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Parallel Worlds: A Journey through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos

Michio Kaku

4.19 · Rating details · 17,553 ratings · 630 reviews

In this thrilling journey into the mysteries of our cosmos, bestselling author Michio Kaku takes us on a dizzying ride to explore black holes and time machines, multidimensional space and, most tantalizing of all, the possibility that parallel universes may lay alongside our own. Kaku skillfully guides us through the latest innovations in string theory and its latest ...more

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Paperback, 361 pages

Published February 14th 2006 by Anchor (first published 2004)

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Apr 10, 2008 EPI rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: nonfiction, science

I hated Physics when I was a kid, because the teacher who taught me wore coke-bottle glasses, had halitosis, and his spittle flew. He also churned out equations on the board, and expected you to get E=mc2 as if you were born to do so. How can one not understand the elegance and simplicity and total enlightenment that this captured about our physical world? Well, I didn't. Because the physical world -- believe it or not -- was abstract enough not to grasp at the 10,000 foot level.

Ok, then comes I hated Physics when I was a kid, because the teacher who taught me wore coke-bottle glasses, had halitosis, and his spittle flew. He also churned out equations on the board, and expected you to get E=mc2 as if you were born to do so. How can one not understand the elegance and simplicity and total enlightenment that this captured about our physical world? Well, I didn't. Because the physical world -- believe it or not -- was abstract enough not to grasp at the 10,000 foot level.

Ok, then comes Parallel Worlds, by Michio Kaku. I don't know what made me pick up this book. A lot of reading impulse probably had something to do with stray comments or observations one picks up from somewhere. I had read that this book was unputdownable. What! A science nonfiction book unputdownable. Was I born yesterday?

Well, it could be said I was 'born-again' after reading this. From Newton's theory of gravity to Einstein's theory of relativity, to the mystery of the origin of the universe (the "big bang"), to quantum theory, multiverses/parallel universes, time travel, wormholes, black holes, string theory -- Kaku slices through the heart of these scientific discoveries with a paring knife so sharp that even the most science-averse of us can grasp the mystery and the wonder of the universe.

For someone like me, who grew up without religion, found God in a Catholic church, wanting desperately to understand how "we" came about, this book was eye-opening, humbling. It does not preach to the religionists -- it's hard not to face this cosmic question as one plows through the scientific evidence -- is there or is there not a Higher Intelligence that created all of this (especially the series of Goldilocks perfect coincidences that made life on Earth possible), but in the end, I wonder if I don't come away thinking all the scientific evidence in the world, and the brilliant theorizing about our physical universe has not proven a damn thing about the existence of God. I would go so far as to say it has not disproved the existence of God.

Read and think through for yourself -- if anything, one realizes that so many of the political, religious, environmental backfighting in pockets of the world may be so much sand in the hourglass -- not that a comet or asteroid could hit us tomorrow and end all life as we know it, but that Earth could rotate a little differently on its axis, a black hole could be sliding perilously close to us but we can't see us and we'd be sucked into its Event Horizon within a billionth of a second and evaporated. All these things can happen. And there is still so much more we do not know about our universe! Any of those things we don't yet know could kill us. Life is super-symmetrical, held in fine equilibrium, but oh, so tenuously.

The coolest thing I realized -- I had no idea that it was nuclear energy, one of the four forces that obtain in our universe-- that prevents our bodies (its atoms) from flying apart. Here I thought it was something only used to build bombs!

...more

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Mar 08, 2011 Gendou rated it did not like it

Shelves: non-fiction, physics, string-theory

Kaku starts off by comparing the big bang to the creation in Christian and Chinese mythology. Yuck. He also finishes off the book with a tedious digression into religious inanities.

The syrupy and hyperbole-riddled language is guaranteed to cause misunderstanding in anyone unfamiliar with cosmology, and irritation in anyone already familiar with cosmology. But hey, it's a popular science book, you sort of expect that.

