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Black Holes & Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy

Kip S. Thorne,

Stephen Hawking (Foreword by),

Frederick Seitz (Introduction)

4.19 · Rating details · 11,224 ratings · 210 reviews

Ever since Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity burst upon the world in 1915 some of the most brilliant minds of our century have sought to decipher the mysteries bequeathed by that theory, a legacy so unthinkable in some respects that even Einstein himself rejected them.

Which of these bizarre phenomena, if any, can really exist in our universe? Black holes, down ...more

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Paperback, 624 pages

Published January 17th 1995 by W. W. Norton Company (first published September 22nd 1994)

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Mar 06, 2020 Jen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

There are some advantages to growing up very southern. In addition to being born with impressive trigger discipline, you squirrel away an arsenal of colloquialisms to fall back on in times of befuddlement or great stress. Case in point: When your effete boyfriend decides hes had enough of the cloistered life of a scribe, and begins to masquerade as a man. To wit: laboring with a spare tire on the side of the road in the dead of winter for hours. You grow concerned, step out of the car, and say: ...more

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Mar 01, 2008 Travis Hull rated it it was amazing

Shelves: hard-science, best-of-the-best

Want to learn what happens to stars when they die, but you lack a post-doc in astrophysics? You've come to the right place. Thorne has done an excellent job of putting just about anything you'd want to know about the topic in layman's terms, but the math and physics is also there if you want it. He blends the science and the history together and comes up with an interesting read not only about what we know about stellar death, but how we got there. In the last chapter he presents some of his own ...more

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Nov 14, 2020 Manuel Antão rated it it was ok

Shelves: 2020

If you're into stuff like this, you can read the full review.

Sagittarius A*: "Black Holes and Time Warps Einstein's Outrageous Legacy" by Kip S. Thorne

The central argument of this book is undoubtedly true. We have lost our sense of wonder, especially in the last 20-30 years.

I watched the first images of that black hole in 2019 (*) in awe wondering how many cosmic phenomena are there yet to discover, but then I grew up in the shadow of the moon landing when the assumption was we would be living ...more

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Dec 14, 2015 Jose Moa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science, astronomy, cosmology, physics

Kip S. Thorne is one of the most important researchers in gravity and black holes.

I this book,after a introductin as a sf short tale where a spaceship goes to the evet horizon of different sizes of black holes to investigate,the author explains clearly the principle of relativity is to say that the physical laws are the same in all inertial reference frames,this priciple is the origin of the special relativity theory (the special relativity theory could have been discovered many years before Kip S. Thorne is one of the most important researchers in gravity and black holes.

I this book,after a introductin as a sf short tale where a spaceship goes to the evet horizon of different sizes of black holes to investigate,the author explains clearly the principle of relativity is to say that the physical laws are the same in all inertial reference frames,this priciple is the origin of the special relativity theory (the special relativity theory could have been discovered many years before because the Maxwell equation for a electromagnetic wave is invariant under Lorentz transformations and not in galilean transformations,in this sense the electromagnetic theory by Maxwell is the first classic field relativistic theory)second the equivalence principle that is the origin of the generl theory of relativity where the spacetime is curved by the presence of matter and energy and the light follows geodesics ,the short lines between two points that are not in this case straight lines,for example in a sphere surface the geodesics are maximun circles or meridians.

In the following chapters the author tells the birth and evolution of the concept of neutron star and black holes by the work of Scharzschild,Chandrasekhar,Oppenheimer and others and the idea of the Hawking radiation .After this ,the search of astronomical black holes as result of imploding massive stars and the big black holes in the galactic nucleus,recently confirmed,also the search of gravitational waves,the last test of the theory and also recently confirmed.

Te book ends with two speculative subjects,the structure of the hipotetical singularity inside a black hole as a quantum space time foam as quantum gravity predicts and the existence of womholes in the spacetime sustained by exotic matter and its possible use for interestellar trips or time machines(here the movie" Interestellar").

Also other point of the book is the sociology of science,the science in USA versus soviet union and the history of the independent discovery of the Teller Ulam design of the termonuclear devices(by Sajarov in the soviet union).

A reference book of popular science on relativity,black holes,wormholes,time machines and its history.

