How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog

De: Chad Orzel

Narrado por: Will Collyer, Cassandra Morris

They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But this "witty and clear thinking" (New York Times) book wonders, what about relativity?

Physics professor Chad Orzel and his inquisitive canine companion, Emmy, tackle the concepts of general relativity in this irresistible introduction to Einstein's physics. Through armchair- and sometimes passenger-seat-conversations with Emmy about the relative speeds of dog and cat motion or the logistics of squirrel-chasing, Orzel translates complex Einsteinian ideas -- the slowing of time for a moving observer, the shrinking of moving objects, the effects of gravity on light and time, black holes, the Big Bang, and of course, E=mc2 -- into examples simple enough for a dog to understand.

A lively romp through one of the great theories of modern physics, How to Teach Relativity to Your Dog will teach you everything you ever wanted to know about space, time, and anything else you might have slept through in high school physics class.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A clever introduction to the often intimidating concepts of special and general relativity, couched as a series of conversations between the author and his dog, Emmy. It may sound like a strange setup, but the somewhat kooky concept works well for explaining a field of physics that can sound, well, kooky to the uninitiated.... While keeping the math to a minimum, Orzel provides a clear and thorough primer. It might take some practice to start equating subatomic particles to running bunnies, but the reader will find that puzzling through the details is worth the effort."—Science News

"Dogs are a practical species. They aren't interested in speculation and conjecture; they like food, walks, and proven physics like Einstein's relativity. If you really want to further your dog's education (and learn something yourself in the process), Chad Orzel's book is the first place you should turn."—Sean Carroll, author of The Big Picture

"Rather than barking or growling, Emmy leavens the mood with requests for walks; and when the academics get heavy, she interjects to beg for clarification. Obviously, real-life dogs will not walk away from the book with a grasp of the universe's mechanics, but the human sort of non-scientist can get some benefit."—Washington Post

"[E]ngaging and readable for a general audience.... I suggest people who balk at the idea of a talking dog but are nevertheless interested in the broad sweep of one of the two great theories of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries should give this book a chance. After all, every dog has its day."—Nature Physics

"Emmy may be one smart dog, but her owner also happens to be an uncommonly gifted communicator. Chad Orzel's treatment of special and general relativity is comprehensive, informative, and amazingly accessible, yet it's funny too. This is, by far, the most entertaining discussion of the subject that I've ever had the pleasure of reading."—Steve Nadis, coauthor of The Shape of Inner Space

"With Nero, the egocentric cat who believes it is the centre of the universe, and Emmy, the student dog whose questions and misunderstandings would drive any teacher to distraction, and whose interest in relativity is how E=mc^2 can turn squirrels into energy, Chad Orzel has created a delightful cast of characters to make his introduction to relativity relatively painless. A cleverly crafted and beautifully explained narrative that guides readers carefully into the depths of relativity. Whether you are a hare or a tortoise, or even a dog, you will enjoy this."—Frank Close, author of The Infinity Puzzle

great audio preformance, the info i needed

great and pro performance, enjoyable listening experience :)
although packed with information, it's still understandable with a few rewinding. exactly what i needed as a base to the concept. the textbooks now are easier to read somehow, thank you.

Amazing!

A fum instruction to relativity and I recomend it! Th narrating is flawless I like the song awesome ending!!

Brilliant text, harrowing performance

I may not be able to finish this, despite it being possibly the best organized and explained introduction to relativity for those of us who have not studied math since school.

The performance may appeal to some, but I find it awful. The narrator acting as the dog ruins every moment and makes it an excruciating listen. This is a shame as it may be the best introduction to relativity. If you've enjoyed PBS's spacetime series on youtube, or the books of Brian Green, this is IMHO an even better lesson in a deeper understanding of the theory.

I found the chapter on spacetime diagrams to be the only one which didn't work well as an audio book - the rest is so well presented that it may be even clearer in audio form.

I hope the author tackles more subjects - but drops the performance style