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mcfade28's review against another edition
3.0
A pretty basic lesson on the universe, from the big bang to the end of the universe.
mike_brough's review against another edition
4.0
I started reading this when it first came out in paperback and then, for some unknown reason, set is aside, only to find it again yesterday. So, the first 300 pages were read 10 years ago and the last 60 pages were read yesterday and today. I'm sure there's a time-travel quip hiding in there but my brain's too foggy to grasp it today.
From what I recall of the first 80% of this book, it's a sprint through parallel worlds theory and M-String theory. What Kaku does differently from, say, Brian Greene, is to look at the applications of the theory he's explaining. At times, this makes it feel like a primer for science fiction writers embarking on a new Star Trek franchise. Which is no bad thing - I always understand a theory better if it's rooted in concrete examples although I suspect I miss out on some of the richness of the theory thereby.
The last chapter is possibly the best: a whiz around what all of this might mean for our understanding of the 'purpose'of the universe. Even if we reach a position of synthesising a Unified Theory of Everything, who created that law? Is there a designer? Is there a god? Or is it just turtles all the way down?
Fascinating.
From what I recall of the first 80% of this book, it's a sprint through parallel worlds theory and M-String theory. What Kaku does differently from, say, Brian Greene, is to look at the applications of the theory he's explaining. At times, this makes it feel like a primer for science fiction writers embarking on a new Star Trek franchise. Which is no bad thing - I always understand a theory better if it's rooted in concrete examples although I suspect I miss out on some of the richness of the theory thereby.
The last chapter is possibly the best: a whiz around what all of this might mean for our understanding of the 'purpose'of the universe. Even if we reach a position of synthesising a Unified Theory of Everything, who created that law? Is there a designer? Is there a god? Or is it just turtles all the way down?
Fascinating.
juggernaut's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.25
The book talks about possibilities in cosmology and theoretical physics. It also has a very good narration and towards the end a beautiful message about life.
theopanov's review against another edition
5.0
Често съм попадал на Мичио Каку в научнопопулярните филми за космоса на National Geographic и Discovery и всеки път той е успявал да прикове вниманието ми с позицията и мнението си по редица въпроси, касаещи физиката. Смятам го за много интересен човек.
Част от нещата в книгата вече ми бяха известни, но тук са разгледани в по-голяма дълбочина и пак ми бяха прелюбопитни, докато ги четях. Книгата е един доста пространствен и многообразен труд. Проследява в детайли развитието на физиката и пътя и ключовите открития на редица учени – Нютон, Айнщайн и много, много други, до достигането на днешното ѝ ниво, което едва ли може да се нарече окончателно. Темите в книгата наистина са всеобхватни – от гравитацията, установяването на произхода на самата вселена, вероятността за съществуването на мултивселена, струнната теория; М-теорията; та чак до прогнозния край на вселената ни и възможностите за съществуване отвъд нея и още и още.
В книгата си Мичио Каку често си служи с примери от литературата, киното и изобразителното изкуство, които по един или друг начин провокират въпроси у учените и понякога дори ги и насочват към дадена посока. (От тук си набелязах и няколко научнофантастични романа, за които авторът говори и които смятам да погледна.)
Книгата е написана на доста разбираем език и темите от нея се възприемат с лекота, не е някакво сухо хвърляне на факти и чисто научна затормозяваща информация. Нещата са поднесени наистина увлекателно, така че да бъде интересно на всички, които решат да я прочетат. И в заключение резултатът е отличен.
Част от нещата в книгата вече ми бяха известни, но тук са разгледани в по-голяма дълбочина и пак ми бяха прелюбопитни, докато ги четях. Книгата е един доста пространствен и многообразен труд. Проследява в детайли развитието на физиката и пътя и ключовите открития на редица учени – Нютон, Айнщайн и много, много други, до достигането на днешното ѝ ниво, което едва ли може да се нарече окончателно. Темите в книгата наистина са всеобхватни – от гравитацията, установяването на произхода на самата вселена, вероятността за съществуването на мултивселена, струнната теория; М-теорията; та чак до прогнозния край на вселената ни и възможностите за съществуване отвъд нея и още и още.
