Quantum physics Books

Book SynopsisA Brief History of Time for the 21st CenturyAt the heart of our galaxy lies a monster so deadly, not even light can escape its grasp. Its secrets lie waiting to be discovered. It's time to explore our universe's most mysterious inhabitantsBlack HolesAt the heart of the Milky Way lies a supermassive black hole 4 million times more massive than our Sun. A place where space and time are so warped that light is trapped if it ventures within 12 million km. According to Einstein, inside lies the end of time. According to 21st-century physics, the reality may be far more bizarre.Black holes lie where the most massive stars used to shine and at the edge of our current understanding. They are naturally occurring objects, the inevitable creations of gravity when too much matter collapses into not enough space. And yet, although the laws of nature predict them, they fail fully to describe them.Black holes are places in space and time where the laws of gravity, quantum physics and thermodynamics collide. Originally thought to be so intellectually troubling that they simply could not exist, it is only in the past few years that we have begun to glimpse a new synthesis; a deep connection between gravity and quantum information theory that describes a holographic universe in which space and time emerge from a network of quantum bits, and wormholes span the void.In this groundbreaking book, Professor Brian Cox and Professor Jeff Forshaw take you to the edge of our understanding of black holes; a scientific journey to the research frontier spanning a century of physics, from Einstein to Hawking and beyond, that ends with the startling conclusion that our world may operate like a giant quantum computer.Trade Review‘An AMAZING thing to read. So SATISFYING, I REALLY RECOMMEND reading this book…FASCINATING’ Jeremy Vine ‘FASCINATING… a MIND BOGGLING new book’ Afternoon Edition with Nihal Arthanayake, BBC Radio ‘There are few better than Cox at turning tricksy, potentially dense subjects into captivating “edutainment” for the masses – be it in BBC documentaries, live shows or books. Not for nothing did Sir David Attenborough once proclaim: “If I had a torch I would hand it to Brian Cox.”’ Guy Kelly, Daily Telegraph ‘A spellbinding cosmic exploration that resists collapsing under the weight of jargon.’ Kirkus Reviews Praise for Professors Brian Cox & Jeff Forshaw ‘They have blazed a clear trail into forbidding territory, from the mathematical structure of space-time all the way to atom bombs, astrophysics and the origin of mass.’ New Scientist 'Inspirational' Buzz Aldrin ‘A scientific match made in heaven’ Observer ‘Cox and Forshaw stand together at the cutting edge of their discipline … Despite their elevated status, both men remain tiggerishly excitable about their subject’ Financial Times ‘Mindblowing’ Sunday Times ‘I can think of no one, Stephen Hawking included, who more perfectly combines authority, knowledge, passion, clarity, and powers of elucidation than Brian Cox.’ Stephen Fry, 2009 ‘Admirably shies away from dumbing down’ Economist ‘They do a great job of bringing a difficult subject to life’ The Times ‘If you're not a physicist (or not yet a physicist) and you want to understand what Einstein and relativity theory are all about, you would do well to read this book. The writing is clear, sparkling in places, and totally without vanity … [A] delightful little book’ Huffington Post ‘Readers will enjoy this engaging, ambitious and creative tour of our quantum universe’ Guardian

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Book SynopsisPart of the best-selling '...for Beginners' series that brings to life the wide world of physics. Rather than explaining details about how to do physics, this book focusses on explaining what different branches of physics are about, how we know about them, and what mysteries remain for budding physicists to uncover. It doesn't shy away from the hard stuff, tackling black holes, quantum mechanics and even Einstein's theories of relativity.Table of ContentsWhat is physics?Asking questions?Physics is everywhereWhat do physicists do?Chapter 1: Forces & motionWhat makes things move, what makes things stop, and why some things move faster and easier than others.Chapter 2: WavesHow sounds travel, how light works, and the mysterious connection between electricity and magnetism.Chapter 3: The speed of light and the shape of the universeAlbert Einstein came up with two of the most significant theories in modern physics: special relativity, which explores the speed of light, and general relativity, which unpacks the shape of the universe. But what actually ARE these theories?Chapter 4: Nuclear and particle physicsIntroducing the very smallest things physicists have discovered, and seeing what happens when they try to break those things apart into even smaller pieces. Chapter 5: Quantum mechanicsThe smallest particles don't seem to follow the same rules as bigger things. So what rules do they follow, and why don't they seem to make sense?Chapter 6: SpaceWhat is out there, beyond the Earth? And where exactly did it all come from?Chapter 7: Unsolved mysteriesThere are plenty of things physicists don't understand about how things work, whether on Earth or out in space. Discover some of the mysteries that YOU might help to solve one day.GlossaryIndexAcknowledgments

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Book SynopsisIn Our Mathematical Universe, Max Tegmark, one of the most original physicists at work today, leads us on an astonishing journey to explore the mysteries uncovered by cosmology and to discover the nature of realityPart-history of the cosmos, part-intellectual adventure, Our Mathematical Universe travels from the Big Bang to the distant future via parallel worlds, across every possible scale - from the sub-atomic to the intergalactic - showing how mathematics provides the answers to our questions about the world. Where do we come from? What makes the universe the way it is? In essence, why are we here? With dazzling clarity, Max Tegmark ponders these deep mysteries and allows us to grasp the most cutting-edge and mind-boggling theories of physics. What he proposes is an elegant and fascinating idea: that our physical world not only is described by mathematics, but that it is mathematics. ''Our Mathematical Universe is nothing if not impressive. Brilliantly argued and beautifully written, it is never less than thought-provoking about the greatest mysteries of our existence'' - New York Times ''An amazing ride through the rich landscape of contemporary cosmology... Physics could do with more characters like Tegmark... an imaginative intellect and a charismatic presence'' - Clive Cookson, Financial Times Max Tegmark is author or co-author of more than 200 technical papers, twelve of which have been cited more than 500 times. He has featured in dozens of science documentaries, and his work with the SDSS collaboration on galaxy clustering shared the first prize in Science magazine''s Breakthrough of the Year: 2003. He holds a Ph.D from the University of California, Berkeley, and is a physics professor at MIT.Trade ReviewOur Mathematical Universe is nothing if not impressive. Brilliantly argued and beautifully written, it is never less than thought-provoking about the greatest mysteries of our existence * New York Times *An amazing ride through the rich landscape of contemporary cosmology... Physics could do with more characters like Tegmark... an imaginative intellect and a charismatic presence -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Tegmark is one of the rock gods of cosmology, a select group of thinkers who are using their mathematical prowess to tear up all our cherished notions about the universe, and replace it with a cosmos that is so bewilderingly weird that it makes the plot of most science-fiction novels look like an Ikea instruction leaflet * Telegraph *Our Mathematical Universe boldly confronts one of the deepest questions: why is mathematics so spectacularly successful at describing the cosmos? Through lively writing and wonderfully accessible explanations, Max Tegmark - one of the world's leading theoretical physicists - guides the reader to a possible answer, and reveals how, if it's right, our understanding of reality itself would be radically altered -- Brian Greene

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewA global superstar... Professor Rovelli is making the grammar of the universe accessible to a new generation * Channel 4 News *The most fun physicist to be with -- as well as the greatest explainer of physics -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *Surely Rovelli deserves the title 'world's most inspiring physics teacher' * Daily Telegraph *The physicist transforming how we see the universe * Financial Times *The new Hawking... His writing is luminous. By the time I had finished reading I was in serious awe of the author -- David Aaronovitch * The Times *This is a really, really good book about science. It's like a tonic for the mind. Carlo Rovelli is a physicist so of course this book is about physics. But it's much more than that. It's about thinking clearly... He gives beautifully clear explanations of the ideas of the cleverest people in history, from Democritus, via Newton, to Einstein and beyond. * Evening Standard *Rather brilliant... for fans of cutting-edge physics made accessible -- Mark HaddonThe latest thinking in physics is distilled in this primer... Why do you need yet another popularisation of theoretical physics? Because Rovelli writes with crystalline simplicity. And because he turns quantum physics into a coherent story, shaping it as a quest for a single, underlying "substratum" of reality - from Democritus's finite, indivisible atoms to Einstein -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A comprehensive guide to the bewitching adventure of physics * Daily Telegraph *Rovelli writes with elegance, clarity and charm... A joy to read, as well as being an intellectual feast -- Michael Brooks * New Statesman *Be prepared for your intellectual foundations to be vaporised... Carlo Rovelli will melt your synapses with this exploration of physical reality and what the universe is formed of at the very deepest level... Quantum gravity is so new that there aren't many popular books about it. You couldn't be in better hands than Rovelli, a world expert -- Tara Shears * The Times Higher Education *Like all great thinkers, Rovelli has a talent for simplicity. His prose is lucid and poetic... It's not a scientific treatise. It's a paean to the wonder of the natural world... I scraped a C in my Physics O-level and haven't been near a physics textbook since. If I can understand - and even enjoy - Rovelli's book, then anyone can -- William Cook * Spectator *A marvel... In exquisitely written pages Rovelli seeks to bridge the divide between what CP Snow called the "Two Cultures" of science and the arts -- Ian Thomson * Guardian *May genuinely alter how you see the world -- Tom Whipple * The Times *If your desire to be awestruck by the universe we inhabit needs refreshing, theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli is up to the task * Elle *

