Mapping the Quantum
A Guide For the Perplexed
Published on 10. April 2003
Book
Hardback
280 pages
978-0-297-84305-4 (ISBN)
Description
Quantum mechanics is the most fundamental scientific theory known to man. It underpins modern science and technology and even provides us with a blueprint for reality itself. And yet it has been said that if you think you understand it, you quite clearly don't. 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? This book untangles the weirdness of the quantum world, explains the theories, explores their consequences and presents a cutting-edge guide to the current state of the science.
Reviews / Votes
The book was reported as the number 5 bestseller for science at Waterstone'sin the Independent 24 May. Jim undertook the General News Service for the BBC, appearing on local radio for Surrey, Suffolk, Cumbria, Stoke, Shropshire, Scotland, Bristol, Essex, Hereford and Worcester on Wednesday 14 May. Portsmouth News, Jim's local newspaper, published a double page spread on his new book and Jim wrote the Don's Diary column re his experiences of publicising a book for The Times Higher Education Supplement 13th June. He appeared on Talk Sport Radio on 26th May. The book was previewed in Publishing News 8 November2002. A review was published in the Fortean Times where the book was rated 8/10, a review in Focus magazine rated the book 4/5 and an excellent review appeared in New Scientist on 7 June. The Guardian has commissioned a review. .... an excellent introduction to the strangest and most vital of scientific fields ..Tim ChapmanFORTEAN TIMES ...excellent and lavishly illustrated book ....Marcus Chown, NEW SCIENTIST ... one of the better introductions you can buy...Richard Wentk, FOCUS Jim gave a lecture to an audience of 350 at the Royal Institution and to over 300 at the Hay Literary Festival plus led a London pub discussion (sciBAr) on quantum physics. He talked about his book at Ottakars in Portsmouth and at the Cheltenham Science Festival. He is due to take part in the Guildford Book Festival in the autumn.More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Publishing group
Orion Publishing Co
Illustrations
120
Dimensions
Height: 230 mm
Width: 198 mm
Thickness: 17 mm
Weight
1024 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-297-84305-4 (9780297843054)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Dr Jim al-Khalili is a theoretical physicist and senior lecturer in the Department of Physics at the University of Surrey. He has twice been nominated for the Royal Society's Michael Faraday Award for the Public Understanding of Science and is the Institute of Physics Schools and Colleges lecturer. He is the author of BLACK HOLES, WORMHOLES AND TIME MACHINES and has appeared on Radio 4's LEADING EDGE and the BBC's TOMORROW'S WORLD and HORIZON programmes. Also contributing to QUANTUM are: Anton Zeilinger on Buckyballs and the Dual-Slit Experiment Ron Johnson on Radioactive Decay Michael Berry on Quantum Chaos Johnjoe McFadden on Quantum Mechanics in Biology Wojciech Zurek on Decoherence Chris Dewdney on Bohmian Mechanics Paul Davies on The Quantum Vacuum Lee Smolin on Quantum Gravity Frank Close on Unified Theories Ed Hinds on Bose Einstein Condensates Andrew Steane on Quantum Computers
Content
Nature's Conjuring Trick; Origins; Probability and Chance; Spooky Connections; The Watchers and the Watched; The Great Debate; The Subatomic World; The Search for the Ultimate Theory; Putting the Quantum to Work; Quantum Computing