Book by Michio Kaku, 2021
The God Equation (2021) is an approachable look at the history and present of theoretical physics. This primer untangles the science behind relativity, string theory, and the search for the elusive “theory of everything.”
Key ideas:
- Early thinkers Newton and Maxwell laid the groundwork for modern physics.
- Einstein showed that physics is more complex than even Newton predicted.
- Quantum mechanics describes the strange world of subatomic particles.
- The Standard Model brings us one step closer to a theory of everything.
- Deep space provides an excellent environment to test new theories.
- String theory has the potential to unite Einstein’s theory of gravity and the Standard Model.
- A theory of everything raises many deep, philosophical questions.
From Amazon’s reviews:
“A condensed history of theoretical physics, and explanation of String Theory”
“Fantastic Book For the Curious Everyday Person Who Wants an Understanding of Physics”
Some quotes from “The God Equation”:
Everything that has meaning is the result of struggle and sacrifice, and is worth fighting for.
But Planck would always reassure Einstein. He would write, “A new scientific truth does not triumph by convincing its opponents and making them see the light, but rather because the opponents eventually die and a new generation grows up that is familiar with it.
If we had a microscope powerful enough, we could see that electrons, quarks, neutrinos, etc. are nothing but vibrations on minuscule loops resembling rubber bands. If we pluck the rubber band enough times and in different ways, we eventually create all the known subatomic particles in the universe. This means that all the laws of physics can be reduced to the harmonies of these strings. Chemistry is the melodies one can play on them. The universe is a symphony. And the mind of God, which Einstein eloquently wrote about, is cosmic music resonating throughout space-time.
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