Kaku attributes the "discovery" of dark matter and dark energy to the WMAP data. ...more

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Feb 18, 2020 Stuart rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, technology-science

My first foray into Michio Kaku's world
Having just listened to Brian Green's The Elegant Universe and his case for String Theory and M-Theory, the bold theoretical attempts to integrate Einstein's general/special relativity with quantum physics while also incorporating gravity, my occasional urge to understand the macro and micro principles of the universe, from quarks to blackholes, multiple dimensions, boson particles, Plank distances, and everything in between, his name has hit the radar many ...more

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Sep 17, 2013 Grumpus rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science, audiobook

If you are into time travel or a time travel author, this should be required reading (or in this case listening). Because there was so much great information presented in an understandable manner, this might become the only book that I will read after listening to it as I want to ensure I have this one as a reference.

The first third of the book was a good refresher and had me thinking, I know this stuff. . in fact, I felt a little cocky and questioned why I chose this book. Then came the heavy If you are into time travel or a time travel author, this should be required reading (or in this case listening). Because there was so much great information presented in an understandable manner, this might become the only book that I will read after listening to it as I want to ensure I have this one as a reference.

The first third of the book was a good refresher and had me thinking, “I know this stuff”. . in fact, I felt a little cocky and questioned why I chose this book. Then came the heavy stuff. Don’t misunderstand. By heavy, I don’t mean not understandable. By heavy, I mean, wow! awe-inspiring, make you think, and realize your insignificance. Insignificance not only in this world, solar system, galaxy, or universe but instead total insignificance in existing. The possibilities for multiple or parallel universes will leave your head spinning. However, as a time travel aficionado, this is a good thing making for some great reading by clever authors.

It’s amazing to think that our existence is based upon the “Goldilocks” theory for everything. That Earth is exactly the correct distance from the sun, that the sun is the correct size, in the correct spot in the galaxy, that the correct combination of chemicals came together to form us, that the moon is the correct distance from Earth, and on and on.

The mysteries of existence are not found only in a smaller scale as we continue to look for the building blocks of our life but building up as well. Like many others, I have always felt that we were part of something bigger. Nobody can really state what that is other than some form of a collective. My personal theory is (and I’ve never heard it anywhere before) is that our universe could simply be a cell in part of a larger being. Along with other universes that are hypothesized in this book, my theory is that we are physically part of God. So, if our universe is but one of God’s cells, think how many cells comprise a human and then realize how insignificant we are as part of his body.
...more

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Jun 02, 2013 Judyta Szaciłło rated it it was amazing

Shelves: natural-sciences

January 2019

Having re-read this book after 5 years, my opinion of it has not changed a bit. I still see it as a piece of great writing, skillfully popularising mind-blowing concepts and ideas. However, it is becoming more dated every year as the science progresses. So, for my next reading on the subject, I've ordered The Universe in Your Hand: A Journey Through Space, Time, and Beyond by Christophe Galfard - it also has good reviews on Goodreads, and so I hope I will not be disappointed.

June January 2019

Having re-read this book after 5 years, my opinion of it has not changed a bit. I still see it as a piece of great writing, skillfully popularising mind-blowing concepts and ideas. However, it is becoming more dated every year as the science progresses. So, for my next reading on the subject, I've ordered The Universe in Your Hand: A Journey Through Space, Time, and Beyond by Christophe Galfard - it also has good reviews on Goodreads, and so I hope I will not be disappointed.

June 2013:

Help, help! I'm surrounded by microscopic wormholes and baby universes!

July 2013:

I have just finished the best pop-science book I have ever read (including Balcombe's "Pleasurable Kingdom" which I found very well-written, perfectly constructed and also very touching; a no. 1 until now).

The subject of the book is mind-blowing and it is extremely difficult to stay focused on the reading for a length of time, because it inspires and stretches imagination to the limits. I just couldn't stop picturing things in my head! Certainly, this effect is brought mainly by the information which one could derive from any other book on the subject of the string theory, but Kaku has a great gift of clear, understandable and entertaining writing.

And he simply seems to be a great guy, a person delighted in the mysterious beauty of the world(s) who puts a genuine effort in facilitating the knowledge of it to as wide an audience as possible. I did have to consult Wikipedia occasionally, but generally the book is very self-contained: the writing is easy on the reader, and the apparatus helps in managing information.

The book has one disadvantage: it is full of spoilers! Kaku refers to many sci-fi novels that seem like a lot of fun, so if you don't know them, you might risk a spoilt pleasure.