...more

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May 24, 2019 Taha Ansari rated it it was amazing

Shelves: pop-science

Incredible. What a masterpiece!
Thoroughly detailed without being overly complicated. Kip Thorne, a recent Nobel laureate awarded for his immense contributions in gravitational wave detection, goes through the most important junctures in 20th century physical research, explaining along the way the most important concepts in relativistic physics. After detailing Einsteins endeavors to formulate the two theories of relativity and establishing his field equations, and qualitatively explaining them Incredible. What a masterpiece!
Thoroughly detailed without being overly complicated. Kip Thorne, a recent Nobel laureate awarded for his immense contributions in gravitational wave detection, goes through the most important junctures in 20th century physical research, explaining along the way the most important concepts in relativistic physics. After detailing Einstein’s endeavors to formulate the two theories of relativity and establishing his field equations, and qualitatively explaining them by means of ingenious thought experiments and beautiful spacetime and embedding diagrams, he then dives into the many attempts to solve these equations, a quest taken by the leading physicists of the twentieth century, each one manipulating them in their own unique way hoping to derive solutions that could explain the century’s biggest questions: What is the ultimate fate of a star? Do physical laws allow the formation of black holes and naked singularities? Can an “infinitely advanced civilization” create time warps and keep them from collapsing in on themselves? Do the laws that govern the universe allow time travel or does nature’s abhorrence of time machines protect the universe from the many paradoxes associated with them?
Kip Thorne approaches each question by first giving the general historical circumstances in which the theoretical and experimental efforts were at their peak (world war two for instance and the international effort put into building and developing the atomic bomb), he then introduces the main characters involved, and what makes this book so unique, is that the author not only focuses on the final results of their endeavors, but instead shines as much light on the process, including the successes and the failures. Kip also gives a brief account of each character’s background, describing the constraints and the advantages that had had influence on their work (mostly political and financial constraints). What also makes this book stand out, is the important implication of the author in most topics approached. He describes in detail the kinds of relationships that connect physicists including himself to other scientists (Mathematicians, astrophysicists, etc.) and displays through many examples the importance of interdisciplinary communication. (And apparently physicists are keen on making bets)
For those who are wondering if this book is outdated, most explanations given in this book still remain valid, some of which have even been proven years after the book was published (Gravitational waves for example). Most importantly, this book is not only for those who want to expand their knowledge in relativistic physics, it is also a great demonstration of how scientific knowledge is built and a great source of historical information. I cannot recommend it highly enough! ...more

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Mar 18, 2020 Boudewijn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: local-library, non-fiction, english, science, astronomy

Written by Nobel Prize winner Kip Thorne, this book gives an easy to read and understandable overview of the development of black hole theory

Starting with the Newtonian physics, the Michelson-Morley experiment and the subsequent development of Einsteins theory of special relativity Thorne sets the framework for the following chapter.

Immediately after special relativity was accepted by the scientists, the mathematics predicted the existence of black holes. Thorne describes the initial scepticism ...more

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May 04, 2011 Steve Walker rated it it was amazing

Shelves: history-of-science, aero-astro, astronomy, favorites

This classic was first published in hardback in 1994. It is one of the best books written on the topic by one of the key players in the field. This book stands out for a number of reasons: 1)quality of the writing,
2)An excellent bibliography, and 3) very well done illustrations. I have lost count of the number of astronomy books published in the last 14-20 years with poor quality photos or drawings. I wish Dr. Thorne would write a revision of the based on the recent discoveries made by the

...more

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Feb 19, 2014 Rama rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: physics, physical-reality

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Black Holes

Kip Thorne is an eccentric author who reveals scientific enterprise of quantum gravity and black holes research in a simple language. This book is rich in history, and classical (Newtonian physics and theory of relativity) and modern physics (quantum mechanics) are presented in non mathematical form. We get rare first hand insights of scientific styles and temperament, and his personal involvement in various aspects of black holes research Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Black Holes

