Now, 9780393285239
Hardcover
Unravel the mystery of “now”: time’s expansion, free will, and reality.

Now

the physics of time

$90.44

  • Hardcover

    368 pages

  • Release Date

    19 August 2016

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Summary

Now: Unlocking the Secrets of Time’s Most Elusive Moment

You are reading the word “now” right now. But what does that mean? What makes the ephemeral moment “now” so special? Its enigmatic character has bedeviled philosophers, priests, and modern-day physicists from Augustine to Einstein and beyond. Einstein showed that the flow of time is affected by both velocity and gravity, yet he despaired at his failure to explain the meaning of “now.” Equally puzzling: why does time flow? Some…

Book Details

ISBN-13:9780393285239
ISBN-10:0393285235
Author:Richard A. Muller
Publisher:WW Norton & Co
Imprint:WW Norton & Co
Format:Hardcover
Number of Pages:368
Release Date:19 August 2016
Weight:545g
Dimensions:244mm x 165mm x 33mm
What They're Saying

Critics Review

“With a little help from such pop-culture touchstones as Star Trek, Jurassic Park, and Calvin and Hobbes, Muller delivers an intriguing glimpse at the physics behind time.”

“Mind-blowing ideas demand to be shared.…[Muller] posits a theory that seems at once plausible and—surprisingly, for a book with equations—one worth not spoiling.” – Time“Richard Muller is a leading physicist, but he’s also intellectually restless. That’s a potent combination, with the power to generate transformative ideas about ourselves and our relationship to the universe. In Now: The Physics of Time, Muller hypothesizes how time itself might be created or destroyed. Maybe it’s right. Maybe it’s wrong. But along the way he’s given you a master class in what time is and how and why we perceive it the way we do.” – Neil deGrasse Tyson, astrophysicist and host of Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey“Muller has taken a remarkably fresh and exciting approach to the analysis of time. With his usual clarity and wit, he proceeds from solidly established principles—each a fascinating story in its own right—but when he gets to the meaning of the flow of time and now, he forges a new path. I expect controversy!” – Saul Perlmutter, winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics“Can science shed light on time’s dark mysteries? Richard Muller thinks it can, making his case in this clear, evocative, and wide-reaching investigation of how nature may generate the flow of time. Must-reading for all concerned with the why behind when.” – Timothy Ferris, author of Coming of Age in the Milky Way“A provocative, strongly argued book on the fundamental nature of time. As an experimental cosmologist who has initiated some of the most important experiments of our time, Muller knows well where the limits of science are, and he keeps us interested by his ability to work close to that edge.” – Lee Smolin, author of Time Reborn“The strength of this book lies in Muller’s experience as a lecturer and teacher, which has enabled him to describe and explain difficult concepts with simplicity.… [Now] provides a concise master class in understanding the essentials of physics.” – Science“Time spent with Muller will transform readers’ understanding of time itself.…A mind-expanding venture to the frontiers of science—and beyond!” – Booklist (starred review)“The kind of mind-expanding read that will give you something to think about late at night. Muller’s passion for his topic shines through on every page.” – The Independent

About The Author

Richard A. Muller

Richard A. Muller is professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and the best-selling author of Physics for Future Presidents. For his outstanding work in experimental cosmology, he was awarded a 1982 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and also a share of the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for the discovery of dark energy.

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