I have the deepest respect for the Author for the last pages of the book, which send an optimistic message: we are here to learn, discover and make changes for the better. We are, right here and now, in that crucial stage which requires us to be careful and wise so we can perceive and participate in the universe with more awareness and impact than ever before. If we take the right social and moral standing today, we might be able to understand and enter the worlds previously unseen, become the observers who can truly understand and manage life, matter and intelligence. Is it overly optimistic? Perhaps, but it gives us a great purpose to follow, and it's nicer to keep going with such in mind instead of living with the vision of desolation and doom. ...more

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May 12, 2011 David (דוד) rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: owned-read, nonfiction, american-writing, science, michio-kaku, top-20

A very, very nice book..! Provided a radical understanding of the nature of Nature from the physical perspective, while eventually ending the book with its plausible connections to divinity.
... a Superb Book!!

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Aug 25, 2014 Max rated it really liked it

Shelves: physics

Kaku takes us through physics history from Newtons laws to M-Theory, his favorite flavor of string theory. Along the way we find Maxwells electromagnetism, Planks Constant, Einsteins relativity, Hubbles red shift, Schrodingers cat, Gamows big bang, Guths inflation and end up exploring exotic concepts such as wormholes and parallel universes. This brief history was well written and enjoyable.

The rest of the book is engaging but has some shortcomings. As is typical in popular physics books, ...more

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Jan 28, 2009 Heini rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I am inclined to see this marvellously inspiring book as consisting of three distinct but entwined parts.

The first part is a an excellent account of the history of modern science told in Michio Kaku's impeccably witty and easily-understood narrative. As such I would recommend this book as a natural continuation of for instance Thomas S. Kuhn's "The Copernican Revolution" or some other similar book about the history of science in general. Parallel Worlds picks up naturally and leads us into the I am inclined to see this marvellously inspiring book as consisting of three distinct but entwined parts.

The first part is a an excellent account of the history of modern science told in Michio Kaku's impeccably witty and easily-understood narrative. As such I would recommend this book as a natural continuation of for instance Thomas S. Kuhn's "The Copernican Revolution" or some other similar book about the history of science in general. Parallel Worlds picks up naturally and leads us into the twentieth century and right up to the cutting edge of physics - and beyond with qualified speculation on what the future might hold.

Which constitutes the second and third parts. The second part is about where we are at at the moment. It explains in great detail which issues modern physicists are preoccupied with at the current moment and why. How did they reach these conclusions? On what grounds to they base their suspicions? What could all of these high-brow and abstruse theories be used for in all practicality? Michio Kaku, being a proponent of M-theory himself, is not afraid of letting his own personal stance be known. However, at no point did I feel that he misrepresented his opponents or attempted to distort their views. He treated difference of opinion in a respectful and balanced manner. Also in this second part Michio Kaku explores some of the philosophical implications of M-theory. I am afraid the book falls rather flat in this respect. For all of his formidable intellect it would be an overstatement to say the least to call Michio Kaku a philosopher. Gone are his sharp and illustrative analogies and his concise grasp on the subject matter. I got the impression that Kaku thinks little of philosophy and considers it rather unworthy of his time - unfortunately at the cost of critical thinking in regards to what would otherwise have been some very pertinent issues indeed. Just the fact that Kaku uncritically conflates indeterminism with free will without ever giving any sort of conceptual analysis of what he means by either should be enough to make any philosopher worth her salt cringe. One is left with no idea on what Kaku is really attempting to say.

The third and last part of the book is entirely speculative. That is to say that it is science fictional speculation of what possibilities will become available to us in the future with an emphasis on the scientific feasibility and not so much on the fiction. Kaku imagines various ways it could be possible for a hypothtical evolved intelligence to survive the inevitable death of our universe. I am not sure if Kaku's intent was to provide hope. If it was, I must say he fails. The future seems rather bleak and each of the possibilities he mentions is outweighed by how much could count against it. Nevertheless, the thoughts and ideas are very interesting and if you like science fiction for its exploration of what might be, you will certainly enjoy this book.

I gave the book four stars. The only thing that prevents me from giving it five is the above-mentioned wanton carelessness when it comes to philosophical considerations coupled with some minor, yet inexcusable, mistakes, which could all have been avoided if only Michio Kaku would have bothered to do more research outside of his own field when writing the book. (The most hilarious example of an avoidable mistake is that at one point Kaku sums up the plot of The Matrix franchise as humans being kept in a virtual reality by aliens. Perhaps not the most damning thing to get wrong but this detracts nothing from how little effort it would have taken to get it right.)

