Synopses & Reviews
The New Physics is the first book to give a complete and comprehensive account of everything that is new and most exciting in modern physics. What does the concept of chaos mean? What occurred in the first billionth of a second after the Universe came into existence? What is at the edge of space? How are stars born and how do they die? How does a laser work? What are the philosophical foundations of quantum mechanics? What are quarks and what does gauge theory mean? What happens to matter at very low temperatures? These and many more questions are answered in this book by some of the world's most famous living physicists, such as Stephen Hawking, Abdus Salam, A. Guth, Peter Knight, Malcom Longair and others. The New Physics is extensively illustrated with color photographs and clear explanatory diagrams, making this volume invaluable to both the general science reader who is curious about the physical makeup of the world, and the professional physicist who desires an authoritative summary of all the areas of modern physics.
Review
"The New Physics is a wonderful book. Its huge scope includes the fundamental questions at the forefront of research in physics, including the ultimate structure of matter, the universe as a whole, and the amazing possibilities for complex systems to exhibit collective behavior." American Scientist"...a major publishing venture, which will undoubtedly provide much pleasure, instruction and excitement for physicists and non-physicists alike." The Times Higher Education Supplement"This is a grand venture, a well-written and well-illustrated encyclopedia of modern physics in one volume." American Journal of Physics"...it's one of the very few sources of current information on the exciting revolution that's going on in physics and astrophysics these days." Sky &Telescope"...I strongly recommend acquiring this book...serious amateurs of other peoples' sciences, historians, sociologists, and philosophers of science need this book...so do physicists: those concerned with what other physicists are doing or those interested in presenting physics to general audiences or in teaching a modern physics course...almost any chapter could be recommended to a bright undergraduate as a source for a term paper." Jet Wimp, The Mathematical Intelligencer
Synopsis
Physics affects the way we live and, ultimately, how life itself functions. This new take on a classic text investigates key frontiers in modern physics. Exploring our universe, from the particles within atoms to the stars making up galaxies, it reveals the vital role invisible mechanisms play in the world around us, and explains new techniques, from nano-engineering and brain research to the latest advances in high-speed data networks and custom-built materials. Written by leading international experts, each of the nineteen chapters will fascinate scientists in all disciplines, as well as anyone wanting to know more about the world of physics. First Edition Hb (1989) 0-521-30420-2 First Edition Pb (1992) 0-521-43831-4
Synopsis
This widely acclaimed book is now available as a paperback. The New Physics is a sweeping survey of developments in physics. All of the major topics at the frontiers of the subject have been covered in this collection of reviews by some of the top scientists working in the field. Aimed at scientists and laymen alike, the articles are profusely illustrated throughout with colour photographs and clear explanatory diagrams. In this volume, Paul Davies, renowned for his ability to communicate advanced topics to the non-specialist, has gathered an exciting collection of reviews by many of the world's top physicists.
Synopsis
The highly acclaimed The New Physics now available as a paperback.
Synopsis
This acclaimed book is now available as a paperback. Paul Davies, renowned for his ability to communicate advanced topics to the non-specialist, has gathered an exciting collection of reviews by the world's top physicists.
Table of Contents
Preface; 1. The New Physics: a synthesis; 2. The renaissance of general relativity; 3. The inflationary universe; 4. The edge of spacetime; 5. Quantum gravity; 6. The new astrophysics; 7. Condensed matter physics in less than three dimensions; 8. Critical point phenomena: universal physics at large length scales; 9. Low temperature physics, superconductivity and superfluidity; 10. Quantum optics; 11. Physics of far-from-equilibrium systems and self-organisation; 12. What is chaos, that we should be mindful of it?; 13. Conceptual foundations of quantum mechanics; 14. The quark structure of matter; 15. Grand unified theories; 16. Effective quantum field theories; 17. Gauge theories in particle physics; 18. Overview of particle physics; Glossary; Index.
Tech Q&A
Read the Tech Q&A with Paul Davies