The World According to Physics

By: Jim Al-Khalili

Narrated by: Jim Al-Khalili

Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

Quantum physicist, New York Times best-selling author, and BBC host Jim Al-Khalili offers a fascinating and illuminating look at what physics reveals about the world.

Shining a light on the most profound insights revealed by modern physics, Jim Al-Khalili invites us all to understand what this crucially important science tells us about the universe and the nature of reality itself.

Al-Khalili begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, and then describes the three pillars of modern physics - quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics - showing how all three must come together if we are ever to have a full understanding of reality. Using wonderful examples and thought-provoking analogies, Al-Khalili illuminates the physics of the extreme cosmic and quantum scales, the speculative frontiers of the field, and the physics that underpins our everyday experiences and technologies, bringing the listener up to speed with the biggest ideas in physics in just a few sittings. Physics is revealed as an intrepid human quest for ever more foundational principles that accurately explain the natural world we see around us, an undertaking guided by core values such as honesty and doubt. The knowledge discovered by physics both empowers and humbles us, and still, physics continues to delve valiantly into the unknown.

Making even the most enigmatic scientific ideas accessible and captivating, this deeply insightful audiobook illuminates why physics matters to everyone and calls one and all to share in the profound adventure of seeking truth in the world around us.

©2020 Jim Al-Khalili (P)2020 Princeton University Press

Critic reviews

"A clear, simple, and fascinating account of what physics tells us about our universe, and - crucially - what evidence supports that view, from one of the most talented, inspiring, and informative popularizers of science. A triumph!" (Ian Stewart, author of Do Dice Play God?)

"Clearly written and inviting, even to readers who may not at first consider themselves scientific, The World According to Physics is a book that should be read and appreciated by many." (Jocelyn Bell Burnell, University of Oxford)

"So much science packed into such a tiny package! Jim Al-Khalili manages to give an accessible overview of an enormous amount of modern physics, without it ever feeling rushed. This book will be enjoyed by anyone who wants a glimpse of how modern physicists are thinking about some of the hardest problems in the universe." (Sean Carroll, author of Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime)

Helpful in understanding

I am appreciative of the time and effort it took for the author to make complex things “grockable”

Jim

does an outstanding job in describing the known world of physics and drawing your attention to the many areas that physics is exploring. The dynamics of this exploration is what makes this subject so much fun to think about. BUY IT!!!

excellent book

as an electrician for 40 years I've worked off electrical theories nowhere close to physics! always been pretty good in math so this book is inspired me to go back and review more calculus and trigonometry just to improve my brain thoughts.

Thank you to Jim Al-Khalili and the people that helped him on this book is really been an uplifting experience for me.
I dropped out of high school and I found this book knowledgeable understandable and like I said inspiring keep up the good work Jim Al-Khalili !

I would recommend this book for even kids in the junior high school level it just makes you think and not want to stop learning!

I found another book by Jim Al-Khalili first which really got me thinking as well I would recommend this book to anyone even if they do not like math the book is called Paradox , another great book in Jim's arsenal.

I hoped for new ideas

This is a good book, but personally almost none of the theories or ideas were novel. This is partly due me having viewed most of Jim’s excellent BBC science documentaries. Still glad to support him in his passion to educate people on the power and potential of the scientific method.

Physics pioneer extraordinaire

Thanks Jim for opening even more my appreciation and imagination of the quantum world. Very well done

EXCELLENT!

Dr. Al-Khalili is one of the best teachers I have encountered. Although I am still struggling with the conservation of information, I

Great book

Great intro of the entire physics distilled for non physicist and yet not waterd down. Good piece of work.

Would be better read.

The information was given in a back and forth manner. There were times if alI had the book I would have gone back to teference.