The Quantum Age: How the Physics of the Very Small has Transformed Our Lives

by Brian Clegg

The stone age, the iron age, the steam and electrical ages all saw the reach of humankind transformed by new technology. Now we are living in the quantum age, a revolution in everyday life led by our understanding of the very, very small.

Quantum physics lies at the heart of every electronic device from smartphones to lasers; quantum superconductors allow levitating trains and MRI scanners, while superfast, ultra-secure quantum computers may soon be a reality. Yet quantum particles such as atoms, electrons and photons remain mysterious, acting totally unlike the objects we experience directly.

With his trademark clarity and enthusiasm, acclaimed popular science author Brian Clegg reveals the amazing world of the quantum that lies all around us.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Physics, Popular Science, Quantum Mechanics, Science Nature

291 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 5, 2014

About the author

Brian's latest books, Ten Billion Tomorrows and How Many Moons does the Earth Have are now available to pre-order. He has written a range of other science titles, including the bestselling Inflight Science, The God Effect, Before the Big Bang, A Brief History of Infinity, Build Your Own Time Machine and Dice World.

Along with appearances at the Royal Institution in London he has spoken at venues from Oxford and Cambridge Universities to Cheltenham Festival of Science, has contributed to radio and TV programmes, and is a popular speaker at schools. Brian is also editor of the successful www.popularscience.co.uk book review site and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Brian has Masters degrees from Cambridge University in Natural Sciences and from Lancaster University in Operational Research, a discipline originally developed during the Second World War to apply the power of mathematics to warfare. It has since been widely applied to problem solving and decision making in business.

Brian has also written regular columns, features and reviews for numerous publications, including Nature, The Guardian, PC Week, Computer Weekly, Personal Computer World, The Observer, Innovative Leader, Professional Manager, BBC History, Good Housekeeping and House Beautiful. His books have been translated into many languages, including German, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Turkish, Norwegian, Thai and even Indonesian.

Reviews

[Son Tung · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually glad to see this book in the bookstore in center Helsinki, expected to see something like "What is the connection between photosynthesis and quantum process?" (mentioned in The Big Picture by Sean Carroll). Indeed, i find the book provides many examples to "see" the presence of quantum behavior and its implication in technology not only in the lab, the history but also in real life in front of the eyes.

(Almost) Everything around us is light, matter, energy so, expect the quantum field and stuffs. My curiosity was undoubtedly satisfied with new associations: quantum process and DNA, neuron, enzyme, quantum electrodynamics (QED), light reflection, electronics, GPS, Bose-Einstein condesention and Superfluidity, quantum computing ...

There are parts i can't comprehend, but that was not an obstacle to proceed further infomation.

[Peter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing book. The explanations left me more baffled then enlightened and the grammar needed a good editor.

[Mark Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and thought provoking book

What a strange world we live in, has a good go and explaining complexity with as much simplicity as possible

[Miķelis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice work on practical (and not so) modern applications of quantum processes. Well balanced between accuracy, history and interesting facts.

[Derek Henderson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Trying to cover too many bases - unnecessarily detailed in places, lacking colour in others. It all felt a bit stale and hastily put together.

[Libras · Rating 3 out of 5]

The explanations of a few quantum effect applications felt too light to grasp the underlying Quantum theory.

[Ciaran Brady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel that how long it took me to read this book tells you what I think of it.

[James Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good book explaining quantum physics and how the concepts involved in the same can be used to explain phenomena observed not only at the subatomic level but also in the 'macro world' of our experience.

A example is the theory as to why the sky appears blue - the scattering of high energy blue photons in visible light gives colour to the whole sky, while the photons of lower energy are not scattered, and therefore appear concentrated at the location of the sun.

One of the most important points in the book is this: 'It's important to bear in mind at all times that physics isn't about describing reality. It is about providing a model that predicts outcomes that match what is observed as closely as possible.'

This book is the only one on subatomic/quantum physics I have read that makes that point and everything became much clearer to me once I understood that.

'The Quantum Age' is worth it for that alone.