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Book SynopsisIf you want to remember why you once fell in love with the idea of the cosmos, or want to fall in love with it for the first time, then this book is for you' ObserverFrom Carlo Rovelli, the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, this is a story of wonder, new worlds and why the end is just the beginningLet us journey into the heart of a black hole. Let us slip beyond its boundary, the horizon, and tumble - on and on - down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we''ll see geometry fold, we''ll feel the equations draw tight around us. Eventually, we''ll pass it: the remains of a star, deep and dense and falling further far. And then - the bottom. Where time and space end, and the white hole is born . . .With lightness and magic, here Carlo Rovelli traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, of the uncertainty and joy of going where we''ve not yet been. Guiding us to the edge of theory and experiment, he invites us to go beyond, to experience the fever and the disquiet of science. Here is the extraordinary life of a white hole.A BOOK OF THE YEAR ACCORDING TO THE FINANCIAL TIMES * SUNDAY TELEGRAPH * NEW STATESMAN * NEW SCIENTIST

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Book Synopsis''A gripping new drama in science ... if you want to understand how the concept of life is changing, read this'' Professor Andrew Briggs, University of OxfordWhen Darwin set out to explain the origin of species, he made no attempt to answer the deeper question: what is life? For generations, scientists have struggled to make sense of this fundamental question. Life really does look like magic: even a humble bacterium accomplishes things so dazzling that no human engineer can match it. And yet, huge advances in molecular biology over the past few decades have served only to deepen the mystery. So can life be explained by known physics and chemistry, or do we need something fundamentally new?In this penetrating and wide-ranging new analysis, world-renowned physicist and science communicator Paul Davies searches for answers in a field so new and fast-moving that it lacks a name, a domain where computing, chemistry, quantum physics and nanotechnology intersect. At the heart of these diverse fields, Davies explains, is the concept of information: a quantity with the power to unify biology with physics, transform technology and medicine, and even to illuminate the age-old question of whether we are alone in the universe. From life''s murky origins to the microscopic engines that run the cells of our bodies, The Demon in the Machine is a breath-taking journey across the landscape of physics, biology, logic and computing. Weaving together cancer and consciousness, two-headed worms and bird navigation, Davies reveals how biological organisms garner and process information to conjure order out of chaos, opening a window on the secret of life itself.Trade ReviewBrilliantly vivid ... The big idea is that understanding the information flow in organisms might be the missing part of our scientific jigsaw puzzle. The informational approach [to life], in David's elegant and lucid exposition, is highly promising -- Steven Poole * Guardian *Important and imaginative -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Boundary-transcending ... Davies claims that life's defining characteristics are better understood in terms of information ... there is grandeur in this view of life * Nature *Paul Davies is a courageous explorer of the boundaries of what we can know about our world. This book makes his explorations available to all who enjoy pushing those boundaries. Written with a light entertaining touch, even the most abstruse science acquires the clarity of exposition for which the author is justly renowned -- Denis Noble, University of Oxford, author of Dance to the Tune of Life: Biological RelativityThis is one of the most exciting books I have read in years. Paul Davies celebrates a significant anniversary with a demonically brilliant investigation of a fundamental question that only the very latest science and philosophy can deal with. Now we have a view from the master that's as thrilling as it is satisfying. Superb. -- Robyn WilliamsThe molecular biology revolution has led to extraordinary understandings of how life emerges from physical processes. But comprehension of the nuts and bolts of these processes omits a key feature of what is going on: what separates life from non-life is information. In this characteristically clearly written and engaging book, ranging from physics to biology and evolutionary theory to neuroscience, Paul Davies strongly makes the case that at its core, life is about information flows. There is much food for thought here. Highly recommended. -- George F.R. Ellis, University of Cape Town, co-author of The Large Scale Structure of Space-TimePaul Davies always probes the deepest questions in science. Here, addressing the deepest of all -- Schrödinger's What is Life? -- he tells us what life is: matter plus information - beyond the laws of physics, but compatible with them. To elaborate this thesis, he deploys his trademark talent: getting to the heart of the most abstruse and technical aspects of science (biology as well as physics), without jargon and with down-to-earth analogies -- Michael Berry, HH Wills Physics LaboratoryThis creative demon shadows DNA and the promise of quantum computing, answering some basic questions. What is consciousness, why is life so good at predicting where it might go next? The bridge connecting fundamental physics, biology and the most advanced labs of computation is what Davies calls information patterns. He shows how it organizes for top-down creativity, and thereby holds off the grim reaper of entropy. With striking insight, and metaphors that illuminate the landscape of science today, Davies once again becomes a guide to the near future. -- Charles Jencks, The Garden of Cosmic SpeculationThe Demon in the Machine encompasses some of the most intriguing and unsolved mysteries of the universe: the existence of an arrow of time imprinted on the cosmos, and the emergence of life itself. Davies' crisp but rich narrative succeeds in untangling various highly complex ideas and processes, while fluently and intelligently setting out its own arrow of argument. -- Mikhail Prokopenko, The University of SydneyPaul Davies narrates a gripping new drama in science, in which the plot is the story of life and the leading actor is information. With his characteristic blend of erudition and clarity, he brings together some of the most rapidly advancing knowledge in physics and technology to show how information controls biology. If you want to understand how the concept of life is changing, read this. -- Professor Andrew Briggs, University of Oxford, author of The Penultimate Curiosity and It Keeps Me Seeking.A tour-de-force of a fascinating and frontier topic: information as a distinguishing, central aspect of those physical systems known as living ones. The Demon in the Machine is simultaneously rigorous, state-of-the-art, and highly readable - very hard to put down -- Michael Levin, Allen Discovery Center at Tufts UniversityPaul Davies takes us on a fascinating tour of what is known about what life is. Along the way he speculates interestingly about what may become known. His theme, drawn from Darwin, Schrödinger, Turing, Gödel, Shannon and von Neumann, is that what separates life from non-life is information. But how? Exploring that question illuminates biology by revealing its deep roots in physics, mathematics and computer science. -- David DeutschWhat is life? Questions don't come much bigger than that. It's asked regularly by biologists, philosophers, lawyers, law-makers, astrobiologists and, occasionally, wide-eyed children. It's not so often asked by physicists, which makes Paul Davies' new book, The Demon In The Machine, that much more fascinating. * Sydney Morning Herald *a vivid exposition of the new mathematics of biology, in which information flows play a central part * The Telegraph, best new science books to buy for Christmas 2019 *Davies - one of the most imaginative scientists working today - urges biologists studying the origins and evolution of life to pay more attention to flows of information and energy on top of traditional chemistry and physics. He is a clear guide to the emergence of information science as a key factor in biology research. * The Financial Times, Best books of 2019: Science *

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Book Synopsis''Quantum mechanics for real. This is the good stuff, the most mysterious aspects of how reality works, set out with crystalline clarity. The place to start'' Sean Carroll, physicist, California Institute of Technology, author of The Particle at the End of the UniverseThis is the ultimate practical introduction to quantum mechanics. World-renowned physicist Leonard Susskind and data engineer Art Friedman give you the basic skills you need to tackle this famously difficult topic yourself.They provide clear, lively explanations of basic concepts, introduce the key fields of quantum mechanics and include step-by-step exercises. Making a complex subject ''as simple as possible, but no simpler'', this is a practical toolkit for amateur scientists that you won''t find anywhere else.Trade ReviewThe writing is fresh and immediate, crisp and satisfying .... A persuasive overview * Nature *

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Book SynopsisQuantum Theory is the most revolutionary discovery in physics since Newton. This book gives a lucid, exciting, and accessible account of the surprising and counterintuitive ideas that shape our understanding of the sub-atomic world. It does not disguise the problems of interpretation that still remain unsettled 75 years after the initial discoveries. The main text makes no use of equations, but there is a Mathematical Appendix for those desiring stronger fare. Uncertainty, probabilistic physics, complementarity, the problematic character of measurement, and decoherence are among the many topics discussed.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewJohn Polkinghorne has brought to life that most mysterious and perplexing of revolutions in understanding and has made its mysteries accessible. * Peter Atkins, University of Oxford *John Polkinghorne has produced an excellent piece of work. ... Many authors of "popular" books on modern physics have the regrettable habit of mixing science fact with science fiction. Polkinghorne never does that: he always allows the truth to stand by itself and show its own fascination. ... I think that this is an excellent contribution to the literature on quantum theory for a general audience. * Chris Isham, Imperial College, London *This splendid book explains both the triumph and the mystery that is quantum theory. It is a triumph because of its towering mathematical structure, and amazing empirical accuracy. It is a mystery because of the conundrums about how to interpret it. John Polkinghorne, himself a distinguished quantum physicist, is a sure guide to all of this: he celebrates the successes of the theory, and shows unfailingly good judgement about the conundrums. * Jeremy Butterfield, University of Oxford *Table of Contents1. Classical cracks ; 2. The light dawns ; 3. Darkening Perplexities ; 4. Further developments ; 5. Togetherness ; 6. Lessons and meanings

