Product Description

With two remarkable ideas Albert Einstein revolutionized our view of the Universe: first, nothing can travel faster than light and second, spacetime is warped and stretched by the gravity. Despite these contributions, he could not have envisioned the twisting of spacetime: time-travel. Theoretical physicist Jim Al-Khalili finally lays science fiction to rest as he opens up Einstein's universe. Leading us gently and light-heartedly through the dizzying world of our space and time, he gives us the recipe for a time machine, capable of taking us Back to the Future, to Alice''s Wonderland, or on a trip with the Terminator.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #91176 in Books
• Published on: 1999-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 288 pages

Review
Jim Al-Khalili has written a splendid popular book ... The book would be an excellent resource for school teachers in both maths and physics to enrich their teaching, and to enthuse their students. ... Many physicists will enjoy this easy to read book ... I highly recommend it for teenagers with an interest in science and for non-scientists interested in the deep questions of our universe.

From the Author
(What's this book is about and who I am.)
The book is meant for all those people--which is pretty much everyone I know--who are curious about such exotic sounding concepts as black holes, space warps, the Big Bang, time travel and parallel universes. In writing the book I have asked myself whether complete non-experts can learn a little about some of the ideas of modern physics without feeling the urge to check that their IQ is up to the task before embarking.

The subject matter of the book has been covered elsewhere at many different levels. At the very top is the advanced text or monograph for the practitioner in the field. This is the sorcerer's spell book, decipherable only by the privileged few. Then comes the textbook aimed at the university physics student. It too contains some spells, but nothing very powerful. Below that comes the top end of the popular science market. Such books are aimed at the non-scientist in that they contain little or no mathematics. However, they appeal only to those who are either (a) other scientists or (b) fans of such books already, who have invariably read similar books on the subject. So, when writing this book I have made every effort to cut out as much scientific jargon as possible.

I hope this book is entertaining as well as informative. I never set out to write an introductory course in relativity theory, but what I offer is a glimpse of what modern physics is about and an opportunity to share with me the sheer excitement of contemplating some of the deepest questions of existence. I hope you enjoy it.

I had also better introduce myself I suppose. I am a theoretical physicist at the University of Surrey in Guildford, England where I carry out my research as well as teach undergraduate classes in quantum physics, relativity theory, mathematics and nuclear physics.

I performed the 1998 UK Institute of Physics Schools and Colleges Lecture Tour. The lecture ended up as this book. I also seem to have been involved quite a bit recently in various TV and radio programmes discussing the subject matter of my book. I appeared with Roger Penrose on the BBC's Flow of Time documentary earlier this year and will appear later this Autumn on another BBC documentary, with Paul Davies, called A Life of Time. My recent radio work has involved discussing topics ranging from the nature of Free Will and the meaning of truth in science to the physics behind the Star Wars movies. Earlier this year I was nominated for the Royal Society Michael Faraday Award in the Public Understanding of Science.

From the Back Cover
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Customer Reviews

Fascinating book, accessible to all.
To someone (like myself) who has little or no knowledge of physics, this book is a REAL eye-opener. It is incredibly exciting, and has a deal of humour to boot.

Some parts DO require concentration to get your head around, and I must admit on one or two occasions being slightly lost. Thankfully though 99% of the book was quite easy to follow.

Primarily the book is focused on giving the reader an overview of Einstein's Theories of Relativity, and in particular how these could be applicable to time travel.

My only slight criticism is that the author does seem to concentrate on building/using time machines from a practical viewpoint, as though the reader is a Sc-Fi fan.

Before reading it I thought the universe was born billions of years ago with the Big Bang, and that I was at a certain point in time, and it would carry on ad infinitum after I die. Not necessarily so according to modern physics!

A very small sample of amazing information that I learned was:

Time could start running backwards if the Universe stops expanding and starts contracting.
Time slows down the quicker you go (near the speed of light time almost stops, or speeds up to infinity depending on your viewpoint).
Gravity doesn't pull objects, but bends space itself so objects 'fall' into it.
Gravity bends time and slows it down. Very heavy gravitation can almost stop time.
That the 'present' depends on where you are in space (and your speed), and that all future & past events may co-exist.

The book also touches on Quantum Mechanics, which is even weirder i.e. particles appearing from nowhere and being in 2 places at the same time.

An absolutely excellent book
A brilliantly written book for both scientists and non-scientists alike. Unlike most science texts, this one is gripping and informative, written in a clear easy style. Superb.

The BEST BOOK of its genre that I have ever read!
Quite frankly, this is the best book of its genre that I have ever read!

Clear, concise, easy to understand (as easy to understand as four dimensional space-time and parallel universes are), fun to read, funny and the narration, like that of a conversation; absolutely superb. This, along with personal views and experiences, gives this book a unique feel like no other.

What I think is so wonderful about this book is the way in which Mr. Al-Khalili doesn't just simply talk about black holes, wormholes and time machines (!). There's a lot more to it than that. Many other aspects of Physics, from Einstein's theories of relativity, super dense material called cosmic string, to the theory of everything not to mention quantum mechanics are all discussed. It's sheer brilliance the way in which he illustrates how all these things tie-up and are related, through the central focus of the book. Of course, relating everything from atoms to the universe is exactly what Physics is all about, but it is not always easy to see how. Mr. Al-Khalili does this very well.

I also liked the section exploring the science fact behind the science fiction. I was particularly impressed by the profound thought which went into explaining and elaborating upon the Terminator paradox (I'm sure you've all thought about it as well) - if Arnie had succeeded in killing Mrs. Connor, then John would never have been born; but if John hadn't been born, then there would never have been any need to send someone back to kill Mrs. Connor; so Mrs. Connor would not have been killed, and so John would have been born. HEH? This is where parallel universes and quantum mechanics comes in to save the day. This is the first time I've come across this idea, and it's fascinating to say the least. All good stuff!

In the week it took me to read "Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines", I spent more time reading than doing my schoolwork! (and a lot of schoolwork is the norm for a hardworking student like myself) - the book is that addictive!

Mr. Al-Khalili has done himself and the university of Surrey proud with an absolutely outstanding book, which is a must read for the interested 'layperson' and Physics student alike.

Mr. Al-Khalili plans to publish another book in about two years time (on quantum mechanics), and I for one can't wait. In the meantime, I think I'll read "Black Holes, Wormholes and Time Machines" over again a couple more times, just for the fun of it!