Entanglement

The Greatest Mystery in Physics

By: Amir D. Aczel

Narrated by: Henry Leyva

Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins

Publisher's summary

Will "beam me up, Scotty" become reality? Quantum mechanics suggests it may...and soon.

Since cyberspace - a word coined by a science fiction writer - became reality, the lines between "science" and "science fiction" have become increasingly blurred. Now, the young field of quantum mechanics holds out the promise that some of humanity's wildest dreams may be realized. Serious scientists, working off of theories first developed by Einstein and his colleagues 70 years ago, have been investigating the phenomenon known as "entanglement," one of the strangest aspects of the strange universe of quantum mechanics.

According to Einstein, quantum mechanics required entanglement - the idea that subatomic particles could become inextricably linked, and that a change to one such particle would instantly be reflected in its counterpart, even if a universe separated them. Einstein felt that if the quantum theory could produce such incredibly bizarre effects, then it had to be invalid. But new experiments both in the United States and Europe show not only that it does happen, but that it may lead to unbreakable codes, and even teleportation...

Entanglement is also available in print from Four Walls Eight Windows.

©2002 Amir D. Aczel
(P)2002 Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Mathematician and science writer Amir D. Aczel has amused and edified readers with his clear explications of the profundities of numbers, especially those that led to enduring questions in mysticism and philosophy." (The New York Times)

Entanglement

Dr. Aczel is a master storyteller and a superb teacher. He has a wonderful knack for making the most obscure elements of science and mathematics not only understandable, but also interesting and entertaining. I have read several of his many books and have never put one down without finishing it. “Entanglement” did not disappoint. It gives a very understandable account of what entanglement is, in the context of the stories of all the people involved in its discovery. Importantly, Dr. Aczel goes through the experiments that where performed in the 35 years prior to the book’s publication, explaining them in sufficient detail to make them understandable to a layperson. It becomes very clear that the phenomenon is quite real, even if deeply mysterious. I highly recommend “Entanglement” and all of Dr. Aczel’s other books.

Not Bad

I have taught high school physics for 30 years but I must admit this book was too simple at times and too difficult at others.

On the other hand I found I enjoyed it for the most part as I am very interested in the history of science and so I found the recounting of the events leading to the proof of entanglement fascinating.

I did gain some new understanding of this phenomenon but I would have to say that the book did not live up to my hopes.

flawless

This is the best book I have ever read on quantum mechanics-it's history and one of it's most mysterious qualities. The narrator is flawless and a perfect choice for this type of book. The fact that his presentation was so clean and direct made the material easier to understand. Highly recommended for those who want to be informed and mystified.

Zach Huntington

Henry Leyva has a wonderful tempo. A detailed account of the path to our current understanding is given in an engaging story line. I had no trouble getting through this book and looked forward to my commute.

this book needs a different title

This book should have been titled: "everyone throughout history who has been interested in or contributed to quantum theory." the colorful stories of the characters that have helped develop the basics of scientific as well as quantum theory is actually outstanding. Explaining entanglement and helping the lay reader understand the actual phenomena of entanglement however, is not discussed. if you want to know about all of the men women and children and their relationships and lives and preferences that have contributed to quantum theory, this is your book. if you want to know about what we know about actual entanglement and theory both with physical and thought experiments, there is not much here.

Hard to follow

What's good about this book is that it gives a great history of quantum physics, with interesting biographies of key figures in the field. I can see that the history of how thought evolved around quantum physics is important to understand how it lead up to the idea of entanglement, but I expected more explanation of entanglement itself. I don't have a strong background in math or physics, but I expected to grasp more of this book, since I do have a strong background in the biomedical sciences. I have enjoyed books on the subject "dumbed down" for lay people, like the Stephen Hawking books, which I was more or less able to follow--at least enough so to get a reasonable grasp of what he was talking about. In the case of this book, I was able to get some grasp of what the author of this book was talking about, but I would have liked a bit more explanation with less hard-core math and physics. I someone with an undergraduate degree in physics or better might find this book would be readily accessible, and probably very enjoyable, too.

Not Bad, But Guilder's book is better

Is there anything you would change about this book?

The lower score is due to the lack of illustrations.

If you’ve listened to books by Amir D. Aczel before, how does this one compare?

Yes. Not as god ast his others. But OK

What about Henry Leyva’s performance did you like?

Excellent performance. Very clear and easy to listen to.

Any additional comments?

My biggest complaint is not about the book itself, but the publisher. Non-fiction books should have available for download somehwere a pdf with the pictures and drawings that suppor the book. They never include the maps with history books or the illustrations with science books.With this topic you REALLY need those aids.

Excellent from start to finish!

An easily understood look at the history of modern physics! The narration is equally great, with Leyva's smooth voice is as rich and dtetailed at Aczel's text.

God *does* throw dice. In fact He's good at it.

Where does Entanglement rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

First.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Entanglement?

Actually, one can determine either the memorable moments, or the locations of Entanglement, but not both. (My apologies.) The passages on Einstein's stubborn insistence that quantum mechanics formulae had to follow classic formula rules, as E=MC^2 did, reveal his human side. Einstein behaved just as his own few detractors had when they opposed his special and general relativity ideas.

What does Henry Leyva bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

An engaging and understandable style. Also, he slows down a bit when narrating formulae and downright wierd passages, just as I would do if reading the book myself.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

No, the last time I cried over quantum mechanics was during my college physics final. My professor did all the laughing.

Any additional comments?

I was an English major, with electives in entry level physics and descriptive astronomy. I dropped out of calculus. Even so I had little trouble following Aczel. It helps to stop listening and write down some of the more complex formulae. You can observe the formula on paper as you listen on. He is as easy to follow as Feinman and much easier to follow than Hawking.

GREAT BOOK! But get a hard copy with it as well

If you know NOTHING about College physics, then move on. You will not enjoy it.This will stretch your imagination till it hurts! I enjoyed it so much that I bought the hardcover after going thru the audiobook. Frankly, I think you need the book to understand the idea in a greater depth. If you liked this book but felt the math was missing, I would recommend you also "read" 'The Odd Quantum"