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

This is an impressive work that explains the highly complex non-intuituve string theory in amazingly lucid clear writing style to the general public. Similar to many physics books which survey classical theories for the readers, Greene offers his own elucidation on relative motion in special relativity and in warped space in general relatvity that is even more detailed and clear than some physics text books. His transition of how String theory offers a solution to bridge general relatvity and quantum mechanics because of String theory's geometry to cope with quantum undulation at the microscopic scale is very intuitive and helpful. His explanations on how the 3 families of particles in Standard Theory are best explained by just variations of vibrating strings frequency and strength are also relatable and convincing. Greene's use of the garden hose universe to explain the curled up dimensions in string theory and how they are hidden from and connected to extended dimensions is exceptionally lucid and helpful, making us easy to grasp how 3 extended space dimensions we experience are related to 6 curled up space dimensions, together with time making up 10 dimensions. The 9 dimensions don't just crumbled up in any shape but in a unique 6 dimensional Calabi-Yau shape derived from many researchers calculations. Hence, the universe is made up of the Calabi-Yau shape manifold in curled up 9 dimensional space configuration together with time. The final 11th dimension space is explained by the need of the two dimensional membranes in M theory which is used to resolve the dilemma of 5 version of string theory. Greene further explained that the five versions are just different depiction of string theory with three of which Type 1, Herotic O, and Herotic E being large/small radius duality equivalence of each other and with the rest of the two, Type IIA and Type IIB, having the same reciprocal dualiy. This whole 11 dimensional geometric scheme development is carefully and lucidly written with unmatched clarity over these connected concepts of Kaluza-Klein theory, Calabi-Yau, shapes and M theory. Though Greene does not use the actual equations from perturbation approach and Kaluza-Klein geometry of String theory to flesh out his explanations, it is still not easy to conceptually grasp the concepts of String Theory for anyone who does not have university level education in physics or mathematics. Greene actually warns his readers about the difficulty of the subject despite his best effort. It takes work to get through this work. Another feature I like in any physics books is the anecdote stories of the journey of the physicists doing research. Greene shared his stories of his journey in String theory. The separate research efforts on the mirror symmetry Calabi-Yau shapes for space tearing flop between Greene's group, to include Aspinfall and Morrison, while at Princeton, and Witten is an interesting story. Greene also included various stories of String theory second revolution in 1995. Overall, this book is a brilliantly clear introduction to string theory that is going to be a classic.

Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe" is the best book on a scientific subject I've ever read. The first five chapters, which deal with Space, Time, Special & General Relativity, and Quantum Mechanics, are incredibly clear and worth the price of the book alone. Without using any math, Greene is able to explain the key points of all these topics, and most importantly, to show why Relativity and Quantum Mechanics are incompatible, and why that's a problem for physicists. He then takes the reader through the various stages of thinking that have gone into String Theory, and it's fascinating stuff! Greene uses copious examples to demonstrate concepts that are difficult to visualize or grasp, and this is incredibly helpful. You definitely get a sense, for instance, of what a "curled up dimension" means, through some very clever reduced-dimension examples (not sure if these are Greene's constructions or well-known in the physics world, but they're very clear and helpful). The going gets a little tougher towards the end of the book, where the most recent thinking on String Theory and the discussion of Black Holes & the early instants of the cosmos are more complex and tougher to grok straight through. But even so, they are fascinating and worth the effort. Greene's prose is clear, analytical, and well thought out. At least a half dozen times while reading the book, I said to myself, "Hmmm, but what about X?" to find a few paragraphs later Greene would write, "You may be wondering about X. Well, here's how that works..." To me, this is a sign of a clear thinker and helped make the book even more enjoyable to read. If you're at all interested in cutting edge physics theory, this is a great book to turn to.

Brian Greene’s The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory is an in depth exploration of one of the most complex and ambitious ideas in modern physics: string theory. Greene has a talent for taking mind-bending concepts such as the fabric of spacetime, quantum mechanics, and the possibility of extra dimensions and presenting them in a way that is both accessible and captivating for non-scientists. He uses vivid analogies and clear explanations helps explain the theories that often feel overly complex, while still conveying the beauty and scope of the science behind them. The book does a good job striking a balance between education and wonder, leading readers through the strange but fascinating world of modern theoretical physics. Beyond its explanations of string theory, the book also dives into the philosophical and scientific implications of pursuing a “theory of everything.” It captures the excitement, uncertainty, and even controversy that surrounds this search, showing how it pushes the boundaries of human knowledge while raising deep questions about the nature of reality. Whether or not string theory ultimately proves correct, The Elegant Universe succeeds as both a thrilling scientific adventure and a thoughtful meditation on the human drive to understand the universe at its deepest level. Although beyond my depth at times, this is a book that inspires curiosity and wonder, leaving me with a greater appreciation for the beauty and mystery of the cosmos.