All in all a book well worth reading despite its short-comings. ...more

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Sep 12, 2007 Nathan rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Star Trek fans.

Shelves: science, science-physics-astronomy

Michio Kaku is quickly becoming my favorite science writer, and easily my favorite hypothetical or theoretical physicist. His ideas and the way he presents them make fun, easy reading for those of us who were always terrible in math and didn't digest much about astrophysics in school. He deals with a lot of "what if" scenarios, and more than most modern physicists he holds onto his imagination. Kaku's work bristles with excitement, something you can rarely say about a book covering cosmological ...more

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May 25, 2011 Holly rated it really liked it

Recommends it for: fans of physics, the universe

Shelves: type-non-fiction, topic-science, type-pop-sci

This book isn't exactly light reading. It's not what I'm accustomed to reading, either, but science has always been one of those topics I love to watch on tv, but flounder at in class. But I wasn't being graded on Parallel Worlds so it worked out fine!

Mr. Kaku is actually one of my favorite guys on History Channel's The Universe (also gotta love Neil deGrasse Tyson) so I was really excited to read his book. I won't lie; it's not a summer beach read, in my opinion, but it's worth the read.

String ...more

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Jun 20, 2018 Brigid Cruickshank rated it liked it

Easy to read, they said; a good 1st dive into physics for the novice, they said. It was, in the beginning an interesting and enjoyable read - but then my lit spoiled brain began to hurt a bit. I stopped often, to read "real" books, it's true, but I finally made it through the dark era (despite my lack of warp drive). That is all I can say, however, I finished. I did learn a few things but then those tidbits of information slipped through a black hole and now it's in a different universe. My ...more

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Dec 17, 2008 Toomy rated it really liked it

This book is an entertaining and interesting read. Almost no formula, although you still need some basics to get the most out of it. It will update your general knowledge about cosmology to year 2004, when the book was written.

The Large Hadron Collider(LHC) came online this year. Some scientists predicted that LHC could create black hole, which could destroy the earth. We all know what happened now. Dr. Kaku talked about LHC in his book - LHC could only create black hole in subatomic level with ...more

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Nov 04, 2020 Whisper19 rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Ok, this book really rubbed me the wrong way.
If you know me, you know I love science, astrophysics especially, but this... this is not it.
This is part news report or history report of the development of the space program (I liked that part), part theorizing on the possibilities of space program development in the near future (I liked that part too) and part just random babble on everything and anything.
And all of it wrapped up in one big ego trip.
I mean that in the worst way possible.
This is Ok, this book really rubbed me the wrong way.
If you know me, you know I love science, astrophysics especially, but this... this is not it.
This is part news report or history report of the development of the space program (I liked that part), part theorizing on the possibilities of space program development in the near future (I liked that part too) and part just random babble on everything and anything.
And all of it wrapped up in one big ego trip.
I mean that in the worst way possible.
This is the book with the most "I" statements I've ever read. Even my students when they write assignments with the title of "What I did over the holidays" don't use I as much as Kaku did. I counted 14 instances of "I once..." and 18 instances of "I interviewed..." sentences (I didn't count the sentences that combine the two twice, I'm a scientist that way). I mean, we get it, you're famous, you travelled everywhere, you met people. I don't really care.
Other problems include and are not limited to
- aversion to exact numbers: "1% of Earth's pressure," "40% of Earth's gravity," "2.5 times the height of Mt. Everest," "the width of the base of the mountain is the distance from New York to Montreal." WHO THE FUCK KNOWS THE DISTANCE FROM NEW YORK TO MONTREAL OFF THE TOP OF THEIR HEAD? It's around 530km if you were wondering, I googled.
- stating that there are 8 probable tasks for AI on planets we would terraform, and then naming SIX!
- he gives partial explanations of physics behind some issues, full explanation of others, and some he just brushes over as if they are not there
- there is a subheading "Gas Giants" and he doesn't name them. He then goes into detail about Jupiter and then doesn't even mention the others.
- there is a subheading "Evolution of intelligence on Earth" and you guessed it - he doesn't talk about it. He gives a two-page diatribe on nothing and then moves on to other subheadings where he just gives us a mush of science and conjecture and bleh...
and finally, the straw that broke this camel's back
when talking about possible technological developments of alien species on their home worlds he constantly applies rules of human development to those alien environments. Electricity could not work under water. So? What he was in fact talking about was the impossibility of HUMAN timeline developing in such environments.
Bonus reason: he is really really bad at explaining ideas in physics. I am used to MIT lecturers, Sagan, Cox, and Tyson explaining things to me. Kaku is really not up to par.

