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In The Quantum Universe, Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw approach the world of quantum mechanics in the same way they did in Why Does E=mc2? and make fundamental scientific principles accessible-and fascinating-to everyone.The subatomic realm has a reputation for weirdness, spawning any number of profound misunderstandings, journeys into Eastern mysticism, and woolly pronouncements on the interconnectedness of all things. Cox and Forshaw’s contention? There is no need for quantum mechanics to be viewed this way. There is a lot of mileage in the “weirdness” of the quantum world, and it often leads to confusion and, frankly, bad science. The Quantum Universe cuts through the Wu Li and asks what observations of the natural world made it necessary, how it was constructed, and why we are confident that, for all its apparent strangeness, it is a good theory. The quantum mechanics of The Quantum Universe provide a concrete model of nature that is comparable in its essence to Newton’s laws of motion, Maxwell’s theory of electricity and magnetism, and Einstein’s theory of relativity.
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Reader Reviews
Praise
Publishers Weekly, 3/5/12
“Beginning with a brief scientific history that will be familiar to anyone who's completed college physics (but accessible to those who have not), Cox and Forshaw…go on to explain the origin of the periodic table, strong and weak nuclear forces, ‘Why We Don't Fall Through the Floor,' and myriad other interesting topics.”
San Francisco Book Review / Sacramento Book Review, 3/2/12
“Both Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw share a rare skill of taking on a complex topic and making it comprehensible…The book is a masterpiece of modern scientific thought, well worth the reader's time and attention…The book is an easy read, despite its intense scientific underpinnings…The authors took the time and patience to carry out what they intended to show and did it with insight, style, and intelligence.”
PopMatters.com, 4/4/12
“This is a propitious time for curious minds to learn more about physics, and in particular about quantum mechanics, its most puzzling and least-understood branch. The Quantum Universe…feels like a good place to start.”
“Cox and Forshaw aim to shed some light on this difficult topic, and succeed, showing the scientific principles behind the apparent oddities of quantum world…Readers will be swept away by the authors' contagious enthusiasm….The authors show in fact how quantum theory affects our everyday life…Following Cox and Forshaw throughout the book is a great pleasure: they use a simple and direct style allowing the readers to follow easily their explanations. They successfully accomplish their aim ‘to demystify quantum theory' without depriving it of its appeal.”
The Economist, 11/5/11
“In Britain Brian Cox…has become the front man for physics…Cox has secured a large fan base with…his happy turns of phrase and his knack for presenting complex ideas using simple analogies. He also admirably shies away from dumbing down…The authors' love for their subject shines through the book.”
“Britain's favorite physicist has put away sound-bite science to publish a rigorous introduction to quantum mechanics.”
Financial Times, 11/11/11
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“Discusses popular topics in quantum theory in a readable narrative style.”
Curled Up with a Good Book, 4/18/12
“A fine attempt to make a complex and infinitely confusing subject more accessible to the average person…By the final chapter, you may find yourself as excited by the details of a dying star as the authors are. This book is an excellent introduction to the basic concepts of quantum mechanics, full of personality as well as information.”
“[Cox and Forshaw are] masters at making the incomprehensible reasonably accessible…[and] the abstract more tangible. There is no doubt that this is not the book you keep in the bathroom for a quick read during commercial breaks in the big game, but it's well worth the time and effort it takes to grasp the concept of what makes our world tick.”
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“Very well may be the definitive introduction to quantum mechanics. The Quantum Universe is written for the layman, who will likely enjoy it, but it would also be a superb supplement for physics students struggling through early quantum mechanics classes… Those who take the time to read the book properly will come away from it with a profound knowledge of what quantum mechanics is and how it works…This is likely to be as accessible as quantum mechanics will ever be, at least in book form.”
Wall Street Journal, 2/26/12
“There is no shortage of popular introductions, but curious readers will not regret choosing this meticulous account…Space cannot be empty; matter constantly appears and vanishes. If quantum laws do not forbid something from happening, it will eventually happen. These are facts; experiments confirm them. Writers often explain these in relentlessly nontechnical language that converts them into a magic show, but Cox and Forshaw will have none of this. Using ingenious pedagogical examples, they demonstrate that weird quantum phenomena make perfect sense…An ambitious explanation of the vast quantum universe aimed at readers willing to work.”
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