In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Greene, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding superstring theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter—from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas—is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.
Greene uses examples ranging from an amusement park ride to ants on a garden hose to illustrate the beautiful yet bizarre realities that modern physics is unveiling. Unprecedented in its ability to both illuminate and entertain, The Elegant Universe is a delightful, lucid voyage through modern physics that brings us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.
Editorial Reviews
“Develops 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.” –George Johnson, The New York Times
“[Greene] writes with clarity and energy and with a gift for inventing vivid, often funny, illustrations of abstract physical principles. [He] writes with the passion of someone who longs to demonstrate the truth of superstring theory because he is inspired by its beauty.” –Chicago Tribune
“A thoughtful and important book…The Elegant Universe presents…string theory with clarity and charm. It is both a personal story and the tale of a great intellectual movement.” –Scientific American
“String theory is the hottest idea to emerge in physics since Stephen Hawking gazed into a black hole…[Greene] explain[s] it in terms that anyone can understand.” –San Francisco Chronicle
About the Author
Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics, is renowned for his groundbreaking discoveries in superstring theory, including the co-discovery of mirror symmetry and of spatial topology change. He is known to the public through his books, The Elegant Universe, The Fabric of the Cosmos, and The Hidden Reality, which have collectively spent 65 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold more than 2 million copies worldwide. The Washington Post called him “the single best explainer of abstruse concepts in the world today.” Professor Greene hosted two Peabody and Emmy Award winning NOVA miniseries based on his books and is a frequent television guest, joining Stephen Colbert seven times and playing himself in an episode of The Big Bang Theory. He has also had cameo roles in a number of Hollywood films including Frequency, Maze and The Last Mimzy. With producer Tracy Day, Greene co-founded the World Science Festival and he is the Director of Columbia University’s Center for Theoretical Physics.