Kip Thorne is an eccentric author who reveals scientific enterprise of quantum gravity and black holes research in a simple language. This book is rich in history, and classical (Newtonian physics and theory of relativity) and modern physics (quantum mechanics) are presented in non mathematical form. We get rare first hand insights of scientific styles and temperament, and his personal involvement in various aspects of black holes research and his interaction with scientists all over the world especially those from former Soviet Union and the impact of communism on black hole research. The first part of the book describes theory of relativity, concept of spacetime fabric of the universe and curvature of spacetime in presence of matter (stars, galaxies, etc.) to generate gravity. The author gives us a good historical background to build his case for black hole concept. Theory of relativity predicts the existence of black holes but Einstein refused to accept it and so is Arthur Eddington another leading exponent of theory of relativity. The idea of black holes remained in academic obscurity among few who believed in it and it progressively became clear that dying giant stars undergo implosions in which nuclear force the strongest of all four forces of cosmos buckles under gravitational force creating a blackholes. Black holes have been discovered in the center of dying giant stars and in centers of galaxies, and efforts are underway to detect the black hole gravitational waves carried to earth from distant parts of the universe and to seek the secret of what is inside a black hole: a route to another universe? The author warps up the second part by discussing the possibility of constructing wormholes with exotic matter (tunnels in space connecting two widely separated locations in the universe) through hyperspace for interstellar travel and back to the future. He is one of the leaders in proposing interstellar travel. Physicists and academics are too conservative to get involved in space travel research as it is traditionally linked to science fiction and Star Trek junkies. The author can mesmerize the reader with his incredible knowledge and ease with which he can communicate to the reader; at the same time he is eccentric enough to work in one of his laboratory (Palomar Mountains) nude and draw criticisms from peers. He is also crazy enough to take bet with peers for things such as Penthouse magazine and annoy his wife and family with Mormon heritage. This book is free of marketing strategies of the publisher as the author shares his knowledge with the reader to his best of abilities to make everyone understands it even by offering few simple calculations and formulas. Do not be discouraged by the size of the book (619 pages). The text flows well and it is deeply engrossing. Anyone interested in black hole and space travel must have this book. ...more

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Jan 01, 2010 Whitney rated it liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I have always been interested in anything related to quantum physics. I didn't expect this to be an easy read but I didn't really expect to have any problem getting through it since I've been researching this type of stuff since I was in 8th grade. I underestimated this book. It's written in a way that's fairly easy to understand, but the theories themselves were giving me a hard time. If you are interested in learning more about black holes and time warps and are willing to reread every ...more

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Jun 05, 2014 Clif rated it really liked it

Shelves: science

I had read Einstein's book "The Evolution of Physics" (reviewed) and with the introduction that he supplied, felt I was ready to fall into black holes. I had seen a cover blurb describing Kip Thorne's book (subtitle: Einstein's outrageous legacy) as exemplary science writing and, though it is somewhat dated (1993) bought a used copy.

Thorne wastes no time, initially taking the reader on a visit to black holes of various sizes, though widely separated in distance, in our galaxy. Relativity is seen ...more

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Mar 31, 2018 GridGirl rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned

Kip Thorne, author of Black Holes and Time Warps, is one of three Nobel laureates for Physics of 2017. He and his colleagues Barry Barish and Rainer Weiss have been honored for their contribution to the observation of gravitational waves. In September 2015 physicists were able to measure those gravitational waves which are an experimental reassurance of Einsteins general theory of relativity for the first time in history.
Thorne wrote this book in 1993 and therefore twenty-two years before they Kip Thorne, author of Black Holes and Time Warps, is one of three Nobel laureates for Physics of 2017. He and his colleagues Barry Barish and Rainer Weiss have been honored for their contribution to the observation of gravitational waves. In September 2015 physicists were able to measure those gravitational waves – which are an experimental reassurance of Einstein’s general theory of relativity – for the first time in history.
Thorne wrote this book in 1993 and therefore twenty-two years before they had first observed gravitational waves. Nevertheless, the book goes into the general theory of gravitational waves and the process of developing a suitable observatory for these waves – all of this, without using complicated formulas or the like.
This is a theme throughout the whole book. Thorne does an incredibly good job in explaining black holes, general relativity, spacetime curvature and time travel (or rather the possibility of time travel) in a very easy, narrative way that doesn’t ask too much of an intent and interested reader. He uses analogies whenever the concepts get very complex. In no way, shape or form you have to be a doctor of physics or anything like that to understand the general concepts of this book. On the contrary, it is a great way to dive a little deeper into the topic for everyone who likes documentaries about space or is into science-fiction in space.
Don’t be afraid if you don’t like maths. The most complicated formula in this book is literally (a+b)² = a² + 2ab + b² and it this is just additional information for mathematically interested readers according to Thorne.

