The Big Questions series is designed to let renowned experts address the 20 most fundamental and frequently asked questions of a major branch of science or philosophy. Each 3000-word essay simply and concisely examines a question that has eternally perplexed enquiring minds, and provides answers from history's great thinkers. This ambitious project is a unique distillation of humanity's best ideas.
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Easy, enlightening and mind-stretching, here are answers to the 20 biggest questions of quantum physics, relativity and our attempts to grasp the true nature of reality.
Introduction. What is the Point of Physics? - impossible questions, unexpected rewards, and the never-ending quest for understanding. What is Time? - progress, disorder and Einstein's elastic clocks. What Happened to Schrodinger's Cat? - quantum physics and the nature of reality. Why Does an Apple Fall? - gravity, mass and the enigma of relativity. Are Solids Really Solid? - atoms, quarks and solids that slip through your fingers. Why is There No Such Thing as a Free Lunch? - energy, entropy and the search for perpetual motion. Is Everything Ultimately Random? - uncertainty, quantum reality and the probable role of statistics. What is the God Particle? - the Higgs boson, the LHC and the search for the meaning of mass. Am I Unique? - the limits of our universe and the search for parallel worlds. Can We Travel Through Time? - where relativity meets science fiction. Is Earth's Magnetic Shield Failing? - drifting poles, the planet's churning core and the threat to life on Earth. Why Does E=MC2? - the equation that underpins the universe. Can I Change the Universe with a Single Glance? - spooky quantum links and the chance to rewrite history. Does Chaos Theory Spell Disaster? - the butterfly effect's influence on weather, climate and the motions of the planets. What is Light? - a strange kind of wave, and an even stranger kind of particle. Is String Theory Really About Strings? - the vibrations that create our universe. Why is There Something Rather Than Nothing? - the Big Bang, antimatter and the mystery of our existence. Do We Live in a Simulation? - human nature, the laws of physics, and the march of technological progress. Which is Nature's Strongest Force? -the ties that bind the universe, and their origin in the superforce. What is the True Nature of Reality? -beyond the quantum world lies the realm of information. Glossary. Index.
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Produktdetaljer
ISBN
9781849161466
Publisert
2010-02-04
Utgiver
Vendor
Quercus Publishing
Høyde
216 mm
Bredde
153 mm
Aldersnivå
05, 06, 01, U, P, G
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Innbundet
Antall sider
208
Forfatter