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Book SynopsisQuantum physics is not mystifying. The implications are mind-bending, and not yet fully understood, but this revolutionary theory is truly illuminating. It stands as the best explanation of the fundamental nature of our world. ‘An authoritative and beautifully written account of the quest to understand quantum theory and the origin of space and time.’ Professor Brian Cox Spanning the history of quantum discoveries, from Einstein and Bohr to the present day, Something Deeply Hidden is the essential guide to the most intriguing subject in science. Acclaimed physicist and writer Sean Carroll debunks the myths, resurrects and reinstates the Many-Worlds interpretation, and presents a new path towards solving the apparent conflict between quantum mechanics and Einstein’s theory of general relativity. In doing so, he fills a gap in the science that has existed for almost a century. A magisterial tour, Something Deeply Hidden encompasses the cosmological and everyday implications of quantum reality and multiple universes. And – finally – it all makes sense. ***** 'Carroll takes us by the hand and with a benign smile and a chatty style, leads us to a place where… at every instant an almost infinite number of copies of you are splitting off to live alternative lives… a wild conceptual ride.' The Sunday Times, BOOKS OF THE YEAR 'Like all great writers, Carroll has the remarkable ability of putting the reader utterly at ease with his lucid and addictive prose. He leads you so gently and comfortably into his quantum world that you quickly forget you are being given access to the most profound ideas about the nature of reality.' Jim Al-Khalili 'Sean Carroll’s immensely enjoyable Something Deeply Hidden brings readers face-to-face with the fundamental quantum weirdness of the universe – or should I say universes? And by the end, you may catch yourself finding quantum weirdness not all that weird.' Jordan EllenbergTrade Review‘Carroll takes us by the hand and with a benign smile and a chatty style, leads us to a place where…at every instant an almost infinite number of copies of you are splitting off to live alternative lives… a wild conceptual ride.’ -- Sunday Times, BOOKS OF THE YEAR‘Tackling huge questions, myths and conundrums about our Universe is no easy task, but Carroll does so elegantly.’ -- BBC Science Focus'An authoritative and beautifully written account of the quest to understand quantum theory and the origin of space and time. Sean Carroll is a rare combination of excellent science writer and excellent research scientist. His writing exhibits a clarity of thought that is only available through a deep understanding of the subject. When the book becomes speculative, as it must because it deals with deep and as yet unsolved questions, we know we are in good hands.' * Brian Cox - Broadcaster and Professor of Particle Physics at the University of Manchester *'Something Deeply Hidden is Carroll’s ambitious and engaging foray into what quantum mechanics really means and what it tells us about physical reality.' -- Science Magazine'As a smart and intensely readable undergraduate class in the history of quantum theory and the nature of quantum mechanics, Something Deeply Hidden could scarcely be improved.' -- Open Letters Monthly * Steve Donoghue *'Readers in this universe (and others?) will relish the opportunity to explore the frontiers of science in the company of titans.' -- Booklist'Fans of popular science authors such as Neil deGrasse Tyson and John Gribbin will find great joy while exploring these groundbreaking concepts.' -- Library Journal'Solid arguments and engaging historical backdrop will captivate science-minded readers everywhere.' -- Scientific Inquirer'Carroll argues with a healthy restlessness that makes his book more interesting than so many others in the quantum physics genre.' -- Forbes'If you want to know why some people take [the Everett] approach seriously and what you can do with it, then Carroll’s latest is one of the best popular books on the market.' -- Physics Today'Be prepared to deal with some equations — and to have your mind blown.' -- Geek Wire'By far the most articulate and cogent defence of the Many-Worlds view in book-length depth with a close connection to the latest ongoing research.' -- Science News'Enlightening and refreshingly bold.' -- Scientific American'What makes Carroll’s new project so worthwhile, though, is that while he is most certainly choosing sides in the debate, he offers us a cogent, clear and compelling guide to the subject while letting his passion for the scientific questions shine through every page.' -- NPR‘Like all great writers, Carroll has the remarkable ability of putting the reader utterly at ease with his lucid and addictive prose. He leads you so gently and comfortably into his quantum world that you quickly forget you are being given access to the most profound ideas about the nature of reality.’ -- Jim Al-Khalili, author of Quantum Mechanics (A Ladybird Expert Book)‘A thrilling tour through what is perhaps humankind’s greatest intellectual achievement – quantum mechanics. With bold clarity, Carroll deftly unmasks quantum weirdness to reveal a strange but utterly wondrous reality.’ -- Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe‘Sean Carroll’s immensely enjoyable Something Deeply Hidden brings readers face-to-face with the fundamental quantum weirdness of the universe – or should I say universes? And by the end, you may catch yourself finding quantum weirdness not all that weird.’ -- Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not to Be Wrong‘Carroll gives us a front-row seat to the development of a new vision of physics: one that connects our everyday experiences to a dizzying hall-of-mirrors universe in which our very sense of self is challenged. It’s a fascinating idea, and one that just might hold clues to a deeper reality.’ -- Katie Mack, theoretical astrophysicist, North Carolina State University, author of The End of Everything (forthcoming)‘Sean Carroll beautifully clarifies the debate about the foundations of quantum mechanics, and champions the most elegant, courageous approach: the astonishing “Many-Worlds” interpretation. His explanations of its pros and cons are clear, even-handed, and philosophically gobsmacking.’ -- Steven Strogatz, author of Infinite Powers‘[A] challenging, provocative book…moving smoothly through different topics and from objects as small as particles to those as enormous as black holes, Carroll’s exploration of quantum theory introduces readers to some of the most groundbreaking ideas in physics today.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘Sean Carroll is always lucid and funny, gratifyingly readable, while still excavating depths… A fascinating and important book.’ -- Janna Levin, author of Black Hole Blues‘Irresistible and an absolute treat to read. While this is a book about some of the deepest current mysteries in physics, it is also a book about metaphysics as Carroll lucidly guides us on how to not only think about the true and hidden nature of reality but also how to make sense of it. I loved this book.’ -- Priyamvada Natarajan, theoretical astrophysicist, Yale University, and author of Mapping the Heavens‘A masterpiece…stands along with Feynman’s QED as one of the two best popularizations of quantum mechanics I’ve ever seen.’ -- Scott Aaronson, Professor of Computer Science, University of Texas at Austin, and Director of UT’s Quantum Information Center‘From physicist Sean Carroll comes a history of quantum discoveries, and a guide to a subject that has baffled and blinded with its potential. Tackling huge questions, myths and conundrums about our Universe is no easy task, but Carroll does so elegantly.’ * BBC Science Focus, 70 best science books you need to read in 2021 *

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Book SynopsisA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER'Hossenfelder stands between us and incomprehension' Daily Mail'Informative and engaging' TLSDo we have free will? Is the universe compatible with God? Do we live in a computer simulation? Does the universe think?Physicists are great at complicated research, but they are less good at telling us why it matters. In this entertaining and groundbreaking book, theoretical physicist Sabine Hossenfelder breaks down why we should care. Drawing on the latest research in quantum mechanics, black holes, string theory and particle physics, Existential Physics explains what modern physics can tell us about the big questions.Filled with counterintuitive insights and including interviews with other leading scientists, this clear and yet profound book will reshape your understanding of science and the limits of what we can know.Trade ReviewHossenfelder may popularise science but she doesn't dumb it down... she stands between us and total incomprehension... That's my kind of science writer * Daily Mail *Hossenfelder is a unique writing talent and a unique science popularizer. You will come away from this book enriched, and will think about the world differently than you did before. * Lawrence Krauss, theoretical physicist and bestselling author *It is hard not to enjoy the bold and easy spirit with which Hossenfelder begins her book... informative and engaging * Times Literary Supplement *[Existential Physics] takes you on a thought provoking, tantalising and illuminating journey. It clearly delineates what physics can tell us about ourselves and the universe we inhabit, and thus what it cannot. * Physics Education *Hossenfelder rightly believes that a better understanding of the limitations of science will benefit society. This comes across loud and clear in her book, which I found fun to read and really made me think about the scientific method and the big questions in life * Physics World *If I had six stars to give this book, I'd do it... Highly recommended' * Popular Science (5* review) *Table of Contents1: DOES THE PAST STILL EXIST? 2: HOW DID THE UNIVERSE BEGIN? HOW WILL IT END? 2.1: IS MATH ALL THERE IS? An Interview with Tim Palmer 3: WHY DOESN'T ANYONE EVER GET YOUNGER? 4: ARE YOU JUST A BAG OF ATOMS? 4.1: IS KNOWLEDGE PREDICTABLE? An Interview with David Deutsch 5: DO COPIES OF US EXIST? 6: HAS PHYSICS RULED OUT FREE WILL? 6.1: IS CONSCIOUSNESS COMPUTABLE? An Interview with Roger Penrose 7: WAS THE UNIVERSE MADE FOR US? 8: DOES THE UNIVERSE THINK? 8.1: CAN WE CREATE A UNIVERSE? An Interview with Zeeya Merali 9: ARE HUMANS PREDICTABLE?

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Book SynopsisFrank Verstraete is the Leigh Trapnell Professor of Quantum Physics at the University of Cambridge. He has received several prestigious prizes for his research, including the Lieben Prize (also known as the Nobel Prize of Austria') and the Francqui Prize. He is among the leading researchers in the world on quantum physics.Céline Broeckaert is a Romance languages scholar, playwright and author. She co-founded Filmpact, the first impact organization in Belgium, which uses documentary film as a tool for social change and ecological awareness.

