The Fermi Solution [Paperback]

Hans Christian von Baeyer (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 31, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0486417077 | ISBN-13: 978-0486417073

Engrossing journey through the workings of the universe and minds of today's scientific thinkers examines an extraordinary range of topics: from the Superconducting Super Collider and the mysteries of the Big Bang, to strange crystals with impossible structures and the quest for the temperature of absolute zero.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reprinted from the magazines Sciences and Discover , these 17 essays provide elegant, if not fresh, reading. Von Baeyer, a professor of physics at the College of William and Mary, can make such topics as cold dark matter seem both obvious and profound ("Creatures of the Deep"). His model is Enrico Fermi's trademark problem-solving technique for breaking down cosmos-sized calculations into smaller analog subproblems. In "Impossible Crystals," von Baeyer chronicles the fairly recent discovery of materials known as quasicrystals to make his larger point that playfulness is an essential part of scientific investigation. "A Gentler Touch" reviews the history of scientific method from the passive examination of natural phenomena prevalent before the 17th century to the invasive, often destructive techniques of modern science; von Baeyer notes a turn back to a noninterventionist science that re-acknowledges the value of reflective observation. He writes with such clarity, grace and energy that it seems a niggling complaint to wish that von Baeyer had included material not previously published.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Kirkus Reviews

Further essays from William and Mary physicist von Baeyer, who pleased with Taming the Atom (1992) and Rainbows, Snowflakes, and Quarks (1984). The compass here is physics: Newtonian, quantum, and astro-, with some commentary on the style of doing physics, along with its attendant aesthetics and pleasures. The title essay, for example, demonstrates Enrico Fermi's way of tackling seemingly intractable problems by breaking them into manageable bits with reasonable assumptions. So von Baeyer details how to solve the legendary problem that Fermi posed to his students: ``How many piano tuners are there in Chicago?'' (answered by estimating how many families; how many pianos; how many pianos a tuner can tune a year, etc.). Von Baeyer's explanation should be must reading for all high-school students (it also applies to business, economics, estimations of risk, etc.). For the rest, the author neatly comments on dark matter, the not-quite-empty void, gravity waves, absolute zero, the elusive monopole, and other quantum esoterica. He's at his best when using everyday analogies- -e.g., gut memories of gravity walls and roller coasters to illustrate points of equivalence between gravity and inertial forces. Several essays deal with new phenomena such as quasi- crystals and nondestructive, noninvasive analytic techniques. Here, the author should be cautioned that CAT and PET scans are by no means ``noninvasive,'' since they expose patients to radiation. Overall, von Baeyer does extremely well by words alone, but a few illustrations would have underscored the trickier points. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (January 31, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486417077
• ISBN-13: 978-0486417073
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,607,346 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lessons that reach beyond science, September 20, 2003

By 

Robert Clark (Reston, VA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Fermi Solution (Paperback)

Professor von Baeyer deserves credit for more than just making physics understandable(a physics book without equations!) He draws from several physical discoveries some lessons about the scientific method, starting with Fermi's famous piano-tuner problem. And he explains WHY research and analytic techniques such as Fermi's approximation work.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Broad ranging, enjoyable read, December 24, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Fermi Solution: Essays on Science (Paperback)

Von Baeyer combines well written, understandable and fun prose with a sound understanding of the underlying science. I particularly enjoyed his analogy of a scientist as a boy playing on the beach, staring in wonder at the magnificence of creation. Anyone looking for a good popular science book to keep (and re-read) for years should consider this one.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thrilling physics, September 7, 2003

By 

Axel (Hamburg, Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Fermi Solution (Paperback)

This book is really a joy to read if you like science in general and physics in particular. It shows in an excellent way the spirit of physics.