I usually make notes while reading nonfiction. I love being able to go back to my notes when I need a piece of information or I just want to remind myself of some theories or ideas... Here I stopped taking notes at 70% and just marched through the book.
The reason I'm giving it 2 stars and not 1 is the first third or so of the book. But, unless someone pays me, I won't be reading any more of his books in the foreseeable future.
...more

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Oct 28, 2020 Martti rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I think I'm reading too many physics books lately. I might have a problem.

In short this one is about the history of cosmology and particle physics. With some fun stories and helpful explanations.

For example, the story of contrary theories of Hoyle and Gamov is an inspiration on diversity. Both theories contributed to the whole. And Hoyle even named the Big Bang in the heat of the moment. More of that, please.

Kaku sometimes also surprises with simple picture that conveys a very deep ...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Lori rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: audio-books

I've been putting off my review for this book in an attempt to organize my thoughts so the review consisted more of the contents within the book rather than just a mindless rant of how awesome Michio Kaku is. Unfortunately, my thoughts remained a jumbled mess as my giddiness took precedence.

So why is he just so fantastic? Michio Kaku is not only gifted in his abilities as a physicists (he is co-founder of string field theory, has written textbooks, articles, novels, etc. in the field of physics ...more

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Nov 23, 2009 Bettie marked it as to-read

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Jul 24, 2011 Irena rated it it was amazing

Shelves: my-audio-books

An excellent read especially if you are interested in cosmology and modern physics. Very well written, the language is precise and not overwhelmed with technicalities and pseudo-clever demagogy, but at the same time advanced scientific topics and the latest scientific developments are presented by an insider in an interesting, concise and thought provoking way. Lots of food for thought and fascinating topics here from creation of the universe and the place of intelligent life in it to the ...more

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Nov 05, 2018 Anusha Sridharan rated it it was amazing

This has been a great read. Since, I haven't done any extensive study before on parallel universes this book has been a mild eye opener to a lot of things I should be reading next.
It got me inquisitive to research more. Once I do a little bit of reading there, I might come back to this book for inspiration.

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Jun 09, 2019 Jaime K rated it really liked it

The problem with books about science is that they constantly date themselves.

No matter. This is still a very interesting and informational book, especially when considering how much has been done since 2004!
And how much we need to do.

I've read a few other books by Kaku, though published after this one. I found this to be more repetitious than I would like, though an easier read. Kaku really tries to make sure that ANYONE can read this, not just people in the field (in contrast to the other ...more

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Aug 27, 2019 David Raz rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science, עברית-מתורגם

About half of this book is science, and although a new edition with the latest findings may have been in place, this part is very good, explaining cosmology in a way that will attract both people with little understanding of the subject and people like me, who are scientists, but not in the field of Physics and cosmology.
The other half is ramblings about time travel and escaping our reality. This part was riddled with speculation of the worst kind, inaccuracies and just didn't feel like science ...more

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Sep 10, 2014 Chris Stein rated it liked it

Shelves: philosophy, popular-science, physics, futurism, self-congratulatory-pompous-egotist