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Book SynopsisFrom Schrodinger's cat to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, this book untangles the weirdness of the quantum world.Quantum mechanics underpins modern science and provides us with a blueprint for reality itself. And yet it has been said that if you're not shocked by it, you don't understand it. But is quantum physics really so unknowable? Is reality really so strange? And just how can cats be half-alive and half-dead at the same time?Our journey into the quantum begins with nature's own conjuring trick, in which we discover that atoms -- contrary to the rules of everyday experience -- can exist in two locations at once. To understand this we travel back to the dawn of the twentieth century and witness the birth of quantum theory, which over the next one hundred years was to overthrow so many of our deeply held notions about the nature of our universe. Scientists and philosophers have been left grappling with its implications every since.Trade ReviewAl-Khalili succeeds in making the quantum world understandable. Well, almost. * THE GUARDIAN *

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Book Synopsis'Luminous and straightforward.' Carlo Rovelli

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Book SynopsisThe international bestseller from the author of Breakfast with Einstein Emmy is no ordinary dog. When adopted from the shelter by physics professor Chad Orzel, she becomes immediately fascinated by his work. Could she use quantum tunnelling to get through the neighbour’s fence? How about diffracting round a tree to chase squirrels? Or using virtual particles to catch bunnies made of cheese? Taking Emmy’s anarchic behaviour as a starting point, Orzel explains the key theories of quantum physics. From quarks and gluons to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, this is a uniquely entertaining way to unlock the secrets of the universe.Trade Review‘Elegantly approachable descriptions...with a refreshing emphasis on recent research. Highly satisfying.’ * Guardian *‘Sure to become a classic.’ * physicsworld.com *‘Quantum entanglement, quantum teleportation and virtual particles are all explained with the author’s characteristic lighthearted touch. Readers who've shied away from popular treatments of physics in the past may find his cheerful discussion a real treat.’ * Publishers Weekly *‘It’s hard to imagine a better way to grasp basic quantum physics.’ * Booklist *

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Book SynopsisIn QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter Richard P. Feynman explains, in his lucid and witty style, the revolutionary scientific theory that won him the Nobel Prize. Quantum electrodynamics - or QED for short - is the theory that explains how light and electrons interact, and in doing so illuminates the deepest and most complex mysteries of the world around us. Thanks to Richard Feynman and his colleagues, who won the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking work in this area, it is also one of the rare parts of physics that is known for sure - a theory that has stood the test of time. In these entertaining lectures Feynman uses clear everyday examples to provide the definitive introduction to QED. ''The perfect example of scientific genius''  Independent ''If you don''t believe Nature is absurd, let chatty Professor Feynman convince you in his series of exceedingly reader-friendly lectures ... Full of witty one-liners, with its learning lightly worn, it''s a book to enlighten''  Mail on Sunday ''Does a marvelous job of explaining one of twentieth-century physics'' few unqualified triumphs''  The New York Times Richard P. Feynman (1918-1988) was one of this century''s most brilliant theoretical physicists and original thinkers. Feynman''s other books, also available in Penguin, include QED, Six Easy Pieces, Six Not-so-Easy Pieces, Don''t You Have Time to Think, The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, What Do You Care What Other People Think? and The Meaning of it All.Table of ContentsPhotons - particles of light; electrons and their interactions; loose ends.

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Book SynopsisA revolutionary way of understanding quantum physics frees us from a century of absurdities and illusions and returns us to a universe that makes sense

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Book SynopsisThe instant Sunday Times bestseller -- a beautiful story of rebellion and science''A triumph. . . We are left in a world that is not disenchanted by science, but even more magical'' Financial TimesIn June 1925, twenty-three-year-old Werner Heisenberg, suffering from hay fever, had retreated to the treeless, wind-battered island of Helgoland in the North Sea in order to think. Walking all night, by dawn he had wrestled with an idea that would transform the whole of science and our very conception of the world.In Helgoland Carlo Rovelli tells the story of the birth of quantum physics and its bright young founders who were to become some of the most famous Nobel winners in science. It is a celebration of youthful rebellion and intellectual revolution. An invitation to a magical place.Here Rovelli illuminates competing interpretations of this science and offers his own original view, describing the world we touch as a fabric woven by relations. Where we, as every other thing around us, exist in our interactions with one another, in a never-ending game of mirrors.A dazzling work from a celebrated scientist and master storyteller, Helgoland transports us to dizzying heights, reminding us of the many pleasures of the life of the mind.Translated by Erica Segre and Simon CarnellChosen as a Book of the Year by The Times, Financial Times, Sunday Times, Guardian and ProspectShortlisted for the Nayef Al-Rodhan PrizeTrade ReviewPopular science has rarely been so good * Prospect *The greatest populariser of physics today. . . We are left in a world that is not disenchanted by science, but even more magical. A triumph -- Julian Baggini * Financial Times *Theoretical physics often feels rather mystical. This mind-bending, lively book by the bestselling physicist Carlo Rovelli reinforces that other-wordly feeling. . . unforgettable * The Times *Rovelli is often called the poet of physics. He writes elegant, wondering, enlarging books on time and quantum theory, much in the spirit of a priest bringing the word of God to his congregation, and I've found it good for my soul to be confronted with how little I understand the world and everything in it -- Sarah Perry * Guardian *One of the warmest, most elegant and most lucid interpreters of the dazzling enigmas of his discipline. . . A momentous book -- John Banville * Wall Street Journal *His most beautiful book yet. . . leaves an unforgettable impression of its author as a man struggling at the furthest limits of human comprehension -- James Marriot * The Times *A deep-thinking, restlessly inquiring spirit. . . His books continue a tradition of popular scientific writing from Galileo to Darwin that disappeared in the academic specialisations of the past century -- Ian Thomson * Observer *Another brilliant book by Rovelli. . . You'll have fun -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *If anyone can make sense of the topsy-turvy, counterintuitive world of quantum physics, it is Carlo Rovelli, the most poetically minded of today's science communicators * The Times *A remarkably wide-ranging new meditation on quantum theory. . . With the light touch of a skilled storyteller. . . Rovelli is not afraid to mix quantum physics and eastern philosophy -- Manjit Kumar * Guardian *A great tonic for long-isolated minds . . . a thrilling story, written with Rovelli's accustomed wit and panache. After reading him, you'll look at the grains of beach sand between your toes with an entirely new eye * Irish Independent *Inspiring. . . Without mathematics or experiment, by page 81 your thoughts are at the frontier of quantum theory -- Alexander Masters * Spectator *A delight . . . it is a pleasure to travel in Rovelli's company * New Statesman *Travelogue meets biography meets a masterful explanation of quantum theory in this warm and fascinating account * Guardian *Explained with uncanny insight and lyrical grace * Time *A new vision, one with a remarkable power in delivering new answers to old quantum riddles. . . original and graceful -- Jenann T. Ismael * TLS *Bracing and refreshing. . . Rovelli is offering a new way to understand not just the world but our place in it, too * NPR *Carlo Rovelli is a genius and an amazing communicator. . . What I love about his writing is that it always comes back to people -- people interacting with other people, who are interacting with their world. This is the place where science comes to life -- Neil GaimanWhen life feels strange, Rovelli's books remind me that there is beauty in the strangeness -- Johny PittsRovelli is a brilliant and lucid teacher who uses his understanding of theoretical physics and the quantum world to talk about the complexity of our everyday reality -- Russell BrandCarlo Rovelli's imaginative rigour, his lively humour and his beautiful writing are inspiring -- Erica WagnerRovelli opens windows onto the imagination for all of us -- Antony GormleyI always find with Carlo Rovelli's books that there are moments when you get a real hit of understanding -- a jigsaw in your mind that just falls into place -- Robin InceHelgoland is a wonderful guide to the most extraordinary story in physics. It will reset your view of the universe -- Marcus du SautoyHooked me so hard I read the entire book in one sitting. And then twice more -- Lisa Feldman Barrett * Chronicle of Higher Education *The old, solid world, if you believed in it at all, breaks into a glorious shimmer of limitless potential -- Brian Morton * Tablet *Rovelli has an uncanny knack for instilling wonder and explaining complex theories in plain, entertaining ways * Irish Times *I'm keen for everyone to read Helgoland: a wonderfully lucid and poetic account of the foundations of quantum physics. It combines a compelling history with Rovelli's own intriguing - and for me very appealing - views about the basis of all things -- Anil Seth, author of Being You

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Book SynopsisFrom the bestselling authors of Why does E=mc2? comes The Quantum Universe, in which Brian Cox, presenter of the BBC''s Wonders of the Solar System and Wonders of the Universe, and Jeff Forshaw go on a brilliantly ambitious mission to show that everyone can understand the deepest questions of science. But just what is quantum physics? How does it help us understand our amazing world? Where does it leave Newton and Einstein? And why, above all, can we be sure that the theory is good?Here, Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw give us the real science behind the bizarre behaviour of the atoms and energy that make up the universe, and reveal exactly how everything that can happen, does happen.Trade ReviewA scientific match made in heaven...as breezily a written accessible account of the theory of quantum mechanics as you could wish for - from the Planck constant to the Higgs particle and everything theoretically in between * Observer *Mindblowing ... what is novel about this attempt is that the writers take an intellectual rather than a historical approach ... it is a surprisingly rich idea that allows the authors to avoid using too much mathematics -- Christopher Potter * Sunday Times *[Cox and Forshaw] stand together at the cutting edge of their discipline ... despite their elevated status, both men remain tiggerishly excitable about their subject ... Cox and Forshaw's book is a carefully guided tour through this quantum world ... popularize[s] without dumbing down -- Christopher Cook * Financial Times *A thrilling voyage into the subatomic world * The Economist Books of the Year *With brightness and gusto, the opening chapters deal with the culture shock that thinking about the sub-atomic world entails ...They are good at drawing connections between seemingly esoteric theory and everyday practicalities -- Doug Johnstone * Independent on Sunday *The rock star of science... In Quantum Universe they do a great job of bringing a difficult subject to life -- Hannah Devlin * The Times *Breaks the rules of popular science writing...admirably shies away from dumbing down...the authors' love for their subject-matter shines through the book * The Economist *Admirably, Cox and Forshaw...treat topics that do not usually show up in popular books...readers will enjoy this engaging, ambitious and creative tour of our quantum universe -- David Kaiser * The Guardian *By explaining theories about the world, Cox and Forshaw show that the workings of the universe can be understood by us all -- Fanny Blake * Woman & Home *

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Book SynopsisThe bestselling French graphic novel about the mind-bending world of quantum physicsTake an incredible journey through the quantum universe with explorer Bob and his dog Rick, as they travel through a world of wonders, talk to Einstein about atoms, hang out with Heisenberg on Heligoland and eat crepes with Max Planck. Along the way, we find out that a dog - much like a cat - can be both dead and alive, the gaze of a mouse can change the universe, and a comic book can actually make quantum physics fun, easy to understand and downright enchanting.''Billed as Tintin meets Brian Cox, the book was created by theoretical physicist Thibault Damour and illustrator Mathieu Burniat so it''s as scientifically accurate as it is beautiful'' BBC Focus

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Book SynopsisThe fastest way to understanding quantum physics - learn about how our universe works, in minutes. Quantum physics is the most fundamental, but also the most bewildering, of sciences. Allowing for simultaneously dead-and-alive cats, teleportation, antimatter and parallel universes, it also underpins all digital technology and even life itself. But at last it's possible through this clear and compact book, illuminated with 200 simple diagrams for anyone to understand the strange and beautiful subatomic world, and hence the nature of reality itself. Contents include: inside the atom, the Higgs boson, Heisenberg's uncertainty principle, Schrödinger's cat, relativity, dark energy and matter, black holes, God playing dice, the Theory of Everything, the birth and fate of the Universe, string theory, quantum computing, superconductivity, quantum biology and consciousness, and much more.

