A Century of Geniuses and the Battle over General Relativity
by Prof. Pedro G. Ferreira
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Feb 2014
304 pages
Genre: Science, Health and the Environment
Publication Information
At the core of Einstein's general theory of relativity are a set of equations that explain the relationship among gravity, space, and time - possibly the most perfect intellectual achievement of modern physics. For over a century, physicists have been exploring, debating, and at times neglecting Einstein's theory in their quest to uncover the history of the universe, the origin of time, and the evolution of solar systems, stars, and galaxies.
In this sweeping narrative of science and culture, Pedro Ferreira explains the theory through the human drama surrounding it: the personal feuds and intellectual battles of the biggest names in twentieth-century physics, from Einstein and Eddington to Hawking and Penrose.
We are in the midst of a momentous transformation in modern physics. As scientists look farther and more clearly into space than ever before, The Perfect Theory engagingly reveals the greater relevance of general relativity, showing us where it started, where it has led, and where it can still take us.
"Ferreira's clear explanations offer a wonderful look into a world of those who tackle the hard math that is 'the key to understanding the history of the universe, the origin of time, and the evolution of...the cosmos." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. No book better prepares armchair physicists for the intellectual excitement ahead!" - Booklist
"Starred Review. One of the best popular accounts of how Einstein and his followers have been trying to explain the universe for decades." - Kirkus
"Einstein's general relativity is a theory of unrivaled elegance and simplicity. But the history of general relativity is messy, unpredictable, and occasionally dramatic. Pedro Ferreira is an expert guide to the twists and turns scientists have gone through in a quest to understand space and time." - Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist, author of The Particle at the End of the Universe
"A fascinating introduction to our present understanding of space, time, and gravity, and to the confusion about how to go about finding a still better theory." - P. James Peebles, Albert Einstein Professor Emeritus of Science, Princeton University
"Einstein's beautiful theory is is now, more than ever, one of the liveliest frontiers of science, and crucial to our understanding of the cosmos. Pedro Ferreira describes, accessibly and non-technically, how the key breakthroughs have been made, and the personalities who made them. " - Lord Martin Rees, Great Britain's Astronomer Royal
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Prof. Pedro G. Ferreira is a professor of astrophysics at the University of Oxford. An expert in cosmology, the early universe and general relativity, he writes frequently for trade and academic science publications and is a regular commentator for the BBC.
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