This was my first Kaku book. Ive been impressed with the writing in all of the popular science books written by big time physicists (Greene, Susskind, Tegmark, etc) and Kaku did not disappoint me. He isnt my favorite of the aforementioned authors, but he does offer unique perspective and comes off as extremely open minded. He certainly does not read as haughty, pretentious, egotistical, or self-congratulating as some of the others authors can at times. Kaku frequently pays tribute to colleagues This was my first Kaku book. I’ve been impressed with the writing in all of the popular science books written by big time physicists (Greene, Susskind, Tegmark, etc…) and Kaku did not disappoint me. He isn’t my favorite of the aforementioned authors, but he does offer unique perspective and comes off as extremely open minded. He certainly does not read as haughty, pretentious, egotistical, or self-congratulating as some of the others authors can at times. Kaku frequently pays tribute to colleagues and unsung heros throughout the book, but having read Susskind’s works and only noticing some small qualified Susskind citations on topics that Susskind wrote entire books about (and didn’t even mention him while talking about the Holographic Principle), I couldn’t help but conjecture that some professional rivalry or ego clashing might have gone on between the two. He points out that while specific individuals get credit for the major breakthroughs, the same thoughts had been thought by other non-scientists (like a Poe tribute) well before anything was rigorously and officially proven. He has a solid presentation of big Fine tuning parameters, but I prefer Tegmark’s more recent presentation of the theoretical emergence of parallel universes and the many worlds implications, description of the early big bang, and eternal inflation, especially for a book titled “Parallel Worlds”. He is sure to call out a scientist (like Feynman or a Hawking) on a direct antagonistic quote if it should be known.

Part 1 of the book was a great presentation of the story of cosmology and science emerging from antiquity and leading up to and through the big bang theory. I’ve read variants of the same old story many times, but this presentation was a unique spin and added tidbits of humanity to the men behind the breakthroughs. Kaku also painted a nice picture of the drama and unsung heros standing up to dogma or contributing without recognition behind the scenes, and pointed out that if it were not for a few serendipitous events that unfolded and aligned with perfect timing some major breakthroughs would have been set back decades or never happened at all. Some life or sociological events that on the surface seemed like obstacles ended up possibly enabling the Einsteins and Newtons to make their largest breakthroughs and deepest impact. He was sure to point out contributions of women who struggled for recognition as physicists, and I feel that he went out of his way to show that dogmatism can be just as rampant and stifling to progress in science as anywhere else.

I was a little disappointed with part 3. It read too much like sci-fi, an irrelevant breed of futurism, or a quick list of all of his ideas. I understand that working up to that section was part of his motivation for writing the book, and necessary to include, but I did not enjoy it as much as parts 1 or 2. Like our present situation in a runaway expanding universe with a positive cosmological constant, the sweet spot of the book was late part 1, and I liked it less as I went along. This is not a slight on Kaku, it is more of a reflection of my indifference to the kind of futurism that does not seem applicable to anything within a few generations or even a few hundred years of the current human condition.

It is my opinion that Kaku seems incredibly open minded, covers dry topics without being dry, makes sure to stay in touch with human implications while discussing science, pays tribute where tribute is unsung or due, and makes sure to point out the shortcomings and humanity of those that might be worshipped as scientific gods. ...more

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Mar 20, 2012 Ryan Scicluna rated it liked it

Shelves: science, borrowed-from-library

Suggested Further Reading:

The Five Ages of the Universe: Inside the Physics of Eternity - Fred Adams and Greg Laughlin
Tau Zero - Poul Anderson
The Gods Themselves - Isaac Asimov
The Artful Universe - John D. Barrow
The Universe that Discovered Itself - John D. Barrow
The Anthropic Cosmological Principle - John D. Barrow and F. Tipler
Einstein's Unfinished Symphony: Listening to the Sounds of Space-Time - Marcia Bartusiak
Eon - Greg Bear
Men of Mathematics - E.T. Bell
Quantum Profiles - Jeremy Bernstein
...more

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Apr 11, 2018 Angela Blount rated it really liked it

Shelves: non-fiction, science

While this book does indeed cover the concept of parallel worldsand the theoretical aspects of a multiverseit contains so much more material. Michio Kaku actually lays out the foundations of Quantum Physics and Cosmology by reaching back as far as Isaac Newton. He dwells a great deal on Albert Einstein as well, but as Kaku carries such a torch of admiration for his work, this is no surprise. In fact, it is integral to his focus on Einsteins Theory of Everything.

Physicists are made of atoms. A While this book does indeed cover the concept of parallel worlds—and the theoretical aspects of a “multiverse”—it contains so much more material. Michio Kaku actually lays out the foundations of Quantum Physics and Cosmology by reaching back as far as Isaac Newton. He dwells a great deal on Albert Einstein as well, but as Kaku carries such a torch of admiration for his work, this is no surprise. In fact, it is integral to his focus on Einstein’s ‘Theory of Everything.’

