The Elegant Universe
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| The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory |
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| Author | Brian Greene |
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| Subject(s) | String theory |
| Genre(s) | Non-fiction |
| Publisher | Vintage |
| Publication date | February 1999 |
| Media type | print (hardcover and paperback) |
| Pages | 464 |
| ISBN | 0-375-70811-1 |
The Elegant Universe is a book by Brian Greene published in 1999 which introduces string theory and provides a comprehensive though non-technical assessment of the theory and some of its shortcomings.
Contents |
[edit] Themes
The book is divided into three themes in the following parts:
- Part I: The Edge of Knowledge
- Part II: The Dilemma of Space, Time, and the Quanta
- Part III: The Cosmic Symphony
- Part IV: String Theory and the Fabric of Spacetime
- Part V: Unification in the Twenty-First Century
[edit] Contents
Beginning with a brief consideration of classical physics, which concentrates on the major conflicts in physics, Greene establishes a historical context for string theory as a necessary means of integrating the probabilistic world of the standard model of particle physics and the deterministic Newtonian physics of the macroscopic world. Greene discusses the essential problem facing modern physics: unification of Albert Einstein's theory of General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics. Greene suggests that string theory is the solution to these two conflicting approaches. Greene frequently uses analogies and thought experiments to provide a means for the layman to come to terms with the theory which has the potential to create a unified theory of physics.
[edit] Adaptations
The Elegant Universe was adapted for a three hour program in three parts for television broadcast in late 2003 on the PBS series NOVA.
- Einstein's Dream
- Strings The Thing
- Welcome To The 11th Dimension
The Elegant Universe was also interpreted by choreographer Karole Armitage, of Armitage Gone! Dance, in New York City. A performance of the work-in-progress formed part of the inaugural World Science Festival.
[edit] References
Brian Greene, "The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory", Vintage Series, Random House Inc, February 2000 ISBN 0-375-70811-1
[edit] See also
Related books:
- The Fabric of the Cosmos. Also by Brian Greene.
- Three Roads to Quantum Gravity
- The Trouble With Physics
- Warped Passages
[edit] External links
- "SparkNotes: The Elegant Universe". Barnes & Noble. 2004. http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/elegantuniverse/. Retrieved on 2006-06-04.
- WGBH Educational Foundation (2003). "The Elegant Universe". PBS NOVA. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/elegant/. Retrieved on 2006-06-04. A three-hour miniseries with Brian Greene.
- "Science & the City" podcast of Armitage's adaptation, produced by the New York Academy of Sciences
