Bonus | AIP Oral History Interview

In 'The God Delusion', Richard Dawkins argues that the belief in a supernatural creator, God, is almost certainly false and qualifies as a delusion. He examines God in various forms, from the Old Testament to the Celestial Watchmaker, and critiques the major arguments for religion. Dawkins discusses how religion fuels war, fosters bigotry, and abuses children, and he advocates for atheism as a morally and intellectually fulfilling worldview. The book also explores the relationship between religion and morality, suggesting that morality can exist independently of religion, and argues against the teaching of religion in schools as a form of indoctrination.

Gravitation is a seminal textbook written by Charles W. Misner, Kip S. Thorne, and John A. Wheeler. It provides a detailed and rigorous treatment of general relativity and gravitational physics, covering topics from the basics of differential geometry to advanced concepts in cosmology and black hole physics. The book is renowned for its clarity, depth, and the authors' ability to make complex concepts accessible.

This book by Sean Carroll delves into the global hunt for the Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. It recounts the story from ancient Greek philosophers to the modern-day scientists involved in the discovery. Carroll explains the science behind the Higgs boson, its role in giving mass to particles, and the broader implications for our understanding of the universe, including the realms of dark matter and beyond. The book also touches on the human aspects of scientific discovery, including politics, jealousy, and the immense efforts required for such a groundbreaking find.

In 'Quiet', Susan Cain presents a comprehensive argument that modern Western culture misunderstands and undervalues the traits and capabilities of introverted people. She charts the rise of the 'Extrovert Ideal' and explores how it permeates various aspects of society, including workplaces, schools, and social interactions. Cain draws on research from biology, psychology, neuroscience, and evolution to demonstrate that introversion is common, normal, and valuable. The book offers advice for introverts on functioning in an extrovert-dominated culture and advocates for changes to support and recognize the contributions of introverts. It also distinguishes between introversion, shyness, and anti-social behavior, and highlights the unique strengths of introverts, such as deep thinking, persistence, and excellent negotiation skills.

In this book, Sean Carroll argues that the crisis in physics since 1927, stemming from the gaps in quantum mechanics, can be resolved by accepting the Many-Worlds theory. He explains that every quantum event results in the creation of multiple worlds, each with different outcomes. Carroll tackles major objections to this theory and provides a lucid explanation of how it reconciles quantum mechanics with Einstein’s theory of relativity. The book challenges conventional notions of reality and offers a new understanding of our place in the universe and the nature of spacetime.

In this book, Sean Carroll delves into the mysteries of time, particularly the arrow of time, which explains why time flows from the past to the future. He relies heavily on the second law of thermodynamics and the concept of entropy to explain this phenomenon. The book is divided into four parts, covering topics such as time in Einstein’s universe, entropy and time’s arrow, and speculative ideas about the multiverse and the origin of the universe. Carroll also discusses the Big Bang, black holes, and other aspects of modern physics, making the complex subject accessible to determined readers.

Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity offers a lucid and thoroughly modern introduction to general relativity. The book covers the foundations of the theory, differential geometry, and Einstein's equations, leading to applications such as black holes, gravitational radiation, and cosmology. It is designed to be approachable for students, balancing physical intuition with mathematical rigor.

This book provides a detailed introduction to general relativity, covering both fundamental and advanced topics. It is divided into two parts: Part I focuses on the basics, including manifolds, tensor fields, and Einstein's equation, while Part II explores more complex subjects such as causal structure, singularities, and quantum effects in strong gravitational fields. The book is renowned for its modern perspective and rigorous mathematical approach.

This book provides a fluent and accessible introduction to general relativity, focusing on physical applications and using a minimum of new mathematics. It covers fascinating topics such as black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology, making it ideal for a one-semester undergraduate course.

This book provides an engaging and insightful introduction to the forces that shape the universe, exploring special and general relativity, tensor analysis, gravitation, curvature, and observational cosmology. It offers a Nobel laureate's perspectives on the wealth of data technological developments have brought to expand upon Einstein's theory, basing relativity on the Principle of Equivalence of Gravitation and Inertia over Riemannian geometry.

This textbook provides a comprehensive introduction to general relativity, covering topics from special relativity to astrophysical applications such as black holes, gravitational waves, and cosmology. It includes over 300 exercises to help students grasp the mathematical and physical concepts involved. The third edition incorporates recent astronomical discoveries and advances in gravitational wave detection.