Audiobook6 hours
Conjuring the Universe: The Origins of the Laws of Nature
Written by Peter Atkins
Narrated by Chris Sorensen
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
4/5
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About this audiobook
The marvelous complexity of the Universe emerges from several deep laws and a handful of fundamental constants that fix its shape, scale, and destiny. There is a deep structure to the world which at the same time is simple, elegant, and beautiful. Where did these laws and these constants come from? And why are the laws so fruitful when written in the language of mathematics?
Peter Atkins considers the minimum effort needed to equip the Universe with its laws and its constants. He explores the origin of the conservation of energy, of electromagnetism, of classical and quantum mechanics, and of thermodynamics, showing how all these laws spring from deep symmetries. The revolutionary result is a short but immensely rich weaving together of the fundamental ideas of physics. With his characteristic wit, erudition, and economy, Atkins sketches out how the laws of Nature can spring from very little. Or arguably from nothing at all.
Peter Atkins considers the minimum effort needed to equip the Universe with its laws and its constants. He explores the origin of the conservation of energy, of electromagnetism, of classical and quantum mechanics, and of thermodynamics, showing how all these laws spring from deep symmetries. The revolutionary result is a short but immensely rich weaving together of the fundamental ideas of physics. With his characteristic wit, erudition, and economy, Atkins sketches out how the laws of Nature can spring from very little. Or arguably from nothing at all.
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Reviews for Conjuring the Universe
Rating: 3.823529411764706 out of 5 stars
4/5
17 ratings3 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Quite thought-provoking book. It seems to start out like a cliche science explanatory book, but slowly moves into the idea that order comes out of chaos. It’s a really interesting viewpoint and well argued. Well worth visiting…
1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Long-winded and hard to follow ... not a good book for audio
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The style makes the read a slog with its petulant boasting, it's downright childish in its attempts at jaded humour. I'm sure the author would call it acerbic wit. I call it embarrassing for an academic. Do you want to teach me something or do you want to prove you're clever?