Basically, I can sum up what I wrote above in just two words: READ THIS. I know it seems intimidating, because it’s a thick book about physics. The truth is, I’m a physics student and it still took me half a year to read it. But nobody expects you to gulp down a 600 page NF about physics in one sitting. The time it takes is very rewarding, because you educate yourself while getting a general idea about what has been going on in physics for the last 100 years.

Sidenote: Kip Thorne won a bet against Mister Stephen Hawking once and if that’s not impressive, I don’t know what is!

4/5 ...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Karl rated it really liked it

Shelves: scients, physics

In this book, Thorne tried to write a pop-science book giving the state of play in theoretical astrophysics (in 1995, so obviously a bit dated) but at the same time making it accessible to the non-practitioner. He presents the development of physics up to the then-present day in a combination of theoretical sidebars and some very basic mathematics held together by character sketches, anecdotes, and biographies of those involved.

My father bought this for me in about 2001, just after I'd dropped ...more

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Jul 31, 2016 Peter Tillman rated it it was amazing

Shelves: sci-tech

Kip Thorne, the Feynman Professor of Physics at Caltech, is best known to the general public for his 1988 wormhole "time machine" proposal. Press coverage included a photo of the author doing physics in the nude on Mt. Palomar. "Embareassing," but didn't hurt the book sales. The wormhole work grew out of a request from Carl Sagan for a plausible FTL transport scheme for his 1985 science-fiction novel Contact (which I recommend). Sagan's request made Thorne realize the value of thought ...more

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Jul 30, 2013 Bob Nichols rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This book about gravity and black holes seems more like a detailed history of the last 100 years of physics, particularly the effort to unite quantum mechanics with Einstein's relativity theory. Throughout the book, Thorne discusses the personalities of the titanic thinkers involved and this provides the reader with a welcome relief from the long, technical story about black holes (for most, probably more information than you want to know).

Thorne refers to spacetime "fabric," but it's not clear This book about gravity and black holes seems more like a detailed history of the last 100 years of physics, particularly the effort to unite quantum mechanics with Einstein's relativity theory. Throughout the book, Thorne discusses the personalities of the titanic thinkers involved and this provides the reader with a welcome relief from the long, technical story about black holes (for most, probably more information than you want to know).

Thorne refers to spacetime "fabric," but it's not clear how space or time is a "fabric." The effects of massive gravitational bodies on space is easier to grasp than the effect on time. The book's title includes "time warps" but "time" throughout this book remains a mystery. His diagram on time and space (p. 95) confused me. If one is moving in space, one is moving in time, yet his diagram has "time" as stationary, as a fixed moment of time. In a tucked away footnote, Thorne restates Einstein's formula that mass and energy "are really different names for the same concept." As mass and energy lie at the heart of all cosmic things, referring to them as a concept struck me as wrong. Also, if they are the same, what is it? Is it matter, energy or something else common to both? On gravity, we know that mass attracts matter and energy, but what is it about mass that gives it the power to attract? Thorne is silent or I missed it if he did discuss it. Thorne states that a free particle "moves solely under the influence of its own inertia" ("no external forces push or pull") and also states that a body resists "being accelerated by forces that act on it." Does this mean that freedom - where the basic impulse of matter and energy is to move freely - lies at the heart of the cosmos? Thorne states that "when gravity is present a [free] particle is one "on which no forces act except gravity." How is a particle then free if it's affected by gravity? Also, is there any place in the cosmos where a particle is not affected by gravity? Thorne writes about gravitational waves ("ripples of spacetime curvature"), gravitons or particles assocated with gravitational waves, and gravitational radiation. While these are central to his discussion of black holes, as presented these terms were hard to grasp.

