Order from a Major Online Bookstore
Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine
Save Your Time And Money
| AnyBook4Less.com | Order from a Major Online Bookstore |
|
| Home | Store List | FAQ | Contact Us | | ||
| Ultimate Book Price Comparison Engine Save Your Time And Money |
||
 |
Title: Hyperspace : A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension by Michio Kaku ISBN: 0-385-47705-8 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 01 February, 1995 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.38 (166 reviews)
Rating: 5
Summary: A Wealth of Scientific Knowledge
Comment: When I bought this book, I expected to read a book that focused on cosmology, quantum theory, relativity, and the like. What I found was a treasure trove of scientific history, facts, and knowledge. Michio Kaku is a venerable walking encyclopedia of science! I was thrilled with the immense diversity and breadth of scientific discussions and information presented in this book. Kaku covers cosmology, quantum theory, superstring theory, relativity, mathematics, the extinction of the dinosaurs, wormholes and blackholes, time travel, numerous scientific and mathematical achievements and achievers, and a plethora of related (and, sometimes, seemingly unrelated) topics! This book is written in terms even readers with a very basic, fundamental knowledge of math and science can understand. It is not a difficult read; it is entertaining, informative, interesting, and lively. I highly recommend this book for anyone who has even the remotest interest in any branch of mathematics or physics.
Rating: 4
Summary: An Introduction to Hyperspace
Comment: This is an odyssey into the history of development of the concept of hyperspace that includes fourth and higher spatial dimensions to account for the riddles and unsolved problems of unified field theory. Since the postulation of special theory of relativity, Einstein and subsequent physicists until now have struggled to explain the four natural forces; the electromagnetic force (explained by Maxwell's field equations for electricity & magnetism); the strong and weak nuclear forces (explained by Yang - Mills field equations for subatomic forces); and the gravitational force (explained by Einstein's field equations of gravitation and relativity) by one unified field theory (theory of everything: String Theory). In other words, unifying the forces of the big, the cosmos, and the laws of the small, the microcosm (subatomic forces) by one single theory. The first part of the book describes how laws of nature become so simple to understand if higher dimensions are invoked; the author gives us a good historical background to build his case for hyperspace concept. The second part of the book describes the evolution of quantum mechanics and String theory. An introduction to wormholes, black holes and the use of these cosmic bodies for interstellar travel is given in the third part. The fourth part rambles through the future of the universe with irrelevant and some times out of focus narrative. The book is entirely free of physics and mathematics; from the point of understanding the basic concepts this approach is welcome. This book also gives an insight into the poignant story of Riemann (p.42) and Ramanujan (p.174) who sustained enormous personal and family hardships to contribute significantly in the field of mathematics. We also get a glimpse of academic rat race that involves professional rivalry, name & work recognition, and personal ego that is prevalent in academics. This is illustrated when Einstein delays Kaluza's paper for publication for 2 years (p.102). Bohr calling Pauli's lecture crazy (p.137); Sheldon Glashow ridiculing t'Hooft's work (p.121); a superior discouraging Mahahiko Suzuki's publication about Euler's Beta function (p.161); and Pauli being furious about Eisenberg's claim, Einstein - Bohr argument, and Schrodinger frustrated with Bohr's interpretation (p.261).
The author rambles about symmetry in arts; what is that got to do with hyperspace? The reader can find this discussion in any art book. Time travel has been described in layman's language in many books in depth; this discussion is unnecessary for this book. Throughout the book, the author refers to standard model and the equations of quantum mechanics as ugly; Equations are not ugly, they are complex or non-symmetrical.
The author could have devoted one chapter to describing the field equations in layman's terms; it would have helped a more enthusiastic reader to build a bridge to physics and tensor calculus. The reader should not be discouraged about mathematics in understanding relativity; many physicists themselves are heading to the library to learn about mathematics in String theory (Part 2). More appropriate title of the book could be hyperspace - a historical development of String theory. Despite the minor concerns, this book has strong points as observed above. I encourage the reader to buy this book; if you are not happy with this book, it is less than two-lunch money (page numbers from 1994 edition).
Rating: 2
Summary: A little on the fluffy side
Comment: Although "Hyperspace" is fairly easy to read, and does have some interesting ideas in it, it's a little light on the science compared to other books I've read. That might be due to the fact that the subject matter is still in the theoretical stage. But, still, much of the book is anecdotal and many of the analogies used to explain the main theories are repetitive and off-subject. Plus, the book (and the information inside) is pretty out of date. Kaku often refers to things that might happen by the year 2000. This book is more useful for light reading than for really learning about unification theories and multi-dimensional universe models.
 |
Title: The Elegant Universe : Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory by Brian Greene ISBN: 0375708111 Publisher: Vintage Pub. Date: 29 February, 2000 List Price(USD): $15.95 |
 |
Title: Visions : How Science Will Revolutionize the 21st Century by Michio Kaku ISBN: 0385484992 Publisher: Bantam Books Pub. Date: 15 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $14.00 |
 |
Title: Beyond Einstein : The Cosmic Quest for the Theory of the Universe by Jennifer Thompson Trainer, Michio Kaku ISBN: 0385477813 Publisher: Anchor Pub. Date: 01 September, 1995 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
 |
Title: Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip S. Thorne, Frederick Seitz, Stephen Hawking ISBN: 0393312763 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: January, 1995 List Price(USD): $18.95 |
 |
Title: A Brief History of Time : The Updated and Expanded Tenth Anniversary Edition by Stephen Hawking ISBN: 0553380168 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 September, 1998 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
Thank you for visiting www.AnyBook4Less.com and enjoy your savings!
Copyright� 2001-2021 Send your comments
