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BookmarkThere is an ill-concealed skeleton in the closet of physics: "As they are currently formulated, general relativity and quantum mechanics cannot both be right." Each is exceedingly accurate in its field: general relativity explains the behavior of the universe at large scales, while quantum mechanics describes the behavior of subatomic particles.
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Yet the theories collide horribly under extreme conditions such as black holes or times close to the big bang.
Brian Greene, a specialist in quantum field theory, believes that the two pillars of physics can be reconciled in superstring theory, a theory of everything.
Superstring theory has been called "a part of 21st-century physics that fell by chance into the 20th century." In other words, it isn't all worked out yet.
Despite the uncertainties--"string theorists work to find approximate solutions to approximate equations"--Greene gives a tour of string theory solid enough to satisfy the scientifically literate.
Though Ed Witten of the Institute for Advanced Study is in many ways the human hero of The Elegant Universe, it is not a human-side-of-physics story.
Greene's focus throughout is the science, and he gives the nonspecialist at least an illusion of understanding--or the sense of knowing what it is that you don't know.
For more information about the title The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory, read the full description at Amazon.com, or see the following related books:
The ELegant Universe — There is an ill-concealed skeleton in the closet of physics: "As they are currently formulated, general relativity and quantum mechanics cannot both ... > read more
Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law — When does physics depart the realm of testable hypothesis and come to resemble theology? Peter Woit argues that string theory isn't just going in the ... > read more
The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality — As a boy, Brian Greene read Albert Camus' The Myth of Sisyphus and was transformed. Camus, in Greene's paraphrase, insisted that the hero triumphs ... > read more
Cosmic Catastrophes: Exploding Stars, Black Holes, and Mapping the Universe — From supernovae and gamma-ray bursts to the accelerating Universe, this is an exploration of the intellectual threads that lead to some of the most ... > read more