When gravity is weak, Thorne states that the Newtonian paradigm and Einstein's curved spacetime "are almost identical," but Newton's theory doesn't work at extreme scales, as with black holes, which is where Thorne sees the effects of quantum mechanics. I don't know what that means of course, but this is still all mind-blowing stuff. Thorne is among the best out there in terms of what he writes about, the writing itself, and his ability to move the general reader along toward a greater understanding of a reality that is totally unlike anything we know on earth. ...more

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Jan 16, 2018 Arko rated it it was amazing

Shelves: physics

This book is one of the finest work I have come across till date in terms of the content and clarity for any layman with an interest in Physics. Brilliant to the core. It is Kip Thorne's tour de force to form an account of the history and the details about black holes and study on the nature of spacetime in terms of classical & quantum analysis. He being the pioneer in gravitational wave detection strategies and expert in black hole & wormhole theories , some chapters are more like is ...more

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Feb 04, 2015 James F rated it really liked it

Shelves: science, astronomy, physics

My only problem with this book (apart from its being twenty years old) is the title; wormholes and "time machines" are discussed briefly in the last 45 pages, but the book is actually a popular account of every aspect of black holes, at an above-average level of popularization -- about as high as one could expect without much mathematics.

Thorne, whose field is general relativity, begins with two chapters outlining special and general relativity -- Einstein's "legacy". The third chapter explains ...more

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Feb 11, 2016 Erickson rated it it was amazing

Shelves: relativity-theory, science

It is an eye-opening book for gravitational physics, even for physics students trained in GR as it covers very broad topics and development of general relativity and black hole physics.

What's nice to this book is that it has a lot of personal elements - how different important figures are different in their characters and the way they guide their students and how they come to accept and reject certain ideas, or even how certain people gets attention or not by the community by virtue of his ...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Eppursimuov3 rated it it was amazing

Black Holes and Time Warps: Einsteins Outrageous Legacy may not be as popular as A Brief History of Time, and Kip Thorne may not be much of a household name in comparison with that of his colleague Stephen Hawking, but I would think that this book is a much better read. It contains much more information about the historical developments of Einsteins theories of special and general relativity, as well as the legacies that have been left behind in the discovery of neutron stars, black holes and ...more

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Feb 12, 2015 George Moore rated it it was amazing

What is remarkable about this book is that it stays relatively current, even after twenty years. The controversy on black holes has come to a pitch recently, with wild new theories and denials. The hard science, however, is here, and is laid out in a way that is accessible for common readers. I have to say, after reading a few other popular science works on cosmology, Thorne has a unique way of keeping the subject clear, and building a real suspense into the discovery and understanding of each ...more

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Jan 26, 2016 Stephie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: own-read

Although it's slightly outdated now and there have been theories proven and disproved since its publication, I would recommend this book to anyone with a keen interest in Physics regardless of their background knowledge. The book delves into the history of how Einstein changed the way Physicists viewed the Universe, the controversy it caused, and the discoveries of many other Physicists from around the world.
Loved it!

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Jun 18, 2018 Alok rated it really liked it

Great book .....I recommend this to almost everyone, Has a lot of concepts cleared, Love the Astronaut Story in the beginning, Scientific concepts put in the most elegant way, Must read for everyone, After reading this book.......You will want to know more about the subject

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Dec 24, 2016 Ahmed Samir rated it really liked it

Excellent book. Very good simplification of a number of physic concepts. Does need a basic understanding of gravity and an idea of stellar masses before attempting to read and fully grasp concepts.

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Jul 23, 2018 Lora Milton rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction

I'm not what you would call an intellectual and I've never studied Physics, but I found this book easily accessible and even fascinating. I decided to read it because it was cited as one of the sources for the science behind a time travel series I follow, and I wanted to try to grasp the very real science behind the fictional events in the stories.

The book basically tells the story of the rise of Cosmology and Particle Physics since the 1920s, explaining in layman's terms the leading theories, I'm not what you would call an intellectual and I've never studied Physics, but I found this book easily accessible and even fascinating. I decided to read it because it was cited as one of the sources for the science behind a time travel series I follow, and I wanted to try to grasp the very real science behind the fictional events in the stories.

The book basically tells the story of the rise of Cosmology and Particle Physics since the 1920s, explaining in layman's terms the leading theories, discoveries and the scientists who initiated the theories that we now accept as fact, proven through mathematical formulae where physical proof is still beyond our reach.

