THE ELEGANT UNIVERSE: SUPERSTRINGS, HIDDEN DIMENSIONS AND THE QUEST FOR THE ULTIMATE THEORY PDF, EPUB, EBOOK Brian Greene | 464 pages | 29 Feb 2000 | Vintage Publishing | 9780099289920 | English | London, United Kingdom The Elegant Universe - Wikipedia He writes with a flair that is rare in the scientific world, and which should make the book very appealing to the lay reader. Indeed, following the publication of this book, he has become something of a media celebrity. Dance, in New York City. A performance of the work-in-progress formed part of the inaugural World Science Festival. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. New York Times. American Journal of Physics. Retrieved 10 March Retrieved Brian Greene. I read this book while taking a course for non-physics students called Modern Physics in Perspective, which centered on string theory. If you're reading this book unassisted, be aware that there are some very confusing sections that you'll need to read a few times. Sometimes his analogies are a bit too inane. Also, I've discovered that many physicists have an unhealthy obsession with their research pet projects- I'd advise that y I read this book while taking a course for non-physics students called Modern Physics in Perspective, which centered on string theory. Also, I've discovered that many physicists have an unhealthy obsession with their research pet projects- I'd advise that you ignore the sections on Calabi-Yau shapes entirely. These faults aside, The Elegant Universe is the only book about science that I have ever read from start to finish and enjoyed from start to finish. It'll blow your mind. Jun 28, Ana rated it really liked it Shelves: page-turner , me-likey-a-lot , a-little-historical , science , non-fiction. Physics books. Can I understand them properly? Am I still absolutely fascinated by them? String Theory. Do I understand it properly? Hell no. Am I fascinated by it? To the last detail. This book presents the latest breakdown of empirical existance with string theory- it's really well written and it sugguest how the fundimentals of all existing things come together in a very similar way as our understanding of music little vibrations. I love this subject because, where the goal of civilization is to appreciate life in some form of organized chaos, some well spoken theorists have the ability to put things into perspective in such a way that the world seems to teem with possibi This book presents the latest breakdown of empirical existance with string theory- it's really well written and it sugguest how the fundimentals of all existing things come together in a very similar way as our understanding of music little vibrations. I love this subject because, where the goal of civilization is to appreciate life in some form of organized chaos, some well spoken theorists have the ability to put things into perspective in such a way that the world seems to teem with possibility. Some have taken presentism to indicate that time travel is impossible for there is no future or past to travel to; however, recently some presentists have argued that although past and future objects do not exist, there can still be definite truths about past and future events, and that it is possible that a future truth about the time traveler deciding to return to the present date could explain the time traveler's actual presence in the present. In any case, the relativity of simultaneity in modern physics is generally understood to cast serious doubt on presentism and to favor the view known as four dimensionalism closely related to the idea of block time in which past, present and future events all coexist in a single spacetime. This is a great overview of string theory. Greene does good job of putting a number of theories into perspective. It can be a bit of a challenge keeping up with the science listening to the audiobook. The first few chapters are fascinating as Greene recounts the history of modern physics, its departure from classical, Newtonian understanding. Then, he moves into string theory, and I found the arguments and explanations harder to follow. As Greene wrote the book just a few years after the Second Superstring Revolution, it makes sense that the arguments aren't as well-developed as those describing theories and experiments perfected and refined over the past years or so. I really enjoyed the The first few chapters are fascinating as Greene recounts the history of modern physics, its departure from classical, Newtonian understanding. Overall, I really liked this book. It took me a while to get through because of the subtlety of the arguments and the density of the subject matter no pun intended , but it was extremely informative. The only thing missing for me from Greene and from Hawking and K. Cole is: why did the Big Bang happen when it did, and where did the materials constituting the singularity or the "Planck-size nugget" come from? My only problem with non-Christian, scientific accounts. The physicists never do offer a possible explanation of the origins of the origins. I recommend this book to anybody interested in astrophysics, to fans of Greene, and to anybody looking for a book geared towards general readers that is more updated than Hawking's A Brief History of Time but that still offers insight into points that Hawking discusses in his famous book. View 2 comments. The fact of the matter is that there are essentially two opposing theories upon which rests our knowledge of the universe: General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. That is, the world of the large and the world of the miniscule. But whenever we try to unify them, our calculations just fall short; or better, fall large! Oh wait! They claim that all fundamental particles are composed of tiny vibrating strings of energy whose movement gives rise to all those different particles that we know of. And in so doing, not only do these strings fit into Quantum theory, but they're also able to accurately predict the whys and wherefores of the big bulks of matter, like those of stars and galaxies! BUT, not only are there five different versions to the theory, but also, and because we are talking about excruciatingly small objects, it is impossible to test it! Not really a theory is it? It shamelessly enters the realm of Philosophy… Oh those naysayers! You go get them my fairy little oscillating strings, which so happen to explain black holes! But back to you old man, you never really cease to surprise me! Oh you shrewd mayster! With my heart in your stars, J I never really got the hang of String Theory. I find it awfully weird and almost nigh-unscientific. Not being a physicist, I try not to make judgments about it, since I clearly don't understand it one bit - at least on the math level! I also fervently found myself wishing for the Nth time that science books were not so firmly divided between "professional, terrifying math texts" and "written for people who never figured out the Theory I never really got the hang of String Theory. I also fervently found myself wishing for the Nth time that science books were not so firmly divided between "professional, terrifying math texts" and "written for people who never figured out the Theory of Relativity". As it is, unless you're Stephen Hawking, who pretty much has the right to do anything he liked, if you're trying to explain relativity to me, again, you will put me off. Mar 07, Daniel rated it it was amazing. Greene can explain complicated theories better than anyone. Especially when when we see an object travelling at high speed, they appear the age more slowly. But the same applies to the other side looking at us, making us age more slowly from their standpoint! This is perfectly fine unless they want to meet up, and one side accelerates to meet the other one. In this case the accelerating side will find they indeed Greene can explain complicated theories better than anyone. In this case the accelerating side will find they indeed had aged much more than the side being caught up. Had gravity bends space time itself, and we always travel at light speed; any other movement slows down time itself. Nobody really understands quantum physics, like a photon behaves like a particle when passing through one slit but when faced with double slit it interferes with itself and show wave interference patterns. Particles can appear and disappear spontaneously. Gravity stumps quantum physics because when quantum equations are applied to gravitons, infinite solutions appear. So string theory comes to the rescue. So strings are fundamental stuff of everything, the real Greek Atoms. They coil up in 3 big dimensions and many tiny dimensions. Unfortunately this is untestable and thus lots of maths and imagination are required. In the end, the M theory which is a master theories of all string sub-theories is proposed. I must say I am a but lost from that point onwards, because of lack of experimental support. To identify strings. It is tough to actual acknowledge that we may never be able to go much further in particle physics, but such is life. The best physics book I have ever read. I love this book! Feb 18, Marius rated it it was ok. Disclaimer: I am not a physicist. I have a MSc in environmental sciences which is 20 years out of date. Brian Greene describes elegantly special and general relativity as well as important aspects of quantum physics in the first third of his book.