Book Description

One appealing feature of string theory is that it provides a theory of quantum gravity. This volume is a self-contained, pedagogical exposition of this theory, its foundations and its basic results. Due to the large amount of background material, actions, solutions and bibliography contained within, this unique book can be used as a reference for research as well as a complementary textbook in graduate courses on gravity, supergravity and string theory. ... Read more

Book Description

The aim of this groundbreaking new text is to bring general relativity into the undergraduate curriculum and make this fundamental theory accessible to all physics majors. Using a "physics first" approach to the subject, renowned relativist James B. Hartle provides a fluent and accessible introduction that uses a minimum of new mathematics and is illustrated with a wealth of exciting applications.The emphasis is on the exciting phenomena of gravitational physics and the growing connection between theory and observation. The Global Positioning System, black holes, X-ray sources, pulsars, quasars, gravitational waves, the Big Bang, and the large scale structure of the universe are used to illustrate the widespread role of how general relativity describes a wealth of everyday and exotic phenomena.For anyone interested in physics or general relativity. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Terric Book!!!
This is the best book I've seen in mathematics or physics. It brings out the beauty of the geometry and has wonderful examples that allow you to understand and remember the concepts more quickly and more throughly than I thought possible. The problems are beautiful too. And the price is great also. Read this book before the others, because once you start reading it, you won't be able to put it down.

A Good Introduction to Relativity
This book provides agood treatment to gravity and other related issue.It not only contains mathematics needed in the field,but a very good insight to physical phenomena.Besides,it give the readers a lot of interesting application of a technology and how modern physicist verify some old theory,how to increase the accuracy.It's a good beginning to start your trip of gravity from this book! ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides an introduction to understanding combustion, the burning of a substance that produces heat and often light, in microgravity environments-i.e., environments with very low gravity such as outer space. Readers are presented with a compilation of worldwide findings from fifteen years of research and experimental tests in various low-gravity environments, including drop towers, aircraft, and space.

Microgravity Combustion is unique in that no other book reviews low- gravity combustion research in such a comprehensive manner. It provides an excellent introduction for those researching in the fields of combustion, aerospace, and fluid and thermal sciences.

• An introduction to the progress made in understanding combustion in a microgravity environment
• Experimental, theoretical and computational findings of current combustion research
• Tutorial concepts, such as scaling analysis
• Worldwide microgravity research findings ... Read more

Book Description

This book provides an accessible introduction to astronomy and general relativity, aiming to explain the Universe, not just to describe it. Written by an expert in relativity who is known for his clearly-written advanced textbooks, the treatment uses only high-school level mathematics, supplemented by optional computer programs, to explain the laws of physics governing gravity from Galileo and Newton to Einstein. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The REAL deal about this book...please read before buying.
Ok. I hate to ruin the fun of some people but this book is a collection of science fiction unproven theories and scientific blunders. This book was writen as a joke for childress's intelligent buddies. It is just a book of jokes...Nothing in this book will give you any ideas on accually doing anything anti-gravity. This entire group of books is just enterainment for overly smart and mean people. For instance it says "if you accually read it" you can create anti gravity in your home if you take this gyroscope here do this and that and this...then remove the downward force...Did you see that last part...all you have to do is follow these simple instructions and then remove the downward force...well that downward force is gravity. It took me 3 months to convince my brother this book is fiction. People have brought law suits against mr Childress because this book is a joke...I on the other hand found this book to be very amusing...i loved Dr. Zitenbops(sp) generic anti gravity equation..."STP = the unit of lubricaation" "G = 1 gravity and 1 gravity = 1x10-6 gollygees" "G! = 1 shep,= to 1.37 moecurlys"
The book keeps getting funnier everytime I read it...But if your sense of humor is not like this then dont buy it...THIS HAS BEEN ANOTHER EPISODE OF THE REAL DEAL!!!

Entertaining and thought provoking
Okay, if you are looking for detailed plans for building a working anti-G device this is not the book for you. If you want to learn to look at science and the world in a different way then buy this book. You will find some really cool and off the wall theories as well as some entertaining fiction. I enjoyed this book immensely and so did my 8 year old daughter. After reading this book you will be inspired to do further research in anti-g field. T.T. Townsend and A. Einstien were not kooks and their ideas are valid. Buy this book and start experimenting for yourself.

Flying Saucers, a real life passion
Len Cramp is the typical eccentric Englishman. Whatever you think of the science behind his books you can be sure that they are, to him, very serious in nature and present his heartfelt view of the way things are.

Many people who write "fantastic science" books are complete charlatans. Len is not and he uses the money from his books to fund even more, completely serious, wacky and expensive experiments.

Buy the book because its fun, buy it because you beleive, buy it so that people like Len get more chance to make the world a far more interesting place. You never know... he might be right!

The Strange works of the Anti Gravity Nuts
This is junk information and a total waste of money.

This book is nonsense and completely useless!
I bought this book hoping to learn about gravity theories, such as those by Nikola Tesla. I was hoping this book would provide usefull information on building gravity free devices. Instead I got a book that is a circus sideshow presentation of a scientific anomoly.

Do I really care about a Santa Cruiz parlor trick that makes it look like you have stepped into a gravity well. This was a trick, why is it in this book. This is just one example of the preposturous assumtions made in this book. There is an example of a "crucial component" that is simply an escher like rectangle with some holes in it. PAHLEEZE, what hogwash. This book presents theories that the moon does not really exist, and that we never landed there. Does this have anything to do with gravity theories?

This book would have been usefull if it contained information on how to build resonate magnetic devices. Not one thing on ACTUAL gravity altering devices. If you watch the x-files religiously, if you took way to much acid and you don't like reality anymore, if you go to star trek conventions, then this book was written for you. It is consipritol garbage. Everybody knows the goverment suppresses knowledge, big deal. Teach me something new, like anti-gravity. This book will make you laugh for 15 minutes, then you will be angry that you wasted $12 bucks on it ... Read more

Reviews (33)

In a dynamic discrete space-time 'is' is an illusion
Prof. Smolin is a brilliant teacher.
His first book 'The Life of the Cosmos' contained already the simplest and brightest explanations of the basic elements, processes and principles of modern physics. Here he does it again with the latest progress in the search for a theory of quantum gravity: loop quantum gravity, string theory and black hole thermodynamics.
He dissects the strenghts and weaknesses of the different approaches and shows how they culminate into the holographic principle, where one set of events receives information about other parts of the world.

Lee Smolin explains in a very comprehensible vocabulary that space and time are not continuous, but discrete; that the world is made of processes, not things; and that the world is nothing more than an evolving network of relationships, of which causality is the most important.
These characteristics have important philosophical implications; e.g. they refute the belief that observer dependence rules out objectivity.

This book contains some mind-boggling propositions. One from Lee Smolin himself, where he admits that he doesn't belief in the uncertainty principle, although he continues to work with it. Another one is the use of the whole universe as an instrument.

In the end, the author is very optimistic and predicts that a theory of quantum gravity will be found in the first decades of the 21st century.

This book is a fascinating tale about the real nature of the universe. A must read.

What's our universe made of?
I am very impressed with this book. This is going to be one of the seminal science book for lay persons, right up there with Stephen Hawking's "A Brief History of Time".

Lee Smolin is an active researcher in Loop Quantum Gravity. He laid out in a clear manner the research progress of Quantum Gravity. Quantum Gravity, once completed, should able to reveal the basic fabric of our universe, and say a lot about what is the stuff that space and time are made of. There are no mind boggling math in the book, but there are lots of mind boggling ideas that once Smolin explains them, I am left with a sense indeed this must be how our universe works.

Smolin thinks understanding how Black Hole works is key to progress in Quantum Gravity. He gives a modern update of what we know about Black Holes, siting a few fresh research results. This is very valuable, because the typical Black Hole books for the lay person are very dated indeed. A modern treatment is exactly what we need.

This book is a must for the fans following the going-ons in the newsgroup sci.physics.research.

An Introduction to Loop Quantum Gravity
Since the postulation of theory of relativity (theory of cosmos, which describes the structure of space and time), and quantum mechanics (laws of microcosm, which describes atomic structure, nuclear forces, and nature of basic component of matter); physicists until now have struggled to explain gravity (which is a manifestation of spacetime fabric in presence of matter) in terms of quantum mechanics (quantum gravity). In this book the author attempts to explain three different approaches to quantum gravity; Loop Quantum Gravity (LQG), Superstring - M theory (S. -M), and Blackhole Thermodynamics (BT). While each takes a different starting point, they all agree when viewed on Planck scale, and they also view space and time are not continuous, and space is composed of discrete units. LQG gives us a detailed picture of these units in terms of spin networks, where as S.-M theory proposes continuous space in terms of a continuous string (with compactified extra dimensions) made of string bits, which is governed by uncertainty principle. BT theory states that amount information in any given space is finite and is proportional to the area of the boundary of the region in Planck units. The author is a pioneer in the field of LQG and provides the reader with a good introduction of the theory in a non-mathematical form and then compares with S.-M and BT theories. The book is described in three parts; the first part is a general introduction, which describes historical development of three theories, the second part introduces LQG and then compares with S.-M and BT theories, and the final part attempts to unify the three approaches into a single theory using Holographic Principle.

The author gives us several interesting accounts of physicists working in these fields are in a climate of mutual ignorance and complacency with the belief that their theory is correct and others are wrong. There are instances when one group can't solve certain problems, and they seek the help from the other camp. The author also briefly explains other theories such as Twister theory, and Non-Commutative Geometry. This is one of the few books I have read which describes LQG in some detail, although there are several books in literature, which describes S.-M theory. The author is very honest in comparing the three approaches to offer the best explanation for quantum gravity. Anyone who wants to understand LQG must have this book.

Learn almost nothing
I have a pretty good background in math and physics. But I learned almost nothing here. I think someone with less background would learn even less. The problem is he never really defines anything, never makes clear whether he means a 'loop' is a real thing or just a calculation tool, etc.

It is all just so mushy.

Plus he talks a lot about theories that have no experimental tests, and none presently envisioned. This seems like metaphysics to me.

You want a real popular science book that explains real science to a layman? Read QED by Feynman. Read Relativity Visualized by Epstein.

Separate Conquests
Sorry about the review title, just musing on the phrase "Divide and Conquer". As every reader probably knows, general relativity and quantum theory are both extremely successful, predictive theories, but have yet to be brought together in a single, complete framework that seems to clearly apply to our universe. Smolin did an excellent job in this book, already several years old, of discussing approaches to the problem, with emphasis on Loop Quantum Gravity. As usual while reading it I wished that I could plumb the depths of the underlying math, which of course the author did not attempt to present.

Since the predictions of relativity seem to be holding up so well, I can't help wondering whether the current vogue is correct in assuming that gravity is much the same as other forces and is mediated by "gravitons". Might there be some deeper path to unification? ... Read more

Book Description

Representing a decade's work from one of the world's most distinguished physicists, this major publication is, as far as is known, the first comprehensive analysis of Newton's Principia without recourse to secondary sources. Chandrasekhar analyses some 150 propositions which form a direct chain leading to Newton's formulation of his universal law of gravitation. In each case, Newton's proofs are arranged in a linear sequence of equations and arguments, avoiding the need to unravel the necessarily convoluted style of Newton's connected prose. In almost every case, a modern version of the proofs is given to bring into sharp focus the beauty, clarity, and breathtaking economy of Newton's methods. This book will stimulate great interest and debate among the scientific community, illuminating the brilliance of Newton's work under the steady gaze of Chandrasekhar's rare perception. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Not What I expected
I expected this to be a walkthrough for people like myself who have a knowledge of physics but are far from being experts and are interested in reading the classics of science. This is a guide for the modern Professor of Physics, not a guide for the common reader as it says. If I had known that I wouldn't have bought it. I get the impression that there is certainly a demand for such a walkthrough. I thought this would be it.
A BIG disapointment!

Uncommon price for a book intended for common reader
I have not read this book, but would love too. But the price is just too high for a book that is intended for the common reader. It is unaffordable for the common reader.

(NOTE: My stars rating is meaningless because I have not read the book.)

A masterpiece
Chandra translated Newton's Principia from the geometric language that Newton was forced to use into language that is immediately familiar to a modern audience. As such *every* physicist should be forced to read this book from cover to cover, or else face the *shame* that they have not. This is truly a piece that every physicist will enjoy and find thought provoking at the deepest level. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (1)

A pearl.
A lovely reprinted Dover edition of a peral from Gamow. The original 1962 edition has been out of print for a number of years. This 2003 edition has added commentary and a fascinating bio of Gamow. He was born in Odessa, in what was then Russia, --before the Soviet Union. The story of his escape to the West is straight out of a thriller. Only it is real! Gamow was referred to by a journalist, some time during the Cold War, as "the only scientist in America with a real sense of humor". He can take the most technical stuff and make it simple. Fun too! The book:--Intellectual treats, whimsy, but deep. Illustrated with lovely drawings by Gamow himself. Much of it can be understood by a child, and other parts might require a little concentration. All of it is great fun. The author Gamow started in nuclear physics, during the Golden Age of Physics, worked with Niels Bohr, then later in the US, on the Manhattan Project during WWII, and after the war, he was professor in Boulder Colorado. He has a building on campus named after him! The books he wrote are pearls, and they have been equally popular with my parent's generation as with mine. Luckely some have been reprinted! Other Gamow titles: Biography of Physics, Atomic Energy [dedicated to the hope of lasting peace], Physics of the Strapless Evning Gown,...We are lucky that Dover has reprinted some of them. Gamow's list of scientific accomplishments includes a 1948 landmark paper on the origin of chemical elements, the Big Bang model, and later work with F. Crick on DNA and genetic coding.-- Do more Gamow editions, Dover! ... Read more

Book Description

The riddle of inertia is solved by Origin of Inertia!

In the author's model, absolute motion is defined by relational motion parameters with respect to an infinite, quasistatic universe. Old problems associated with Newton's laws of motion and universal gravitation are resolved, and evidence is shown for a cosmic drag depending on velocity with respect to the mean rest frame of the universe. The book provides coherent solutions to long-standing mysteries of celestial mechanics and cosmology. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Review of Origin of Inertia
The book "Origin of Inertia" is a great piece of work. The subtitle indicates the main topics of the book,
namely, "Extended Mach's Principle and Cosmological Consequences". The book was published by Apeiron,
a publisher in Montreal, Canada: http://redshift.vif.com (ISBN: 0-9683689-3-X)

Amitabha Ghosh has published many research papers related with the topics of this book in important
conferences and scientific journals including Astrophysics and Space Science; Pramana Journal of Physics;
Earth, Moon and Planets etc. In 2002 he organized an International Workshop on Mach's Principle and the
Origin of Inertia which happened in Kharagpur, India. The Proceeding of this workshop were published by
Apeiron in 2003 (edited by M. Sachs and A. R. Roy, ISBN: 0-9732911-0-9).

The main topic of the book is to discuss the inertia of bodies. According to Newton's first law of motion,
when there is no net force on a body it remains at rest or moving in straight line at a constant velocity.
If there is a force on the body it will be accelerated along the direction of the force, with the
acceleration being proportional to the force and inversely proportional to the inertial mass of the body,
according to Newton's second law of motion. There are two main puzzles with Newton's laws.
The first is that the inertial masses of bodies is proportional to their gravitational masses.
This suggests that the inertia of any body is due to a gravitational interaction.
But there is nothing in Newton's laws of motion nor in his universal law of gravitation which connects
these two aspects (inertia and gravitation). The second puzzle is that the best inertial frames
(frames of reference where Newton's laws are valid) are those which are not accelerated relative to the frame
defined by the distant galaxies in the cosmos. This suggests that the distant matter in the cosmos,
or some other matter which is at rest relative to the frame of distant galaxies, defines/creates/specifies the
inertial frames. Once more there is nothing in Newton's laws which links these two aspects
(inertial frames and distant matter). The idea that the distant matter in the cosmos specifies the inertial
frames due to a gravitational interaction became known as Mach's principle, a subject mentioned in the
subtitle of this book, as these ideas were presented by the austrian experimental physicist and philosopher
Ernst Mach in his influential book The Science of Mechanics, first published in 1883. Mach didn't
implement his ideas mathematically. This is the goal of Amitabha Ghosh in this book.

Origin of Inertia has 9 chapters: Introduction, Difficulties with Newton's Laws of Motion,
Mach's Principle and Inertial Induction, Extension of Mach's Principle, Universal Interaction and Cosmic
Drag, Cosmic Drag: Cosmological Implications, Local Interaction of Photons with Matter, Interaction of
Matter with Matter, Extra-galactic Phenomena. They are followed by an Epilogue and a rich list of References.
The Forword was written by David Roscoe, Applied Mathematics Department, Sheffield University, UK.

In order to implement Mach's principle the author defines the mean rest frame of the universe connected with all
the matter in the cosmos. The main idea of the book is to present a modified law of gravitation. It includes
Newton's inverse square law and has two extra terms. One of the extra terms is proportional to the
acceleration of the test body relative to an infinite and quasistatic universe and falls inversely with the
distance to the source body. When integrated for the test body interacting with the whole universe this term
leads to an analogous to Newton's second law of motion. But now the mass which appears is a gravitational mass.
This explains at once the remarkable proportionality between inertial and gravitational masses, which had puzzled
Newton, Mach, Einstein and many others.

The second extra term is proportional to the square of the velocity of the test body. This is a dragging force of
cosmic origin. Amitabha Ghosh calculates the magnitude of this cosmic drag and obtains many implications.
In particular he applies his model for photons interacting with matter and derives a cosmological redshift which
gives an explanation for Hubble's law without big bang and without the associated expansion of the universe.
He also explains many other puzzling redshifts observed in astronomy, the bending of light etc. When he considers
the interaction of matter with matter the cosmic drag explains the transfer of solar angular momentum, the
distribution of matter in spiral galaxies and other puzzling phenomena. All of this is obtained without the supposion
of dark matter.

In summary this is a fascinating book which should be read by all scientists interested in fundamental questions of
physics and cosmology.

Andre Koch Torres Assis
Institute of Physics

State University of Campinas
13083-970 Campinas, Sao Paulo, Brazil
Email: assis@ifi.unicamp.br
Homepage: http://www.ifi.unicamp.br/~assis ... Read more

Book Description

Gravity is one of the most inexplicable forces of nature, controlling everything, from the expansion of the Universe to the ebb and flow of ocean tides.The search for the laws of motion and gravitation began more than two thousand years ago, a quest that Prabhakar Gondhalekar recounts in The Grip of Gravity. Beginning with Aristotle and concluding with Planck, Gondhalekar outlines a 'genealogy' of gravity and lucidly explains how previous explanations have shaped the most recent development in the field, string theory.In this work, physicist and astronomer Gondhalekar describes experiments, both planned and proposed, and clearly explains natural phenomena like ocean tides, seasons, ice ages, the formation of planets, stars, and exotic objects like black holes and neutron stars, which are all controlled by gravity.Including anecdotes and thumb-nail sketches of the personalities involved, The Grip of Gravity provides an introduction to the foundation of modern physics and shows how the current developments in string theory may lead to a new and radical interpretation of gravity.Prabhakar Gondhalekar is an Honorary Fellow in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, University College, London. Until his retirement in 1998, he was the head of the Space Astronomy Group at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where he had been a researcher for 18 years. His research has included a number of topics in galactic and extragalactic astronomy, with his major work focusing on the interstellar medium and active galactic nuclei. Gondhalekar has been awarded Royal Society, Leverhulme Trust, and NATO Research Fellowships to do research in universities in the United States and Israel. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The Grip of Gravity
Gondhalekar (University College, London) offers an interesting and comprehensive summary of the history of research on the gravitational force. It is intended as a popular science book, accessible to the scientifically interested reader with basic training in physics (i.e., college physics). Although one would not call the biographical sketches "revealing," as promised on the book's cover, they contain a wealth of information on the involved scientists not found in most books. This book has a clear structure and is easy to read, but more illustrations, especially where new abstract concepts (e.g., special relativity) are introduced, would have been helpful for the reader. Generalizations distract occasionally from the impartial tone of the text. Certainly not all physicists are conservative by nature, and many are not astonished "that three hundred years after Newton and one hundred years after Einstein the quest for gravity still continues." Physicists may have to credit the god (or goddess) that Einstein described as subtle but not malicious with more fantasy than they can easily comprehend in their quest to explain the universe. Lower-division undergraduates through professionals; two-year technical program students.

The author weaves a tight fabric from many yarns.
For me, a well-written science history contains three things. It establishes the context for the discoveries and developments. It accurately describes the relevant details of the experiments so that the results, interpretations and conclusions can be understood. Finally, it discusses the implications of the developments. The author accomplishes all three to my satisfaction in this book.
The story of gravity involves many subplots. Each part contributes a piece to the developing concept of gravity. The author skillfully weaves the pieces into a coherent story. Along the way he presents details that challenge common misconceptions about gravity, clarifies myths about the familiar personalities who have demystified aspects of gravity and introduces less familiar but influential contributors to our still-evolving understanding of gravity.
The book is comprehensive enough to satisfy my requirements for a well-written science history, but not so over-burdened with detail that it becomes cumbersome to follow the main plot. It reads like a suspense story for a reader who's interested in science history. ... Read more

Reviews (29)

A Good Step-2 in Learning Modern General Relativity.
This is a very good book on modern relativity and cosmology; although a few imporant astronomical findings were made AFTER the publication. The authors work very hard (and long!) in explaning the material to the readers.

However, you won't like the book if it is your first step towards general relativity OR you are very eager to learn it. This is simply because the development of the subject is very slow, and the length of the book will give you the false impression that general relativity takes years to understand (although it may take sometime to believe). The theory itself doesn't take very long to undersand, but it's implications may.

DON'T turn to this book for an introduction to Special Relativity(SR). It assumes you already know it and puts (SR) in a geometric language. Frist learn basic SR from any modern physics book.

Likewise, for reasons given earlier, your Step-1 towards general relativity, should be Foster and Nighangle's book: 'A Short Course in General Relativity'.Because it is short,less demanding, and covers the basics clearly and completely. The fact that Foster's book uses old notation is not a disadavantage. Only when you see how meesy the old notation is, you will appriciate the modern notation of Thorne's.

Excellent introduction, good overview on applications
This book can be divided into three logical parts. The first part includes an overview of 4 dimensional physics (spacetime physics, chapter 1), an introduction to special relativity (physics in flat spacetime, chapters 2 to 7), an introduction to the tensor calculus (the mathematics of curved spacetime, chapters 8 to 15) and describes in detail Einstein's general theory of relativity (Einstein's geometric theory of relativity, chapters 16 to 22).
This first part is the best introduction to the theory of relativity I have ever read. The mathematics is introduced in a very comprehensive manner, there are lots of exercises where the reader can get used to the tensor calculus. The physical explanations are just brilliant and what is more important general relativity is introduced in the manner Einstein itself viewed it: as a geometric representation of gravity! Other books on this subject formulate general relativity only algebraically (like quantum theory) but this hides the importance of the idea that all gravitational effects can be extracted from the geometry of spacetime. The algebraic formulation may be regarded as more modern by some authors, it must be said however that no algebraic formulation managed to give more physical insight. The algebraic treatment tries to unify the view of general relativity and quantum field theory, but the physical discrepancies between the two theories remain unsolved.
The second part starts with the application of general relativity to stars (stars and relativity, chapters 23 to 26), goes on to the universe (the universe, chapters 27-30) and to black holes (gravitational collapse and black holes, chapters 31 to 34), and describes finally gravitational waves (gravitational waves, chapters 35 to 37) and experimental methods (experimental tests of general relativity, chapters 38 to 40).
This second part is a good overview, but many details of the computations of the applications are not shown. For the readers interrested in the details the two volume book by Zel'dovich and Novikov "Stars and Relativity"/"The Structure and Evolution of the Universe" is much better (but also much longer).
The third part finally describes the frontiers of general relativity (frontiers, chapters 41 to 44). Like part two it gives a good overview not showing many computational details.

The pinnacle of 1970s textbook layouts
I used to drool over this book in the university bookshop. It was, by far, the best laid-out textbook I had ever seen. It was expensive, even by the standards of 1980, the year I eventually bought it.

This probably disqualifies me as an Amazon reviewer, but I have to admit that I've never read it. I was a mathematician by degree, and am now a writer on marketing matters. Whenever I need inspiration on how to lay out and explain a complex concept which needs both words and diagrams, this is the book I return to.

a true classic
I believe this is a must for every theoretical physicists.
This is a huge book containing so much information. I could
say it is flawless, and it virtually has no typos(Look at
books on superstring published so far). This is one of the
best books in a hundred years. Read it with Wald's General
Relativity.

Not as good as they would have you believe
Virtually everyone who works or who worked or who would like to work in GR brags up this book and boasts of reading it from cover to cover. Most have not. I, unfortunately, have. It rambles and is scatterbrained and halfa* on many topics. The would be investigator would be better off following another course of study in differential topology and differential geometry, almost any other relativity text or texts, and the literature. It should be kept in mind, however, that when this book was first published the global methods were like lie algebra was at one time - researchers writing papers for and to each other with nobody else in mind. This was a supposed attempt to make the material available to a wider audience. It may have degenerated into intellectual onanism. ... Read more

Book Description

A journey into the wonders of science from Joy Hakim, the best-selling author of A History of US.

The story of science continues with the reclusive Copernicus and his astounding theory that the sun is at the center of the universe, and closes with the basics of atomic theory, offering intriguing portraits of the scientists who built on each other's theories in their tireless pursuit of answers. 300 color photographs, illustrations, and maps.

• Individual volumes in the series can be read as a set or individually
• Each book packed with 256 pages of thought-provoking ideas, math and science concepts, history and literature
• Character- and idea-driven narratives that read like an adventure story
• 300 illustrations in each book, including original art and contemporary photographs
• Sidebars highlight fascinating facts and ideas of related interest
• Call-outs define unfamiliar words and build vocabulary
• Suggestions for further reading on many topics

Book Description

Since Newton’s time many have proposed that gravitation arises from the absorption by material bodies of minute particles or waves filling space. Such absorption would cause bodies to be pushed into each other’s shadows. The principal early proponent of this idea was Georges-Louis Le Sage. The essays in this book explore the remarkable three hundred year saga of Le Sage’s theory, gravitational shielding and the experiments of Q. Majorana, and new and recent Le Sage Models. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

good science, great reading!
I'm by no means a scientist -- I got a "C" in chemistry in college -- but I enjoy books about cosmology and astronomy, especially ones that challenge accepted wisdom. I loved this book. Reading it is like taking a joyride through the universe at speeds thousands of times faster than light! All the essays were great, especially Tom Van Flandern's. Ever wonder what Copernicus felt as he realized that most scientists of his day had it wrong? Get this book and you'll experience some of that sense of wonder and excitement. Then read Van Flandern's magnum opus "Dark Matter,Missing Planets and New Comets: Paradoxes Resolved,Origins Illuminated."
by Michael Christian

Have you ever wondered what causes gravity?
Some of the greatest minds in history have pondered this question-and then pretty much given up on it. Newton, and later Einstein, to a more exacting degree, gave us mathematical models of gravity, which hold true to this day. Except that they say nothing about the mechanism which actually causes gravity. Einstein's theory, General Relativity (GR), attributes the cause to the "fabric of space." But as Tom Van Flandern, one of the contributors to this book, points out, Einstein's "rubber sheet analogy" presumes real gravity underneath the "fabric" which causes planets to sink down into the "gravity wells" in the sheet. It therefore explains nothing about the real cause of gravity.
In the mid 18th century, G.L. LeSage proposed a mechanical theory of gravity whereby tiny particles in space move about in all directions and at very high speeds, causing equal force on all sides of any object or planet they make contact with. But the space between any two objects has less of these particles or "gravitons" than the surrounding space, because some of the gravitons have already been absorbed as they passed through the object. This dearth of gravitons between objects causes a kind of low-pressure area allowing the gravitons in the outlying areas to push the objects together-thus causing gravity.
LeSage's theory has been revived and then rejected by many famous scientists over the years, and is presently undergoing its most recent revival. If such particles exist, there must be a way to detect them. One method, attempted by the physicist Q. Majorana, early in the 20th century, was to test the effect that gravitational shielding has on the absorption of gravitons and hence the weight of objects. Through elaborate scaling experiments carried out in a very careful and meticulous manner, he obtained some seemingly positive results. But these results, along with more recent shielding experiments using satellites in Earth orbit, have not been conclusive. They have not yet been demonstrated to the satisfaction of the mainstream of science.
What the theory of pushing gravity does have, especially in its modern versions, is its compelling logic. It posits a physical cause to gravity as opposed to, for example, Newton's instant action at a distance, (IAAD), (which, incidentally Newton was never happy with), and Einstein's "fabric of space."
Van Flandern, an astronomer, and one of pushing gravity's most convincing advocates, points out that IAAD can be better explained by positing gravitons which move at many times the speed of light. A slower propagation speed, e.g., the speed of light, would cause a delay or aberration of the signal carrying the gravitational force between, say, the Sun and the Earth. This would cause Earth's orbit to be unstable.
For those interested in serious cutting edge science, but accessible to the intelligent layman, this is a fascinating book. There is some "quantitative" (i.e. mathematical) description, but most of the essays are perfectly lucid on the "qualitative" (verbal) level.
If there is ever to be "anti-gravity" science in mankind's future, the physical cause of gravity must first be understood. This book is a must for optimistic science enthusiasts. ... Read more

Book Description

The greatest challenge in fundamental physics attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity in a theory of "quantum gravity." The project suggests a profound revision of the notions of space, time and matter.It has become a key topic of debate and collaboration between physicists and philosophers. This volume collects classic and original contributions from leading experts in both fields for a provocative discussion of the issues. It contains accessible introductions to the main and less-well-known known approaches to quantum gravity. It includes exciting topics such as the fate of spacetime in various theories, the so-called "problem of time" in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics, and the relationship between the interpretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Excellent book!
Excellent book on variety of topics and approaches to reconciling Quantum Mechanics and General Relitivity. This book is very unique. Even though there are not that many formulas in the book, this book is definitely for the serious and advanced. This book is very thought-provoking. All the contributors to different chapters are experts and there are many references to further readings for the topics discussed.

Canonical Quantization can work.
Never quite understood the barrier to quantizing gravity
when one realizes that R^infinity gravity quantizes without
any of the usual barriers (it is renormalizable on the grounds
that all required counter terms are available).
After which it is just a matter of following Einstein's
route to classical gravity, by setting to zero all
renormalized coupling constants, except that associated
with R.
End result, gravity quantized.

Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale
Physics Meets Philosophy at the Planck Scale: Contemporary theories in quantum gravity edited by Craig Callender and Nick Huggett is a book the gives the reader accessible introductions to the main and sometimes lesser known insight to quantum gravity.

This book was a challenge to read, yes, I must admit. But, that being said, I must say that it helped explain one of the greatest challenges in fundamental physics. How to come up with a plausible theory of quantum gravity out of quantum mechanics and general relativity. Yes, that all encompassing theory of everything aka quantum gravity. Space, time and matter all rolled into one grand theory. The so called problem of time in canonical quantum gravity, black hole thermodynamics and the relationship between the intrepretation of quantum theory and quantum gravity.

This book is divided into five parts, each of these parts has abstracts written to coorespond to the question at hand in these parts as chapters. These parts are as follows:

Part I: Theories of Quantum Garavity and their Philosophical Dimensions

Part II: Strings

Part III: Topological Quantum Field Theory

Part IV: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of General Relativity

Part V: Quantum Gravity and the Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics

This book not only looks at the physics to these, but also, looks at the philosophy that is concerned with fundamental questions regarding the nature of space, time, and matter. Seventeen authors give this book its body and soul for explaination as to how these fit together. What I particularly liked was the three chapters in "Strings" with "Reflections of the fate of spacetime by Edward Witten, A philosopher looks at string theory by Robert Weingard, and Black holes, dumb holes, and entropy by william G.Unruh.

This book isn't for everyone, but should be essential reading for anyone interested in the profound implications of trying to marry the two most important theories in physics. And that's the large and the small of it in a nutshell. But there is also a more positive reason for the connection between quantum gravity and the philosophy: many of these issues arising in quantum gravity are genuinely philosophical in nature.

How should we understand general relativity's general covariance... is it a significant physical principle,or is it merely a question about language with which one writes an equation? What is the nature of time and change? Canthere be a theory of the universe's boundry conditions? These are but a few of the questions asked and the explainations of the answers are trying to be resolved.

All, in all, this is a very good read and it will definately tax your brain.

Missing Table of Contents
The book looks interesting and the editors are leading experts in the field of quantum gravity. However, I could not make a purchasing decision since the table of contents is not listed in the ad. This is crucial, since the book apparently contains reprints of previously published material and, for all I know, I already possess this material. Thus, I suggest a table of contents be added to the ad for this book.
In order to post this review, I need to "rate" it. I give it 4 stars, since I know the editors are experts in the field, but not 5 stars since the ad is missing the table of contents. ... Read more

Book Description

Using a self-contained and concise treatment of modern differential geometry, this book will be of great interest to graduate students and researchers in applied mathematics or theoretical physics working in field theory, particle physics, or general relativity.The authors begin with an elementary presentation of differential forms.This formalism is then used to discuss physical examples, followed by a generalization of the mathematics and physics presented to manifolds. The book emphasizes the applications of differential geometry concerned with gauge theories in particle physics and general relativity.Topics discussed include Yang-Mills theories, gravity, fiber bundles, monopoles, instantons, spinors, and anomalies. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

NOTHING NEW
THIS BOOK IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE MANY PUBLICATIONS IN THIS SUBJECT MATTER THAT MISSES THE WHOLE POINT.

Concise, big picture treatment of the subject
This text, while lacking in rigour and detail, is an ideal supplement for self-study or lectures on modern mathematical methods in physics. In fact, it is precisely its lack of detail that allows it to act as the yin to the yang of other, weightier texts. Most books on this subject obscure the big picture behind their equations, reducing pleasant geometry to the grimy level of analysis. No such crime is committed here, and the reader is much the better for it. To be sure, this is not a stand-alone text - to not delve into the details would only enter the reader into the false security of ignorance. However, it is most definitely a must-have book for anyone interested in modern physics and mathematics.

Recommended texts to accompany this one are: 1) Geometry of Physics, Frankel 2) Intro to Lie Algebras & Rep. Th., Humphreys 3) Geometry, Topology,& Physics, Nakahara (another useful survey) 4) Spin Geometry, Lawson & Michelson

excellent introduction to relevant topics!
This is a concise introduction to applications of differential geometry on some improtant topics in physics, such as gauge theories, gravity...etc. Despite its size (which is rather comfortable for readers who prefer less abstract definitions and theorems), nothing essential to the spirit of the topics has been missed, I personally think it sure is one of the excellent books on these subjects and am glad to recommand it to you all who love and want to discover the geometric aspects of physics! ... Read more

Book Description

Light observed from distant objects is found to be deflected by the gravitational field of massive objects near the line of sight - an effect predicted by Einstein in his first paper setting forth the general theory of relativity, and confirmed by Eddington soon afterwards. If the source of the light is sufficiently distant and bright, and if the intervening object is massive enough and near enough to the line of sight, the gravitational field acts like a lens, focusing the light and producing one or more bright images of the source. This book, by renowned researchers in the field, begins by discussing the basic physics behind gravitational lenses: the optics of curved space-time. It then derives the appropriate equations for predicting the properties of these lenses. In addition, it presents up-to-date observational evidence for gravitational lenses and describes the particular properties of the observed cases. The authors also discuss applications of the results to problems in cosmology. ... Read more

Book Description

In a handful of observatories around the world, scientists are waiting, and listening. Their quest: to be the first to detect gravitational waves, infinitesimal quakes that stretch and compress space-time and could add a brand-new dimension to our universal knowledge-allowing us to hear a sun going supernova, black holes colliding, and perhaps one day, the remnant rumble of the Big Bang itself... ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An Absolutely Wonderful Book
This is an amazing book for both its historical and scientific content. The prose is clear and engaging; the subject matter, i.e., the attempts at detecting of gravity waves, is fascinating. Although gravity waves have never been knowingly and officially detected as yet, projects to build expensive apparatus to detect them are actually getting funded. This is clearly tribute to the confidence that the scientific community has on Albert Einstein and the General Theory of Relativity. This is a great book that deserves to be read by all!

Never thought two seconds about gravity waves?
Neither had I...

Now, as the New York Times Book Review states, "When a gravity wave is first detected..." (I) "...will feel like a participant in the great event."

Why should you care? When gravity waves become detectable, we humans will open a brand new chapter into the discovery of our universe, and subsequently ourselves. We may eventually find the universe is a great huge pond with spacetime ripples originating from infinite sources. We may finally see the big picture, a bit of celestial music, and direct evidence of the most incalculable event in our universe, the collision and coalescence of two black holes. The thought of this type of event being recorded for human ears is exciting and provocative... I hope I am a lucky participant.

The supporting cast, are the scientists from many countries, who seek to be the first to find and record a gravity wave. This is an obvious Nobel Prize event, so the stakes are high... On the other hand, virtually all of them realize they are laying the groundwork for (perhaps) future generations. There is a very good chance that none of the current players will even be around when a gravity wave is captured on it's travel to infinity. On the other hand, future generations will be infinitely indebted to these pioneers, and us common astronomy buffs will be richer for their selflessness.

Marcia Bartusiak wrote a fine book for the rest of us... I look forward to reading more from her, and recommend this to anyone with even a passing interest. Sure, there is no punch line yet, but when there is, I will 'get it'... Will you?

Finally, what can be said about Albert Einstein... A towering genius that looked at our physical world, pulled back a great obscuration, and let us all see the light. I will always be in awe...

Premature book
The struggle for the direct detection of gravity waves has continued for some years, and to date the search has been totally unsuccessful despite the tremendous investment of effort in this area. I found this book's documention of this quest somewhat interesting. However, I found the subject of this book somewhat unfulfilling because it has no punchline. I would have waited for the direct detection of gravity waves before writing a book like this.

A Tribute to Joseph Weber, the LIGO project and Much More
In this book Marcia Bartusiak, an excellent science journalist, writes about scientists' endeavors to detect gravitational waves coming from deep space. The existence of gravity waves was predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity, and they are considered to have the frequency falling into the audio range, but no one has ever listened to them. Thus the author elegantly entitled this book "Einstein's Unfinished Symphony." Each chapter also has the title related to music. For example, the chapter about the discovery of the Hulse-Taylor binary pulsar, indirect evidence for gravity waves, is cogently entitled "Pas De Deux."

Bartusiak's sentences are also rhythmic like music, especially in the earliest chapters, so that the reader comfortably learns about Einstein's discovery of the origin of gravity and Renaissance in relativity made theoretically by John Archibald Wheeler and experimentally by Robert Dicke. Wheeler is cited to have explained general relativity in one clear sentence, "Mass tells space-time how to curve, and space-time tells mass how to move."

The pioneer of experimental work directly to catch gravity waves was Joseph Weber. He published his first results in 1969, claiming evidence for observation of gravity waves based on coincident signals from two bar detectors. Unfortunately, by the middle of 1970s nearly everyone came to agree that Weber was mistaken. Bartusiak writes that Weber had however created a momentum that could not be stopped. Weber died on 30 September 2000, just a few months before the publication of this book. Thus the book partially happened to become one of the earliest tributes to Weber. His first bar detector is now shown in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D. C.

Then comes the central story of this book, the construction, improvements and prospects of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO). LIGO is a gigantic instrument system placed in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. Its construction started as a collaborative project, involving dozens of scientists and the cost of more than $370 million. Among those scientists, Rainer Weiss is considered to be the founding father of the effort. His career began with a determination to get rid of the noises in a hi-fi system, only to transfer that interest ironically or rather wonderfully to reducing the noises that could mask a gravity wave.

Each piece of LIGO's detector includes a marvel of engineering. LIGO's "classy" physics and the virgin territory of possible gravity wave astronomy are gathering young physicists from around the world. Potential sources of gravity waves cataloged so far by Kip Thorne's Caltech team and other theoretical groups around the world are many and varied from black hole collisions to neutron-star mountains. The author tells us all the details of these in a quite understandable manner. She also describes gravitational research in countries other than United States and projects by the use of spacecrafts.

The book is well balanced between theory and experiment, between science and sociology, and between anecdotes and stories of serious pursuit. As for anecdotes, there is one about the fact that the term "black hole" caused a problem for a while in France. Read the book for the reason. This is a masterpiece of nonfiction, and will absorb the mind of both a scientist and a layperson.

