Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration of the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation and Time Travel - Hardcover

Kaku, Michio

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0713999926 ISBN 13: 9780713999921

Publisher: Allen Lane, 2008

Synopsis

Physics of the Impossible takes us on a journey to the frontiers of science and beyond, giving us an exhilarating insight into what we can really hope to achieve in the future.

Everyday we see that what was once declared ‘impossible’ by scientists has become part of our everyday lives: fax machines, glass sky-scrapers, gas-powered automobiles, a worldwide communications network and high-speed elevated trains. Here internationally bestselling author Micho Kaku confidently hurdles today’s frontier of science, presenting the first truly authoritative exploration of the real science of tomorrow; a field normally left to writers of science fiction. He reveals the actual possibilities of perpetual motion, force fields, invisibility, ray guns, anti-gravity and anti-matter, teleportation, telepathy, psychokinesis, robots and cyborgs, faster than light travel, time travel, zero-point energy, extraterrestrial life, even clairvoyance. And he shows how few of these ideas actually violate the laws of physics. The real differences between the impossible, the unlikely and the imminent have never been so clear.

Where does the realm of science fiction end? What can we really hope to achieve? ‘Anything that is not impossible, is mandatory!’ declares Kaku in this lucid, entertaining and enlightening read.

About this title

Review:

PRAISE FOR "PHYSICS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE" "The study of the impossible has opened up entirely new vistas for science, Kaku rightly points out. It is here that the book's strength lies: the impossible is a gateway for discussing what we still do not understand, those gray areas that are surely the most fascinating part of physics.....there is a surprising amount of heavyweight, cutting-edge science woven into the fabric of this book. String theory, dark energy, metamaterials and quantum theory are just a few topics - PHYSICS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE is, in fact, an easy-to-read physics primer in disguise. Kaku has huge reach as a writer and speaker. Hopefully, his acessible, entertaining, and inspiring book will set the next Einstein on his or her path to glory."-"The New Scientist ""Michio Kaku's latest book, PHYSICS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE, aims to explain exactly why some visions of the future may eventually realized while others are likely to remain beyond the bounds of possibility...Science fiction often explores such questions; science falls silent at this point. Mr. Kaku's work helps to fill a void."-"The Economist" "Kaku encourages us to take seriously ideas the world's great intellects consider crazy, reminding us that these same powerful minds sometimes wonder whether such way-out theories and models of the universe are crazy enough to be true."-"The Seattle Times. ""An invigorating experience""-THe Christian Science Monitor" "A genuine tour de force, skillfully delivering cogent descriptions of everything from subatomic structure to the laws of the universe."-Kirkus (starred review) "Science and science fiction buffs can easily follow Kaku's explanations as he shows that in the wonderful worlds of science, impossible things are happening every day." --"Publishers Weekly" "Tour de force of science and imagination."- LIbrary Journal (starred review) "A fascinating exploration of the interface ADVANCE PRAISE FOR "PHYSICS OF THE IMPOSSIBLE" "Science and science fiction buffs can easily follow Kaku's explanations as he shows that in the wonderful worlds of science, impossible things are happening every day." --"Publishers Weekly" "A fascinating exploration of the interface between science and science fiction, extremely well researched, lively, and tremendously entertaining. - Fritjof Capra, author of "The Tao of Physics" and "The Science of Leonardo" CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR "PARALLEL WORLDS" "A wonderful tour, with an expert guide, of a cosmos whose comprehension forces us to stretch to the very limits of imagination." --Brian Greene, author of "The Fabric of the Cosmos" "A highly readable and exhilarating romp through the frontiers of cosmology." --Martin Rees, author of "Our Cosmic Habitat" and "Our Final Century" "A roller-coaster ride through the universe--and beyond--by one of the world's finest science writers." --Paul Davies, Australian Centre for Astrobiology, Macquarie University, Sydney, and author of "How to Build a Time Machine" CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR "HYPERSPACE" "One of the best popular accounts of higher physics." --Jim Holt, "Wall Street Journal" "Among the best of the genre to appear in recent years . . . What a wonderful adventure it is." --"New York Times Book Review" "Mesmerizing . . . the reader exits dizzy, elated, and looking at the world in a literally revolutionary way." --"Washington Post Book World"

About the Author:

Internationally acclaimed physicist Dr Michio Kaku holds the Henry Semat Chair in Theoretical Physics at the City University of New York. He is also an international bestselling author, his books including Hyperspace and Parallel Worlds, and a distinguished writer, having featured in Time, the Wall Street Journal, the Sunday Times and the New Scientist to name but a few. Dr Kaku also hosts his own radio show, ‘Science Fantastic’, and recently presented the BBC’s popular series ‘Time’.

About this edition

• Publisher: Allen Lane
• Publication date: 2008
• ISBN 10: 0713999926
• ISBN 13: 9780713999921
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 352