. Thorne reluctantly concludes that things really don't look very good for wormholes, especially for time travel -- though he does leave a tiny ray of hope for some super-advanced future civilization to make wormholes for space travel [note 4]. Thorne notes that our grasp of basic physics is so crude that we can really only understand maybe 5% of the stuff that fills our universe -- the "normal" baryonic matter that makes up people, planets and stars. Thorne guesses that 35% of the universes's mass is in some unknown form of "cold dark matter", and the remaining 60% is some even more mysterious form of "dark energy" -- so there's certainly plenty of room left for discovery!
The book concludes with a nice explanation of why good popular-science books are needed, by noted pop-science writer Timothy Ferris, and with Alan Lightman's essay on "The Physicist as Novelist". Lightman, a former student of Thorne's, went on to write Einstein's Dreams and other well-regarded novels.
The Future of Spacetime is written for a general audience -- aside from Hawking's essay, everything should be understandable to any science-literate reader. I particularly recommend it to readers who've liked Thorne's earlier pop-science works.
______________________
Note 1). a clever play on festschrift, the traditional name for such a tribute volume.
Note 2). As Hawking cheerfully points out, "closed timelike curve" is just physics-speak for time travel, because you can't admit you're studying that sci-fi stuff in a grant proposal...
Note 3). Arthur C. Clarke notes that "the most convincing argument against time travel is the remarkable scarcity of time travellers..."
Note 4). As you may know, a faster-than-light spaceship could also be used as a time-machine, another reason why most physicists think FTL travel is very unlikely. I'd love to see a theoretical treatment of FTL travel that wouldn't violate Hawking's "Chronology Protection Clause"... Note also that there's no theoretical barrier to wormhole spaceships travelling a bit *slower* than light.
Peter D. Tillman
Consulting Geologist, Tucson & Santa Fe (USA)
Review first published at SF Site:
http://www.sfsite.com/11a/fs139.htm
Sorry, grandma, I won't be seeing you again anytime soon........2003-05-13
Time travel appears pretty impractical based on this book. Maybe it's mathematically possible to fold time and punch wormholes in it in theory, but I don't think NASA or Greyhound is going to be offering trips back and forth through our lives. However, it's always intriguing to read what really smart people come up with, because they make a lot of it seem so obvious, even though I could never come up with it on my own.
Garbage.......2003-02-28
It is incredible how they trust blindly in EVERY aspect of General Relativity. Space-time warpages and singularities happens ONLY in mathematics! There is no way out. It is funny how Scientific American gives credibility to such a kind of science-fiction. It is time to stop lying to the public!
Hawking and Thorne, grasp it: Time-travel is physically IMPOSSIBLE.
Book Description
The internationally renowned physicist Harald Fritzsch deftly explains the meaning and far-flung implications of the general theory of relativity and other mysteries of modern physics by presenting an imaginary conversation among Newton, Einstein, and a fictitious contemporary particle physicist named Adrian Haller -- the same device Fritzsch employed to great acclaim in his earlier book An Equation That Changed the World, which focused on the special theory of relativity.
Einstein's theory of gravitation, his general theory of relativity, touches on basic questions of our existence. Matter, according to Einstein, has no existence independent of space and time. It is even capable of bending the structure of space and changing the course of time -- it introduces a "curvature." Gravity emerges not as an actual physical force but as a consequence of space-time geometry. Even the apple that drops from the tree follows the curvature of time and space.
In this entertaining and involving account of relativity, Newton serves as the skeptic and asks the questions a modern reader might ask. Einstein himself does the explaining, while Haller explains the new developments that have occurred since the general theory was proposed. The result is an intellectual roller-coaster ride in which concepts that have entered the vernacular become clear for the first time: the Big Bang, "black holes," elementary particles, and much more.
Customer Reviews:
The Curvature Of Spacetime: Newton, Einstein, And Gravitation.......2007-01-10
Although this book is a general public level presentation in the fields of special and general relativity, it reads like a novel, presents many historically accurate facts about the lives of two famous individuals - Albert Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton - and presents the material in an extraordinarily understandable manner.
A good comparison would be the popular work of Stephen Hawking, albeit with a little more math than most of Hawking's.
All in all, an enjoyable read and an easy way to increase one's comprehension of several difficult concepts.
