Comments on: What are some of the best layman's books on the latest advances in physics?

Question: What are some of the best layman's books on the latest advances in physics?

jackypaper — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 13:53:39 -0800

I've read a few really good works on quantum physics and other cutting-edge sciences, and I'd like to know more. However, I'm coming at this topic from a decidedly non-scientific education. Can someone suggest a few titles?

By: b1tr0t

b1tr0t — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:10:44 -0800

Start with Physics for Future Presidents.

By: asuprenant

asuprenant — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:13:31 -0800

The God Particle - Leon Lederman

Lonely Hearts of the Cosmos - Dennis Overbye

Both a touch dated, their information and presentation are great, embodying a good balance of technical information with accessibility.

The Republican War on Science and its response Looking For a Fight: Is There a Republican War on Science? - Chris Mooney et al (more politicized and current than the others)

A Chicago production company, 137 Films (self-link, new site forthcoming), is producing The Atom Smashers, a science documentary that follows physicists at Fermilab as they search for the fundamental building blocks of matter and existence.

The film, which contains interviews with Lederman, Overbye, Mooney, as well as other scientists, journalists, and politicians, aims at scientists and non-scientists with interest in these topics.

By: vacapinta

vacapinta — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:21:15 -0800

You might want to take a look at this earlier thread. Although in that thread the asker expresses a desire to go beyond being a layman.

By: Wink Ricketts

Wink Ricketts — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:36:50 -0800

I'm with b1tr0t on the Physics for Future Presidents. But if you don't want to see the movie, you can now buy The Book. You can also get it from Amazon.

By: weapons-grade pandemonium

weapons-grade pandemonium — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 14:54:07 -0800

...or read the MetaFilter thread.

By: Green Eyed Monster

Green Eyed Monster — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 15:28:20 -0800

I liked Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe. I think there was a PBS series on it, too.

By: kisch mokusch

kisch mokusch — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 17:35:10 -0800

About Time, by Paul Davies. Truly excellent book (have read it twice), written for the layman.

Will throw in a couple of quotes from this site:

"Anyone not shocked by quantum mechanics has not yet understood it." - Niels Bohr

"Nobody understands quantum mechanics" - Richard Feynman

By: flabdablet

flabdablet — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:08:26 -0800

Motion Mountain is worth a look too.

By: kisch mokusch

kisch mokusch — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:31:48 -0800

And, of course, there's The Universe in a Nutshell by stephen Hawking, which is a more reader friendly sequel to About Time. Nice pics in it.

By: kisch mokusch

kisch mokusch — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:34:12 -0800

Ugh! Not a sequel to About Time! A sequel to A Brief History of Time.

By: nintendo

nintendo — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 18:35:14 -0800

I loved Chaos-Making-Science

By: deansfurniture5

deansfurniture5 — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 21:37:44 -0800

The Trouble With Physics is a nice look at the current state of things.

By: TheOtherGuy

TheOtherGuy — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 23:03:55 -0800

Big Bang by Simon Singh is excellent.. the first half of it is essentially a complete history on relativity and quantum mechanics, before it heads into the science of the Big Bang.

Singh is an amazing writer, a scientist himself who has a brilliant knack for explaining complex science to the lay person.

By: senterstyle

senterstyle — Thu, 28 Dec 2006 23:44:34 -0800

I second the Physics for Future Presidents.
Down to earth, basic stuff, without all the garble.

By: KRS

KRS — Fri, 29 Dec 2006 11:26:59 -0800

The Dancing Wu-Li Masters is the best one I've read.