The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, And The Quest For The Ultimate Theory (1999) - Plot & Excerpts
Brian Greene's the Elegant Universe was simply...elegant. I'd end it there and recommend this book to anyone interested in particle physics and super string theory. But since most people have no clue what any of that is, I'll write a review.To start, this book is for people (as I already said above) for people actually interested in physics, space, the universe as a whole, and pure nerd awesomeness (from my standpoint at least). Because of that, I DON'T recommend this book to people who 1.Don't like physics/math, 2. Don't like taking time to go back and interpret what you're reading (it can get pretty complicated). As for an age group: people probably in high school and above (I read this in the 8th grade and I found I actually needed to focus on specific details to understand it). Other than that, I would recommend this to anybody interested in everything...get it?Throughout the book, Brian go's through the topics of Einstein's Relativity theory (a lot of Einstein), Sir Isaac Newton's gravity theor(y)(ies), and numerous other discoveries all relating to (*drum roll*)...SUPER STRING THEORY: the theory in which the fabric of the universe (everything) is made up of tiny strings of energy. And even on top of that, he dives into many other interesting topics and makes up scenarios which explain certain aspects of physics to make sure the reader understands it.Overall, I loved this book. It might have taken me a while to read, but I loved every minute of it. Every chapter I learned something new which gave me a better understanding on greater concepts that I have only heard a little about. Great book This is by no means an easy read, but in the world of physics this is a monumental breakthrough in being able to explain some of the most complex ideas and formulas in terms and examples that the everyday person can conceptualize. This book is literally a readable explanation on how the universe is theorized to work. That’s a pretty grand topic to cover in a single book, but Greene pulls it off seemingly with such ease. The text provides a summarized history of how these theorized deductions were brought about, with enough details to offer you a thorough idea of the subject, but not as much as to feel like you’re in a Master’s program physics course. By this I mean that Greene discusses the larger details and the importance of certain empirically tested assumptions, but he leaves out the long drawn out process of code, programs, and mathematical equations that lead to those conclusions. The reader, therefore, is not lost in a sea of numbers, but instead given a well-rounded view of the evolution of theoretical physics. Even though Greene is in the field of physics that studies superstring theory, he stayed relatively objective throughout the book by discussing observable results that were brought about by alternative studies. He, not only gave the established results of experiments in both theories (general relativity and quantum physics), but he gave positive and negative effects in having the two exist simultaneously. Progressing the physics field by entering in superstring theory as the common ground between the two theories, Greene recognized that at this point in time, the theory is not fully supported by its experimental results, but the idea has outstanding potential. He is not trying to convince the reader that string theory is the ultimate theory of everything; he is merely giving the reader the notion that there is believed to be a final theory out there that can marry general relativity and quantum mechanics. Whether or not we have found the final theory, String Theory is an established jumping off point that has an unthinkable amount of possibilities attached. In the final chapters, Greene explores some of the possibilities that have been surmised by those in this field, but also states that we are not even close to having the advanced technology to explore some of the questions we have proposed. Overall, this book was worth the read. Make sure to take notes in the margins if you need it, and read the glossary if you are looking for an end-of-book review.
What do You think about The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, And The Quest For The Ultimate Theory (1999)?
نظرية الأوتار عموماً لا تروق لي، لكن كتاب ليس بسيء.
—Christinalove
Great book. Heavy book. I think I might need to read it again in order to really get it.
—touchdownturnaround
I -LOVE- this stuff. If I had any aptitude for calculus....
—lykz
