Physics of the Impossible
2008 • 329 pages
Ratings13
Average rating3.9
15
Ratings13
Average rating3.9
A fascinating exploration of the science of the impossible—from death rays and force fields to invisibility cloaks—revealing to what extent such technologies might be achievable decades or millennia into the future.
One hundred years ago, scientists would have said that lasers, televisions, and the atomic bomb were beyond the realm of physical possibility. In Physics of the Impossible, the renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores to what extent the technologies and devices of science fiction that are deemed equally impossible today might well become commonplace in the future.
From teleportation to telekinesis, Kaku uses the world of science fiction to explore the fundamentals—and the limits—of the laws of physics as we know them today. He ranks the impossible technologies by categories—Class I, II, and III, depending on when they might be achieved, within the next century, millennia, or perhaps never. In a compelling and thought-provoking narrative, he explains:
- How the science of optics and electromagnetism may one day enable us to bend light around an object, like a stream flowing around a boulder, making the object invisible to observers “downstream”
- How ramjet rockets, laser sails, antimatter engines, and nanorockets may one day take us to the nearby stars
- How telepathy and psychokinesis, once considered pseudoscience, may one day be possible using advances in MRI, computers, superconductivity, and nanotechnology
- Why a time machine is apparently consistent with the known laws of quantum physics, although it would take an unbelievably advanced civilization to actually build one
Kaku uses his discussion of each technology as a jumping-off point to explain the science behind it. An extraordinary scientific adventure, Physics of the Impossible takes readers on an unforgettable, mesmerizing journey into the world of science that both enlightens and entertains.
[(source)][1]
[1]: http://www.amazon.com/Physics-Impossible-Scientific-Exploration-Teleportation/dp/0385520697/ref=dp_return_1?ie=UTF8&n=283155&s=books
Reviews with the most likes.
Have you ever wondered about the science behind science fiction?
Are common Science Fiction elements such as time travel, phasers, teleportation, force fields, Wormholes etc.. possible?
In this book Michio Kaku explores the science behind these science fiction staples and explains how they might be possible using a classification system of 3 different classes of impossibilities. To determine possible but we don't have the tech, laws of physics allow for it or virtually impossible
The book certainly is a interesting exploration of these ideas and overall I did enjoy it. However the writing style does come across in this book as a bit dry compared to Brian Greene and a few things I did not align with as well.
Michio Kaku perpetuates the myth of the Apple Logo as a tribute to Alan Turing which has been debunked numerous times as well as the idea of fine tuning of the universe for life. I am of the mindset that life evolved to fit the universe, not the universe is fined tuned for life, kin of like the puddle analogy of Douglas Adams.
overall it was a fun read exploring how the physics of science fiction could work but I would not say its a amazing great and influential read by any means. Its very much hypothetical analysis and speculative.
If you are wanting to learn more about physics and how the universe works, this is no the book for you however if you just want to explore possibilities this is a good one to start with.
