James Hannam, author of God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science reviewed Quantum on his blog - Quodlibeta. I've taken the liberty of reproducing it below:
'Manjit Kumar’s book Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate about the Nature of Reality is a difficult project triumphantly accomplished. In popular history of science, the aim is to mould the history and the science together without compromising too much on either. When the science in question is quantum mechanics, an author already has his work cut out trying to explain it to the general reader. Another challenge is that the history of the quantum is about a clash of personalities and philosophical viewpoints. Turning that into a readable story is no mean feat. But Kumar has succeeded on both fronts.
The debate at the heart of Quantum is how to interpret the strange physics of the sub-atomic world. On one side was Albert Einstein. Despite the difficulty many of us have with relativity, it is actually a well-behaved physical theory that does not require us to compromise on the basic concepts of objective reality or cause and effect. Quantum mechanics, on the other hand, disposes of such foundations: it is a subjective realm where the observer appears to affect the result of experiments and where randomness is indelibly built in. Einstein could never accept this. He thought there were “hidden variables” behind quantum mechanics that would transmute it into a deterministic theory. “God does not play dice”, he said many times.
The other side of the argument was led by Niels Bohr, the greatest Dane since Tycho Brahe. Bohr developed the Copenhagen interpretation of the quantum which embraced its strangest aspects. Bohr accepted that the motion of sub-atomic particles can only be predicted as probabilities and that the experimenter is part of the same system as the thing being observed. Einstein set Bohr a number of fiendish puzzles to show that quantum mechanics was inconsistent and so incomplete. But every time, Bohr solved the problem. Eventually, after Einstein’s death, the Irish physicist John Stewart Bell developed a way to experimentally test one of the quantum paradoxes called non-locality. But, to date, the theory appears to pass even this trial.
All this has left science with a massive hangover. It is not as widely appreciated as it should be that the two crowning achievements of modern physics, relativity and quantum mechanics, are completely incompatible. It is not just that they give different results. They inhabit different metaphysical universes. Scientists have tended to assume that quantum mechanics is the more fundamental theory and string theory is an attempt, unsuccessful so far, to combine it with relativity.
I have a suspicion that current crisis in physics is a function of abandoning the metaphysical framework of a deterministic and objective universe. String theory has returned to the failed ancient Greek model of pure rationalism where clever ideas can never be tested. In the meantime, anyone who wants to understand the background to the The Trouble with Physics chronicled by Lee Smolin can do no better than to read Manjit Kumar’s Quantum.
If you haven't read James's book, check it out. It was shortlisted in 2010 for the Royal Society Science Book Prize.
Showing posts with label UK edition. Show all posts
Showing posts with label UK edition. Show all posts
Thursday, 21 July 2011
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
'a brilliant history of quantum theory'
A review of Quantum by Paul Thomas on the Freedom in a Puritan Age website:
'Quantum mechanics is both one of the most important scientific theories of the twentieth century and one of the least understood, admittedly even by physicists themselves. Quantum theory challenges both the laws of ‘classical physics’ and throws up philosophical questions about our ability to truly understand, not just the microphysical world of the atom, but the everyday, macrophysical world which we inhabit.
In telling the story of quantum theory, Kumar has written a fascinating narrative history that interweaves scientific theory and individual biography against the background of broader historical events.
Kumar introduces us to not just the main adversaries around whom the debate over quantum theory revolves — Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr — but a supplementary cast of some of the greatest scientific minds of the twentieth-century: the conservative patriarch of modern science, Max Plank; charismatic New Zealander, Ernest Rutherford; dogmatic quantum theorists Werner Karl Heisenberg and Max Born; the ‘shy’ Paul Dirac; Wolfgang Pauli, known as “The Wrath of God” for his critical mind; the ‘scandalous’ (and sometime alley of Einstein) Erwin Schrodinger; and post-WWII Irish scientist John Bell, who came up with a famous theorem to test Einstein and Bohr’s positions. At the heart of the book though is Einstein, the most famous scientist in history, the man whose name has become a synonym for ‘genius’, and whose continued questioning of a theory he had helped initiate saw him become an increasingly isolated and discredited figure.
Quantum theory begins in 1900 with Max Planck’s discovery that the energy of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation could only be emitted or absorbed by matter in ‘bits’, bundled up in various sizes; ‘quantum’ being the name he gave these individual packets of energy. As Kumar says, this was a radical break from the long held belief that energy was emitted and absorbed continuously. For Planck, the quantising of energy was a pragmatic solution to another problem that he thought he would get rid of in time.
