The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory - Couverture rigide

Greene, Brian

Couverture rigide

ISBN 10 : 0393046885 ISBN 13 : 9780393046885

Editeur : WW Norton & Co, 1999

Synopsis

Physicists and mathematicians throughout the world are working on one of the most ambitious theories ever proposed: superstring theory. String theory, as it is often called, is the key to the Unified Field Theory that eluded Einstein for more than 30 years. Finally, the century-old antagonism between the large and the small - General Relativity and Quantum Theory - is resolved. String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe, from the frantic dancing of of subatomic quarks to the swirling of galaxies, are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy, a billionth of a billionth the size of an atom. In this work, Brian Greene relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind 20th-century physics' search for a theory of everything. Through the use of metaphor and analogy, this work makes some of the most sophisticated concepts accessible, aiming to bring the reader closer to an understanding of how the universe works.

A propos du livre

Présentation de l'éditeur

"[Greene] develops one fresh new insight after another...In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat." --George Johnson, The New York Times Book Review

In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter-from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas-is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.

Green uses everything from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling.    Dazzling in its brilliance, unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain, The Elegant Universe is a tour de force of science writing-a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.

Revue de presse

"Develops one fresh new insight after another... In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat" (New York Times Book Review)

"Utterly absorbing...a brilliant achievement. An accessible, equationless account of strings, explaining why they are generating so much excitement among their devotees. Greene's achievement is to make us feel at home in the chillingly abstract world of strings and to convince us that we must take it seriously" (Sunday Telegraph)

"As rewarding as it gets... A thrilling ride through a lovely landscape... A compelling human saga" (Los Angeles Times Book Review)

"Compulsively readable...Green threatens to do for string theory what Stephen Hawking did for holes" (New York)

"[A] tour-de-force of science writing...peels away layers of detail and reveals the stunning essence of cutting-edge physics" (Shing-Tung Yau, Harvard University; Fields Medalist, winner of the National Medal of Science)

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: WW Norton & Co
• Date d'édition: 1999
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0393046885
• ISBN 13: 9780393046885
• Reliure: Relié
• Nombre de pages: 288
• Coordonnées du fabricant: non disponible