[Misneach · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because this was a bit heavy for me at times (the author obviously possesses a great deal of knowledge), by 40% I thought it wouldn't make it to my favorites, but oh was I wrong. If anything, this is the one book I'd recommend for those interested in the topic that don't know much about it.

The reason being, it's about how important the quantum world is-and how much more it will be-in our everyday lives (there are so many things we take for granted!)

It tells you about the theories, how they work, the people behind them, as well as how what they learnt/discovered on the way has helped shape the world as we know it and/or how it will continue to do so in the future.

[Kursad Albayraktaroglu · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book on the history and practical applications of quantum physics. Not enough depth to be an introductory book on quantum theory, but it keeps the reader interested by explaining how many of today’s technologies owe their existence to our understanding of quantum concepts.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

How can you resist the spooky entanglement as presented by a masterful scientist and writer?
As subatomic particles swirl Clegg suggests you need to suspend your
disbelief while exploring the the strangeness. He knows how to present challenging scientific findings.
Welcome to the quantum world!

[Rakesh · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book does dwell into some really dense concepts of quantum mechanics very well and is meant for general reading. However I would have liked it illustrated as some experiments described are difficult to understand. I enjoyed reading it but used Wikipedia where explanation was sketchy.

[Elentarri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Brain Clegg has written an interesting, if somewhat light, look at the origins, nature and uses of quantum physics. Easy to read and understand.

[Amar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book!

[Willy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A smart way to learn quantum physics. It's a scientific Novel. No heavy math and no prerequisite

[Scott Lupo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The word 'quantum' is becoming ubiquitous today. However, as Brian Clegg eloquently informs the reader, much of this use is for marketing purposes and selling products/services. Quantum physics really is the science of the very small, strange, and wondrous world of electrons, photons, and atoms. And as esoteric or incomprehensible it may seem to most people, it has already had an amazing effect on our lives and will change our lives in the future. Clegg writes this book keeping that in mind so the reader is not bogged down by technical jargon and philosophical conundrums (although Schrodinger's Cat does make a cameo appearance). It does help to know a little about quantum physics but it's not completely necessary as Clegg does his best to quickly give background information and definitions. Anybody who thinks science is unnecessary or a waste of time really doesn't understand how we have built today's society. Without science it just simply wouldn't exist in its present form. Cell phones, computers, meta materials, MRI machines, lasers, electricity, even photosynthesis is a quantum phenomenon. Things like superposition and entanglement make these things possible. And believe it or not, the underlying principle behind quantum physics is still not completely understood! But it works and we have the ability to make incredible predictions using quantum models and the maths that make it possible. And it's just the beginning which makes it all the more exciting for the future.

[Daryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

This covered all the things I was hoping it would but it wasn't quite as enlightening as I thought it might be. In fact I think I ended up with more questions than I started with - not necessarily a bad thing! This is complicated subject matter so there are limitations to how much you can explain in English (not everyone can be Richard Feynman). I probably need to brush up on the physics I used to know and learn some more before I can really get to grips with this. Looks like I'll have to life with not properly understanding how my flash cards work for a bit longer! Nice try though Brian ;)

[Snoakes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating and mind-blowing in equal parts. I can't pretend that I understood every word of this (to my chagrin as Brian Clegg claims to be able to explain quantum physics to a ten year old) but I followed enough to be astounded at how many things we take for granted that have their roots in quantum weirdness.

[Michał · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is probably the best way to get into quantum physics when you've got just a passing interest and want to know what this elusive and misused term actually stands for. The author does a good job of explaining the most abstract concepts in a comprehensive and accessible manner. I can't say I understood it all but some of the concepts definitely still linger in my head.

[Eloy Fontecha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good step forward towards understanding the real beahviour of matter and hence of the universe. You end up realising things are quite different from what they appear to be. We can not escape the limitations of our own perception means. This makes me admire more the ones pushing forward on the limits of physics knowledge.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book, chock full of fascinating facts and anecdotes. I'm not a scientist, and some parts of it went over my head. However I still managed to enjoy a lot of this superb insight into the quantum world. Will definitely be keeping an eye open for more books by this author.

[Mills College Library]

530.12 C6244 2012