What If Einstein Was Wrong?: Asking the Big Questions About Physics by Brian Clegg
| What If Einstein Was Wrong?: Asking the Big Questions About Physics by Brian Clegg | |
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| Category: Popular Science | |
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Reviewer: Louise Jones
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| Summary: A team of scientists attempt to answer some of the big "What If?" questions. | |
| Buy? Yes | Borrow? Yes |
| Pages: 160 | Date: October 2013 |
| Publisher: Ivy Press | |
| External links: Author's website | |
| ISBN: 9781782400455 | |
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What if Einstein Was Wrong? is a beautifully presented book written by a team of scientific experts attempting to answer some of the most intriguing What If? questions about physics, cosmology, technology and relativity. The result is an accessible storehouse of information, written in user-friendly format, which can be dipped into from time to time whether it be to impress friends at dinner parties, or simply to find out the answers to long-burning questions like: What if You Could Journey Into the Past?
The first thing that struck me about the book was the attractive format. Science textbooks are rarely described as things of beauty, but this book really is an exception to the rule. Each section has its own introduction and each subject has its own double-page spread, one page of which is a full colour photograph or diagram, serving as a visual aid.
The questions are answered succinctly on the opposite page, with a second column adding interesting supplementary facts and figures, as well as references to other sections of the book that may be of interest to the reader. There is also a double-page spread in each section featuring an historical subject and explaining how scientists in the past formulated answers to the big questions that baffled mankind.
I suspect that some of the authors are Star Trek fans, as many of the questions in the book consider the science behind the fiction. Readers can find out the answers to questions like What if you beamed me up?,What if you hit warp speed? and What if antimatter felt antigravity?. Other segments relating to popular fiction ask What if you had the philosopher’s stone? and What if robots were conscious?
The book is filled to the brim with fascinating facts, although I did sometimes find the language and terminology a little hard to grasp, especially the surfeit of acronyms, including GUT, TOE, WIMP and SUSY. Readers need to have some prior knowledge of physics, in order to grasp terms like Black holes with hair, Maxwell’s Demon and Schrodinger’s Cat. Indeed, the pop-science format of the book is sometimes betrayed be the depth and complexity of much of its content.
In conclusion, I enjoyed the book immensely, although a lot of it went over my head, as I only have a basic, entry-level knowledge of physics. Simpler explanations of complex subjects would have been most welcome and enhanced my enjoyment of the book even further.
I also enjoyed reading God Versus Particle Physics: A No-Score Draw by John Davies which gives a well-rounded overview to a variety of physics-related subjects. We also have a review of The Reality Frame by Brian Clegg.
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You can read more book reviews or buy What If Einstein Was Wrong?: Asking the Big Questions About Physics by Brian Clegg at Amazon.co.uk Amazon currently charges £2.99 for standard delivery for orders under £20, over which delivery is free.
You can read more book reviews or buy What If Einstein Was Wrong?: Asking the Big Questions About Physics by Brian Clegg at Amazon.com.
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