The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory

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W. W. Norton & Company, 2010 M09 21 - 464 pages
In this refreshingly clear book, Brian Greene, a leading string theorist, relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind the search for the ultimate theory. String theory, as the author vividly describes, reveals a vision of the universe that is sending shock waves through the world of physics. Thrilling and revolutionary ideas such as new dimensions hidden within the fabric of space, black holes transmuting into elementary particles, rips and punctures in the space-time continuum, gigantic universes interchangeable with minuscule ones, and a wealth of others are playing a pivotal role as physicists use string theory to grapple with some of the deepest questions of the ages. With authority and grace, The Elegant Universe introduces us to the discoveries and the remaining mysteries, the exhilaration and the frustrations of those who relentlessly probe the ultimate nature of space, time, and matter.
 

Contents

Tied Up with String
3
The Dilemma of Space Time and the Quanta
21
The Essentials of Superstring Theory
135
The Super in Superstrings
166
More Dimensions Than Meet the Eye
184
Experimental Signatures
210
Quantum Geometry
231
Tearing the Fabric of Space
263
In Search ofMTheory
283
A StringIVLTheory Perspective
320
Reflections on Cosmology
345
Prospects
373
Notes
389
Glossary of Scientific Terms
413
References and Suggestions for Further Reading
427
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About the author (2010)

Brian Greene is the director of Columbia University’s Center for Theoretical Physics and cofounder of the World Science Festival. Acclaimed for groundbreaking discoveries in superstring theory, he is the author of four best-selling books that have collectively sold more than two million copies worldwide. He lives in New York.

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