Welcome to the webpage of a Brian Greene's bestseller
"The Elegant Universe"
Not since the extraordinary success of
A Brief History of Time...
has a scientific book caused such a stir - Sunday Times
The Elegant Universe won the most prestigious Aventis Prize for the best popular book on science. This year (in 2000) this has been selected from the record number of 117 candidates. BBC reports here.
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"Brian Greene skillfully describes how the amazing theories of relativity
and quantum mechanics transformed our understanding of nature in the last
century, and how in our own time new ideas, developed in seeking to unify
the laws of nature, probably hold the seeds of a major upheaval in
physics. Everyone who is curious about the horizons of theoretical physics
- past, present, and future - will greatly enjoy this book." Edward Witten, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University |
"The Elegant Universe is a delightful, lucid introduction to the
greatest problem in physics, the quest to unify all the laws of nature.
Greene does a masterful job in presenting complex materials in a lively,
engaging manner. Highly recommended to anyone who has ever gazed at the
heavens and wondered, as Einstein did, if God had a choice in making the
universe." Michio Kaku, author of Hyperspace a Visions |
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"Brian Greene has come forth with a beautifully crafted account of string
theory - a theory that appears to be a most promising way station on the
road to an ultimate theory of everything. His book gives a clear, simple,
yet masterful account that makes a complex theory very accessible to
nonscientists, but is also a delightful read for the professional." David M. Lee, Nobel Laureate in Physics, Cornell University |
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"Brian Greene's book is a tour de force of science writing. Perhaps
more than any other popular-level account, this book peels away layers of
detail and reveals the stunning essence of cutting-edge physics. With a
rare blend of scientific integrity and literary flair, the author takes us
on a whirlwind journey to the forefront of the search for the ultimate
theory of the universe."
Shing-Tung Yau, Fields Medalist, winner of the National Medal of Science, Harvard University |
| Brian Greene received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. He joined the physics faculty of Cornell University in 1990, was appointed to a full professorship in 1995, and in 1996 joined Columbia University where he is currently a professor of physics and mathematics. He has lectured at both a general and a technical level in more than twenty countries and is widely regarded for a number of groundbreaking discoveries in superstring theory. |
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From the cover
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It has been said that the act of exploration is not so much one of seeking
new landscapes but of fashioning new eyes. Readers who see the universe
through eyes fashioned by string theory will find the view to be
breathtaking.
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Today physicists and mathematicians throughout the world are feverishly
working on one of the most ambitious theories ever proposed: superstring
theory. String theory, as it is often called, is the key to the unified
field theory that eluded Einstein for more than thirty years. At last,
science has overcome the nearly-century-old rift between the laws of the
large - general relativity - and the laws of the small - quantum
mechanics. String theory deftly unites these two pillars of modern physics
into a single, harmonious whole by declaring that all of the wondrous
happenings in the universe arise from the vibrations of one single entity:
microscopically tiny loops of energy that lie deep within the heart of
matter. And with the potential to unify all the forces of nature - to
provide, so to speak, the master equation governing the grand sweep of
physics from quarks to the cosmos - some have been hailed superstring
theory as a "Theory of Everything".
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In this brilliantly articulated and refreshingly clear book, Brian Greene,
a leading string theorist, relates the scientific story and the human
struggle behind the search for the ultimate theory. String theory, as the
author vividly describes, reveals a vision of the universe that is sending
shock waves through the world of physics. Thrilling and revolutionary
ideas such as new dimensions hidden within the fabric of space, black
holes transmuting into elementary particles, rips and punctures in the
space-time continuum, gigantic universes interchangeable with minuscule
ones, and a wealth of others are playing a pivotal role as physicists use
string theory to grapple with some of the deepest questions of the ages.
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With authority and grace, The Elegant Universe introduces us to the
discoveries and the remaining mysteries, the exhilaration and the
frustrations of those who relentlessly probe the ultimate nature of space,
time, and matter. Through the artful use of metaphor and analogy, Greene
succeeds in making some of the most sophisticated concepts ever
contemplated viscerally accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing
us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.