The Perfect Theory

A Century of Geniuses and the Battle over General Relativity

By: Pedro G. Ferreira

Narrated by: Sean Runnette

Length: 10 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

How did one elegant theory incite a scientific revolution?

Physicists have been exploring, debating, and questioning the general theory of relativity ever since Albert Einstein first presented it in 1915. Their work has uncovered a number of the universe's more surprising secrets, and many believe further wonders remain hidden within the theory's tangle of equations, waiting to be exposed. In this sweeping narrative of science and culture, astrophysicist Pedro Ferreira brings general relativity to life through the story of the brilliant physicists, mathematicians, and astronomers who have taken up its challenge. For these scientists, the theory has been both a treasure trove and an enigma, fueling a century of intellectual struggle and triumph.

Einstein's theory, which explains the relationships among gravity, space, and time, is possibly the most perfect intellectual achievement of modern physics, yet studying it has always been a controversial endeavor. Relativists were the target of persecution in Hitler's Germany, hounded in Stalin's Russia, and disdained in 1950s America. Even today, doctorate students are warned that specializing in general relativity will make them unemployable.

Despite these pitfalls, general relativity has flourished, delivering key insights into our understanding of the origin of time and the evolution of all the stars and galaxies in the cosmos. Its adherents have revealed what lies at the farthest reaches of the universe, shed light on the smallest scales of existence, and explained how the fabric of reality emerges. Dark matter, dark energy, black holes, and string theory are all progeny of Einstein's theory.

We are in the midst of a momentous transformation in modern physics. As scientists look farther and more clearly into space than ever before, The Perfect Theory reveals the greater relevance of general relativity, showing us where it started, where it has led, and where it can still take us.

©2014 Pedro G. Ferreira (P)2014 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

History lesson on General Relativity

This books gives the background and history of Einstein's Theory of General Relativity. It is interesting and both well written and well read.

Great story / history.

Professor Ferreira tell the story and explains the science behind 100 years of the world the theory of relativity opened up and the numerous theories built on its' shoulders. For the arm chair science reader a great insight into the battles and lives of the scientist involved.

this rounds up the passionate side of physics

This is a story of what it all means without getting into the politics of competing theories. The story involves so many of the major players and reveals the human side while injecting anecdotes that tie into the most visible ideas in physics. I can go back and read A Brief History of Time again and understand more of the context from the perspective of Stephen Hawking and with better insight.

Biography of Einstein's Relativity

This is a beautiful, human account that was a great surprise to me and I have listened to it about 4 times. It has the basic science and the human story as well which makes it so much more intelligible and personally valuable. This is an incredible story when you consider all that has been involved over the past century.
At this level: What is an *equation*? In and of itself what is the deepest knowledge that Relativity is pointing out to us ? :-)

EINSTEIN & NEWTON

Will twenty-first century science impact the general theory of relativity as profoundly as Einstein’s disruption of Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion? Pedro G. Ferreira seems to think so. In “The Perfect Theory”, Einstein is deservedly praised with as much awe and respect as Newton was in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. However, Ferreira shows new discoveries find Einstein’s intuitive genius wanting.

Though Newton explained much about the physics of earth, the encompassing truth of Newton’s physics of the universe are found incomplete and inaccurate by Einstein’s discoveries. Ferreira infers Einstein is on the verge of facing the same fate as Newton. After one hundred years of measuring physics against Einstein’s theories, relativity is being challenged. It is a repeat of Newton’s challenge by Einstein’s concepts of specific and general relativity.

Ferreira offers an informative history of the challenges that face Einstein’s theory of general relativity. The discoveries of black holes, dark energy, dark matter, and their cosmological consequence create doubt about general relativity. Evidence of God playing dice is seen in quantum mechanics; string theory challenges Einstein’s conception of a unified field theory, and dark matter and energy qualify Einstein’s view of the cosmological constant.

Ferreira does a fine job of explaining the history of many of the world’s geniuses’ contribution to the science of general relativity. Ferreira convincingly argues that science is a critically important investment in understanding and making the world a better place. The needed ingredient for continued success is political will for investment in science.

inspiring and uplifting

loved it! made me feel a participant of the development of the General Relativity theory

A good overview of relativity

Narration was perfect, you need a slow pace with this sort of topic. This book is a history lesson on relativity. It doesn't overstay it's welcome. It's a good length. I recommend it as part of your library regarding cosmology.

Boring narrator, great imfo

The narrator nearly put me to sleep. I had this in WhisperSync for my Kindle as well, and I much preferred reading it there as opposed to listening to it.

The information presented in the book is enlightening if you don't know much of the back story to the General Theory of Relativity. I'm no physicist or scientist, just an average reader interested in what's out there beyond our world, and where it all came from, and this book was presented in a very easy to understand way for those of us who don't know how to do the math on Einstein's Field Equations.

Do yourself a favor and read this book in print, I think you'll enjoy it more than the audio book. Overall it's 4 stars to me, minus the one for the narrator.

history

“The Perfect Theory: A Century of Geniuses and the Battle Over Relativity” is just the book I need. “The Perfect Theory,” of course, is Einstein’s relativity, but included in the “battle” are quantum theory and string and loop theory, multiverses, and more. I needed the sense of having a feel for the progress and stages, the entrances and developments and connections between all these ideas and the people who had the ideas, fought and promoted the ideas. This book also gave me a sense of where many of the terms I see developed in the theories and conjectures.

Wow

Incredible narration following fascinating events through history and the 20th century. I would be lying if I claimed to understand everything in this book, but I walked away feeling like I learned a lot and have a renewed desire to learn!