Pros: Elegant, lucid, and captivating! Complex scientific theories simply explained.
Cons: Science and basic physics knowledge are helpful.
The Bottom Line: A captivating, enlightening, fascinating work of science literature. Easy enough for the layman to enjoy, yet extreme enough for the serious physicist.
shurie's Full Review: B. Greene - The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hi...
Got your attention? I thought so!
What we’re really talking about here are strings and superstrings – on the cutting edge of theoretical physics. In certain circles there is far more excitement surrounding these cosmic building blocks than the g-strings that first got your attention!
“Bah”, you say. “That’s ridiculous!” But if you spend a few late nights with Brian Greene’s masterpiece, “The Elegant Universe”, you may find yourself almost as engrossed in it as you were with your very first love affairs. Well, almost!
Of course, a bit of an interest in science and physics is a requirement. If those are subjects that confuse and confound you, then you ‘d be well advised to head on over to a different aisle in the bookstore.
If you liked books by Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, or Michio Kaku, you’re sure to be fascinated by this engaging, energetic, and innovative tour of theoretical physics.
Tied Up With String
The first chapter, “Tied Up With String”, gets right to the heart of the major theoretical physics conflict of our time, our apparent inability to reconcile the two major pillars of modern physics: General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics.
As Mr. Greene so eloquently points out, these two theories have been the backbone of nearly every advance in the field of physics in the 20th Century. Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity has enabled us to understand the cosmos on a vast and previously incomprehensible scale. Quantum Mechanics has enabled us to peek into the very structure of the atom, and the tiniest building blocks of matter.
If these two theories have enabled such tremendous progress, then they must be correct! And yet, they conflict. They each predict that the other cannot be correct. Scientists have not yet been able to prove which is right – or come up with an alternate “Theory of Everything”. But many physicists believe string and superstring theories just may be the answer.
Who is Brian Greene?
Brian Greene is a highly respected physics and mathematics professor at Columbia University. Despite his youth, he is widely known for his outstanding contributions to string theory, and is recognized as a leading researcher in the field. Yet despite his grasp of impossibly complex mathematics, his approach in “The Elegant Universe” is highly simplified. In the tradition of Carl Sagan or Stephen Hawking, Mr. Greene has found a way to not only make the subject understandable, but also exciting! His use of everyday examples is perhaps his most stellar accomplishment, and it makes the book a fascinating voyage of discovery to the very edge of human understanding.
But I’m a Science Dummy!
I have to admit, if you’re a science dummy, or if you are entirely turned off by physics and mathematics, this is not the book for you. Although it is written as plainly and simply as possible, it will stretch your imagination. You won’t have to work a single equation, but you will definitely have to THINK!
Go ahead and stretch – and then stretch some more! To get all the way to the cutting edge of science at the beginning of the 21st Century, you’re going to have to learn to think a little differently!
A Relativity – or Relatively Easy Primer
One of the best features of this book is the fact that Mr. Greene provides perhaps the best and simplest explanations of these two complex theories that I have ever read. I love science, so I’ve waded through some mighty thick books on both subjects. I thought I was well read and well educated in both fields. But surprise! There was plenty for me to learn in the chapters about each of these amazing theories. If you read the book for no other reason than to get a basic understanding of them, it will be well worth your time. In fact, you will probably understand them more clearly than a lot of highly educated people.
What? 11 Dimensions?
Yes! As amazing as it may sound, string and superstring theory predicts (and requires) 11 dimensions. Four are visible dimensions defining space and time. The remainder are hidden dimensions that MUST exist. How are they hidden? What are the mechanics behind all this? Those questions and a hundred more are answered plainly and clearly in “The Elegant Universe”
Are you curious? Want to know more? Now you know a little of the fascination you will feel as you discover the amazing truths behind the most stunning theory of modern time.
Tearing the Fabric of Space
Einstein talked about gravitational wells, and the warping or bending of space-time. Well, you “ain’t seen nothin’ yet!” Mr. Greene will take you on a tour of space-time, hidden dimensions, and the actual tearing of the fabric of space, that will amaze you and set you thinking about things that you could never have imagined! While I’m a die-hard Science Fiction fan, I’m not sure that I’ve ever read a work of fiction as imaginative as the reality of superstring theory. “The Elegant Universe” is written in such a way that it has all the excitement and mystery of a work of fiction, yet it is entirely based on scientific research.
So This is it!
A common misconception about scientific literature is that all your questions will be answered. On the contrary, we have yet to answer every question. Mankind is continually exploring new frontiers. We’re always reaching far beyond our current understanding of the world around us. It’s no different with “The Elegant Universe”. It will provide you with the answers to fundamental questions in a way you’ve never experienced before. But like all excellent science literature, it will open your mind to new vistas, and fill you with entirely new questions about life, human existence, and the cosmos.
Summary
This is one of the most captivating, enlightening, fascinating works of science literature I have ever read. It’s easy enough for the layman to enjoy, yet extreme enough for the serious physicist. If you read it, your view of physics will never be the same.
"[Greene] develops one fresh new insight after another...In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, The Elegant Universe sets a stan...More at HotBookSale
In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Greene, one of the world s leading string theorists, peels a...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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