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Fractal Space-Time And Microphysics: Towards A Theory Of Scale Relativity

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As Einstein indulged a long time in wondering how it would be like to be a photon, LN spent his time trying to slip into a fractal. For once it is in it, a particule which follows chaotic movements in a classical frame, goes straight ahead, and then one may understance the apparent disorders of microphysics. The most amazing is that, beyond the theoretical development, LN's scale relativity not only unifies both poles of the 20th century theoretical physics, namely General Relativity and Quantum Mechanics, but also gives us new philosophical insights about how to look at our world. Faithful to Einstein's ideas, he reintroduces the necessity of "the maximum elegance" in our description of the world, elegance which had been swept away by the quantum formalism. Roughly said, quantum mechanics is no longer an axiomatic theory but is now a consequence of a satisfying general principle for mind, namely the relativity principle. So what's the new point? We know since einstein that every momentum is relative (uniform momentum with special relativity, accelerated momentum with general relativity). Roughly said, I never absolutly move, I only move compared to another body. LN extends this beautiful idea of general relativity to the notion of scale. I am not tall, I am just taller than something. But this simple looking idea needs new mathematical tools to enter the hall of wonder that is called theoretical physics. There come the fractals. How these extraodinary and strange figures upset our sight of the whole universe, from microphysics to cosmology ? All this is brilliantly explained, in a simple and accessible way, in this book, where intuition and philosophical insights are as significant as theoretical ideas.

Gérard Schumacher who began to apply his theories to planets motions (French Riviera Observatory) deems him a genius: "il y a eu les Grecs, Einstein, et puis Nottale."

Nottale's theory of "scale Relativity" holds the promise of unraveling one the greatest mysteries of the universe: The Grand Unified Theory. His genius stroke is to postulate that the geometry of space/time itself is "fractal". Using this approach, the seeming incongruous nature of the quantum realm may be reconciled with the observed nature of the world at "larger" scales.

The theory expands and complements Einstein's Relativity, identifying the De Broglie "length" as the absolute scale to Einstein's absolute velocity: the speed of light.

Nottale initially introduces the theory clearly and, after an informative backround on theoretical physics and fractal geometry, expands on it in an exhaustive and systematic manner. The conclusion includes prospects for generalizing the theory to cosmology.

"Fractal Space-Time and Microphysics : Towards a Theory of Scale Relativity" is a compelling and potentially seminal work. It is densely packed with mathematical analysis but can be navigated by the lay enthusiast who is determined. Those who are shouldn't be dissappointed.

A must read!