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Loading... Parallel Worlds : A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos (2004)by Michio Kaku
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Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Physics and cosmology sprinkled with some sci-fi discussion. Good stuff. This book is a little dated because it doesn't include the new LHC findings. But it is still mind-bendingly fun to read. ( ) Ky libër është një guide e shkëlqyer për të kuptuar më mirë kozmosin. Prandaj konsiderohet një udhëtim përmes krijimit, dimensioneve të pafundme dhe të ardhmes së kozmosit. Autori është ndër shkencëtarët më të shquar të kohës tonë, i cili komunikon me lexuesit çështje të dimensioneve të thella përmes një gjuhe të thjeshtë dhe të qartë In Parallel Worlds: The Science of Alternative Universes and Our Future in the Cosmos, Michio Kaku describes the development of quantum physics and superstring theory as well as what these concepts reveal about the universe, our place within it, and how we might ultimately transcend it. Kaku writes in a style that’s easy for laypersons to follow, explaining concepts as he goes and avoiding overly-complicated mathematical formulae in favor of clearly-worded explanations and analogies. His work also functions as a history of science, detailing how each development resulted from generations, sometimes centuries, of mathematicians and physicists building upon and refuting each other’s work. Even geniuses like Newton and Einstein fit in with this collective narrative, standing out while being part of a larger history. Kaku details the lives of some of his subjects, explaining how they did not always seem destined for greatness. He describes Albert Einstein’s experience of finding himself “hopelessly unemployable” after completing his studies. According to Kaku, Einstein’s “pleading, depressing letters show the depths to which he descended. He considered himself to be a failure and a painful financial burden on his parents. In one poignant letter, he confessed that he even considered ending his life: ‘The misfortune of my poor parents, who for so many years have not had a happy moment, weighs most heavily on me… I am nothing but a burden to my relatives… It would surely be better if I did not live at all’” (pg. 30). Further, those familiar with science-fiction will appreciate how Kaku explains the way in which fiction authors took concepts and extrapolated them, eventually inspiring physicists and mathematicians, who later inspired other authors of fiction. This cycle of art imitating life imitating art adds to the collective narrative of discovery. Naturally, H.G. Wells, Isaac Asimov, Poul Anderson, Douglas Adams, and others make appearances, while ideas like Misner space (pg. 138) and Miguel Alcubierre’s warp drive (pgs. 334-335) resemble the mirror cave from Star Wars: The Last Jedi and Cubert Farnsworth’s dark matter engine from Futurama, respectively. As a result, Kaku’s work will entertain and enlighten those seeking to learn more about the science of science-fiction. Really not a bad book. Michio Kaku takes this incredibly complex idea and boils it down to a consumable book. With that being said, this book isn't for the faint of heart. While some concepts are easier to grasp than others, there is a large chunk of this book in which I went on "screensaver mode". Certainly no fault of the author, but I don't have near the background to grasp many of these concepts at a high level. With that being said, I found it very fascinating. This would have made for a decent sci-fi book if it weren't true. no reviews | add a review
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Is our universe dying? Could there be other universes? In Parallel Worlds, world-renowned physicist and bestselling author Michio Kaku-an author who "has a knack for bringing the most ethereal ideas down to earth" (Wall Street Journal)-takes readers on a fascinating tour of cosmology, M-theory, and its implications for the fate of the universe. In his first book of physics since Hyperspace, Michio Kaku begins by describing the extraordinary advances that have transformed cosmology over the last century, and particularly over the last decade, forcing scientists around the world to rethink our understanding of the birth of the universe, and its ultimate fate. In Dr. Kaku's eyes, we are living in a golden age of physics, as new discoveries from the WMAP and COBE satellites and the Hubble space telescope have given us unprecedented pictures of our universe in its infancy. As astronomers wade through the avalanche of data from the WMAP satellite, a new cosmological picture is emerging. So far, the leading theory about the birth of the universe is the "inflationary universe theory," a major refinement on the big bang theory. In this theory, our universe may be but one in a multiverse, floating like a bubble in an infinite sea of bubble universes, with new universes being created all the time. A parallel universe may well hover a mere millimeter from our own. The very idea of parallel universes and the string theory that can explain their existence was once viewed with suspicion by scientists, seen as the province of mystics, charlatans, and cranks. But today, physicists overwhelmingly support string-theory, and its latest iteration, M-theory, as it is this one theory that, if proven correct, would reconcile the four forces of the universe simply and elegantly, and answer the question "What happened before the big bang?" Already, Kaku explains, the world's foremost physicists and astronomers are searching for ways to test the theory of the multiverse using highly sophisticated wave detectors, gravity lenses, satellites, and telescopes. The implications of M-theory are fascinating and endless. If parallel worlds do exist, Kaku speculates, in time, perhaps a trillion years or more from now, as appears likely, when our universe grows cold and dark in what scientists describe as a big freeze, advanced civilizations may well find a way to escape our universe in a kind of "inter-dimensional lifeboat." An unforgettable journey into black holes and time machines, alternate universes, and multidimensional space, Parallel Worlds gives us a compelling portrait of the revolution sweeping the world of cosmology. No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)523.1Natural sciences and mathematics Astronomy Astronomical objects and astrophysics UniverseLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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