В книгата си Мичио Каку често си служи с примери от литературата, киното и изобразителното изкуство, които по един или друг начин провокират въпроси у учените и понякога дори ги и насочват към дадена посока. (От тук си набелязах и няколко научнофантастични романа, за които авторът говори и които смятам да погледна.)
Книгата е написана на доста разбираем език и темите от нея се възприемат с лекота, не е някакво сухо хвърляне на факти и чисто научна затормозяваща информация. Нещата са поднесени наистина увлекателно, така че да бъде интересно на всички, които решат да я прочетат. И в заключение резултатът е отличен.
david611's review against another edition
5.0
A very, very nice book..! Provided a radical understanding of the nature of Nature from the physical perspective, while eventually ending the book with its plausible connections to divinity.
... a Superb Book!!
... a Superb Book!!
schlista's review against another edition
2.0
If this book was still current/accurate I would give it 4 stars. I was very well written and pretty easy to follow (especially the first several chapters). When it was over I wanted to learn more,so I researched more info. And what did I find out? Well many of the theories he said would be proven by the HSC have been proven, but not in the way he expected. Everything he said the future test would show did just the opposite.
He should have taken a more middle of the road approach to the science that isn't proven yet and gave more reasons why the test may not be positive. Or if they fail what that would mean. So this entire book while not completely wrong it is wrong. I did learn though and it is interesting.
He should have taken a more middle of the road approach to the science that isn't proven yet and gave more reasons why the test may not be positive. Or if they fail what that would mean. So this entire book while not completely wrong it is wrong. I did learn though and it is interesting.
jarusesky's review against another edition
4.0
I am not a physicist or scientist and I never made it terribly far in the STEM world.
This has not stopped me from being perpetually curious about the scientific and natural world and our place in the universe. Kaku's book does a good job of explaining the history and ideas of cosmology and physics to a layperson - the phrase "in other words" does a lot of heavy lifting here. Some details still sailed over my head, but I was able to hold onto enough to make the audio book well worth the experience.
Reading Parallel Worlds - or any other good book about the universe - is a bit like micro-dosing Psilocybin. The world of quantum theory is so bonkers and the realities of our universe so astounding that the absorption of their ideas necessarily shifts my day-to-day perception of just about everything. The constant readjustment of what feels possible in our universe (and the potential infinity of worlds hiding perhaps just a millimeter from ours) forces me to shift also what is possible in my own life. It is impossible to study the universe without studying ourselves. To say that Parallel Worlds gave me an "understanding" of things like string theory, M-theory, wave functions, parallel universes, and super symmetry would be a stretch. But it did give me the best understanding that I've had so far, and it stretched my brain in fascinating ways.
The concluding moments of Kaku's book frames this moment (yes, this one right now) as the most exciting time yet for the history of humanity. The generations alive now, he suggests, will be the ones to facilitate our transition to a Type 1 civilization - or die trying. The future of our species and planet hinge on the choices we make now. Let's try not to fuck it up.
This has not stopped me from being perpetually curious about the scientific and natural world and our place in the universe. Kaku's book does a good job of explaining the history and ideas of cosmology and physics to a layperson - the phrase "in other words" does a lot of heavy lifting here. Some details still sailed over my head, but I was able to hold onto enough to make the audio book well worth the experience.
Reading Parallel Worlds - or any other good book about the universe - is a bit like micro-dosing Psilocybin. The world of quantum theory is so bonkers and the realities of our universe so astounding that the absorption of their ideas necessarily shifts my day-to-day perception of just about everything. The constant readjustment of what feels possible in our universe (and the potential infinity of worlds hiding perhaps just a millimeter from ours) forces me to shift also what is possible in my own life. It is impossible to study the universe without studying ourselves. To say that Parallel Worlds gave me an "understanding" of things like string theory, M-theory, wave functions, parallel universes, and super symmetry would be a stretch. But it did give me the best understanding that I've had so far, and it stretched my brain in fascinating ways.
The concluding moments of Kaku's book frames this moment (yes, this one right now) as the most exciting time yet for the history of humanity. The generations alive now, he suggests, will be the ones to facilitate our transition to a Type 1 civilization - or die trying. The future of our species and planet hinge on the choices we make now. Let's try not to fuck it up.
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