Symmetry and the Beautiful Universe - Hardcover

Lederman, Leon M.; Hill, Christopher T.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1591022428 ISBN 13: 9781591022428

Publisher: Prometheus Books, 2004

Synopsis

When scientists peer through a telescope at the distant stars in outer space or use a particle-accelerator to analyze the smallest components of matter, they discover that the same laws of physics govern the whole universe at all times and all places. Physicists call the eternal, ubiquitous constancy of the laws of physics symmetry. Symmetry is the basic underlying principle that defines the laws of nature and hence controls the universe. This all-important insight is one of the great conceptual breakthroughs in modern physics and is the basis of contemporary efforts to discover a grand unified theory to explain all the laws of physics.

Nobel Laureate Leon M. Lederman and physicist Christopher T. Hill explain the supremely elegant concept of symmetry and all its profound ramifications to life on Earth and the universe at large in this eloquent, accessible popular science book. They not only clearly describe concepts normally reserved only for physicists and mathematicians, but they also instill an appreciation for the profound beauty of the universe’s inherent design.

Central to the story of symmetry is an obscure, unpretentious, but extremely gifted German mathematician named Emmy Noether. Though still little known to the world, she impressed no less a scientist than Albert Einstein, who praised her "penetrating mathematical thinking." In some of her earliest work she proved that the law of the conservation of energy was connected to the idea of symmetry and thus laid the mathematical groundwork for what may be the most important concept of modern physics.

Lederman and Hill reveal concepts about the universe, based on Noether’s work, that are largely unknown to the public and have wide-reaching implications in connection with the Big Bang, Einstein’s theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and many other areas of physics. Through ingenious analogies and illustrations, they bring these astounding notions to life. This book will open your eyes to a universe you never knew existed.
From the Trade Paperback edition.

About this title

From the Inside Flap

The idea that an object's appearance can remain the same after some sort of physical change is both aesthetically pleasing and mathematically interesting, whether one is observing a delicate snowflake or appreciating a majestic Bach organ fugue. Yet in the twentieth century, humans discovered that this principle means a great deal more - the very structure of nature depends on it.

When scientists peer through telescopes at distant galaxies or use gigantic particle accelerators to examine the fabric of matter, they find universal and steadfast laws of physics governing the whole universe, at all times and places. Physicists recognize this as a form of symmetry, which is now believed to be the basic underlying principle that controls the universe. This insight is one of the greatest conceptual breakthroughs of modern science and drives the contemporary effort to discover a grand unification of all the laws of physics, such as superstring theory.

In SYMMETRY AND THE BEAUTIFUL UNIVERSE, Nobel laureate Leon M. Lederman and theoretical physicist Christopher T. Hill explain the elegant concept of symmetry and its profound ramifications for art, music, and life of Earth, from quarks to the universe at large. This eloquent and accessible work of popular science not only illuminates concepts normally reserved only for physicists and mathematicians but also portrays the profound beauty of nature's inherent design.

Central to the story of symmetry is an ascetic, unpretentious, and gifted mathematician named Emmy Noether. Though still little known to the world, she dazzled no less a savant than Albert Einstein, who praised her "penetrating mathematical thinking." She proved that the law of the conservation of energy is centrally connected to the idea of symmetry and time and laid the groundwork for the most important conceptual revolution of modern physics.

Lederman and Hill reveal concepts about the universe, based on Noether's work, that are largely unknown to the public yet have wide-ranging implications for the big bang, Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and many other areas of physics. Through ingenious analogies and illustrations, they bring these astounding notions to life. This book will open your eyes to a universe you never knew existed.

About the Author

LEON M. LEDERMAN, PhD, Nobel laureate, is resident scholar for the Great Minds Program of the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, director emeritus of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, Pritzker Professor of Science at the Illinois Institute of Technology, and author of the highly acclaimed book THE GOD PARTICLE.

CHRISTOPHER T. HILL, PhD, is a leading theoretical elementary-particle physicist, head of the Theoretical Physics Department at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and a fellow of the American Physical Society. Formerly, he was an adjunct professor of physics and a visiting scholar at the University of Chicago and a visiting scholar at Oxford University. He has written over one hundred papers in theoretical physics and cosmology.

About this edition

• Publisher: Prometheus Books
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1591022428
• ISBN 13: 9781591022428
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 363