“Physicists are made of atoms. A physicist is an attempt by an atom to understand itself.”

Parallel Worlds was exactly what I’ve come to expect from listening to the author’s interviews and lectures. Kaku’s wording is pensive, conversational, and ever laced with a sort of open-minded sense of wonder. Not so much as a hint of arrogance or condescension. He doesn’t hesitate to give nods to his colleagues both past and present, as well as highlight those whose contributions were sorely overlooked in their time. His use of metaphors and analogies is, as always, a vivid and insightful bridge between laymen and theoretical physics. (While there wasn’t much by way of insight into Michio Kaku himself, he does reflect several times on formative turning points in his young mind—and even shares a professional realization moment that borders on self-deprecating.)

Spoiler Alert!: As a part of his teaching style, Kaku likes to illustrate examples of various physics concepts by pulling directly from the pages of many famed sci-fi novels. On the upside, this gives sci-fi authors some much deserved visionary credit, and gave me a number of books to add to my to-read list. On the downside… most of his examples give away key plot points—potentially ruining the mystery for those who hold such things sacred. Consider yourself fairly warned!
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On a more sociological level, it was interesting to learn so much about the tenuous interactions between physicists throughout the history of the science. (example: despite being responsible for laying down the laws of thermodynamics, Ludwig Boltzmann committed suicide in part because of the peer ridicule he faced while defending the (now proven) existence of the atom.) Kaku paints a picture of a still sometimes contentious and divided community, extensively male-dominated, and fraught with recognition-seeking egos. (Perhaps not so unlike many other professions.)

Accessible, balanced in viewpoint, and tentatively optimistic toward the future of Physics and the human race at large. Kaku’s exploration of the possibility of other dimensions is a thoughtful physics primer.

Favorite Quotes:
*“...the laws of physics, carefully constructed after thousands of years of experimentation, are nothing but the laws of harmony one can write down for strings and membranes. The laws of chemistry are the melodies that one can play on these strings. the universe is a symphony of strings. And the "Mind of God," which Einstein wrote eloquently about, is cosmic music resonating throughout hyperspace.”

*“The poet only asks to get his head into the heavens. It is the logician who seeks to get the heavens into his head. And it is his head that splits. —G. K. Chesterson” ...more

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Apr 04, 2015 Tucker rated it liked it

Shelves: existential

Kaku uses the categories of "Type I, II, and III civilizations" that were "introduced by Russian physicist Nikolai Kardashev in the 1960s." Type I is a civilization that "has harnessed planetary forms of energy." Type II "has exhausted the power of a single planet and has harnessed the power of an entire star..." Type III "has exhausted the power of a single solar system and has colonized large portions of its home galaxy."

"Each type of civilization differs from the next lower type," Kaku Kaku uses the categories of "Type I, II, and III civilizations" that were "introduced by Russian physicist Nikolai Kardashev in the 1960s." Type I is a civilization that "has harnessed planetary forms of energy." Type II "has exhausted the power of a single planet and has harnessed the power of an entire star..." Type III "has exhausted the power of a single solar system and has colonized large portions of its home galaxy."

"Each type of civilization differs from the next lower type," Kaku explains, "by a factor of 10 billion."

A strange way to measure social evolution. As far as I can tell, we are no longer qualitatively assessing homo politicus nor quantifying progress by homo economicus. Now we have homo exūstúrus, or man understood as He Who Will Burn Things Up.

Some passages are delightfully absurd: "There is a certain amount of danger, however, in creating a universe in an oven."

One example of a sentence I feel I ought to be able to understand, but do not actually understand: "These six dimensions have all been compactified, so that entering a higher dimension is impossible – more than a little disappointing to those who would one day hope to soar into an infinite hyperspace rather than merely take brief short-cuts through compactified hyperspace via wormholes."

A quote from Brian Greene that I feel less awkward about not understanding:

1. The tiny mass of the elusive, ghostlike neutrino could be experimentally determined, and string theory might explain it.
2. Small violations of the Standard Model could be found that violate point-particle physics, such as the decays of certain subatomic particles.
3. New long-range forces (other than gravity and electromagnetism) could be found experimentally that would signal a certain choice of a Calabi-Yau manifold.
4. Dark matter particles could be found in the laboratory and compared to predictions of string theory.
5. String theory might be able to calculate the amount of dark energy in the universe.

