Three Roads to Quantum Gravity

Fülszöveg

This elegantly written book, by one of the world's most distinguished scientists, is the first popular presentation of the controversial and exciting ideas behind quantum gravity.
The Holy Grail of modern physics is the theory of "quantum gravity."
It is a search for a view of the universe that unites two seemingly opposed pillars of modern science: Einstein's theory of generál relativity, which deals with large scale phenomena üke planets, solar systems and galaxies, and quantum theory, which deals with the world of the very small—molecules, atoms and electrons. In the last few years physicists have made big steps toward their goal of a completely new theory of space, time and the universe, a "theory of everything." In Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, Lee Smolin, who has spent his career at the forefront of these new discoveries, presents for the first time the main ideas behind the new developments that have brought a quantum theo-ry of gravity in sight. He explains in simple... Tovább

Fülszöveg

This elegantly written book, by one of the world's most distinguished scientists, is the first popular presentation of the controversial and exciting ideas behind quantum gravity.
The Holy Grail of modern physics is the theory of "quantum gravity."
It is a search for a view of the universe that unites two seemingly opposed pillars of modern science: Einstein's theory of generál relativity, which deals with large scale phenomena üke planets, solar systems and galaxies, and quantum theory, which deals with the world of the very small—molecules, atoms and electrons. In the last few years physicists have made big steps toward their goal of a completely new theory of space, time and the universe, a "theory of everything." In Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, Lee Smolin, who has spent his career at the forefront of these new discoveries, presents for the first time the main ideas behind the new developments that have brought a quantum theo-ry of gravity in sight. He explains in simple terms what scientists are talking about when they say the world is made from exotic entities such as loops, strings and black holes. As he does so, he telis the fascinating sto-ries behind these discoveries: the rivalries, epiphanies and intrigues he witnessed first hand.
Among the groundbreaking ideas that Smolin intro-duces here:
Quantum gravity research has led to the discovery that space and time are not continuous, but exist in discrete bits, just as matter comes in discrete units.
The discovery of a new physical principle, the holographic principle, according to which the world is constructed out of nothing but the flow of information.
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Many of the problems of quantum theory—which eluded Stephen Hawking in A Brief History of Time—have been solved by the development of relational quantum theory.
Written with exceptional style and clarity, Three Roads to Quantum Gravity confronts the deepest questions of the nature of the universe and provides a preview of somé of the remarkable scientific developments we can look forward to in the twenty-first century. Vissza