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Book SynopsisThe ultimate non-technical guide to the fast-developing world of quantum computing Computer technology has improved exponentially over the last 50 years. But the headroom for bigger and better electronic solutions is running out. Our best hope is to engage the power of quantum physics. 'Quantum algorithms' had already been written long before hardware was built. These would enable, for example, a quantum computer to exponentially speed up an information search, or to crack the mathematical trick behind internet security. However, making a quantum computer is incredibly difficult. Despite hundreds of laboratories around the world working on them, we are only just seeing them come close to 'supremacy' where they can outperform a traditional computer. In this approachable introduction, Brian Clegg explains algorithms and their quantum counterparts, explores the physical building blocks and quantum weirdness necessary to make a quantum computer, and uncovers the capabilities of the current generation of machines.Trade ReviewEssential reading for anyone concerned about cyber attacks, specifically ransomware, or simply interested in the next evolution of computing. The big question - what is a Quantum Machine - is answered perfectly. ... [E]xcellently profiles the different quantum approaches ... and readers are made aware of the extreme potential of the Qubit Revolution to support the next evolution of humanity and civilisation. -- Nick Ayton * Irish Tech News *

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Book Synopsis''A majestic story'' David Bodanis, Financial Times From the international bestselling author of Physics of the Impossible and Physics of the FutureThis is the story of a quest: to find a Theory of Everything. Einstein dedicated his life to seeking this elusive Holy Grail, a single, revolutionary ''god equation'' which would tie all the forces in the universe together, yet never found it. Some of the greatest minds in physics took up the search, from Stephen Hawking to Brian Greene. None have yet succeeded. In The God Equation, renowned theoretical physicist Michio Kaku takes the reader on a mind-bending ride through the twists and turns of this epic journey: a mystery that has fascinated him for most of his life. He guides us through the key debates in modern physics, from Newton''s law of gravity via relativity and quantum mechanics to the latest developments in string theory. It is a tale of dazzling breakthroughs and crushing dead ends, illuminated by Kaku''s clarity, storytelling flair and infectious enthusiasm. The object of the quest is now within sight: we are closer than ever to achieving the most ambitious undertaking in the history of science. If successful, the Theory of Everything could simultaneously unlock the deepest mysteries of space and time, and fulfil that most ancient and basic of human desires - to understand the meaning of our lives.Trade ReviewKaku elucidates esoteric mathematics with graspable, real-life illustrations, and explains how breakthroughs in theoretical physics have had a tangible impact on human experience ... The result is both mind-bending and surprisingly readable. -- Pippa Bailey * New Statesman *[Kaku] attempts to bring the dizzying concepts of multidimensional realms within reach of the general reader ... It's a majestic story, and Kaku tells it well. -- David Bodanis * Financial Times *A clear and accessible examination of the quest to combine Einstein's general relativity with quantum theory to create an all-encompassing "theory of everything" about the nature of the universe. -- Andrew Anthony * The Observer *

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Book SynopsisPHYSICS WORLD 2018 BOOK OF THE YEAR‘A clear and deeply researched account of what’s known about the quantum laws of nature, and how to think about what they might really mean’ Nature ‘I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics.’ Richard Feynman wrote this in 1965 – the year he was awarded the Nobel prize in physics for his work on quantum mechanics. Over the past decade, the enigma of quantum mechanics has come into sharper focus. We now realise that quantum mechanics is less about particles and waves, uncertainty and fuzziness, than a theory about information: about what can be known and how. The quantum world isn’t a different world: it is our world, and if anything deserves to be called ‘weird’, it’s us. This exhilarating book is about what quantum maths really means – and what it doesn’t mean. ‘Gorgeously lucid…takes us to the edge of contemporary theorizing about the foundations of quantum mechanics… Easily the best book I’ve read on the subject’ Washington PostTrade ReviewThis is the book I wish I could have written, but am very glad I've read. It's an accessible, persuasive and thorough appraisal of what the most important theory in all of science actually means. -- Jim Al-KhaliliExcellent. -- Andrew Crumey * Spectator *Ball is an exceptionally talented writer who manages to combine accessibility and thoroughness in razor-sharp prose -- Philip Moriarty * Physics World *Riveting ... Ball is an intelligent guide -- Natalie Wolchover * Nature *A deeply fascinating book … Philip Ball is a rare writer in having such depth of knowledge of a difficult field, yet retaining the critical eye of an observer. Highly recommended. -- Jon Butterworth, Professor of Physics at UCL and author of SMASHING PHYSICS

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Book Synopsis''A monumental achievement - one of the great scientific biographies.'' Michael FraynThe Strangest Man is the Costa Biography Award-winning account of Paul Dirac, the famous physicist sometimes called the British Einstein. He was one of the leading pioneers of the greatest revolution in twentieth-century science: quantum mechanics. The youngest theoretician ever to win the Nobel Prize for Physics, he was also pathologically reticent, strangely literal-minded and legendarily unable to communicate or empathize. Through his greatest period of productivity, his postcards home contained only remarks about the weather.Based on a previously undiscovered archive of family papers, Graham Farmelo celebrates Dirac''s massive scientific achievement while drawing a compassionate portrait of his life and work. Farmelo shows a man who, while hopelessly socially inept, could manage to love and sustain close friendship.The Strangest Man is an extraordinary and moving human story, as well as a study of one of the most exciting times in scientific history.''A wonderful book . . . Moving, sometimes comic, sometimes infinitely sad, and goes to the roots of what we mean by truth in science.'' Lord Waldegrave, Daily Telegraph

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Book SynopsisChanges and additions to the new edition of this classic textbook include a new chapter on symmetries, new problems and examples, improved explanations, more numerical problems to be worked on a computer, new applications to solid state physics, and consolidated treatment of time-dependent potentials.Table of ContentsPart I. Theory: 1. The wave function; 2. Time-independent Schrodinger equation; 3. Formalism; 4. Quantum mechanics in three dimensions; 5. Identical particles; 6. Symmetry; Part II. Application: 7. Time-independent perturbation theory; 8. The variational principle; 9. The WKB approximation; 10. Scattering; 11. Quantum dynamics; 12. Afterword; Appendix A. Linear algebra; Index.

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Book Synopsis'If you feel you are in a black hole, don't give up. There's a way out'What is inside a black hole?Is time travel possible?Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. In What Is Inside a Black Hole? Hawking takes us on a journey to the outer reaches of our imaginations, exploring the science of time travel and black holes.'The best most mind-bending sort of physics' The TimesBrief Answers, Big Questions: this stunning paperback series offers electrifying essays from one of the greatest minds of our age, taken from the original text of the No. 1 bestselling Brief Answers to the Big Questions.

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Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE ROYAL SOCIETY INSIGHT INVESTMENT SCIENCE BOOK PRIZE 2019.'An accessible primer on all things quantum' - Sunday TimesQuantum physics is strange. It tells us that a particle can be in two places at once. Indeed, that particle is also a wave, and everything in the quantum world can be described entirely in terms of waves, or entirely in terms of particles, whichever you prefer. All of this was clear by the end of the 1920s. But to the great distress of many physicists, let alone ordinary mortals, nobody has ever been able to come up with a common sense explanation of what is going on. Physicists have sought 'quanta of solace' in a variety of more or less convincing interpretations. Popular science master John Gribbin takes us on a delightfully mind-bending tour through the 'big six', from the Copenhagen interpretation via the pilot wave and many worlds approaches. All of them are crazy, and some are more crazy than others, but in this world crazy does not necessarily mean wrong, and being more crazy does not necessarily mean more wrong.Trade Review[A]n accessible primer on all things quantum ... rigorous and chatty. * Sunday Times *Quantum physics is strange. These are the first words of John Gribbin's brilliant new book Six Impossible Things ... [a] pocket-sized analysis of the six most important interpretations of quantum mechanics. * Engineering & Technology *Gribbin has inspired generations with his popular science writing, and this, his latest offering, is a compact and delightful summary of the main contenders for a true interpretation of quantum mechanics. It seems that after 35 years - since he first published his classic, In Search of Schrödinger's Cat - we are still looking. If you've never puzzled over what our most successful scientific theory means, or even if you have and want to know what the latest thinking is, this new book will bring you up to speed faster than a collapsing wave function. -- Jim Al-KhaliliGribbin gives us a feast of precision and clarity, with a phenomenal amount of information for such a compact space. It's a TARDIS of popular science books, and I loved it. ... Gribbin manages to encapsulate what are sometimes very complex ideas in an approachable fashion. This could well be the best piece of writing this grand master of British popular science has ever produced, condensing as it does many years of pondering the nature of quantum physics into a compact form. -- Brian Clegg, popularscience.co.ukElegant and accessible ... Highly recommended for students of the sciences and fans of science fiction, as well as for anyone who is curious to understand the strange world of quantum physics. * Forbes *

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Quantum theory confronts us with bizarre paradoxes which contradict the logic of classical physics. At the subatomic level, one particle seems to know what the others are doing, and according to Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle", there is a limit on how accurately nature can be observed. And yet the theory is amazingly accurate and widely applied, explaining all of chemistry and most of physics. Introducing Quantum Theory takes us on a step-by-step tour with the key figures, including Planck, Einstein, Bohr, Heisenberg and Schrodinger. Each contributed at least one crucial concept to the theory. The puzzle of the wave-particle duality is here, along with descriptions of the two questions raised against Bohr's "Copenhagen Interpretation" - the famous "dead and alive cat" and the EPR paradox. Both remain unresolved.

