From the Bookshelf of Science and Inquiry…

The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality

Brian Greene

Start date: April 1, 2015

Finish date: April 30, 2015

Discussion: Book Club 2015

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Book Club 2015

* December 2015 - Violinist's Thumb
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last updated Jan 11, 2016 06:55AM

* November 2015 - Being Mortal
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Apr 24, 2015 aPriL does feral sometimes rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, math-horrors-involved, favorites, science, twisted-me-peculiar

I wish I could say 'The Fabric of the Cosmos' is an easy read. I'd like to say I understand more clearly a subject that only geniuses understand normally about what classic physics and quantum mechanics have to do with understanding the mysteries of cosmology, particularly the theories regarding what the universe is, how it began, what made it function the way it does and why there seems to be an arrow of Time. I can't. Physics is too hard for me. However, Brian Greene is a brilliant man with a I wish I could say 'The Fabric of the Cosmos' is an easy read. I'd like to say I understand more clearly a subject that only geniuses understand normally about what classic physics and quantum mechanics have to do with understanding the mysteries of cosmology, particularly the theories regarding what the universe is, how it began, what made it function the way it does and why there seems to be an arrow of Time. I can't. Physics is too hard for me. However, Brian Greene is a brilliant man with a teacher's magic talent of sussing out how to simplify and explain difficult complexities of scientific thought. His book 'The Fabric of the Cosmos' did not lose me until the final six chapters! Gentle reader, I highly recommend this book.

Physics is not only about observations and experiments, it is mostly about interpreting horribly complicated maths. Fortunately, Brian Greene leaves the math for the 'Notes' section in the back of this book. He describes through analogies and simple-as-possible, and logical, well-written historical vignettes about the key physics discoveries by famous physicists which illuminate the nature of space and time. Each step of increasing scientific knowledge important to cosmology is described in a logical procession of conclusions, facts and theories, chapter by chapter. I finally understand many brief and out-of-context explanations in science articles which I have occasionally read. (However, I think I will not remember much of this enlightenment in a few weeks, alas.)

(Edit: I've forgotten everything and once again my brain is missing dark matter, as I predicted. 😮 July 20, 2022)

The newest theories and guesses, described in chapters 12-16, about three-branes and brane splats, extra dimensions, string theory holograms, super-symmetry particle spinning, potential energy bowls, free will (yes, I said free will), five-string theories, two 'Big Bang' theories, and loop quantum gravity, by these genius scientists are the hardest of all to understand by this ordinary mortal, gentle reader. But perseverance with 'The Fabric of the Cosmos' DID make a small collapse of probabilities in the jittering mass of my excited brain particles so that this cat was radiant with more intelligence upon exiting the ebook.

Unfortunately, though, I have a feeling this enlightenment is but a moon's dim reflective glow, gone as soon as the sun rises. ...more

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Apr 18, 2012 Mohammed alkindy rated it really liked it

another Brian Green book, i moderately enjoyed reading it. the number of theories discussed reveals the straggle of scientists in searching for unified theory that will explain the known 4 forces in universe. M-theory seem to be a good candidate but the loop-quantum gravity seem to be the new kid in the block! it seems i am more fascinated with the struggle of the scientists than the anticipated outcome as the answer i have is residing what is in between the alphabets of "be and it is" ...more

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