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The Resource Reality is not what it seems : the journey to quantum gravity, Carlo Rovelli ; translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre

Reality is not what it seems : the journey to quantum gravity, Carlo Rovelli ; translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre

Creator
Author
Translator
Contributor
Summary
  • Traces how the human image of the world has changed throughout history, demonstrating the evolution of the idea of reality while touching on subjects ranging from the Higgs boson to quantum gravity
  • "A closer look at the mind-bending nature of the universe. What are the elementary ingredients of the world? Do time and space exist? And what exactly is reality? Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has spent his life exploring these questions. He tells us how our understanding of reality has changed over the centuries and how physicists think about the structure of the universe today. In elegant and accessible prose, Rovelli takes us on a wondrous journey from Democritus to Albert Einstein, from Michael Faraday to gravitational waves, and from classical physics to his own work in quantum gravity. As he shows us how the idea of reality has evolved over time, Rovelli offers deeper explanations of the theories he introduced so concisely in Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. This book culminates in a lucid overview of quantum gravity, the field of research that explores the quantum nature of space and time, seeking to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity. Rovelli invites us to imagine a marvelous world where space breaks up into tiny grains, time disappears at the smallest scales, and black holes are waiting to explode--a vast universe still largely undiscovered."--Jacket
Language
  • eng
  • ita
  • eng
Work
Publication
Edition
First American edition.
Extent
280 pages
Note
  • Originally published in Italian under the title: La Realtà non è come ci appare
  • English translation published in Great Britain by Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK
Contents
  • Grains ; Is there a limit to divisibility? ; The nature of things
  • The classics ; Isaac and the little moon ; Michael: fields and light
  • Albert ; The extended present ; The most beautiful of theories ; Mathematics or physics? ; The cosmos
  • Quanta ; Albert again ; Niels, Werner, and Paul ; Fields and particles are the same thing ; Quanta 1: Information is finite ; Quanta 2: Indeterminacy ; Quanta 3: Reality is relational ; But do we really understand?
  • Spacetime is quantum ; Matvei ; John ; The loops' first steps
  • Quanta of space ; Spectra of volume and area ; Atoms of space ; Spin networks
  • Time does not exist ; Time is not what we think it is ; The candle chandelier and the pulse ; Spacetime sushi ; Spinfoams ; What is the world made of?
  • Beyond the big bang ; The master ; Quantum cosmology
  • Empirical confirmations? ; Signs from nature ; A window onto quantum gravity
  • Quantum black holes
  • The end of infinity
  • Information ; Thermal time ; Reality and information
  • Mystery
Isbn
9780735213920
Link
Instance
Label
Reality is not what it seems : the journey to quantum gravity
Title
Reality is not what it seems
Title remainder
the journey to quantum gravity
Statement of responsibility
Carlo Rovelli ; translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre
Creator
Contributor
Author
Translator
Subject
Genre
Language
  • eng
  • ita
  • eng
Summary
  • Traces how the human image of the world has changed throughout history, demonstrating the evolution of the idea of reality while touching on subjects ranging from the Higgs boson to quantum gravity
  • "A closer look at the mind-bending nature of the universe. What are the elementary ingredients of the world? Do time and space exist? And what exactly is reality? Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has spent his life exploring these questions. He tells us how our understanding of reality has changed over the centuries and how physicists think about the structure of the universe today. In elegant and accessible prose, Rovelli takes us on a wondrous journey from Democritus to Albert Einstein, from Michael Faraday to gravitational waves, and from classical physics to his own work in quantum gravity. As he shows us how the idea of reality has evolved over time, Rovelli offers deeper explanations of the theories he introduced so concisely in Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. This book culminates in a lucid overview of quantum gravity, the field of research that explores the quantum nature of space and time, seeking to unify quantum mechanics and general relativity. Rovelli invites us to imagine a marvelous world where space breaks up into tiny grains, time disappears at the smallest scales, and black holes are waiting to explode--a vast universe still largely undiscovered."--Jacket