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Book SynopsisBrilliant and fascinating. No one is better at making the recondite accessible and exciting' Bill BrysonBritain's most famous mathematician takes us to the edge of knowledge to show us what we cannot know.Is the universe infinite?Do we know what happened before the Big Bang?Where is human consciousness located in the brain?And are there more undiscovered particles out there, beyond the Higgs boson?In the modern world, science is king: weekly headlines proclaim the latest scientific breakthroughs and numerous mathematical problems, once indecipherable, have now been solved. But are there limits to what we can discover about our physical universe?In this very personal journey to the edges of knowledge, Marcus du Sautoy investigates how leading experts in fields from quantum physics and cosmology, to sensory perception and neuroscience, have articulated the current lie of the land. In doing so, he travels to the very boundaries of understanding, questioning contradictory stories and consuTrade Review‘I felt I was being carried off on a wonderful journey, a thrilling research expedition to the teasing and mysterious boundaries of scientific knowledge, and I never wanted to turn back. Du Sautoy is a masterful and friendly guide to these remotest regions … It is absolutely fascinating throughout, and I really loved it’ Richard Holmes ‘I admire and envy the clarity and authority with which Marcus du Sautoy addresses a range of profound issues. His book deserves a wide readership’ Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal ‘I felt I was being carried off on a wonderful journey, a thrilling research expedition to the teasing and mysterious boundaries of scientific knowledge, and I never wanted to turn back. Du Sautoy is a masterful and friendly guide to these remotest regions … It is absolutely fascinating throughout, and I really loved it’ Richard Holmes ‘I admire and envy the clarity and authority with which Marcus du Sautoy addresses a range of profound issues. His book deserves a wide readership’ Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal ‘Du Sautoy makes a lucid and beguiling companion as he guides us along the byways of contemporary science’ Jonathan Ree, Guardian

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Book SynopsisThe Trouble with Physics is a groundbreaking account of the state of modern physics: of how we got from Einstein and Relativity through quantum mechanics to the strange and bizarre predictions of string theory, full of unseen dimensions and multiple universes.Lee Smolin not only provides a brilliant layman''s overview of current research as we attempt to build a ''theory of everything'', but also questions many of the assumptions that lie behind string theory. In doing so, he describes some of the daring, outlandish ideas that will propel research in years to come.

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Book SynopsisA Nobel Prize-winning physicist argues that beauty is the fundamental organizing principle for the entire universeIn this scientific tour de force, world-class physicist Frank Wilczek argues that beauty is at the heart of the logic of the universe. As the quest to find the beauty embodied in the universe has connected all scientific pursuit, from Pythagoras to Einstein, Wilczek shows us just how deeply intertwined our ideas about beauty and art are with our understanding of the cosmos. A Beautiful Question is a mind-expanding book combining the age-old human quest for beauty with the age-old human quest for truth.Trade ReviewA truly beautiful book ... Why do physicists call their theories beautiful? Immerse yourself in this book, wallow in it, sit back and relax as you wander through it, and you'll soon understand. -- Richard Muller, author of Physics for Future PresidentsAnyone who wants to see how science and transcendence can be compatible must read this book. Wilczek has caught the winds of change, and his thinking breaks through some sacred boundaries with curiosity, insight, and intellectual power. -- Deepak Chopra, M.D.Illuminating ... A fresh perspective on modern scientific thinking from an expert with a flair for jargon-free exposition ... Wilczek writes A Beautiful Question with bracing pizzazz ... Contains more beef than many a finely written scientific potboiler. -- Graham Farmelo * Guardian *The first book I've read in which I've felt that almost vertiginous sensation of peering through layers of theories down to the true nature of the universe ... At times this is a challenging text, but it is well worth the effort. Wilczek is admirably clear in his explanations. -- Lewis Dartnell * Telegraph *It's rare that scientists as brilliant as Wilczek give us a glimpse of what goes on inside their heads ... Expect to come away pretty dazzled. * BBC Focus *[A] searching and earnest book ... The book of a love-struck physicist ... A Beautiful Question is a meditation. -- Amy X. Wang * Slate *A Beautiful Question is both a brilliant exploration of largely uncharted territories and a refreshingly idiosyncratic guide to developments in particle physics. * Nature *Wilczek's sheer pleasure in the beauty of mathematics is the engine and joy of this book ... [A] rewarding read ... There is a lot of food for the mind here, but also some for the eye. -- Andrea Wulf * Financial Times *[An] eccentrically brilliant book -- Steven Poole * Spectator *

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Book SynopsisThe third edition of this classic quantum mechanics textbook provides a modern, graduate-level introduction to the concepts of quantum mechanics, from the Schrödinger Wave Equation to SO(4) symmetry and its application to solving the hydrogen atom, in one comprehensive and engaging volume.Trade Review'A truly wonderful introduction to quantum mechanics. Sakurai's original text was elegant, simple, and full of insight. It taught me much as a graduate student. Napolitano's update adds context with applications from today's research, explained simply and beautifully. The problems are exceptionally well chosen. This book can be used for graduate quantum courses from one quarter to a year in length, in physics, materials science, or even physical chemistry.' Kieron Burke, University of California-Irvine'I have enjoyed teaching graduate quantum mechanics from J. J. Sakurai's book since its first publication in 1985, specially the first four chapters Sakurai completed before his untimely departure. As co-author, Jim Napolitano has reorganized and expanded the book, incorporating new topics of current interest, while keeping Sakurai's pedagogical vision. The product is quite appealing, impressive, and befits a 21st-century perspective.' Michael El-Batanouny, Boston University'Years ago, upon reading J. J. Sakurai's Modern Quantum Mechanics, I was immediately inspired to write my own textbook – one that takes a similar approach to Sakurai's graduate-level book, but for undergraduates. I am delighted that Jim Napolitano has successfully taken on the challenge of bringing Sakurai's textbook up to date, in keeping with the book's title.' John S. Townsend, Harvey Mudd College'This textbook does an excellent job of bridging the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and topics at the frontier of modern physics. It is comprehensive, authoritative, and rich in pedagogical innovations. New materials included in the current version make this textbook especially suitable for students who wish to engage in cutting-edge experimental and theoretical research.' Jinjun Liu, University of Louisville'Napolitano has modernized Sakurai's classic textbook with more applications, such as, K-G field and spontaneous emission. These expansions highlight the important advance in modern physics, while two main features of this classical book are well kept, including a logical and accessible approach to the field, and a concise and consistent Dirac notation throughout the book.' Xiaoyan Shi, University of Texas, Dallas'The strength of this fine text is its unified point of view: quantum mechanics is about operations on state vectors, described using the bra and ket notation. This approach is rather abstract, but once a student grasps the central ideas, it is simple and powerful.' Davison Soper, University of Oregon'Sakurai's text provides an understanding of quantum mechanics firmly founded on Dirac formalism and linear algebra. It has deservedly become a classic introductory graduate text, one that helps the student start to think as a practitioner. In the new editions, Napolitano has pedagogically filled in gaps in the exposition and topical coverage, while maintaining the crisp and insightful presentation of the original.' Mark Caprio, University of Notre Dame'Theoretical particle physics students may find this book well oriented to their needs … this book can be well recommended as an intermediate text … It is a worthy memorial to a much-appreciated scientist.' Peter J. Bussey, Contemporary PhysicsTable of Contents1. Fundamental concepts; 2. Quantum dynamics; 3. Theory of angular momentum; 4. Symmetry in quantum mechanics; 5. Approximation methods; 6. Scattering theory; 7. Identical particles; 8. Relativistic quantum mechanics; Appendix A. Electromagnetic units; Appendix B. Elementary solutions to Schrödinger's wave equation; Appendix C. Hamiltonian for a charge in an electromagnetic field; Appendix D. Proof of the angular-momentum addition rule (3.8.38); Appendix E. Finding Clebsch–Gordan coefficients; Appendix F. Notes on complex variables.

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Book SynopsisA prismatic look at the meeting of Marie Curie and Albert Einstein and the impact these two pillars of science had on the world of physics, which was in turmoil. In 1911, some of the greatest minds in science convened at the First Solvay Conference in Physics. Almost half of the attendees had won or would go on to win the Nobel Prize. Over the course of those few days, these minds began to realise that classical physics was about to give way to quantum theory, a seismic shift in our history and how we understand not just our world, but the universe. At the centre of this meeting were Marie Curie and a young Albert Einstein. In the years preceding, Curie had faced the death of her husband. She was on the cusp of being awarded her second Nobel Prize, but scandal erupted all around her when the French press revealed that she was having an affair with a fellow scientist, Paul Langevin. The subject of vicious misogynist and xenophobic attacks in the French press, Curie found herself in a storm that threatened her scientific legacy.Albert Einstein proved a supporter in her travails. He was young and already showing flourishes of his enormous genius. Curie had been responsible for one of the greatest discoveries in modern science. Utilising never before seen correspondence and notes, Jeffrey Orens reveals the human side of these brilliant scientists, one who pushed boundaries and demanded equality in a man’s world, no matter the cost, and the other, who was destined to become synonymous with genius.

