Parallel Worlds (book)
Encyclopedia
Parallel Worlds; A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos is a popular science
book by Michio Kaku
first published in 2005.
Part III: Escape into Hyperspace
to Quantum Physics to String theory
and even into the newest version of string theory, called M-theory
. He makes available to the reader a comprehensive description of many of the more compelling theories in physics, including many interesting predictions each theory makes, what physicist
s, astronomer
s, and cosmologists are looking for now and what technology they are using in their search.
calls Parallel Worlds "absolutely impossible to put down." Mark Mortimer for Universe Today
believes we have many more immediate problems to solve first here on Earth, "then would be a good time to consider how we might survive the end of our universe." Gerry Gilmore for The Guardian
also mocks the notion of trying to escape the far off heat death of the universe
. The book was a finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize
for non-fiction in the UK
.
Popular science
Popular science, sometimes called literature of science, is interpretation of science intended for a general audience. While science journalism focuses on recent scientific developments, popular science is broad-ranging, often written by scientists as well as journalists, and is presented in many...
book by Michio Kaku
Michio Kaku
is an American theoretical physicist, the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics in the City College of New York of City University of New York, the co-founder of string field theory, and a "communicator" and "popularizer" of science...
first published in 2005.
Part I: The Universe
- Chapter One: Baby Pictures of the Universe
- Chapter Two: The Paradoxical Universe
- Chapter Three: The Big Bang
- Chapter Four: Inflation and Parallel Universes
Part II: The Multiverse
- Chapter Five: Dimensional Portals and Time Travel
- Chapter Six: Parallel Quantum Universes
- Chapter Seven: M-Theory: The Mother of All Strings
- Chapter Eight: A Designer Universe?
- Chapter Nine: Searching for Echoes from the Eleventh Dimension
Part III: Escape into Hyperspace
- Chapter Ten: The End of Everything
- Chapter Eleven: Escaping the Universe
- Chapter Twelve: Beyond the Multiverse
- Notes
- Glossary
- Recommended Reading
- Index
Summary
From the back of the book:"In this thrilling journey into the mysteries of our cosmos, bestselling author Michio Kaku takes us on a dizzying ride to explore black holeBlack holeA black hole is a region of spacetime from which nothing, not even light, can escape. The theory of general relativity predicts that a sufficiently compact mass will deform spacetime to form a black hole. Around a black hole there is a mathematically defined surface called an event horizon that...
s and time machineTime travelTime travel is the concept of moving between different points in time in a manner analogous to moving between different points in space. Time travel could hypothetically involve moving backward in time to a moment earlier than the starting point, or forward to the future of that point without the...
s, multidimensional space and, most tantalizing of all, the possibility that parallel universesParallel universe (fiction)A parallel universe or alternative reality is a hypothetical self-contained separate reality coexisting with one's own. A specific group of parallel universes is called a "multiverse", although this term can also be used to describe the possible parallel universes that constitute reality...
may lie alongside our own.
Kaku skillfully guides us through the latest innovations in string theoryString theoryString theory is an active research framework in particle physics that attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is a contender for a theory of everything , a manner of describing the known fundamental forces and matter in a mathematically complete system...
and its most recent iteration, M-theoryM-theoryIn theoretical physics, M-theory is an extension of string theory in which 11 dimensions are identified. Because the dimensionality exceeds that of superstring theories in 10 dimensions, proponents believe that the 11-dimensional theory unites all five string theories...
, which posits that our universe may be just one in an endless multiverseMultiverseThe multiverse is the hypothetical set of multiple possible universes that together comprise all of reality.Multiverse may also refer to:-In fiction:* Multiverse , the fictional multiverse used by DC Comics...
, a singular bubble floating in a sea of infinite bubble universes. If M-theory is proven correct, we may perhaps finally find an answer to the question, "What happened before the big bangBig BangThe Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
?" This is an exciting and unforgettable introduction to the cutting-edge theories of physics and cosmology from one of the preeminent voices in the field."
Theme
In Parallel Worlds, Kaku presents many of the leading theories in physics; from Newtonian physics to RelativityTheory of relativity
The theory of relativity, or simply relativity, encompasses two theories of Albert Einstein: special relativity and general relativity. However, the word relativity is sometimes used in reference to Galilean invariance....
to Quantum Physics to String theory
String theory
String theory is an active research framework in particle physics that attempts to reconcile quantum mechanics and general relativity. It is a contender for a theory of everything , a manner of describing the known fundamental forces and matter in a mathematically complete system...
and even into the newest version of string theory, called M-theory
M-theory
In theoretical physics, M-theory is an extension of string theory in which 11 dimensions are identified. Because the dimensionality exceeds that of superstring theories in 10 dimensions, proponents believe that the 11-dimensional theory unites all five string theories...
. He makes available to the reader a comprehensive description of many of the more compelling theories in physics, including many interesting predictions each theory makes, what physicist
Physicist
A physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
s, astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
s, and cosmologists are looking for now and what technology they are using in their search.
Reception
Scarlett Thomas writing for The IndependentThe Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
calls Parallel Worlds "absolutely impossible to put down." Mark Mortimer for Universe Today
Universe Today
Universe Today is a non-commercial space and astronomy news site, founded in 1999 by Fraser Cain and edited by Nancy Atkinson. The news can then be discussed on the forums. The forum began on 24 July 2003, and was mainly used to discuss the Universe Today news as well as ask space-related...
believes we have many more immediate problems to solve first here on Earth, "then would be a good time to consider how we might survive the end of our universe." Gerry Gilmore for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
also mocks the notion of trying to escape the far off heat death of the universe
Heat death of the universe
The heat death of the universe is a suggested ultimate fate of the universe, in which the universe has diminished to a state of no thermodynamic free energy and therefore can no longer sustain motion or life. Heat death does not imply any particular absolute temperature; it only requires that...
. The book was a finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize
Samuel Johnson Prize
The Samuel Johnson Prize for Non-Fiction is one of the most prestigious prizes for non-fiction writing. It was founded in 1999 following the demise of the NCR Book Award and based on an anonymous donation. The prize is named after Samuel Johnson...
for non-fiction in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.