she conned her way into a career as a science journalist—and wound up hanging out, talking shop, and butting heads with the world’s most brilliant minds. At a Chinese restaurant outside of Philadelphia, a father asks his fifteen-year-old daughter a deceptively simple question: “How would you define nothing?” With that, the girl who once tried to fail geometry as a conscientious objector starts reading up on general relativity and quantum mechanics, as she and her dad embark on a life-altering quest for the answers to the universe’s greatest mysteries. Before Amanda Gefter became an accomplished science writer, she was a twenty-one-year-old magazine assistant willing to sneak her and her father, Warren, into a conference devoted to their physics hero, John Wheeler. Posing as journalists, Amanda and Warren met Wheeler, who offered them cryptic clues to the nature of reality: The universe is a self-excited circuit, he said. And, The boundary of a boundary is zero. Baffled, Amanda and Warren vowed to decode the phrases—and with them, the enigmas of existence. When we solve all that, they agreed, we’ll write a book. Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn is that book, a memoir of the impassioned hunt that takes Amanda and her father from New York to London to Los Alamos. Along the way, they bump up against quirky science and even quirkier personalities, including Leonard Susskind, the former Bronx plumber who invented string theory; Ed Witten, the soft-spoken genius who coined the enigmatic M-theory; even Stephen Hawking. What they discover is extraordinary: the beginnings of a monumental paradigm shift in cosmology, from a single universe we all share to a splintered reality in which each observer has her own. Reality, the Gefters learn, is radically observer-dependent, far beyond anything of which Einstein or the founders of quantum mechanics ever dreamed—with shattering consequences for our understanding of the universe’s origin. And somehow it all ties back to that conversation, to that Chinese restaurant, and to the true meaning of nothing. Throughout their journey, Amanda struggles to make sense of her own life—as her journalism career transforms from illusion to reality, as she searches for her voice as a writer, as she steps from a universe shared with her father to at last carve out one of her own. It’s a paradigm shift you might call growing up. By turns hilarious, moving, irreverent, and profound, Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn weaves together story and science in remarkable ways. By the end, you will never look at the universe the same way again. Praise for Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn “Nothing quite prepared me for this book. Wow. Reading it, I alternated between depression—how could the rest of us science writers ever match this?—and exhilaration.”—Scientific American “To Do: Read Trespassing on Einstein’s Lawn. Reality doesn’t have to bite.”—New York “A zany superposition of genres . . . It’s at once a coming-of-age chronicle and a father-daughter road trip to the far reaches of this universe and 10,500 others.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer