Ten Days in Physics that Shook the World

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Publisher : Icon Books
ISBN 13 : 1785787489
Total Pages : 214 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (857 download)

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Book Synopsis Ten Days in Physics that Shook the World by : Brian Clegg

Download or read book Ten Days in Physics that Shook the World written by Brian Clegg and published by Icon Books. This book was released on 2021-08-05 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The breakthroughs that have had the most transformative practical impacts, from thermodynamics to the Internet. Physics informs our understanding of how the world works – but more than that, key breakthroughs in physics have transformed everyday life. We journey back to ten separate days in history to understand how particular breakthroughs were achieved, meet the individuals responsible and see how each breakthrough has influenced our lives. It is a unique selection. Focusing on practical impact means there is no room for Stephen Hawking's work on black holes, or the discovery of the Higgs boson. Instead we have the relatively little-known Rudolf Clausius (thermodynamics) and Heike Kamerlingh Onnes (superconductivity), while Albert Einstein is included not for his theories of relativity but for the short paper that gave us E=mc2 (nuclear fission). Later chapters feature transistors, LEDs and the Internet.

Ten Days that Shook the World

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Author :
Publisher : Books Explorer
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 442 pages
Book Rating : 4.A/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Ten Days that Shook the World by : John Reed

Download or read book Ten Days that Shook the World written by John Reed and published by Books Explorer. This book was released on 1919 with total page 442 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Account of the November Revolution in Russia.

Thirty Years that Shook Physics

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Publisher : Courier Corporation
ISBN 13 : 0486135160
Total Pages : 271 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (861 download)

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Book Synopsis Thirty Years that Shook Physics by : George Gamow

Download or read book Thirty Years that Shook Physics written by George Gamow and published by Courier Corporation. This book was released on 2012-05-11 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lucid, accessible introduction to the influential theory of energy and matter features careful explanations of Dirac's anti-particles, Bohr's model of the atom, and much more. Numerous drawings. 1966 edition.

Great Physicists

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Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0199832080
Total Pages : 512 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (998 download)

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Book Synopsis Great Physicists by : William H. Cropper

Download or read book Great Physicists written by William H. Cropper and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2004-09-16 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Here is a lively history of modern physics, as seen through the lives of thirty men and women from the pantheon of physics. William H. Cropper vividly portrays the life and accomplishments of such giants as Galileo and Isaac Newton, Marie Curie and Ernest Rutherford, Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr, right up to contemporary figures such as Richard Feynman, Murray Gell-Mann, and Stephen Hawking. We meet scientists--all geniuses--who could be gregarious, aloof, unpretentious, friendly, dogged, imperious, generous to colleagues or contentious rivals. As Cropper captures their personalities, he also offers vivid portraits of their great moments of discovery, their bitter feuds, their relations with family and friends, their religious beliefs and education. In addition, Cropper has grouped these biographies by discipline--mechanics, thermodynamics, particle physics, and others--each section beginning with a historical overview. Thus in the section on quantum mechanics, readers can see how the work of Max Planck influenced Niels Bohr, and how Bohr in turn influenced Werner Heisenberg. Our understanding of the physical world has increased dramatically in the last four centuries. With Great Physicists, readers can retrace the footsteps of the men and women who led the way.

Plastic Fantastic

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Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 9780230224674
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (246 download)

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Book Synopsis Plastic Fantastic by : Eugenie Samuel Reich

Download or read book Plastic Fantastic written by Eugenie Samuel Reich and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2009-05-12 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discusses the scientific scandal that arose when researchers at Bell Laboratories discovered that wunderkind physicist Jan Hendrik Schön falsified his data to prove that he had discovered a simpler way to make transistors, which would have drastically improved energy technology.

The Year I Stopped to Notice

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Publisher : Icon Books
ISBN 13 : 1785787977
Total Pages : 192 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (857 download)

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Book Synopsis The Year I Stopped to Notice by : Miranda Keeling

Download or read book The Year I Stopped to Notice written by Miranda Keeling and published by Icon Books. This book was released on 2022-03-17 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'This book is a delight ... the world is full of little surprises, momentary little fountains of pleasure and beauty, that could be visible to all of us if we learned to stop and notice as Miranda Keeling does.' Philip Pullman 'An odd, beautiful book ... Buy an extra copy to give to someone you love.' Neil Gaiman January: A man walking along Caledonian Road falls over onto the huge roll of bubble wrap he is hugging, perhaps for just this sort of situation. Inspired by her popular Twitter account, The Year I Stopped to Notice brings together Miranda Keeling's observations of the magic, humour, strangeness and beauty in ordinary life. Through the changing seasons, on city streets and on buses, in parks and cafes, Miranda notices things: moments between friends, the interactions of strangers, children delighting in the world around them, the quiet melancholy of lost items on the pavement. Accompanied by stunning watercolour illustrations from Luci Power, Miranda's poetic vignettes take us on journeys of discovery and share with us the joy of stopping to notice. September: On a sweltering, packed rush-hour train, my arm suddenly feels lovely and cool, and I look down to see a shopping bag held by the woman beside me - full of just-bought cartons of milk.

The Biggest Ideas in the Universe

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Publisher : Penguin
ISBN 13 : 0593186583
Total Pages : 305 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (931 download)

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Book Synopsis The Biggest Ideas in the Universe by : Sean Carroll

Download or read book The Biggest Ideas in the Universe written by Sean Carroll and published by Penguin. This book was released on 2022-09-20 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER “Most appealing... technical accuracy and lightness of tone... Impeccable.”—Wall Street Journal “A porthole into another world.”—Scientific American “Brings science dissemination to a new level.”—Science The most trusted explainer of the most mind-boggling concepts pulls back the veil of mystery that has too long cloaked the most valuable building blocks of modern science. Sean Carroll, with his genius for making complex notions entertaining, presents in his uniquely lucid voice the fundamental ideas informing the modern physics of reality. Physics offers deep insights into the workings of the universe but those insights come in the form of equations that often look like gobbledygook. Sean Carroll shows that they are really like meaningful poems that can help us fly over sierras to discover a miraculous multidimensional landscape alive with radiant giants, warped space-time, and bewilderingly powerful forces. High school calculus is itself a centuries-old marvel as worthy of our gaze as the Mona Lisa. And it may come as a surprise the extent to which all our most cutting-edge ideas about black holes are built on the math calculus enables. No one else could so smoothly guide readers toward grasping the very equation Einstein used to describe his theory of general relativity. In the tradition of the legendary Richard Feynman lectures presented sixty years ago, this book is an inspiring, dazzling introduction to a way of seeing that will resonate across cultural and generational boundaries for many years to come.

Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe

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Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 276 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (97 download)

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Book Synopsis Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe by : Nathan Spielberg

Download or read book Seven Ideas that Shook the Universe written by Nathan Spielberg and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 1987-01-23 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is there an objective world, or is everything relative? Do matter, time and space change, or do they remain constant everywhere in the universe? Is there always a relationship between cause and effect, or do some things "just happen?" Many of our basic ideas about the world have been shaped by science—but seldom are such discoveries accepted easily or willingly. Here are seven of the most important ideas in physics—ideas that shattered the assumptions of dogmatists, philosophers and scientists—explained simply and elegantly. And you don’t need a background in mathematics or science to enjoy this fascinating book. Seven Ideas That Shook the Universe explores the history of seven important themes in physics: Copernican astronomy, Newtonian mechanics, energy and entropy, relativity, quantum theory, and conservation principles and symmetries. Together these discoveries form the foundation of our understanding of the physical world. Nathan Spielberg and Bryon Anderson explain each concept in a simple, straightforward narrative style, considering each in the context of its times and assessing its impact on the way we think about time, space, matter, even existence itself. For the science lover and the intellectually curious, Seven Ideas That Shook the Universe brings the drama of scientific discovery to vivid life.

Ten Philosophies that Shook the World

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Publisher : Cognella Academic Publishing
ISBN 13 : 9781609270889
Total Pages : 240 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (78 download)

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Book Synopsis Ten Philosophies that Shook the World by : Larry Udell

Download or read book Ten Philosophies that Shook the World written by Larry Udell and published by Cognella Academic Publishing. This book was released on 2012-08-13 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The anthology Ten Philosophies That Shook the World: An Economical Introduction to Philosophy allows some of the greatest philosophers, ancient and modern, to speak for themselves and directly to students through their own writings. Based on John Rawls's thesis that an appreciation of a philosopher requires that "the text must be respected," these passages are largely unedited, giving students deeper exposure to the ideas and perspectives of such canonical figures as Plato, Aristotle, and Descartes. Introductory passages and prefaces written by the authors enhance understanding of the original intent of each philosopher. The book begins with two brief selections that provide insight into the value of philosophical ideas, and address how best to read and understand the readings. That material that follows introduces students to nine of the greatest philosophers, beginning with Plato, who represents both his own views and those of Socrates, and ending with John Stuart Mill, and his seminal On Liberty. The organization of the book is chronological, allowing students to embark on a journey of philosophical time travel accompanied by the greats including Hobbes, Locke, Hume, and Marx and Engels. Of special note is the inclusion of an excerpt from Adam Smith's An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Philosophers have come to recognize Smith's importance not just as an economist, but as a bridge between John Locke on one hand, and Karl Marx and John Stuart Mill on the other, and the influence of his philosophy on society at large is nowadays indisputable. Although Smith is rarely included in introductory philosophy anthologies, many instructors will find this selection to be a welcome addition to their courses. Clear and concise, Ten Philosophies that Shook the World, is an excellent reader for introductory philosophy classes, or courses on ancient and modern philosophy. The material is sufficient for a one semester course, and instructors can add a missing favorite while still keeping the cost of course materials very reasonable. Larry Udell teaches philosophy at West Chester University of Pennsylvania. His research is primarily in social and political philosophy and the philosophy of economics, and his recent work focuses on theories of justice in the philosophies of John Rawls and Karl Marx. His teaching and research have a strong historical bent, an approach inspired by John Rawls in philosophy and by Joseph Schumpeter and Joan Robinson in economics. He regularly teaches an Introduction to Philosophy which, while it varies in style from time to time, always includes most of these ten philosophies.

Boltzmanns Atom

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Publisher : Simon and Schuster
ISBN 13 : 1501142674
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (11 download)

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Book Synopsis Boltzmanns Atom by : David Lindley

Download or read book Boltzmanns Atom written by David Lindley and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2015-12-19 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1900 many eminent scientists did not believe atoms existed, yet within just a few years the atomic century launched into history with an astonishing string of breakthroughs in physics that began with Albert Einstein and continues to this day. Before this explosive growth into the modern age took place, an all-but-forgotten genius strove for forty years to win acceptance for the atomic theory of matter and an altogether new way of doing physics. Ludwig Boltz-mann battled with philosophers, the scientific establishment, and his own potent demons. His victory led the way to the greatest scientific achievements of the twentieth century. Now acclaimed science writer David Lindley portrays the dramatic story of Boltzmann and his embrace of the atom, while providing a window on the civilized world that gave birth to our scientific era. Boltzmann emerges as an endearingly quixotic character, passionately inspired by Beethoven, who muddled through the practical matters of life in a European gilded age. Boltzmann's story reaches from fin de siècle Vienna, across Germany and Britain, to America. As the Habsburg Empire was crumbling, Germany's intellectual might was growing; Edinburgh in Scotland was one of the most intellectually fertile places on earth; and, in America, brilliant independent minds were beginning to draw on the best ideas of the bureaucratized old world. Boltzmann's nemesis in the field of theoretical physics at home in Austria was Ernst Mach, noted today in the term Mach I, the speed of sound. Mach believed physics should address only that which could be directly observed. How could we know that frisky atoms jiggling about corresponded to heat if we couldn't see them? Why should we bother with theories that only told us what would probably happen, rather than making an absolute prediction? Mach and Boltzmann both believed in the power of science, but their approaches to physics could not have been more opposed. Boltzmann sought to explain the real world, and cast aside any philosophical criteria. Mach, along with many nineteenth-century scientists, wanted to construct an empirical edifice of absolute truths that obeyed strict philosophical rules. Boltzmann did not get on well with authority in any form, and he did his best work at arm's length from it. When at the end of his career he engaged with the philosophical authorities in the Viennese academy, the results were personally disastrous and tragic. Yet Boltzmann's enduring legacy lives on in the new physics and technology of our wired world. Lindley's elegant telling of this tale combines the detailed breadth of the best history, the beauty of theoretical physics, and the psychological insight belonging to the finest of novels.

When We Cease to Understand the World

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Publisher : New York Review of Books
ISBN 13 : 1681375664
Total Pages : 193 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (813 download)

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Book Synopsis When We Cease to Understand the World by : Benjamin Labatut

Download or read book When We Cease to Understand the World written by Benjamin Labatut and published by New York Review of Books. This book was released on 2021-09-28 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of The New York Times Book Review’s 10 Best Books of 2021 Shortlisted for the 2021 International Booker Prize and the 2021 National Book Award for Translated Literature A fictional examination of the lives of real-life scientists and thinkers whose discoveries resulted in moral consequences beyond their imagining. When We Cease to Understand the World is a book about the complicated links between scientific and mathematical discovery, madness, and destruction. Fritz Haber, Alexander Grothendieck, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrödinger—these are some of luminaries into whose troubled lives Benjamín Labatut thrusts the reader, showing us how they grappled with the most profound questions of existence. They have strokes of unparalleled genius, alienate friends and lovers, descend into isolation and insanity. Some of their discoveries reshape human life for the better; others pave the way to chaos and unimaginable suffering. The lines are never clear. At a breakneck pace and with a wealth of disturbing detail, Labatut uses the imaginative resources of fiction to tell the stories of the scientists and mathematicians who expanded our notions of the possible.

To The Blight

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Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 0765342219
Total Pages : 485 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (653 download)

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Book Synopsis To The Blight by : Robert Jordan

Download or read book To The Blight written by Robert Jordan and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2002-01-07 with total page 485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An American Library Association “Best Books for Young Adults” A VOYA “Best Books for Young Adults” “Jordan has come to dominate the world that Tolkien began to reveal.” —The New York Times Pursued by Trollocs and Myrddraal, Rand and his friends find refuge in the deserted city of Shadar Logoth. But their wandering—and the many dangers they face—are far from over. For from the lips of a dying Aiel girl they learn that the Dark One means to blind the Eye of the World. Having barely escaped capture and death, Rand finds himself face to face with Aginor: a wielder of the One Power and an ally of the Dark One. In the battle that follows, Rand will discover his true identity...and destiny. “The most ambitious American fantasy saga [may] also be the finest. Rich in detail and his plot is rich in incident. Impressive work, and highly recommended.”—Booklist “Recalls the work of Tolkien.”—Publishers Weekly “This richly detailed fantasy presents fully realized, complex adventure. Recommended.”—Library Journal “The definitive American fantasy saga.” —Chicago Sun-Times

Are Numbers Real?

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Publisher : Macmillan
ISBN 13 : 1250081041
Total Pages : 303 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (5 download)

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Book Synopsis Are Numbers Real? by : Brian Clegg

Download or read book Are Numbers Real? written by Brian Clegg and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2016-12-06 with total page 303 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents an accessible, in-depth look at the history of numbers and their applications in life and science, from math's surreal presence in the virtual world to the debates about the role of math in science.

Big Data

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Publisher : Icon Books
ISBN 13 : 1785782495
Total Pages : 129 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (857 download)

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Book Synopsis Big Data by : Brian Clegg

Download or read book Big Data written by Brian Clegg and published by Icon Books. This book was released on 2017-08-03 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is the Brexit vote successful big data politics or the end of democracy? Why do airlines overbook, and why do banks get it wrong so often? How does big data enable Netflix to forecast a hit, CERN to find the Higgs boson and medics to discover if red wine really is good for you? And how are companies using big data to benefit from smart meters, use advertising that spies on you and develop the gig economy, where workers are managed by the whim of an algorithm? The volumes of data we now access can give unparalleled abilities to make predictions, respond to customer demand and solve problems. But Big Brother's shadow hovers over it. Though big data can set us free and enhance our lives, it has the potential to create an underclass and a totalitarian state. With big data ever-present, you can't afford to ignore it. Acclaimed science writer Brian Clegg - a habitual early adopter of new technology (and the owner of the second-ever copy of Windows in the UK) - brings big data to life.

The Practice Effect

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Publisher : Spectra
ISBN 13 : 055326981X
Total Pages : 287 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (532 download)

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Book Synopsis The Practice Effect by : David Brin

Download or read book The Practice Effect written by David Brin and published by Spectra. This book was released on 1984 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Physicist Dennis Nuel, the first human to probe the alternate universes of the anomal worlds, joins forces with a beautiful woman with strange powers to battle a mysterious warlord.

Bomb (Graphic Novel)

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Publisher : Roaring Brook Press
ISBN 13 : 1250291038
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (52 download)

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Book Synopsis Bomb (Graphic Novel) by : Steve Sheinkin

Download or read book Bomb (Graphic Novel) written by Steve Sheinkin and published by Roaring Brook Press. This book was released on 2023-01-24 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A riveting graphic novel adaptation of the award-winning nonfiction book, Bomb—the fascinating and frightening true story of the creation behind the most destructive force that birthed the arms race and the Cold War. In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned three continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists, led by "father of the atomic bomb" J. Robert Oppenheimer, was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, the risk-taking, the deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb. New York Times bestselling author Steve Sheinkin's award-winning nonfiction book is now available reimagined in the graphic novel format. Full color illustrations from Nick Bertozzi are detailed and enriched with the nonfiction expertise Nick brings to the story as a beloved artist, comic book writer, and commercial illustrator who has written a couple of his own historical graphic novels, including Shackleton and Lewis & Clark. Accessible, gripping, and educational, this new edition of Bomb is perfect for young readers and adults alike. Praise for Bomb (2012): “This superb and exciting work of nonfiction would be a fine tonic for any jaded adolescent who thinks history is 'boring.' It's also an excellent primer for adult readers who may have forgotten, or never learned, the remarkable story of how nuclear weaponry was first imagined, invented and deployed—and of how an international arms race began well before there was such a thing as an atomic bomb.” —The Wall Street Journal “This is edge-of-the seat material that will resonate with YAs who clamor for true spy stories, and it will undoubtedly engross a cross-market audience of adults who dozed through the World War II unit in high school.” —The Bulletin (starred review) Also by Steve Sheinkin: Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War Born to Fly: The First Women's Air Race Across America The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery Which Way to the Wild West?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About Westward Expansion King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the Civil War

Quantum Generations

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Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780691095523
Total Pages : 514 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (955 download)

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Book Synopsis Quantum Generations by : Helge Kragh

Download or read book Quantum Generations written by Helge Kragh and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2002-03-24 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: At the end of the nineteenth century, some physicists believed that the basic principles underlying their subject were already known, and that physics in the future would only consist of filling in the details. They could hardly have been more wrong. The past century has seen the rise of quantum mechanics, relativity, cosmology, particle physics, and solid-state physics, among other fields. These subjects have fundamentally changed our understanding of space, time, and matter. They have also transformed daily life, inspiring a technological revolution that has included the development of radio, television, lasers, nuclear power, and computers. In Quantum Generations, Helge Kragh, one of the world's leading historians of physics, presents a sweeping account of these extraordinary achievements of the past one hundred years. The first comprehensive one-volume history of twentieth-century physics, the book takes us from the discovery of X rays in the mid-1890s to superstring theory in the 1990s. Unlike most previous histories of physics, written either from a scientific perspective or from a social and institutional perspective, Quantum Generations combines both approaches. Kragh writes about pure science with the expertise of a trained physicist, while keeping the content accessible to nonspecialists and paying careful attention to practical uses of science, ranging from compact disks to bombs. As a historian, Kragh skillfully outlines the social and economic contexts that have shaped the field in the twentieth century. He writes, for example, about the impact of the two world wars, the fate of physics under Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin, the role of military research, the emerging leadership of the United States, and the backlash against science that began in the 1960s. He also shows how the revolutionary discoveries of scientists ranging from Einstein, Planck, and Bohr to Stephen Hawking have been built on the great traditions of earlier centuries. Combining a mastery of detail with a sure sense of the broad contours of historical change, Kragh has written a fitting tribute to the scientists who have played such a decisive role in the making of the modern world.