Member of
Cataloging source
OU/DLC
http://library.link/vocab/creatorDate
1956-
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Rovelli, Carlo
Dewey number
530.14/3
Index
index present
Language note
In English, translated from the Italian
LC call number
QC178
LC item number
.R69313 2017
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorDate
1962-
http://library.link/vocab/relatedWorkOrContributorName
  • Carnell, Simon
  • Segre, Erica
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Quantum gravity
  • Universe.
  • SCIENCE
  • SCIENCE
  • SCIENCE
  • SCIENCE
  • SCIENCE
  • Quantum gravity
  • Quantengravitation
Label
Reality is not what it seems : the journey to quantum gravity, Carlo Rovelli ; translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre
Link
Instantiates
Publication
Copyright
Note
  • Originally published in Italian under the title: La Realtà non è come ci appare
  • English translation published in Great Britain by Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Grains ; Is there a limit to divisibility? ; The nature of things -- The classics ; Isaac and the little moon ; Michael: fields and light -- Albert ; The extended present ; The most beautiful of theories ; Mathematics or physics? ; The cosmos -- Quanta ; Albert again ; Niels, Werner, and Paul ; Fields and particles are the same thing ; Quanta 1: Information is finite ; Quanta 2: Indeterminacy ; Quanta 3: Reality is relational ; But do we really understand? -- Spacetime is quantum ; Matvei ; John ; The loops' first steps -- Quanta of space ; Spectra of volume and area ; Atoms of space ; Spin networks -- Time does not exist ; Time is not what we think it is ; The candle chandelier and the pulse ; Spacetime sushi ; Spinfoams ; What is the world made of? -- Beyond the big bang ; The master ; Quantum cosmology -- Empirical confirmations? ; Signs from nature ; A window onto quantum gravity -- Quantum black holes -- The end of infinity -- Information ; Thermal time ; Reality and information -- Mystery
Control code
ocn957696600
Dimensions
22 cm
Edition
First American edition.
Extent
280 pages
Isbn
9780735213920
Isbn Type
(hbk)
Lccn
2016036293
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
  • (Sirsi) i9780735213920
  • (OCoLC)957696600
Label
Reality is not what it seems : the journey to quantum gravity, Carlo Rovelli ; translated by Simon Carnell and Erica Segre
Link
Publication
Copyright
Note
  • Originally published in Italian under the title: La Realtà non è come ci appare
  • English translation published in Great Britain by Allen Lane, an imprint of Penguin Random House UK
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
text
Content type code
  • txt
Content type MARC source
rdacontent
Contents
Grains ; Is there a limit to divisibility? ; The nature of things -- The classics ; Isaac and the little moon ; Michael: fields and light -- Albert ; The extended present ; The most beautiful of theories ; Mathematics or physics? ; The cosmos -- Quanta ; Albert again ; Niels, Werner, and Paul ; Fields and particles are the same thing ; Quanta 1: Information is finite ; Quanta 2: Indeterminacy ; Quanta 3: Reality is relational ; But do we really understand? -- Spacetime is quantum ; Matvei ; John ; The loops' first steps -- Quanta of space ; Spectra of volume and area ; Atoms of space ; Spin networks -- Time does not exist ; Time is not what we think it is ; The candle chandelier and the pulse ; Spacetime sushi ; Spinfoams ; What is the world made of? -- Beyond the big bang ; The master ; Quantum cosmology -- Empirical confirmations? ; Signs from nature ; A window onto quantum gravity -- Quantum black holes -- The end of infinity -- Information ; Thermal time ; Reality and information -- Mystery
Control code
ocn957696600
Dimensions
22 cm
Edition
First American edition.
Extent
280 pages
Isbn
9780735213920
Isbn Type
(hbk)
Lccn
2016036293
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations
System control number
  • (Sirsi) i9780735213920
  • (OCoLC)957696600

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