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of the heretical thinkers who challenged the establishment to rethink quantum physics and the nature of realityTrade ReviewA thorough, illuminating exploration of the most consequential controversy raging in modern science . . . Becker leads us through an impressive account of the rise of competing interpretations, grounding them in the human stories, which are naturally messy and full of contingencies. He makes a convincing case that it's wrong to imagine the Copenhagen interpretation as a single official or even coherent statement * New York Times *[A] fresh debut . . . Vivid biographical portraits enliven even dense theoretical explanations with wit and bite . . . With his crisp voice, Becker lucidly relates the complicated history of quantum foundations * Publishers Weekly, starred review *A useful introduction to the history of quantum theory for scientifically inclined readers * Kirkus *...an impressive account of the rise of competing interpretations, grounding them in the human stories, which are naturally messy and full of contingencies. He makes a convincing case that it's wrong to imagine the Copenhagen interpretation as a single official or even coherent statement. * The New York Times *Becker handles the physics with aplomb... The cast is colourful and expansive, and provides engaging drama... The subtext running through this hugely enjoyable book is that, if we still have a long way to go before we understand reality... The story so far is of dazzling insights, flawed male scientists - and very few female ones. It's a key acknowledgement that should help to ensure that writing the next chapters of the quantum tale is open to all. -- Michael Brooks * The New Scientist *Adam Becker has written an excellent, accessible account of an intricate story. * The Wall Street Journal *What Is Real? is an argument for keeping an open mind. Becker reminds us that we need humility as we investigate the myriad interpretations and narratives that explain the same data. * Nature *Becker has done a great service in putting this fascinating story together into a single easily-digestible volume that is gripping, authoritative, and true. * Quantum Times *[A] tremendously appealing new book ...Becker is a perfect choice to make sense of it all (or at least whatever sense is possible). He smoothly, easily dramatizes the great debates and the outsized personalities of quantum physics and fits it all into an enthusiastic, readable narrative, and along the way he digresses wonderfully on a wide variety of scientific phenomena. * Open Letters Review *Adam Becker sets out to explore why the physics community is still arguing today about quantum mechanics's true meaning...A riveting storyteller, Becker brings to life physicists who have too long remained in the shadow of Bohr and Einstein...an engaging and accessible overview of the debates. * Science Magazine *Spellbinding....This very book could prove to be a watershed moment for the physics community if it faces up to its own past and its present....If you have any interest in the implications of quantum theory, or in the suppression of scientific curiosity, What is Real? is required reading. There is no more reliable, careful, and readable account of the whole history of quantum theory in all its scandalous detail. * Boston Review *

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Book Synopsis''Compulsively readable...Green threatens to do for string theory what Stephen Hawking did for holes'' New York TimesIn this international bestseller, Columbia University professor Brian Greene provides, in layman's terms, a comprehensive demystification of string theory. Greene, one of the world''s leading string theorists, peels away layers of the unknown, through introducing concepts from quantum mechanics to general relativity, to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions. Accessible and enlightening, Greene''s inimitable blend of expert scientific insight and literary ingenuity makes The Elegant Universe an exhilarating read that brings us closer to understanding how our magnificent universe works. Utterly absorbing...a brilliant achievement. An accessible, equationless account of strings' Sunday TelegraphTrade ReviewDevelops one fresh new insight after another... In the great tradition of physicists writing for the masses, The Elegant Universe sets a standard that will be hard to beat * New York Times Book Review *Utterly absorbing...a brilliant achievement. An accessible, equationless account of strings, explaining why they are generating so much excitement among their devotees. Greene's achievement is to make us feel at home in the chillingly abstract world of strings and to convince us that we must take it seriously * Sunday Telegraph *As rewarding as it gets... A thrilling ride through a lovely landscape... A compelling human saga * Los Angeles Times Book Review *Compulsively readable...Green threatens to do for string theory what Stephen Hawking did for holes * New York *[A] tour-de-force of science writing...peels away layers of detail and reveals the stunning essence of cutting-edge physics -- Shing-Tung Yau, Harvard University; Fields Medalist, winner of the National Medal of Science

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Book SynopsisThe hunt for the Higgs particle has involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. So exactly what is this particle? Why does it matter so much? What does it tell us about the Universe? Did the discovery announced on 4 July 2012 finish the search? And was finding it really worth all the effort?The short answer is yes. The Higgs field is proposed as the way in which particles gain mass - a fundamental property of matter. It''s the strongest indicator yet that the Standard Model of physics really does reflect the basic building blocks of our Universe. Little wonder the hunt and discovery of this new particle produced such intense media interest.Here, Jim Baggott explains the science behind the discovery, looking at how the concept of a Higgs field was invented, how the vast experiment was carried out, and its implications on our understanding of all mass in the Universe.Trade ReviewA thorough and readable explanation of the lengthy hunt for the Higgs boson and why its discovery last year is so important. * New Scientist *Higgs helps put Higgs' contribution in context ... It's a book I imagine the reticent Higgs would approve of. * Jessica Griggs, New Scientist *a tendency towards brevity and clarity make for a handy guide to the long hunt for an elusive quarry. * Nature *Higgs is an impressive volume, clarifying details, making the concepts that have been in dispute for years finally lucid ... Higgs drills deep under your skin, constantly ferreting out new vistas, easily escaping our eyes. Baggott brings these-and more-together to form a solid concept of the God Particle effort-read it. * San Francisco Book Review *Table of ContentsPREFACE; PROLOGUE: FORM AND SUBSTANCE; 1. INVENTION; 2. DISCOVERY; EPILOGUE: THE CONSTRUCTION OF MASS; ENDNOTES; GLOSSARY; BIBLIOGRAPHY; INDEX

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Book SynopsisThis accessible and self-contained text presents the essential theoretical techniques developed to describe quantum processes, alongside a review of the experimental methods required in quantum measurement. Ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students seeking to extend their knowledge of the physics underlying quantum technologies.Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Experiment: detecting single quantum objects; 2. Description of quantum systems in terms of density matrix; 3. Experiment: quantum processes; 4. Evolution; 5. Measurement; 6. Experiment: bipartite systems; 7. Entanglement; 8. Experiment: continuous quantum fluctuations; 9. Continuous variable systems; 10. Experiment: parameter estimation; 11. Theory: parameter estimation; Appendix A. Basic postulates of quantum mechanics; Appendix B. Generalized postulates of quantum mechanics; Appendix C. Description of composite systems; Appendix D. Qubits; Appendix E. Quantum particle; Appendix F. Quantum electromagnetic field; Appendix G. Interaction between light and atoms; Appendix H. Interaction between light beams and linear optical media; Appendix I. Interaction between light beams and nonlinear optical media; Appendix J. Optomechanics; Appendix K. Basics of circuit quantum electrodynamics; Bibliography; Index.

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Book Synopsis1. A Quantum Mechanic's Toolbox.- 2. Apples and Oranges: Matrix Representations.- 3. Circuit Model of Computation.- 4. Quantum Killer Apps: Quantum Fourier Transform and Search Algorithms.- 5. Quantum Mechanics According to Martians: Density Matrix Theory.- 6. No-Cloning Theorem, Quantum Teleportation and Spooky Correlations.- 7. Quantum Hardware I: Ion Trap qubits.- 8. Quantum Hardware II: cQED and cirQED.- 9. Errare Computatrum Est: Quantum Error Correction.

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Book SynopsisThis volume is a comprehensive compilation of carefully selected questions at the PhD qualifying exam level, including many actual questions from Columbia University, University of Chicago, MIT, State University of New York at Buffalo, Princeton University, University of Wisconsin and the University of California at Berkeley over a twenty-year period. Topics covered in this book include the basic principles of quantum phenomena, particles in potentials, motion in electromagnetic fields, perturbation theory and scattering theory, among many others.This latest edition has been updated with more problems and solutions and the original problems have also been modernized, excluding outdated questions and emphasizing those that rely on calculations. The problems range from fundamental to advanced in a wide range of topics on quantum mechanics, easily enhancing the student's knowledge through workable exercises. Simple-to-solve problems play a useful role as a first check of the student's level of knowledge whereas difficult problems will challenge the student's capacity on finding the solutions.