Brian Greene’s a great teacher, and part of me thinks that if we had anything like a working educational system in the USA we’d all be better equipped to appreciate the complexity of these ideas. For example, though not specific to the book, I found it interesting that a common atheist’s question ‘who created God?’ was answered by special relativity in 1906. Space, time, and matter are all interchangeable, and before they were created there simply was no ‘time,’ just like there’s no more ‘north’ at the North Pole. And the fact that people still think of gravity as some invisible Newtonian force. The ideas here remind me of high school calculus, where you can start with easily understandable concepts and rapidly progress to things that simply don’t make any common sense at all. But like Einstein once said, imagination is more important than knowledge. Which is why I guess math is truly the language of science and the universe. And why it might make sense to read Einstein’s 80 pgs of special and general relativity next. I’d be curious to see how these ideas are actually tested experimentally (with atom smashers, linear accelerators, etc), but I think that’s a topic for another book.

In terms of explaining the latest advances of physics, Brian Greene's "The Elegant Universe" is irreproachable: easy to read, rigorous and as elegant as the model of Universe he describes so well. I hadn't studied physics since 1974 and the amount of knowledge reading his book allowed me to acquire with little effort was fabulous. "The Elegant Universe" would certainly deserve a SIX STAR rate were it not for a fact that is neither his nor his book's fault. When Greene takes for granted that reality as perceived by man is 3D, he also, unconsciously perhaps, ignores exactly the small but significant percentage of human beings that, throughout the centuries, not to say millennia, have repeatedly reported just the opposite, that is, that reality is more than the 3D experience our material senses can perceive. Such a materialistic and unquestionably biased approach, not questioning the strong reasons science once had to adopt it, is responsible today for theoretical physicists feeling themselves as lonely adventurers climbing nature's knowledge peak, having no one higher up to suggest the correct direction to take. Experimental physicists are standing at a quite lower position in the peak climbing path than they could be today due to the limitations of material instrumentation available for probing nature's intimate reality. Assuming everything is material, they simply dwell in the same biased position a Neanderthal man would be when faced with a computer running a sophisticated software. The Neanderthal man would be tempted to believe the software had been produced by the computer, the same way scientists are led to assume that the mind is produced by the brain. Such a biased belief deprives modern science from using the most sophisticated and powerful probing instrument ever available to man, which is man's own mind. Mystics, prophets, mediums, channelers, no matter how one calls them, are just human beings whose mind has the capacity to travel in other dimensions. Despite their lack of scientific understanding, they are surely higher up on nature's knowledge peak climbing path than theoretical physicists are. No matter that they may not be solidly grounded on the rock of the peak, but rather floating somewhere around. The fact that cannot be ignored is that they are the only living beings physicists can count upon to guide their climbing quest for truth. It is an absolute shame and an incredible loss for science that so few scientists perceive such an absurd sate of things.

It is interesting to consider that the subject matter for this book essentially concerns only the last one hundred years or so of human history, ever since the time of Einstein's work, and that by way of comparison it only goes back to the time of Isaac Newton. Prior to Newton's day, the physical laws of the universe were understood - with the notable exception of the Greeks - almost exclusively in terms of the superstitious and allegorical. Only very recently in human history has there occurred this intense kind of scientific study, which the author describes here. Of course, the actual work involves a mathematics that is quite complicated, but the author has done a good job in telling the story in layman's terms. A few of the analogies are probably not the best in the world, but I found the book to be excellent reading, especially about how string theory developed, and only really stumbled in chapter 10, the one on quantum geometry. While relativity and quantum mechanics are notable for being counterintuitive, string theory is especially interesting in that it fills in the gaps (it accounts for gravity in the way the other theories do not), and provides a more intuitive basis. It makes sense to think of the most basic element of the universe as a vibrating string, certainly much more so than as a point particle. I think of a vibrating string as being a nexus between energy and the most fundamental kind of matter. It makes more sense to think that energy comes before matter rather than matter before energy. Although the author does not directly deal with the question, it seems that he posits that string theory is an explanation of a self-contained universe. In the instances in which the fabric of space is torn, he explains that string theory provides a way for space to be mended. If the universe contracts back to the time of the big bang, it will not go back to nothing but rather to a "big crunch". Even the multiple dimensions of the theory, which lead one to think of another universe, have the sense of being on this side of the known universe. The biggest question that I could see concerns how string theory explains black holes. Is information lost in a black hole? The author seems to be on the side of those who don't think so, but concedes that there is no way to know at this point.

