February 2024 - Not Even Wrong

[Betsy, co-mod]

For February 2024 we will be reading Not Even Wrong: The Failure of String Theory and the Search for Unity in Physical Law by Peter Woit.

Please use this thread to post questions, comments, and reviews, at any time.

[Betsy, co-mod]

Is anyone reading this book?

[Hector]

I already have the book with me and will start reading it as soon as I finish one book I'm currently reading. I expect to start in 1 or 2 weeks.

This book was a recommendation from a cosmologist friend while we discussed why string theory hasn't proved to be the unifying theory many contributors to the theory said it would be.

[Debbie]

This book is right up my alley but unfortunately not available at any of my libraries (and I personally don’t buy books I don’t already know I love and want to keep a copy of). Hope to read it one day!

[Hector]

I'd love to hear more opinions on this book. I haven't found it easy to read, but I'm excited reading it.

The book starts with the interesting history of particle colliders which I was very ignorant of. But as with most books I've read on physics, it doesn't talk about the results CERN's LHC have discovered which I am very interested in hearing about.

I'm now in the chapters explaining gauge symmetries and the standard model and what a headache it has given me. I don't find it easy to understand them but I do find it very interesting to have these topics being explained from someone like Woit's background. It's a bit more technical than what I've read but I understand this is needed to fully grasp the argument the author is building.

I am a fan of books that recommend further readings so I'm also appreciating that I now have a bunch more recommendations to read and understand better these topics.