A focus on the history and physics of gravity waves
This focus on the history and physics of gravity waves - vibrations in space-time, Einstein's unfinished last theory - provides lively insights which translate complex physics to easy associations. From how gravity waves react in the universe to their applications to modern science, Einstein's Unfinished Symphony uses the metaphor of music to consider their idea and applications. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

The Bad Reviewers Here Are Clueless Morons- Disregard Them
Jim Keith meticulously researched this book, ... I challenge anyone who thinks this is a work of "fiction" to come to that conclusion after first visiting the following websites where you can learn a lot of factual information about the MKULTRA program which verifies what Keith is saying: ... Website of John Mecca who is under MKULTRA Mind Control and who is trying hard to warn people. ...That is the website of Advocacy Committee Human Experimentation Survivors- and Mind Control These are people who have suffered the torment of the damned at the hands of the CIA, which is doing the bidding of the Illuminati to set the stage for forcing us into a psychocivilized society with everyone to be put under electronic mind control.Check out this website which shows actual US patents on Mind Control/Behavioral Modification Technology.... and this is only the tip of the iceburg because its the declassified stuff: ...

Check out this free online book: Blueprint for a Prison Planet- The Plan to Microchip Humanity: ...

Check out ...Anti NSA Section, last bullet pointed item is a lawsuit of John St.Claire Akwei vs NSA. In it he details NSA's scientific capabilities for doing Remote Neural Monitoring. Akwei is one of thousands of victims of CIA black ops human experimentation.

Also, I happen to know that Jim Keith was killed for writing this book. He is no longer alive. He was a friend of mine, and what happened to him could happen to me at any time for trying to expose the same things. Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. The people who gave this book bad reviews are either fools or NSA debunkers who don't want people to read the book.

A good starting point to dis-cover "the real world"
Recently, through amazon.com, I have become aware of a phenomenon called mind-control. After reading about it in "Acid Dreams" by Martin Lee, I knew that the American Government and the CIA coercively tested people with mind-controlling substances such as LSD. I knew of it, but hadn't really thought about it.

I would come to learn through reading this book (and others) that this phenomenon did not begin in the US, but rather in Nazi Germany during World War II. People placed in concentration camps under the Nazi regime were used for scientific "experiments" by doctors, inclduing the infamous Josef Mengele. After the war, many Nazis escaped to the United States through the help of rich and powerful British and Americans.

At the height of the cold war, America was in competition with Russia regarding technological advancement. Russian Soviets began testing their people with mind-control techniques. When the American government learned of this, they did everything in their power to be one step ahead of the Soviets and began their own mind-control tests - by, among others, the Nazi scientists who were "invited" to America.

What were the results of theses tests? Who were the people that were being tested with mind-control? What happened to them? Moreover, are there mind-control tests still being conducted today? By whom? Why? You will find all the answers in this book. And it is shocking and disturbing.

The purpose of this book is NOT to illicit human emotions, but rather to tell the truth - relying on factual evidence. It is not science fiction; it is reality. And the real world is very scary. The proposed "New World Order" is even scarier. Jim Keith spells it all out thoroughly in each chapter.

This is a highly informative and well-researched book . I recommend - no, urge YOU to read it. Remember: The truth will set you free. And our freedom is at stake. It's up to each of us to do what we can in order to truly live in the "land of the free."

Begin with reading this book.

i was duped
it is a interesting piece of fiction i read it in two days . knowing what i know about world affairs and the war on the home front. this man seemed to be trying to convince one to adopt the idea of a need for such control. i hope these devices are possible because the reduction in crime/terrorism alone justifys the need for control like this.to keep the idiots zelots and loonys in line.
i like the lifesytle i am accustomed to and a means to keep it sound sencible. but on a final note fanatic books are a good laugh. this book is horror sci/fi. at best.

a good laugh!

Agenda?
Just who has an agenda here? Hey, I'm a firm believer that the U.S. government lies and performs harmful experiments on it's citizens on a regular basis. We have proof of that, lots of it. That said, when some one attempts to convince me of their point of view by eliciting emotion rather than reason, as Mr. Keith does, I tend to regard every word that follows with considerable suspicion. I'm querky that way, having learned long ago that emotion is the fastest way to short circuit reason.

Mr. Keith buries us in references and offical sounding partial quotes from important people and important sounding people hoping that we the reader won't notice the constant use of buz words meant to elicit emotion rather than reason. "The Elite", "greed", "world wide conspiracy", the "ruling class", "eminent stuffed shirts". On and on, over and over, emotional buz words meant to illicit the we vs them response, where "we", the reader, are good and "they" are evil. Again, in order to elicit the "oh, my god" from us, he uses phrases such as "may have been a member of", without ever offering any proof of actual membership in this awful organization or "it has been reported", but he never tells us who reported these awful things.

This book was especially dissapointing for me, because for the most part I agree with the idea that there are "beings" trying to control our thought. As if our "free press" doesn't do a superb job already. I admit that I finally gave up on this book some where around chapter 10. I'd just had it. I suspect that there are truths to be found here, but I was unable to get past Mr. Keith's style to find any. Maybe you can get past this, obviously from some of the previous reviews, some readers don't even notice it. Me,I'm the suspicious type and this book caused me to think that maybe there is LESS, not MORE with respect to the idea of mind control.

It's all good...!
Well, depending on how you define good. If you like keeping your head in the sand, this book is not for you. If you want to know what's really going on in the real world as the "land of the free and the home of the brave," becomes the "land of the slave and the home of the greedy," READ THIS BOOK. What's happening is NOT good. Knowing about it is. Information, knowledge, is power, and it's the only hope we have of stopping the nightmare before it's too late...not that I believe it's ever too late. There are always rebels and renegades who will not stand for cruelty and injustice. I have to believe that. After all, a woman's reach should exceed her grasp, or what's a heaven for? Get this book. Then work with me to make the difference. ... Read more

Book Description

While studying for a test on Galileo, crew member Max falls asleep on a stomach-full of anchovy pizza. Suddenly, it's in the 1600's and Galileo's gravity experiments are going strangely wrong! Is Max having a pizza hallucination...or is he really meant to save the future of science? Either way, it's a slice of science history in the making!

Reviews (1)

This story is wild! Bruno is the funnyest caveman ever!
The Kinetic City Super Crew is my favorite books ... Read more