Before I read this book, I didn't know the first thing about string theory, general relativity or quantum mechanics. I believe people like me were the author's target audience; that is, people who are profoundly interested in the mysterious physics of the universe, but lack the scientific or mathematical background to understand them in their raw form. This book certainly shouldn't be seen as anything other than an introduction for those of us outside the field of physics. Each chapter in this book lays down the foundation for the next chapter. Greene manages to group together scattered discoveries from the past century or so according to their relevance to the topic at hand, and it feels very natural. Every complex concept is explained in somewhat technical detail and then followed up immediately by a clever (and occasionally humorous) analogy. The key points are always restated and rephrased to make absolutely sure the reader is on the same page with the author. This method really does wonders for nailing important concepts to your head, which turns out to be absolutely essential as the book progresses and new ideas are stacked atop the old. This book, overall, is interesting. There are some extraordinarily intriguing chapters that will have your mind racing for at least a couple days, trying to piece together the chapter's implications, and then there are a couple dull chapters that almost feel like a chore to get through. However, the dull chapters, which seem to be flooded with basic mathematical and technical details, are necessary to understand the big picture. Greene only presents us with the details we need to understand, nothing more, and I honestly can't think of a way he could have made these dull chapters exciting. If you are a curious physics newbie, or only know bits and pieces about the basic concepts of string theory, special and general relativity, quantum mechanics, black holes, the big bang, or hidden dimensions, this book is certainly for you! If you are already knowledgeable in these subjects and seek the deepest technical and mathematical information about them, I'm guessing you will not find what you are looking for in this book.

For me, this was like two books in one. Let me explain: The first third of the book is truly amazing. This 'book within a book' explains in layman's terms the physics of the universe which is already accepted as 'truth'. These concepts are ordinarily difficult for the non-physicist, non-mathematician to grasp. With beautiful clarity and eloquence, the author is able, using understandable examples, to explain concepts such as time moving more slowly and physical dimensions changing as the speed of light is approached. The probability concepts of quantum mechanics and the problem of reconciling quantum mechanics with the physics of large fast moving objects are discussed in a very understandable way. This part of the book gets a strong 5 star rating for sure. But the last 2/3 of the book was, to me, less impressive. This is the portion that explains string theory and how it integrates with classic physics. The discussion goes through a history of the development of string theory. Perhaps, given the relative 'newness of the theory, there may not be any other way to go about the discussion. But I found it somewhat tedious, difficult and certainly less exciting to go through the theory's evolution than trying to understand where it stands today. Additionally, in my opinion, the explanations involving string theory discussion did not have the same clarity as the first part of the book and I don't believe that it is simply because the theory is 'harder' to understand. It seemed like it was written in a totally different style, and if you told me that there were separate authors for the 'classic physics' portion of the book and the string theory portion of the book I would have no trouble believing it. So, all in all, a strong 5 stars for the first third of the book and 3 stars for the last 2/3...and an overall 4 stars. I should note that I did glean a great deal from the last 2/3, but I just wish it were written 'by the same person' that wrote the first part. Still...I think there is so much information here that the book is one that should be read by anyone who wants to try to understand our universe more deeply. Just remember that string theory is just that...a theory, albeit a seemingly strong and elegant one. As an aside, I have a Kindle DX and when I downloaded the book all the diagrams and figure were there. So, while I am sure it was true that at one point the figures were missing, as noted by many prior reviewers, the figures are now in the Kindle download and display beautifully on the DX. I don't have a K2 so I can't say anything about how they display on that.

My son enjoyed this book

The author talks about important facts of the general relativity. Next he has an approach to the mirror symmetry. It is interesting the words of Yau, who admits that by mathematical view, the mrror symmetry is only conjectural and probably also in error. It needs to aspect the job of Batyrev for an exact proof. Nevertheless it born several models about the physics of the strings. Greene explicates those arguments with a strong passion and a nice style.

There seems to be some confusion as 2 versions of this book appear on the website - one published in '2000' and one in '2010'. I ordered and reviewed the '2000' version which is actually the upated 25th anniversary edition (2024) as mentioned in the description, though the book cover is different to that pictured. Although this page also refers to a 'later' edition, that links to the '2010' publication which has no description so I've no idea which version that actually is! When I tried to edit this review I got the message 'You already reviewed another variant of this product. You've been redirected to that review.' even though I haven't reviewed the other book so I've no idea what's going on there either. I'd suggest you stick to the item with over 3,000 reviews and a description and avoid the one with less than 10 and no description. Don't let that put you off this book; it's exceptional. For the 25th anniversary release, Brian Greene has opted to leave the bulk of the book as originally published but has added a preface and a most interesting epilogue to bring it up to date. The original was extremely well written and he did a marvellous job of explaining some, what would have been, very difficult concepts. Armed with the knowledge gained by that, the epilogue presents some truly astonishing developments since that time. I must admit to having even more questions now but, because he does such a good job of presenting the ideas, I'm able to frame them quite coherently. He hints that he is tempted to write another book encompassing many more of the new developments and I hope he does so. I'd be first in line for such a tome. I passed on my paperback copy to a friend but would like to re-examine this tome whenever the desire takes me. Consequently, I have now purchased the Kindle version. It's well worth the price and has the added advantage of being able to search the text - the index of the printed book is good but a decent search tool adds flexibility.

Great lecture

Excelente livro