The Universe in a Box

Simulations and the Quest to Code the Cosmos

By: Andrew Pontzen

Narrated by: Andrew Pontzen

Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins

Publisher's summary

Scientists are using simulations to recreate the universe, revealing the hidden nature of reality.

Cosmology is a tricky science—no one can make their own stars, planets, or galaxies to test its theories. But over the last few decades a new kind of physics has emerged to fill the gap between theory and experimentation. Harnessing the power of modern supercomputers, cosmologists have built simulations that offer profound insights into the deep history of our universe, allowing centuries-old ideas to be tested for the first time. Today, physicists are translating their ideas and equations into code, finding that there is just as much to be learned from computers as experiments in laboratories.

In The Universe in a Box, cosmologist Andrew Pontzen explains how physicists model the universe’s most exotic phenomena, from black holes and colliding galaxies to dark matter and quantum entanglement, enabling them to study the evolution of virtual worlds and to shed new light on our reality.

But simulations don’t just allow experimentation with the cosmos; they are also essential to myriad disciplines like weather forecasting, epidemiology, neuroscience, financial planning, airplane design, and special effects for summer blockbusters. Crafting these simulations involves tough compromises and expert knowledge. Simulation is itself a whole new branch of science, one that we are only just beginning to appreciate and understand. The story of simulations is the thrilling history of how we arrived at our current knowledge of the world around us, and it provides a sneak peek at what we may discover next.

©2023 Andrew Pontzen (P)2023 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“Compelling. . . . This book is a testament to the amazing potential of simulations to reveal new truths about the world around us and our place within it. An enthralling analysis of simulation, a formidable technology that may usher in a new era of cosmology.”—Kirkus

“Pontzen excels at translating quantum physics and other difficult concepts into lay-friendly terms. . . . this look at the cutting edge of astronomy fascinates.”—Publishers Weekly

“A truly excellent exposition of a fascinating, little understood, and very important scientific activity. I was enlightened, amazed, and profoundly impressed. I’ve seldom seen a book so clear, so vivid, and so full of—well, interesting things.”—Philip Pullman, author of the trilogy His Dark Materials

Great overview of the power of simulations

Super clear explanations, told with great enthusiasm, and just the right amount of personal touch. The book teaches about 3 overlapping topics:
1) simulations, such as weather prediction
2) galaxy formation and the cosmic web; this is the topic of Pontzen’s own simulations. Super fascinating, with the best lay explanation of dark matter and energy I’ve encountered
3) the “simulation hypothesis” that we’re living in a sim, and explains why it is not interesting or provable.