John Brady
Conversations About Curvature.......2005-12-29
In general, I am not particularly fond of books that explain physical concepts in this format. Through coversations with Newton, Einstein, and a fictional physicist named Haller we are given the priviledge of learning the basics of newtonian gravity, the special and general relativity, the standard model, and cosmology.
Once I started reading the book I could not put it down. The real gems are found in passages that explain the concepts of the metric and spacetime cuvature. I also found the chapter on the origin of mass particularly interesting.
I rate this material five stars because the conversational style of Dr. Fritzsch's book worked eceptionally well in this case. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Book Description
In this book, Lawrence Sklar demonstrates the interdependence of science and philosophy by examining a number of crucial problems on the nature of space and time--problems that require for their resolution the resources of philosophy and of physics.
The overall issues explored are our knowledge of the geometry of the world, the existence of spacetime as an entity over and above the material objects of the world, the relation between temporal order and causal order, and the problem of the direction of time. Without neglecting the most subtle philosophical points or the most advanced contributions of contemporary physics, the author has taken pains to make his explorations intelligible to the reader with no advanced training in physics, mathematics, or philosophy. The arguments are set forth step-by-step, beginning from first principles; and the philosophical discussions are supplemented in detail by nontechnical expositions of crucial features of physical theories.
Customer Reviews:
Best Around.......2005-12-28
I read this book years ago when I was quite interested in the topics addressed. During that time I read quite a bit ranging from fluff popularizations to hard-core philosophy of science. Sklar's book was by for my favorite. Why? I found it really addressed the issues in philosphy of science and relativity that fascinated me. I found solid answers and insighful analysis that I didn't find elsewhere. No poetic, but vacuous, metaphors or needless formalism--just getting to the heart of the problems.
it takes a lot of space and time to read "Spacetime".......2000-10-28
However monumental the book maybe, if it bores the reader to death, the ideas contained in it just never get conveyed. This is one of the most boring books I have ever read (and I can tell you I'm also a frequent reader books laden with heavy and long-winded mathematical/philosophical concepts). I fail to see why Sklar would prefer to drain every bit of fun out of the book and make it dry like a brittle, dessicated autumn leaf - or perhaps he is just not funny. Plus, it doesn't make a book more important by sounding important - he could have shed half of the weight of the book by being more concise and direct to the reader rather than being circular and mysterious. There are few keynotes concepts in the book but they are buried under layers of fat, and I'm sure it's not a reader's responsibility to have to painstakingly dig out the truths in a book. For a better read, opt for "the Philosophy of Space & Time" by Hans Reichenbach, translated by his wife Maria Reichenbach.
it takes a lot of space and time to read "Spacetime".......2000-10-28
However monumental the book maybe, if it bores the reader to death, the ideas contained in it just never get conveyed. This is one of the most boring books I have ever read (and I can tell you I'm also a frequent reader books laden with heavy and long-winded mathematical/philosophical concepts). I fail to see why Sklar would prefer to drain every bit of fun out of the book and make it dry like a brittle, dessicated autumn leaf - or perhaps he is just not funny. Plus, it doesn't make a book more important by sounding important - he could have shed half of the weight of the book by being more concise and direct to the reader rather than being circular and mysterious. There are few keynotes concepts in the book but they are buried under layers of fat, and I'm sure it's not a reader's responsibility to have to painstakingly dig out the truths in a book. For a better read, opt for "the Philosophy of Space & Time" by Hans Reichenbach, translated by his wife Maria Reichenbach.
Thorough, if somewhat dry, look at the issues of space-time.......1999-12-11
This book has won philosophical awards, and with good reason- it is a valuable resource for anyone looking to learn about the philosophical issues surrounding space and time. In fact, this is the book that is usually read for classes on the topic. A few of the central topics he discusses are the philosophy of geometry, the reality of space-time, and the arrow of time. Some of these topics do not recieve the coverage a lone book on them would achieve, but this is only to be expected, and Sklar tells the reader this in the introduction.
Sklar's writing is lucid, and he weaves the various topics together very nicely. The style is a little dry, but that is probably as it should be- the book is a serious philosophical work. While the book was not written for the lay reader, there is nothing inherent in the nature of the material that would prevent someone unschooled in philosophy from taking it up.
Book Description
This textbook is for mathematicians and mathematical physicists and is mainly concerned with the physical justification of both the mathematical framework and the foundations of the theory of general relativity. Previous knowledge of the relevant physics is not assumed. This book is also suitable as an introduction to pseudo-Riemannian geometry with emphasis on geometrical concepts. A significant part of the text is devoted to the discussion of causality and singularity theorems. The insights obtained are applied to black hole astrophysics, thereby making the connection to current active research in mathematical physics and cosmology.
Customer Reviews:
Typing errors.......2003-12-13
I have been reading the 1999 editions and I hoped that new editions have shown up. This book is very concise and clear. However, typing errors occur in ALMOST EVERY PAGE!! When it comes to something that I really do not understand, I have to place brute force in order to figure out if it is typing error or not.
Differential geometry, ralativity, and cosmology together........2000-06-22
This book deals with the physical justification of the mathematical framework involved in the modern and highly sophisticated theories of the structure of the universe.
The book seems to have been written for working physicists and mathematicians, and maybe for graduate students, but I think most of the material of the first 5 chapters could find a place in undergraduate curricula.
There are some other regarded texts treating this same subjects, but this one attempts to ensure that the mathematical description mirrors the physical concepts involved, so this approach also leads to a careful treatment of the structural aspects of mathematics.
The contents are: Local Theory of Space and Time; Analysis on Manifolds; Space and Time from a Global Point of View; Pseudo-Riemannian Manifolds; General Relativity; Robertson-Walker Cosmology; Spherical Symmetry; Causality; Singularity Theorems.
Includes an extensive list of references and a system of guidelines to read the book, because the author states that it is not meant to be read in the same order as it is written.
Very useful as a reference.
Please take a look at the rest of my reviews (just click on my name above).
Customer Reviews:
Best Book I've Ever Read.......2001-12-04
I am a huge astronomy nerd and I must say that cannot learn well by reading. I have a hard time choosing books which explain things the way I can understand them. That doesnt mean I need things simplified for me, I can understand complicated things much better. Anyway, this book covers topics in the area of stellar birth and death, and black holes. It is an absolute MUST HAVE for a hard core astronomy person such as myself. If only it was written sooner... Im sure there have been changes since 1979... oh well. The book is packed full of knowledge and the author tells the process of starbirth not too slowly or quickly, but just right. Definately the most informative and EASY TO READ astronomy book Ive ever read, hands down.
Any astrology fan should read this........1999-08-30
This book has it all. Wanna know about supernovas, it's in there. How about the complete life cycle of stars? It's in there. And of course there is the title subject, black holes. Provides a very simple yet extremely in-depth theories about relativity and space time.
LEARN THE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.......1999-06-15
Learn how the stars were formed, universes are created and the life cycle of a star until IT DIES and: becomes a BLACK HOLE and all time is consequentially WARPED because of this. Is the universe expanding or contracting???? You decide.
Books:
- Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Technology, 5E
- Refuge: An Unnatural History of Family and Place
- Scientific Integrity: Text and Cases in Responsible Conduct of Research
- Social Dominance: An Intergroup Theory of Social Hierarchy and Oppression
- Spiritual Connections: How to Find Spirituality Throughout All the Relationships in Your Life
- Statistical Learning Theory
- Statistical Tables for the Design of Clinical Studies
- Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories
- The Antipodes of the Mind: Charting the Phenomenology of the Ayahuasca Experience
- The Bat House Builder's Handbook, Completely Revised and Updated
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Memoirs of General W.T. Sherman
- Overcoming Bulimia: Your Comprehensive, Step-By-Step Guide to Recovery
- Hardboiled and Hard Luck
- Dr. Pitcairn's New Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs and Cats
- Give Me Liberty!: An American History, Volume 2
- Girl Genius Volume 6: Agatha Heterodyne And The Golden Trilobite
- Harry Potter Paperback Box Set
- The Red Sea Rules The Same God Who Led You In Will Lead You Out
- Emerging into a New World
- The international book of trees: A guide and a tribute to the trees of our forests and gardens
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Quantum Fields in Curved Space (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)
General Relativity
Quantum Gravity (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)
The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time (Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics)
Space, Time, and Gravity: The Theory of the Big Bang and Black Holes