It effectively starts with Einstein and his alternate ideas to Newtonian Physics and works forward from there. This sounds like it could have made for dry reading, but the personalities as well as trials and political conflicts that affected the personalities involved bring the events to life on a very human level. Sometimes it's even funny, like when Professor Thorne describes an incident where he made a bet with Stephen Hawking about the existence of black holes and when sufficient proof settled the bet, Hawking, with the help of a group of students, broke into Thorne's office at Cal Tech to sign off on the bet, which was written out on a document displayed on the office wall.

The book as a whole gave me a sense of the global scientific community, which can be co-operative beyond national lines or competitive on a more personal level and even riddled with as much ego as the acting world at times. It explains the process for acceptance of new ideas within that community, which I had no idea of before.

I found the book as interesting as many spy stories, and have only given it 4 stars instead of 5 because I had hoped to learn something about time loops from it, which was not really touched on despite mention in the description. It was written in an engaging style that is rare for writers on science, though the fictionalized Prologue suggests that the author had best stick to non-fiction.

I enjoyed the read, and I now know a lot more about the subject matter than I did before I read it. Whether I read more on the subject is yet to be seen.
...more

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Oct 06, 2019 Santosh rated it really liked it

Shelves: cosmology, physics, black-hole

Good read. Black holes: when and where the idea was stated and how and into what it evolved.. A tale of the strangest thing in the universe.

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Jul 27, 2019 Isla rated it it was ok

One of the best, most clear set of reasons and reflections Ive ever read. Everything he writes is brilliant. ...more

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Dec 14, 2009 Mauricio Cardona rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: english-1

I'm on page 66 and basicly it's taliking about the newtonian's physical laws and how a guy tried to find a flaw in the law witch states that light is measured the same and depends on motion so this guy is michelson and he created a technique that now is known as michelson's interferometry and he measures light in aether in every season and finds out that they all come out to be the same measurements.

I'm on page 100 and this chapter was about the general retaivity that states that it doesn't work I'm on page 66 and basicly it's taliking about the newtonian's physical laws and how a guy tried to find a flaw in the law witch states that light is measured the same and depends on motion so this guy is michelson and he created a technique that now is known as michelson's interferometry and he measures light in aether in every season and finds out that they all come out to be the same measurements.

I'm on page 100 and this chapter was about the general retaivity that states that it doesn't work inside a black hole and it is said that Quantum gravity law's will be the set of laws that can. Also in the thirteen century Roger, Bacon Established the concept that science shoud base It's reasoning with experimental evidence. Also that Antoine Also created the law of conservation of matter which is the first law in thermodynamic which states that as much heat you put in that is not as much energy you will get.

I'm on page 140 and basically I'm learning the diagram of a black hole and what sorrounds it for example the absolute horizon is in the black hole and the apparent horizon is the outer layer of black hole and basicly the apparent horizon sucks in all the photons that try to get away now what sorrounds a black hole is accretion disk which is basically a gas that could also be found in a nuetron star.

FINAL REVIEW
The book I read was Black Holes and Time Warps and this story is (non-fiction) all about Theoritical theories which some are actually based on evidence and some are on hypothesis. On the travel to the universe you learn knew things like vacuum fluctuations which is basiclly a huge empty space filled with virtual particles. You also become part of arguments either theories are true or not, one argument is if worm holes are real or not, now believe what you want but what ask yourself how does all the power needed to time warp how is it all contained, you would need a force what force is used? and where do you get that energy? To tell you the truth I'm really skeptical on the concept of time travel.
I gave the book a five out of five because I really enjoy learning knew things and complex things like this really great equation which I'm trying to learn and it's the Shrodinger's equation, now this connects with the book because It's complex and that's how the book is, and that's why I like it. My favorite word from this book is Wave/Particle Duality, I like this word not because it sounds cool but because I never knew what it means and it's definition is that wave's also act like particle like an electromagnetic wave acts like a photon and we know this because if this was not true we wouldn't be able to notice it's there and we know because it occilates the opposite charge. I recommend this book to anybody who like's science and like's to read.
...more

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Feb 13, 2019 James Jordan rated it it was amazing

Review of Black Holes and Time Warps: Einsteins Outrageous Legacy
By Kip S. Thorne.