Einstein saw the revolutionary and ‘heretical’ potential of Planck’s temporary expedient. In 1905, Einstein published four papers that would eventually launch him to international stardom, including his special theory of relativity. But it was the first of these papers, in which he put forward the theory that light was made up of particle-like quanta or photons (as they were later called), that Einstein considered the most important.
In 1913, the young Bohr applied Einstein’s light-quanta theory to the electrons within an atom and their ability to emit or absorb energy; but in doing so, he violated certain tenets of accepted physics, leaving what happens within the atom completely to chance. For Einstein, it was as if one were to let go of an apple, but instead of it falling to the ground it was suspended for some unspecified length of time, before shooting off in some undetermined direction.
Nevertheless, as with Planck and his original ‘bundles’ of energy, Einstein was prepared to abandon the ‘causality’ of classical physics and tolerate random ‘probability’ for the time being, in the hope it would be removed with further scientific developments.
By the mid-1920s, however, Einstein had grown uneasy with the very probability he had introduced into the atom. It was in writing to Max Born about his theory in 1926 that Einstein expressed his growing disquiet about quantum mechanics, and in which he first uttered his famous remark that ‘God is not playing dice’. Nevertheless, he had been the unwitting inspiration for one of the greatest developments in the understanding of the quantum: Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.
Heisenberg had discovered that quantum mechanics forbids the precise determination of both the position and the momentum of a particle at any given moment. The more accurately the one is measured, the less accurately the other can be known or predicted, as any attempt to measure an electron automatically interferes with its trajectory. As such, for the likes of Bohr, Heisenberg, and what became known as the Copenhagen school of quantum mechanics, there can be no such thing as a quantum reality free from observation. An electron simply does not exist at any place until a measurement is performed to locate it. It is the act of observation that makes ‘real’.
For Einstein, and a few like Schrodinger, there must be an objective reality free from observation and accessible to human reason. This isn’t just a scientific question, but a philosophical one. The belief that there is no such thing as an observer-free objective reality in the atomic realm affects what we can say about nature in general and, for Einstein, risks reducing science to ‘uninspired empiricism’. However, although this is ‘the great debate about the nature of reality’ to which Kumar refers, this is an argument that is never fully had-out between the main protagonists; as Bohr, unlike Einstein, is clearly not keen to step outside the uncertainty of the subatomic realm and into a real-world philosophical debate.
Amongst the strengths of Kumar’s account is placing these debates within their historical context. The uncertainty at the heart of quantum physics reflected the uncertainty of the inter-war years, which eventually saw Einstein emigrate to the United States, and brought an end to the international conferences at which these debates took place. But Kumar’s real achievement is to rehabilitate the reputation of the later-Einstein, on whose side you have no doubt Kumar is.
From the beginning Einstein argued that quantum theory was incomplete; yet as its application became increasingly successful, he became marginalised and an almost lone voice against the increasing orthodoxy of the Copenhagen Interpretation. Today, however, many physicists would agree with Einstein that quantum mechanics is an incomplete theory. As Kumar says, although Einstein never managed to deliver a decisive blow in his encounters with Bohr, his challenge was sustained and thought provoking:
“Einstein never put forward an interpretation of his own, because he was not trying to shape his philosophy to fit a physical theory. Instead he used his belief in an observer-independent reality to assess quantum mechanics and found the theory wanting.”
Kumar has written a brilliant history of quantum theory from its origins to the present; capturing, in particular, the excitement of the interwar years as the greatest scientific minds of the twentieth-century criss-crossed Europe, between conferences and university departments, meeting in train stations to snatch every opportunity to discuss the latest theories. Quantum evokes that world and takes you into those complex debates, without distracting from a fascinating story.'
'Quantum mechanics is both one of the most important scientific theories of the twentieth century and one of the least understood, admittedly even by physicists themselves. Quantum theory challenges both the laws of ‘classical physics’ and throws up philosophical questions about our ability to truly understand, not just the microphysical world of the atom, but the everyday, macrophysical world which we inhabit.
In telling the story of quantum theory, Kumar has written a fascinating narrative history that interweaves scientific theory and individual biography against the background of broader historical events.
Kumar introduces us to not just the main adversaries around whom the debate over quantum theory revolves — Albert Einstein and Niels Bohr — but a supplementary cast of some of the greatest scientific minds of the twentieth-century: the conservative patriarch of modern science, Max Plank; charismatic New Zealander, Ernest Rutherford; dogmatic quantum theorists Werner Karl Heisenberg and Max Born; the ‘shy’ Paul Dirac; Wolfgang Pauli, known as “The Wrath of God” for his critical mind; the ‘scandalous’ (and sometime alley of Einstein) Erwin Schrodinger; and post-WWII Irish scientist John Bell, who came up with a famous theorem to test Einstein and Bohr’s positions. At the heart of the book though is Einstein, the most famous scientist in history, the man whose name has become a synonym for ‘genius’, and whose continued questioning of a theory he had helped initiate saw him become an increasingly isolated and discredited figure.
Quantum theory begins in 1900 with Max Planck’s discovery that the energy of light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation could only be emitted or absorbed by matter in ‘bits’, bundled up in various sizes; ‘quantum’ being the name he gave these individual packets of energy. As Kumar says, this was a radical break from the long held belief that energy was emitted and absorbed continuously. For Planck, the quantising of energy was a pragmatic solution to another problem that he thought he would get rid of in time.
Einstein saw the revolutionary and ‘heretical’ potential of Planck’s temporary expedient. In 1905, Einstein published four papers that would eventually launch him to international stardom, including his special theory of relativity. But it was the first of these papers, in which he put forward the theory that light was made up of particle-like quanta or photons (as they were later called), that Einstein considered the most important.
In 1913, the young Bohr applied Einstein’s light-quanta theory to the electrons within an atom and their ability to emit or absorb energy; but in doing so, he violated certain tenets of accepted physics, leaving what happens within the atom completely to chance. For Einstein, it was as if one were to let go of an apple, but instead of it falling to the ground it was suspended for some unspecified length of time, before shooting off in some undetermined direction.
Nevertheless, as with Planck and his original ‘bundles’ of energy, Einstein was prepared to abandon the ‘causality’ of classical physics and tolerate random ‘probability’ for the time being, in the hope it would be removed with further scientific developments.
By the mid-1920s, however, Einstein had grown uneasy with the very probability he had introduced into the atom. It was in writing to Max Born about his theory in 1926 that Einstein expressed his growing disquiet about quantum mechanics, and in which he first uttered his famous remark that ‘God is not playing dice’. Nevertheless, he had been the unwitting inspiration for one of the greatest developments in the understanding of the quantum: Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle.
Heisenberg had discovered that quantum mechanics forbids the precise determination of both the position and the momentum of a particle at any given moment. The more accurately the one is measured, the less accurately the other can be known or predicted, as any attempt to measure an electron automatically interferes with its trajectory. As such, for the likes of Bohr, Heisenberg, and what became known as the Copenhagen school of quantum mechanics, there can be no such thing as a quantum reality free from observation. An electron simply does not exist at any place until a measurement is performed to locate it. It is the act of observation that makes ‘real’.
For Einstein, and a few like Schrodinger, there must be an objective reality free from observation and accessible to human reason. This isn’t just a scientific question, but a philosophical one. The belief that there is no such thing as an observer-free objective reality in the atomic realm affects what we can say about nature in general and, for Einstein, risks reducing science to ‘uninspired empiricism’. However, although this is ‘the great debate about the nature of reality’ to which Kumar refers, this is an argument that is never fully had-out between the main protagonists; as Bohr, unlike Einstein, is clearly not keen to step outside the uncertainty of the subatomic realm and into a real-world philosophical debate.
Amongst the strengths of Kumar’s account is placing these debates within their historical context. The uncertainty at the heart of quantum physics reflected the uncertainty of the inter-war years, which eventually saw Einstein emigrate to the United States, and brought an end to the international conferences at which these debates took place. But Kumar’s real achievement is to rehabilitate the reputation of the later-Einstein, on whose side you have no doubt Kumar is.
From the beginning Einstein argued that quantum theory was incomplete; yet as its application became increasingly successful, he became marginalised and an almost lone voice against the increasing orthodoxy of the Copenhagen Interpretation. Today, however, many physicists would agree with Einstein that quantum mechanics is an incomplete theory. As Kumar says, although Einstein never managed to deliver a decisive blow in his encounters with Bohr, his challenge was sustained and thought provoking:
“Einstein never put forward an interpretation of his own, because he was not trying to shape his philosophy to fit a physical theory. Instead he used his belief in an observer-independent reality to assess quantum mechanics and found the theory wanting.”
Kumar has written a brilliant history of quantum theory from its origins to the present; capturing, in particular, the excitement of the interwar years as the greatest scientific minds of the twentieth-century criss-crossed Europe, between conferences and university departments, meeting in train stations to snatch every opportunity to discuss the latest theories. Quantum evokes that world and takes you into those complex debates, without distracting from a fascinating story.'
Friday, 19 November 2010
Amazon Reader's Review: 'Feeds the brain and the heart'
Steve from Cardiff had this to say about Quantum on amazon.co.uk:
'Like a good novel, this kept me gripped to the very end thanks to a perfect balance between hard science and human interest. The first thing you notice about the book is the detail. Copiously researched, Kumar has pulled together a truly impressive array of material, both personal and professional, constructing a rich history that transports you to the subject's golden age and to the lives of the key players. He tells a story so engrossing and so detailed that I felt surprisingly moved towards the end. Yes, by a book on quantum theory.
In terms of the science, there are some first-class explanations from blackbody radiation and the photoelectric effect through to EPR and Bell's Theorem, with 30+ pages of end notes. Although the history is structured around the debate between Einstein and Bohr, other key players are afforded considerable coverage - not just the obvious ones like Planck, Rutherford, Heisenberg, Schrödinger, de Broglie and Born, but also (and to his credit) some of the lesser known figures - Sommerfeld, Uhlenbeck, Compton - whose crucial contributions to the field frequently go unmentioned in books and articles on this subject.
The great debate itself is a tremendously invigorating one. Both Einstein and Bohr agreed that quantum mechanics was correct. Where they disagreed was in whether or not it was complete. In fact the implications of this disagreement went deeper, calling into question the fundamental role of physics itself, and whether there is even such a thing to be measured as an independent objective reality. On this, the author's background in physics and philosophy are put to good use. Overall then, this is a captivating fusion of science, history, philosophy and biography, and a great way to feed the heart and the brain.'
'Like a good novel, this kept me gripped to the very end thanks to a perfect balance between hard science and human interest. The first thing you notice about the book is the detail. Copiously researched, Kumar has pulled together a truly impressive array of material, both personal and professional, constructing a rich history that transports you to the subject's golden age and to the lives of the key players. He tells a story so engrossing and so detailed that I felt surprisingly moved towards the end. Yes, by a book on quantum theory.
In terms of the science, there are some first-class explanations from blackbody radiation and the photoelectric effect through to EPR and Bell's Theorem, with 30+ pages of end notes. Although the history is structured around the debate between Einstein and Bohr, other key players are afforded considerable coverage - not just the obvious ones like Planck, Rutherford, Heisenberg, Schrödinger, de Broglie and Born, but also (and to his credit) some of the lesser known figures - Sommerfeld, Uhlenbeck, Compton - whose crucial contributions to the field frequently go unmentioned in books and articles on this subject.
The great debate itself is a tremendously invigorating one. Both Einstein and Bohr agreed that quantum mechanics was correct. Where they disagreed was in whether or not it was complete. In fact the implications of this disagreement went deeper, calling into question the fundamental role of physics itself, and whether there is even such a thing to be measured as an independent objective reality. On this, the author's background in physics and philosophy are put to good use. Overall then, this is a captivating fusion of science, history, philosophy and biography, and a great way to feed the heart and the brain.'
Monday, 2 August 2010
Book addict on Quantum
'Addicted to books' blogger Tracy had this to say about Quantum:
'This book is a gem, a history of quantum mechanics, not just about Einstein and Bohr, but about those other giants of physics and their discoveries - Planck's original accidental discovery of the quantum, Rutherford's discovery of the atomic nucleus, de Broglie's wave-particle duality, Pauli's exclusion principle, Heisenberg's uncertaintly principle, and Schrödinger's wave equation (and infamous cat). More than this, Kumar's book brings those Nobel prize-winning scientists to life - Heisenberg's rivalry with Schrödinger, Pauli, the sharp-witted Austrian who rarely surfaced before noon, de Broglie, both a German prince and a French duke and the quiet Englishman Dirac, bullied by his overbearing father.
Having brought you up to speed on the nature of quantum mechanics, lucidly explaining both the experimental evidence and the thought experiments beloved of Einstein, the author then hits you with the real argument, the interpretation of quantum mechanics: What does it really mean? What is the nature of reality? In the 'observer-independent reality, quantum theory is incomplete ' corner was Einstein, whereas Bohr and the majority of quantum physicists at the time were very much in the 'probablistic, observer-dependent reality' corner - Einstein's famous argument that 'God does not play dice with the Universe' countered by Bohr's response of 'But still, it cannot be for us to tell God, how he is to run the world.' And still the debate continues.
Manjit Kumar's book explains the science and the arguments beautifully-clearly and fairly. Highly recommended to anyone who likes science history and essential reading for anyone who is studying any kind of science. The kind of book that really does make you feel slightly more intelligent after you've read it, for a few weeks, anyway, until you forget Pauli's exclusion principle (no two electrons in an atom can occupy the same quantum state), de Broglie's equation linking wavelength and momentum gradually fades, Planck's constant, h, draws a blank and all you're left remembering is Schrödinger's cat, his famous thought experiment about a cat in a box, whose fate is determined by random radioactive decay of an atom.'
'This book is a gem, a history of quantum mechanics, not just about Einstein and Bohr, but about those other giants of physics and their discoveries - Planck's original accidental discovery of the quantum, Rutherford's discovery of the atomic nucleus, de Broglie's wave-particle duality, Pauli's exclusion principle, Heisenberg's uncertaintly principle, and Schrödinger's wave equation (and infamous cat). More than this, Kumar's book brings those Nobel prize-winning scientists to life - Heisenberg's rivalry with Schrödinger, Pauli, the sharp-witted Austrian who rarely surfaced before noon, de Broglie, both a German prince and a French duke and the quiet Englishman Dirac, bullied by his overbearing father.
Having brought you up to speed on the nature of quantum mechanics, lucidly explaining both the experimental evidence and the thought experiments beloved of Einstein, the author then hits you with the real argument, the interpretation of quantum mechanics: What does it really mean? What is the nature of reality? In the 'observer-independent reality, quantum theory is incomplete ' corner was Einstein, whereas Bohr and the majority of quantum physicists at the time were very much in the 'probablistic, observer-dependent reality' corner - Einstein's famous argument that 'God does not play dice with the Universe' countered by Bohr's response of 'But still, it cannot be for us to tell God, how he is to run the world.' And still the debate continues.
Manjit Kumar's book explains the science and the arguments beautifully-clearly and fairly. Highly recommended to anyone who likes science history and essential reading for anyone who is studying any kind of science. The kind of book that really does make you feel slightly more intelligent after you've read it, for a few weeks, anyway, until you forget Pauli's exclusion principle (no two electrons in an atom can occupy the same quantum state), de Broglie's equation linking wavelength and momentum gradually fades, Planck's constant, h, draws a blank and all you're left remembering is Schrödinger's cat, his famous thought experiment about a cat in a box, whose fate is determined by random radioactive decay of an atom.'
Born with Quantum history in the family
Carey Born, the granddaughter of the Max Born, the great quantum physicist who was instrumental in the development of matrix mechanics (he even taught Heisenberg what a matrix was) and put forward the probabilistic interpretation of Schrodinger's wave function (for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize) wrote this on amazon.co.uk:
'Manjit Kumar has produced a brilliant, insightful account of the quantum story. Through a compelling narrative he interweaves the ideas, events and personalities involved in the paradoxical quest for the truth about uncertainty. The book is a fascinating read about this tumultuous and revolutionary period in the history of science. Highly recommended'.
'Manjit Kumar has produced a brilliant, insightful account of the quantum story. Through a compelling narrative he interweaves the ideas, events and personalities involved in the paradoxical quest for the truth about uncertainty. The book is a fascinating read about this tumultuous and revolutionary period in the history of science. Highly recommended'.
Another reader's view of Quantum
'A brilliant read', says Steve Carleysmith on amazon.co.uk
'I found this a fascinating read. If you are interested in how science works and the power of personalities, you will love this book. Using really well researched personal details of the lives of the key figures, Kumar shows how quantum science developed and led to the scientific and philosophical conflict between Bohr and Einstein - a debate that continues to this day. What is real and what is only observed? Kumar blends biography and quantum theory, covering probably the most exciting period in the development of science and thought.'
'I found this a fascinating read. If you are interested in how science works and the power of personalities, you will love this book. Using really well researched personal details of the lives of the key figures, Kumar shows how quantum science developed and led to the scientific and philosophical conflict between Bohr and Einstein - a debate that continues to this day. What is real and what is only observed? Kumar blends biography and quantum theory, covering probably the most exciting period in the development of science and thought.'
'A book that is very difficult to close... maybe it's in a state that is both open and closed until you look at it, who knows?'
It was the the title of this review by C.A. Whitfield on amazon.co.uk that caught my eye. He or she writes:
'This has to be one of the most gripping non-fiction books I have ever read! It reads like a well-organised narrative and there is rarely a dull moment in the entire book, although the author did have plenty to work with. As well as the emergence of this controversial 'quantum physics' the scientists had to compete with the outbreak of two world wars, it was not an easy time to be a theoretical physicist.
The chapters each focus on a different player in the quantum debate so that the reader gets a taste of the characters' backgrounds and their individual work that all led to the great breakthroughs that were made. This means that by the point in the story when all the characters are starting to meet and debate the implications of quantum mechanics, the reader finds they know their personalities and are compelled to find out who comes out on top.
Any physics that is mentioned in the book is explained thoroughly and generally only goes into as much detail as is necessary for the reader to understand the debate. This can get slightly tedious at times for anyone with a background in physics but it does mean that the book is suitable for anyone.
Overall, it is a fascinating and compelling read that find an exciting balance of scientific content, concerning what still is one of the most mysterious areas of physics, and the personal experience of the people involved.'
'This has to be one of the most gripping non-fiction books I have ever read! It reads like a well-organised narrative and there is rarely a dull moment in the entire book, although the author did have plenty to work with. As well as the emergence of this controversial 'quantum physics' the scientists had to compete with the outbreak of two world wars, it was not an easy time to be a theoretical physicist.
The chapters each focus on a different player in the quantum debate so that the reader gets a taste of the characters' backgrounds and their individual work that all led to the great breakthroughs that were made. This means that by the point in the story when all the characters are starting to meet and debate the implications of quantum mechanics, the reader finds they know their personalities and are compelled to find out who comes out on top.
Any physics that is mentioned in the book is explained thoroughly and generally only goes into as much detail as is necessary for the reader to understand the debate. This can get slightly tedious at times for anyone with a background in physics but it does mean that the book is suitable for anyone.
Overall, it is a fascinating and compelling read that find an exciting balance of scientific content, concerning what still is one of the most mysterious areas of physics, and the personal experience of the people involved.'
Sunday, 13 June 2010
'The People behind the Quantum'
'This is the book about the early days of quantum theory,' writes Professor Chris Clarke in a review for the Scientific and Medical Network.
'It is an engrossing read because as each character enters the scene they are introduced with a careful biographical sketch, so that we can identify with them and share their personal grappling with the ideas as they unfold.'
He concludes that 'the book is unequalled as an exposition of the personalities and ideas on which quantum theory is founded'.
Read the entire article here.
'Quantum story leaps off the page'
This was the title of a review of Quantum by Gordon Miller in Physics Education. Published last year, I was sent a copy of the review recently - it's only available online to subscribers, so here's an extract:
Monday, 7 June 2010
Quantum - one of Richard Holmes' favourite science books
The Times ran an article this Saturday in which a number of leading scientists and science authors were asked to pick their favourite science book.
Richard Holmes, whose The Age of Wonder was shortlisted alongside Quantum for last year's BBC Samuel Johnson Prize, selects Manjit Kumar's book as one of his.
Read the full piece here.
Richard Holmes, whose The Age of Wonder was shortlisted alongside Quantum for last year's BBC Samuel Johnson Prize, selects Manjit Kumar's book as one of his.
Read the full piece here.
Thursday, 18 February 2010
Jacob Weisberg on Quantum
Jacob Weisberg, Editor-in-Chief of The Slate Group, a columnist for Newsweek and Slate and the author of The Bush Tragedy has these very complimentary things to say about Manjit Kumar's book:
Friday, 29 January 2010
Quantum reviewed on Goodreads.com
A reader called Raghu had some very complimentary things to say about Quantum on book lover's site Goodreads.com recently:
'Manjit Kumar's book is a fascinating history of one of the most fundamental areas of science. Just as the title says, it is a history of the great debate about the nature of reality with Einstein and Niels Bohr leading the opposing views. Quantum Mechanics has always been a fascinating subject for me, mainly because I could never hope to understand it enough, however much time I spent on it. This brilliant work takes you through the history of the ideas behind quantum mechanics from the late 19th century all the way till the latter half of 20th century. ...The book is lucid and delightfully accessible in spite of the difficult subject matter. I enjoyed reading it immensely. In many ways, it is like a thriller... I would recommend it strongly to anyone interested in popular science in general and Quantum Mechanics in particular.'
The full piece is here.
The full piece is here.
Friday, 22 January 2010
Quantum - one of Colin Tudge's best books of the Noughties
Zoologist and science writer Colin Tudge puts Quantum at the top of his list of the best books of the last decade, in a piece for the Blackwell's website:
'I have hugely admired Manjit Kumar's Quantum, truly getting to grips with the debates of Einstein and Bohr and their predecessors and disciples - showing with brilliant clarity that modern physics is even more intricate than most of us suppose it to be, and leads us, as great science invariably does, to uncertainty - which we just have to live with.'
See the full piece here.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Quantum customer review on waterstones.com
Waterstones customer 'Gerry' has this to say about Manjit's book:
'A must for budding physicists'
'I wish this book had been available when I was studying Physics. It provides a magnificent overview of the birth and development of the quantum age, as well as an insight into the personalities of the key contributors. It is well researched and just as importantly is a good read, impossible to put down, races along like a mystery novel, and inludes some poignant black and white photos of the most famous names in 20th century Physics. Should be on the compulsory reading list for Physics students in every university.'
The reviewing features on Waterstones page for the book here.
'A must for budding physicists'
'I wish this book had been available when I was studying Physics. It provides a magnificent overview of the birth and development of the quantum age, as well as an insight into the personalities of the key contributors. It is well researched and just as importantly is a good read, impossible to put down, races along like a mystery novel, and inludes some poignant black and white photos of the most famous names in 20th century Physics. Should be on the compulsory reading list for Physics students in every university.'
The reviewing features on Waterstones page for the book here.
More blog praise for Quantum
Blogger PJP has some good things to say about Quantum on their site:
'Quantum is an excellent read. Being a fiction lover, I rarely come across some non-fiction that is so nicely written & interesting cover-to-cover.'
Read the whole entry here.
'Quantum is an excellent read. Being a fiction lover, I rarely come across some non-fiction that is so nicely written & interesting cover-to-cover.'
Read the whole entry here.
Friday, 11 December 2009
Quantum - best of the year in the Scotsman
Andrew Crumey picks Quantum as one of his best books of the year in the Scotsman:
'Two popular science books particularly impressed me this year. Manjit Kumar's Quantum (Icon, £9.99) ably recounts the early history of a theory that continues to intrigue and baffle people a century later, while In Search of the Multiverse (Allen Lane, £20) by John Gribbin explains why some physicists believe the parallel worlds of science fiction could really exist.'
The full piece is here.
'Two popular science books particularly impressed me this year. Manjit Kumar's Quantum (Icon, £9.99) ably recounts the early history of a theory that continues to intrigue and baffle people a century later, while In Search of the Multiverse (Allen Lane, £20) by John Gribbin explains why some physicists believe the parallel worlds of science fiction could really exist.'
The full piece is here.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
Quantum review by Institute of Physics press officer
J.O. Winters, press officer at the Institute of Physics has posted this great review of Quantum on Amazon:
'The history of quantum physics is the story of a group of physicists with minds capable of grasping horribly counter-intuitive truths about how the very smallest components of matter behave. The problem with trying to convey the wonder of what was achieved to the uninitiated (most of us!) through a popular science book is that you have to take them on a journey through those discoveries; requiring the reader to make the same leaps of faith that even Einstein wouldn't make. The sort of leaps of faith that have previously, think Earth going 'round the Sun or flat Earth, taken centuries to become common parlance.'
'Kumar offers a masterclass in how to help readers through, possibly, the most difficult field of physics out there. He entertains with a wonderfully illuminating narrative, telling the life stories of not only Bohr and Einstein, but also Planck, Rutherford, Schrodinger and many more. The most remarkable thing about this book however is that you don't, as with so many popular science books, skim the meat of the science, hanging onto the thread of the book through the more easily-accessed narrative. You relish and look forward to grasping the science. I dare say I've read physics books that tackle innately easier physics topics less well than Kumar takes on quantum physics.'
'To understand a fraction of quantum physics will increase ego by degrees of magnitude. To understand as much as Kumar offers (and to enjoy it, which you will) might give you a couple of sleepless nights (thinking about how your wave-particle coffee table is actually solid enough to hold your laptop) but you will end up feeling an intellectual colossus vis a vis anyone who hasn't read it and isn't actually a quantum physicist.'
'The history of quantum physics is the story of a group of physicists with minds capable of grasping horribly counter-intuitive truths about how the very smallest components of matter behave. The problem with trying to convey the wonder of what was achieved to the uninitiated (most of us!) through a popular science book is that you have to take them on a journey through those discoveries; requiring the reader to make the same leaps of faith that even Einstein wouldn't make. The sort of leaps of faith that have previously, think Earth going 'round the Sun or flat Earth, taken centuries to become common parlance.'
'Kumar offers a masterclass in how to help readers through, possibly, the most difficult field of physics out there. He entertains with a wonderfully illuminating narrative, telling the life stories of not only Bohr and Einstein, but also Planck, Rutherford, Schrodinger and many more. The most remarkable thing about this book however is that you don't, as with so many popular science books, skim the meat of the science, hanging onto the thread of the book through the more easily-accessed narrative. You relish and look forward to grasping the science. I dare say I've read physics books that tackle innately easier physics topics less well than Kumar takes on quantum physics.'
'To understand a fraction of quantum physics will increase ego by degrees of magnitude. To understand as much as Kumar offers (and to enjoy it, which you will) might give you a couple of sleepless nights (thinking about how your wave-particle coffee table is actually solid enough to hold your laptop) but you will end up feeling an intellectual colossus vis a vis anyone who hasn't read it and isn't actually a quantum physicist.'
Wednesday, 12 August 2009
Quantum reviewed by R.D.Brislin
Reader R.D. Brislin had these nice things to say about Quantum on Amazon.co.uk:
'I have always been fascinated by how 'it' all fits together, but struggle to find the time to concentrate on dry theoretical texts. It was therefore with great delight that I found myself engrossed in Quantum on the tube, the bus and even occasionally the walk in between. Manjit Kumar's writing eases you effortlessly into the some of the most complex ideas in physics by juxtaposing the personal stories of the authors playing out through the 20th century with the theories themselves. Sufficient detail is provided to challenge all but the most experienced reader, and a comprehensive references list encourages further exploration for those who need to dig even deeper. While having to admit to only momentary glimpses of both the elusive beauty, and the black hole enveloped by quantum theory, I felt strangely comforted that even Einstein struggled to fully embrace such a world.'
Read more reviews on Amazon at the book's page here.
'I have always been fascinated by how 'it' all fits together, but struggle to find the time to concentrate on dry theoretical texts. It was therefore with great delight that I found myself engrossed in Quantum on the tube, the bus and even occasionally the walk in between. Manjit Kumar's writing eases you effortlessly into the some of the most complex ideas in physics by juxtaposing the personal stories of the authors playing out through the 20th century with the theories themselves. Sufficient detail is provided to challenge all but the most experienced reader, and a comprehensive references list encourages further exploration for those who need to dig even deeper. While having to admit to only momentary glimpses of both the elusive beauty, and the black hole enveloped by quantum theory, I felt strangely comforted that even Einstein struggled to fully embrace such a world.'
Read more reviews on Amazon at the book's page here.
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Still searching for God's dice
A great review piece here on Quantum by Vikram Johri on his blog:
'Kumar’s real achievement is not in throwing light on quantum mechanics per se, which descriptions are often mired in thick scientific jargon, but on a time when the thrill of discovery was so palpable it could slice through butter like a hot knife.'
Read the full piece here.
'Kumar’s real achievement is not in throwing light on quantum mechanics per se, which descriptions are often mired in thick scientific jargon, but on a time when the thrill of discovery was so palpable it could slice through butter like a hot knife.'
Read the full piece here.
Thursday, 9 July 2009
Quantum mention on Mumsnet.com
Nice to see that it's far from just geeky men who are reading Quantum - a reader at this post on Mumsnet.com says:
Right. I have finished Quantum by Manjit Kumar and have come to the conclusion
that quantum physicists are nutters!
How else can you explain beleiving that something only happens if you observe it? I used to think that when I hid my eyes when playing hide and seek as a very small child. And the cat thing is a bit daft, not to mention cruel .
I really enjoyed the book though. But wish I understand a bit more
Right. I have finished Quantum by Manjit Kumar and have come to the conclusion
that quantum physicists are nutters!
How else can you explain beleiving that something only happens if you observe it? I used to think that when I hid my eyes when playing hide and seek as a very small child. And the cat thing is a bit daft, not to mention cruel .
I really enjoyed the book though. But wish I understand a bit more
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