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Book SynopsisString theory has been called the 'theory of everything'. It seeks to describe all the fundamental forces of nature. It encompasses gravity and quantum mechanics in one unifying theory. This title presents an introduction to one of the most talked-about areas of physics.Trade Review"The Little Book of String Theory by theoretical physicist Steven Gubser puts into words the abstract maths of some of the most challenging areas of physics, from energy and quantum mechanics to branes, supersymmetry and multiple dimensions."--Nature "Princeton theoretical physicist Steven S. Gubser opens The Little Book of String Theory with a simple--and highly accurate--sentence: 'String theory is a mystery.' You won't get very far into this excellent book before you'll be agreeing with him completely."--Washington Post "Gubser does a masterly job of introducing string theory in simple terms and without using math. His goal is not to convert people to the cause but to help them better understand the ideas. Cars on a freeway, the vibration of piano strings, and buoys in the ocean are among the examples from everyday life used to explain difficult concepts. This concise yet clear introduction to a conceptually difficult topic is recommended for lay readers in physics and for popular science collections."--Library Journal "This is an excellent introduction to string theory for those who are looking for a highly academic explanation... For those new to string theory, this book is full of information and humor and will help readers see the universe in an entirely new way."--ForeWord "You will probably finish the book more confused than when you started, but in the best possible way: with profound questions and a desire to learn more."--New Scientist "What sets this book apart is that it has been written by one of the foremost experts on the subject. Many of the analogies from everyday life used to explain concepts from string theory are both original and very communicative... I would recommend The Little Book of String Theory even to seasoned researchers in the field. This is a thought-provoking book. With explanations offered in simple words, imagination can fly faster and perhaps lead to new and unexplored areas in the quest for the fundamental theory."--Times Higher Education "The Little Book of String Theory succeeds in its mission to carry readers through the tangle of ideas to the intellectual loose ends that physicists love."--Fred Bortz, Philadelphia Inquirer "But how do we non-mathematicians sort frayed ends from tight theory? Read Steven S. Gubser's book. It's clear, concise, turns formulas into words and leaves readers informed, if still incredulous, at the ability of great minds to imagine the unimaginable."--Leigh Dayton, Australian "There is much in this book I did not understand, but I've seen plenty of popular physics books over the last few years. This is the first one in a long time that I both wanted to read and finished; it's full of fresh material."--Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution blog "With Gubser as our guide science starts to seem less like the exclusive domain of the brainy, and more like a window into the universe that is open for everyone."--Glenn Dallas, San Francisco Book Review "[T]his book is a concise survey of advanced ideas in particle physics and string theory. But it is also true that every single concept is explained in a very simple and accurate way. This makes the book, while without errors from a physicist's point of view, accessible to a wide range of readers."--Farhang Loran, Mathematical ReviewsTable of ContentsIntroduction 1 Chapter One: Energy 11 Chapter Two: Quantum Mechanics 19 Chapter Three: Gravity and Black Holes 34 Chapter Four: String Theory 49 Chapter Five: Branes 69 Chapter Six: String Dualities 99 Chapter Seven: Supersymmetry and the LHC 117 Chapter Eight: Heavy Ions and the Fifth Dimension 140 Epilogue 159 Index 163

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Book Synopsis''A gem of a book'' Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics''A unique and beautifully written masterpiece'' Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0Could there be a civilization on a mote of dust? How much of your fate have you made? Who cleans the universe?Through more than fifty Koans - pleasingly paradoxical vignettes following the ancient Zen tradition - leading physicist Anthony Aguirre takes us across the world from Japan to Italy, and through ideas spanning the age, breadth and depth of the Universe. Using these beguiling stories and a flair for explaining complex science, he covers cosmic questions that giants from Aristotle to Galileo to Heisenberg have grappled with - from the nature of time to the origin of multiple universes to the meaning of quantum theory.Playful and enlightening, Cosmological Koans invites the reader into an intellectual adventure of the highest order, givingTrade ReviewThis unique and beautifully written masterpiece transforms the deepest mysteries of our universe into a captivating and accessible quest for personal enlightenment -- Max Tegmark, author of Life 3.0A gem of a book -- Carlo Rovelli, author of Seven Brief Lessons on PhysicsA delight for readers raised on Gödel, Escher, Bach and The Dancing Wu Li Masters * Kirkus *This is calisthenics for the mind - it will stretch your imagination almost to the breaking point, and your understanding of reality will come away more healthy and flexible than before -- Sean Carroll, author of The Big PictureA truly creative exploration of physics and its profound insights into the Universe -- Adam Frank, author of Light of the StarsThe paradoxes of Zen Buddhism could help us grasp fundamental physics. . . What Aguirre does remarkably well is to find a way of threading many of the most interesting questions in theoretical physics onto a single narrative chain. . . At its heart the book offers a compelling answer to the question of how to talk about the un-talk-about-able -- Gilead Amit * The New Scientist *

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Book SynopsisAddresses the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, the history and future of the universe. This book guides nonscientists in the search for the tantalizing secrets at the heart of time and space.

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Book Synopsis''A LANDMARK IN THE HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHY OF PHYSICS'' - Jean BricmontThe received wisdom in quantum physics is that, at the deepest levels of reality, there are no actual causes for atomic events. This idea led to the outlandish belief that atoms - and therefore all things - aren''t real unless shaped by human measurement. Einstein mocked this, asking if his bed evaporated only to jump back into the corner when he opened the door. And yet, quantum antirealism remains deeply influential in science and our culture.In?Escape from Shadow Physics, Adam Forrest Kay takes up Einstein''s torch: reality isn''t mysterious or dependent on human measurement, but predictable and independent of us. At the heart of his argument is groundbreaking research with little drops of oil. These droplets behave as particles do in the long-overlooked quantum theory of pilot waves; crucially, they display quantum behaviour while being described by classical physics.<

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Book SynopsisWritten by Dr Alexandre Zagoskin, who is a Reader at Loughborough University, Quantum Mechanics: A Complete Introduction is designed to give you everything you need to succeed, all in one place. It covers the key areas that students are expected to be confident in, outlining the basics in clear jargon-free English, and then providing added-value features like summaries of key ideas, and even lists of questions you might be asked in your exam. The book uses a structure that is designed to make quantum physics as accessible as possible - by starting with its similarities to Newtonian physics, rather than the rather startling differences.

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Book SynopsisThis new edition of the unrivalled textbook introduces the fundamental concepts of quantum mechanics such as waves, particles and probability before explaining the postulates of quantum mechanics in detail. In the proven didactic manner, the textbook then covers the classical scope of introductory quantum mechanics, namely simple two-level systems, the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator, the quantized angular momentum and particles in a central potential. The entire book has been revised to take into account new developments in quantum mechanics curricula. The textbook retains its typical style also in the new edition: it explains the fundamental concepts in chapters which are elaborated in accompanying complements that provide more detailed discussions, examples and applications. * The quantum mechanics classic in a new edition: written by 1997 Nobel laureate Claude Cohen-Tannoudji and his colleagues Bernard Diu and Franck Laloë * As easily comprehensible as possible: all steps of the physical background and its mathematical representation are spelled out explicitly * Comprehensive: in addition to the fundamentals themselves, the book contains more than 350 worked examples plus exercises Claude Cohen-Tannoudji was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris where he also studied and received his PhD in 1962. In 1973 he became Professor of atomic and molecular physics at the Collège des France. His main research interests were optical pumping, quantum optics and atom-photon interactions. In 1997, Claude Cohen-Tannoudji, together with Steven Chu and William D. Phillips, was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his research on laser cooling and trapping of neutral atoms. Bernard Diu was Professor at the Denis Diderot University (Paris VII). He was engaged in research at the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics and High Energy where his focus was on strong interactions physics and statistical mechanics. Franck Laloë was a researcher at the Kastler-Brossel laboratory of the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. His first assignment was with the University of Paris VI before he was appointed to the CNRS, the French National Research Center. His research was focused on optical pumping, statistical mechanics of quantum gases, musical acoustics and the foundations of quantum mechanics.Table of ContentsWAVES AND PARTICLES: INTRODUCTION TO THE FUNDAMENTAL CONCEPTS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS Electromagnetic Waves and Photons Material Particles and Matter Waves Quantum Description of a Particle; Wave Packets Particle in a Time-Independent Scalar Potential Complements THE MATHEMATICAL TOOLS OF QUANTUM MECHANICS One-Particle Wave Function Space State Space. Dirac Notation Representations in the State Space Eigenvalue Equations. Observables Two Important Examples of Representations and Observables Tensor Product of State Spaces Complements THE POSTULATES OF QUANTUM MECHANICS Introduction Statement of the Postulates The Physical Interpretation of the Postulates The Physical Implications of the Schrödinger Equation The Superposition Principle and Physical Predictions Complements APPLICATION OF THE POSTULATES TO SIMPLE CASES: TWO LEVEL SYSTEMS AND SPIN 1/2 SYSTEMS Spin 1/2 Particle: Quantization of the Angular Momentum Illustration of the Postulates in the Case of a Spin 1/2 General Study of Two-Level Systems Complements THE ONE DIMENSIONAL HARMONIC OSCILLATOR Introduction Eigenvalues of the Hamiltonian Eigenstates of the Hamiltonian Complements GENERAL PROPERTIES OF ANGULAR MOMENTUM IN QUANTUM MECHANICS Introduction: The Importance of Angular Momentum Commutation Relations Characteristic of Angular Momentum General Theory of Angular Momentum Application to Orbital Angular Momentum Complements PARTICLES IN A CENTRAL POTENTIAL. THE HYDROGEN ATOM Stationary States of a Particle in a Central Potential Motion of the Center of Mass and Relative Motion for a System of Two Interacting Particles The Hydrogen Atom Complements

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Book SynopsisTopological Phases of Matter are an exceptionally dynamic field of research: several of the most exciting recent experimental discoveries and conceptual advances in modern physics have originated in this field. These have generated new, topological, notions of order, interactions and excitations. This text provides an accessible, unified and comprehensive introduction to the phenomena surrounding topological matter, with detailed expositions of the underlying theoretical tools and conceptual framework, alongside accounts of the central experimental breakthroughs. Among the systems covered are topological insulators, magnets, semimetals, and superconductors. The emergence of new particles with remarkable properties such as fractional charge and statistics is discussed alongside possible applications such as fault-tolerant topological quantum computing. Suitable as a textbook for graduate or advanced undergraduate students, or as a reference for more experienced researchers, the book assTrade Review'… a timely and valuable introduction to the most important theoretical concepts in the topological study of matter … brief treatment of a vast, rapidly evolving subject that currently dominates condensed matter physics … This book is appropriate for physics collections within all university libraries.' M. C. Ogilvie, Choice ConnectTable of ContentsPreface; Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction; 2. Basic concepts of topology and condensed matter; 3. Integer topological phases; 4. Geometry and topology of wavefunctions in crystals; 5. Hydrogen atoms for fractionalisation; 6. Gauge and topological field theories; 7. Topology in gapless matter; 8. Disorder and defects in topological phases; 9. Topological quantum computation via non-Abelian statistics; 10. Topology out of equilibrium; 11. Symmetry, topology, and information; Appendix; References; Index.

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