Kaku quotes geologist Peter Ward and astronomer Donald Brownlee on the importance of the moon's orbit and gravitational influence on Earth: "Without the Moon there would be no moonbeams, no month, no lunacy, no Apollo program, less poetry, and a world where every night was dark and gloomy. Without the Moon it is also likely that no birds, redwoods, whales, trilobite, or other advanced life would ever grace the earth.” Later in the book, Kaku explains the long-distance space travel "warp drive machine" proposed by physicist Miguel Alcubierre in 1994: "It simply shrinks the space in front of you while expanding the space behind you. Think of walking across a carpet to reach a table. Instead of walking on the carpet, you could lasso the table and slowly drag it toward you, making the carpet bunch up in front of you." These two ideas together are confusing to me, because, if the so-called Goldilocks "just-right" placement of the moon is so critical to maintaining stability on Earth, I don't know why we'd ever want to lasso entire planets or galaxies and pull them closer to us. It must be a hyperspace thing. ...more

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Jun 06, 2018 Sina Keshavarz rated it really liked it

Dr. Michio Kaku is the congenial scientist of the media. Meaning he knows quantum physics as much as he knows how to be a convivial person. He fills the gap between science and people by delineating the language of physics, quantum theory, string theory, M-theory, black holes and parallel universes in such simplicity that you can't help falling in love with modern physics. The book starts with depicting an ascetic compendium of modern physics. He then establishes the ideas of the book upon these ...more

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Nov 30, 2009 Melmoth43 rated it liked it

Albeit a comprehensive and informative history of Physics, I'm afraid the author and I parted company with the introduction of the String and M theories. To quote Einstein, "If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough." At this stage, String and M are simply hypotheses, with little or no hard evidence to prove their validity. That may happen, but as of now, in their present form, I find them lacking in two features all great discoveries have: simplicity and elegance of ...more

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Jun 02, 2018 Kirsty rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

I highly recommend this book as an accessible and touchstone overview to Astrophysics. A non-fiction work in my opinion to be added to the list of books that absolutely everyone should read at least once.

The points are often illustrated beautifully by quotes from literature or philosophy, making it a lot easier for the more bookish minded to grasp. Its always pleasing when you come across a name you intimately recognise; like Poe, Lewis Carroll, and even Salvador Dali to name a just few. Kaku ...more

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May 12, 2009 Cassandra Kay Silva rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science

I like Kaku's style but for me it is still not quite as likable as Brian Greene. I do like his way of thinking though. He as an ability to go to places and make connections with the wider world that I would not always make. He throws in a lot of geeky scifi book references too which I think kind of makes him endearing. Overall it was fun, my copy overly needed some updates though! Cosmology is moving fast and some of the information here is already outdated. Hopefully he has revisited some of ...more

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Jan 29, 2019 Lisa rated it it was amazing

Shelves: non-fiction

I loved everything about this book. I am an amateur scientist (reading purely for fun) and found this book extremely accessible. From strikingly simple explanations of the creation & acceleration of the universe to purely mind-numbing theories of the multiverse and string theory, I had such a fun time reading this book! Kaku touches on the history of physics, implications of scientific discovery on religious thought, and most interestingly on what time travel and the future of human space ...more

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Sep 26, 2017 Mike rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I started reading this when it first came out in paperback and then, for some unknown reason, set is aside, only to find it again yesterday. So, the first 300 pages were read 10 years ago and the last 60 pages were read yesterday and today. I'm sure there's a time-travel quip hiding in there but my brain's too foggy to grasp it today.

From what I recall of the first 80% of this book, it's a sprint through parallel worlds theory and M-String theory. What Kaku does differently from, say, Brian ...more

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About Michio Kaku

Michio Kaku

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(Arabic: ميشيو كاكو
Russian: Митио Каку
Chinese: 加來道雄
Japanese: ミチオカク)

Dr. Michio Kaku is an American theoretical physicist at the City College of New York , best-selling author, a futurist, and a communicator and popularizer of science. He has written several books about physics and related topics of science.

He has written two New York Times Best Sellers, Physics of the Impossible (2008) and Physics ...more