Dr. Thorne was a winner of the 2017 Noble Prize in physics, a winner of the 2016 Special Breakthrough Prize in Physics, the Albert Einstein Medal in 2009 from the Albert Einstein Society, and the Niels Bohr Medal in 2010 from UNESCO (among many other significant awards). He is the Caltech Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, emeritus.

You can read summaries of his life, his work, and his awards here, ...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Simon Mcleish rated it really liked it

Shelves: owned

Originally published on my blog here in August 2000.

Picador has the makings of a most interesting series of popular science books. The idea is to get a personal picture on topics of current interest, written by prominent characters involved in the research. However, as a series, it rather shoots itself in the foot by omitting any listing of the other books; this one merely mentions that there are four earlier volumes, information of absolutely no help in identifying them.

There are problems in Originally published on my blog here in August 2000.

Picador has the makings of a most interesting series of popular science books. The idea is to get a personal picture on topics of current interest, written by prominent characters involved in the research. However, as a series, it rather shoots itself in the foot by omitting any listing of the other books; this one merely mentions that there are four earlier volumes, information of absolutely no help in identifying them.

There are problems in this book too, particularly the dull first half. I would imagine that, given their importance in twentieth century physics, quantum mechanics and relativity will be explained in every book in this series, and the length at which these explanations are repeated is really unnecessary. I feel that more writers should follow Brian Greene's example in The Elegant Universe, and keep the explanation as brief and to the point as possible, pointing the reader who has never read a detailed account to other books. (There can be few public libraries which would not have at least one good book on this subject.) Certainly, Black Holes and Time Warps could do with a good deal of editing, if not re-writing, in its chapters on these subjects.

There is a sudden improvement as soon as the account turns to the renewed research into black holes following the end of the Second World War, particularly once Thorne himself becomes involved during the sixties. He is clearly quite a character, involved in smuggling manuscripts out of the Soviet Union to be published in the West, and in several bets made about then current questions about the detailed nature of black holes. He is also effectively responsible for the discovery of the possibility that if a stable wormhole could be created and manipulated in a specific manner without destroying it, then it would form a type of time machine. (The mass media coverage of this result included a photograph of Thorne "doing physics in the nude".) As can be expected, his account of black hole research includes much that is about the personalities of those involved; illustrations include private snap shots of dinner parties.

The second half is interesting, well explained popular science; any reader put off by the first four chapters is missing out. ...more

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May 26, 2015 Woflmao rated it it was amazing

Shelves: reviewed, science

This book tells the story of the science of black holes (despite the title, "time machines" feature only in the last chapter, where it is concluded that they most likely cannot exist). It follows the chronological development of the theory, blending biographical facts about the leading scientists and their research environment with easy to follow non-technical explanation of the results. There is not a single formula in the main body of the text, but you still get a good conceptual grasp of ...more

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Jun 09, 2015 Mattr76 rated it it was amazing

This is a fantastic book, and makes me wish I had become an astrophysicist. I've read a handful of books on the subject of cosmology and physics but where those have fallen short, Professor Thorne has achieved excellence. Other books present current theories (of the author usually) without much substantiation (not quite as fact though), which is understandable due to the typically advanced and/or esoteric mathematical underpinnings. Thorne overcomes this without beating the reader to death with ...more

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About Kip S. Thorne

Kip S. Thorne

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Kip Thorne is the Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics Emeritus at Caltech, an executive producer for Interstellar and author of The Science of Interstellar, and the author of books including the bestselling Black Holes and Time Warps Einstein's Outrageous Legacy. He lives in Pasadena, California.

Books by Kip S. Thorne

Modern Classical Physics: Optics, Fluids, Plasmas, Elasticity, Relativity, and Statistical Physics

Relativity, Elementary Particles and Black Holes

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“Unthinking respect for authority is the greatest enemy of truth,” — 10 likes

“Why are black holes so different from all other objects in the macroscopic Universe? Why are they, and they alone, so elegantly simple? If I knew the answer, it would probably tell me something very deep about the nature of physical laws. But I don’t know.” — 0 likes

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