The perfect theory : a century of geniuses and the battle over general relativity
Pedro G. Ferreira (Author)
"At the core of Einstein's general theory of relativity are a set of equations that explain the relationship among gravity, space, and time--possibly the most perfect intellectual achievement of modern physics. For over a century, physicists have been exploring, debating, and at times neglecting Einstein's theory in their quest to uncover the history of the universe, the origin of time, and the evolution of solar systems, stars, and galaxies. In this sweeping narrative of science and culture, Pedro Ferreira explains the theory through the human drama surrounding it: the personal feuds and intellectual battles of the biggest names in twentieth-century physics, from Einstein and Eddington to Hawking and Penrose. We are in the midst of a momentous transformation in modern physics. As scientists look farther and more clearly into space than ever before, The Perfect Theory engagingly reveals the greater relevance of general relativity, showing us where it started, where it has led, and where it can still take us"-- Provided by publisher
History
1 online resource (xv, 288 pages)
9780547554907, 9781306361088, 0547554907, 1306361087
869346088
Prologue
If a Person Falls Freely
The Most Valuable Discovery
Correct Mathematics, Abominable Physics
Collapsing Stars
Completely Cuckoo
Radio Days
Wheelerisms
Singularities
Unification Woes
Seeing Gravity
The Dark Universe
The End of Spacetime
A Spectacular Extrapolation
Something Is Going to Happen
English