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The Elegant Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory Reprint Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,921 ratings

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The international bestseller that inspired a major Nova special and sparked a new understanding of the universe.

Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away layers of mystery to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter―from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas―is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy. The Elegant Universe makes some of the most sophisticated concepts ever contemplated accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.

Review

"Sets a standard that will be hard to beat."
George Johnson, The New York Times Book Review

"Compulsively readable. . . . Greene threatens to do for string theory what Stephen Hawking did for black holes."
New York

"As rewarding as it gets . . . a thrilling ride through a lovely landscape."
Los Angeles Times

About the Author

Brian Greene is the director of Columbia University’s Center for Theoretical Physics and cofounder of the World Science Festival. Acclaimed for groundbreaking discoveries in superstring theory, he is the author of four best-selling books that have collectively sold more than two million copies worldwide. He lives in New York.

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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (October 11, 2010)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 447 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 039333810X
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0393338102
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.1 x 8.3 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 3,921 ratings

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Brian Greene received his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes scholar. He is a professor of physics and mathematics at Columbia University and lives in New York City.

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4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
3,921 global ratings
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Indispensable for understanding string theory
5 Stars
Indispensable for understanding string theory
This is an impressive work that explains the highly complex non-intuituve string theory in amazingly lucid clear writing style to the general public. Similar to many physics books  which survey classical theories for the readers, Greene offers his own elucidation on relative motion in special relativity and in  warped space in general relatvity that is even more detailed and clear than some physics text books. His transition of how String theory offers a solution to bridge general relatvity and quantum mechanics because of String theory's geometry to cope with quantum undulation at the microscopic scale is very intuitive and helpful. His explanations on how the 3 families of particles in Standard Theory are best explained by just variations of vibrating strings frequency and strength are also relatable and convincing.Greene's use of the garden hose universe to explain the curled up dimensions in string theory and how they are  hidden from and connected to extended dimensions is exceptionally lucid and helpful, making us easy to grasp how 3 extended space dimensions we experience are related to 6 curled up space dimensions, together with time making up 10 dimensions. The 9 dimensions don't just crumbled up in any shape but in a unique 6 dimensional Calabi-Yau shape derived from many researchers calculations. Hence, the universe is made up of the Calabi-Yau shape manifold in curled up 9 dimensional space configuration together with time. The final 11th dimension space is explained by the need of the two dimensional membranes in M theory which is used to resolve the dilemma of 5 version of string theory. Greene further explained that the five versions are just different depiction of string theory with three of which Type 1, Herotic O, and Herotic E being large/small radius duality equivalence of each other and with the rest of the two, Type IIA and Type IIB, having the same reciprocal dualiy. This whole 11 dimensional geometric scheme development is carefully and lucidly written with unmatched clarity over these connected concepts of Kaluza-Klein theory, Calabi-Yau, shapes and M theory.Though Greene does not use the actual equations from perturbation approach and Kaluza-Klein geometry of String theory to flesh out his explanations, it is still not easy to conceptually grasp the concepts of String Theory for anyone who does not have university level education in physics or mathematics. Greene actually warns his readers about the difficulty of the subject despite his best effort. It takes work to get through this work.Another feature I like in any physics books is the anecdote stories of the journey of the physicists doing research. Greene shared his stories of his journey in String theory. The separate research efforts on the mirror symmetry Calabi-Yau shapes for space tearing flop between Greene's group, to include Aspinfall and Morrison, while at Princeton, and Witten is an interesting story. Greene also included various stories of String theory second revolution in 1995.Overall, this book is a brilliantly clear introduction to string theory that is going to be a classic.
Indispensable for understanding string theory
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Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023
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5.0 out of 5 stars Indispensable for understanding string theory
Reviewed in the United States on October 16, 2022
This is an impressive work that explains the highly complex non-intuituve string theory in amazingly lucid clear writing style to the general public. Similar to many physics books  which survey classical theories for the readers, Greene offers his own elucidation on relative motion in special relativity and in  warped space in general relatvity that is even more detailed and clear than some physics text books. His transition of how String theory offers a solution to bridge general relatvity and quantum mechanics because of String theory's geometry to cope with quantum undulation at the microscopic scale is very intuitive and helpful. His explanations on how the 3 families of particles in Standard Theory are best explained by just variations of vibrating strings frequency and strength are also relatable and convincing.

Greene's use of the garden hose universe to explain the curled up dimensions in string theory and how they are  hidden from and connected to extended dimensions is exceptionally lucid and helpful, making us easy to grasp how 3 extended space dimensions we experience are related to 6 curled up space dimensions, together with time making up 10 dimensions. The 9 dimensions don't just crumbled up in any shape but in a unique 6 dimensional Calabi-Yau shape derived from many researchers calculations. Hence, the universe is made up of the Calabi-Yau shape manifold in curled up 9 dimensional space configuration together with time. The final 11th dimension space is explained by the need of the two dimensional membranes in M theory which is used to resolve the dilemma of 5 version of string theory. Greene further explained that the five versions are just different depiction of string theory with three of which Type 1, Herotic O, and Herotic E being large/small radius duality equivalence of each other and with the rest of the two, Type IIA and Type IIB, having the same reciprocal dualiy. This whole 11 dimensional geometric scheme development is carefully and lucidly written with unmatched clarity over these connected concepts of Kaluza-Klein theory, Calabi-Yau, shapes and M theory.

Though Greene does not use the actual equations from perturbation approach and Kaluza-Klein geometry of String theory to flesh out his explanations, it is still not easy to conceptually grasp the concepts of String Theory for anyone who does not have university level education in physics or mathematics. Greene actually warns his readers about the difficulty of the subject despite his best effort. It takes work to get through this work.

Another feature I like in any physics books is the anecdote stories of the journey of the physicists doing research. Greene shared his stories of his journey in String theory. The separate research efforts on the mirror symmetry Calabi-Yau shapes for space tearing flop between Greene's group, to include Aspinfall and Morrison, while at Princeton, and Witten is an interesting story. Greene also included various stories of String theory second revolution in 1995.

Overall, this book is a brilliantly clear introduction to string theory that is going to be a classic.
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14 people found this helpful
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Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2006
37 people found this helpful
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carlos a m ciscato
5.0 out of 5 stars O Universo Elegante
Reviewed in Brazil on November 8, 2022
Ramjan
5.0 out of 5 stars Little tough but enlightening.
Reviewed in India on December 5, 2023
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RR Waller
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 18, 2023
Edoardo Angeloni
5.0 out of 5 stars A great book of an important author.
Reviewed in Italy on December 31, 2021
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5.0 out of 5 stars This book is comprehensible.
Reviewed in Canada on December 19, 2018
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