Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time

By: Sean Carroll, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Sean Carroll

Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins

Publisher's summary

Time rules our lives, woven into the very fabric of the universe - from the rising and setting of the sun to the cycles of nature, the thought processes in our brains, and the biorhythms in our day. Nothing so pervades our existence and yet is so difficult to explain.

But now, in a series of 24 riveting lectures, you can grasp exactly why - as you take a mind-expanding journey through the past, present, and future, guided by a noted author and scientist. Designed for nonscientists as well as those with a background in physics, the lectures show how a feature of the world that we all experience - a process known as entropy - connects us to the instant of the formation of the universe, and possibly to a multiverse that is unimaginably larger and more varied than the known cosmos.

Drawing on such exciting ideas as black holes, cosmic inflation, and dark energy, the lectures also address a momentous question that until recently was considered unanswerable: What happened before the big bang? And while the focus is on physics, Professor Carroll also examines philosophical views on time, how we perceive and misperceive time, the workings of memory, and serious proposals for time travel, as well as imaginative ways that time has been disrupted in fiction.

"What is time?" asked Saint Augustine 1,600 years ago. "If no one asks me, I know. But if I wish to explain it to someone who asks, I know not." These lectures will move you much closer to an answer.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©2012 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2012 The Great Courses

Very interesting subject, well explored

When I got this course I expected something more about relativity (special and general), but I got a course about entropy, and at the end, I liked it very much, because I could learn more about this very interesting and essential topic, presented wonderfully by Professor Sean Carroll.

Absolutely riveting

Where does Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

One of the top 10 books on physics that I've heard.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time?

Higher entropy does not equate to more complexity.

What about Professor Sean Carroll’s performance did you like?

He is passionate about the subject matter, and knows it inside and out.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

One sitting would have cause my brain to explode with too much information.

Any additional comments?

After this experience, I want to look further into The Great Courses.

very good

informative and enticing, easy to follow, and thought provoking. i really enjoyed reading about time.

Good listening while to take a walk

Presents his desires as a scientist and science's current best theories as fact at times... You need to listen carefully to sort this out. Otherwise, an outstanding lecture on the finer points of entropy, time and the evolution of the universe.

Solid overview

The lectures provided a great overview that served to further pique my interest. Can't wait for the next set of lectures. Highly recommend.

Fascinating topic, but needs editing

Would you consider the audio edition of Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time to be better than the print version?

N/A (I have not read the print version)

What did you like best about this story?

The coverage of the material was well done. It is a fascinating topic to begin with, and the speaker clearly knows his field. He presents many aspects of time, and provides the listener with an intriguing journey. Furthermore, his style of speaking is entertaining and engaging. You won't be bored!

Have you listened to any of Professor Sean Carroll’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not listened to any of his other lectures.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

N/A

Any additional comments?

I had two difficulties with these lectures. The first and least important is that the presenter seems to be speaking, rather than reading, which is fine--except that he makes frequent grammatical mistakes so that his sentences sound sometimes unprofessional. He would have done better to have written everything out clearly, and then followed his notes more closely.The more substantial problem is that the presenter frequently uses the teaching style of giving what he knows to be incorrect information; not telling the listener that it is incorrect; and then sometime later (perhaps many lectures later) correcting his earlier misinformation.For example: When he first introduces entropy (one of the central themes of the lectures), he defines it as a measure of the amount of disorder (paraphrasing here). As a physicist myself, I knew that this popular idea is entirely incorrect, and was appalled that he was actually putting it out there without comment. Sure enough, roughly 10 lectures later he provides an entirely different definition of entropy (the correct one), and tells the reader that what he said before was not correct. I consider this method of teaching to be at best unfortunate, and at worst inexcusably sloppy.I would not say that this problem overrides all of the good in these lectures (hence the 4-star rating), but Professor Carroll should definitely know better.Summary: A fascinating topic, presented by an engaging speaker. Just don't believe everything he says, until you're sure you've reached the end!

mind bending

this course was a very exciting ride. highly recommend. I never thought I'd be a physics fan. thank you.

Well presented and very interesting

I found this series of lectures to be very interesting and well presented. As a chemist with a significant background in physics, I found myself having learned a thing or two.

Another fantastic journey with Professor Carroll

Thoroughly enjoyable brain food. There are chapters you'll listen to multiple times because this is really enjoyable stuff to think about, and it rewards careful though. As usual Professor Carroll is engaging and a pleasure to spend time with. He makes challenging concepts clear and removes the intimidating mathematics that usually accompany them. You'll walk away with a new model of the world in your mental toolbox. If you choose to go deeper and into the mathematics you will be starting with a solid conceptual framework

Fascinating, beautiful rendered- Thank you!

A complex and complicated subject dealt with absolute clarity and flow like a poet.
Well done Sean Carrol
When the author reads their own work it makes THE difference most of the time.