Our Superstring Universe: Strings, Branes, Extra Dimensions and Superstring-M Theory [Paperback]

Jr. L. E. Lewis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 21, 2003 | ISBN-10: 0595275893 | ISBN-13: 978-0595275892

This book is intended as an introduction to what soon may prove to be the most important theory of science ever. It is a theory that is still evolving, but it already shows great promise of explaining the most fundamental mysteries of nature. The theory is based on the simple concept of miniscule vibrating strings as the source of all matter and forces in our universe. Our Superstring Universe begins with the big bang and traces the evolution of matter and force strings as they form and become the building blocks of our evolving universe. Then the focus shifts to the properties of strings and how they fit into the current knowledge of particle physics. The book concludes with discussions of the quest for experimental proof of strings and a look into the sometimes surprising, and always amazing, potential of superstring-M theory.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

L. E. Lewis, Jr. is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma, a physics teacher and author. His works include the award-winning illustrated newspaper series Exploring Our Universe, a variety of science television programs and two six-book science programs for Houghton Mifflin Company. Lewis? life-long fascination with particle physics and cosmology led to his latest work: Our Superstring Universe.

Product Details

• Paperback: 162 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc. (May 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595275893
• ISBN-13: 978-0595275892
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,686,414 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

52 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars String theory for the layperson, August 15, 2003

By 

Curt Hohmann (Las Cruces,NM) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Our Superstring Universe: Strings, Branes, Extra Dimensions and Superstring-M Theory (Paperback)

An excellent introduction to string theory and the ideas and the problems that led up to it. The book starts off with basic concepts of time, space, matter, and energy and then develops a timeline of the universe from the big bang onward to the present that incorporates these concepts and speculates on the ultimate fate of the universe using the ideas of dark matter and dark energy. In addition, Mr. Lewis goes into the fundamental incompatibility between quantum mechanics and general relativity at the atomic scale and how string theory might resolve this. He also puts forth a unique and (as far as I know) original idea on a possible afterlife and how string theory could be used to preserve essential information about a person's life (which the author calls humanessence) through the holographic principle. Mr. Lewis develops his ideas very logically and concisely and provides plenty of illustrations which clarify his explanations. As a bonus, he even provides a glossary at the end of the book for the beginner. I would strongly recommend this book to anybody who has an interest in science and ideas and who wants to be introduced to what may be the ultimate theory of our universe.

21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Not much real science in this booklet, October 31, 2004

By 

F. Santos (Mountainview, CA, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Our Superstring Universe: Strings, Branes, Extra Dimensions and Superstring-M Theory (Paperback)

The pictures and tables are so poor in quality and printing that would have been wiser not to include them.

To make matters worst, the author attempts but completely fails to explain anything in this booklet.

There are websites built and maintained by amateurs and enthusiasts that are far better sources.

If you're looking for good books on M-Theory and related subjects, buy "The Elegant Universe" and "The Fabric of the Cosmos".

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Grade-school prose, very short, yet padded, March 15, 2005

By 

CXC (North Beach) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Our Superstring Universe: Strings, Branes, Extra Dimensions and Superstring-M Theory (Paperback)

This little book has 128 pages of text. After some cosmology and particle physics, discussion of string theory commences on pages 53-57, conintuing on 73-102, 110-111, and 115-125, for a total of 48 pages. Subtract maybe another 25% for amateurish diagrams that do nothing but repeat the text, massive white space, and constant repetition, and you end up with about 36 pages of content on the subject of the title of this book.

I'm not sure who the target audience is for this work. It contains no mathematics beyond addition. It contains sentences such as this: "The nine planets of our solar system, in order of distance from the sun are: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto." Or: "Dividing by a number greater than one yields a smaller number." What do you think, maybe 5th graders?

The content is necessarily shallow, tossing out buzzwords, with no continuity, no real explanations. Branes are never actually defined. M-theory is never defined beyond being the theory that ties together all the other string theories. Somehow. I wonder what the "M" stands for.