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valentilka's review against another edition
4.0
Veľmi pekná kniha.
Michio Kaku knihu rozdelil do troch zrozumiteľný h celkov. V nich rozoberal "nemožnosti", ktoré by sa mohli resp. nemohli stať. Tieto podrobne rozobral z fyzikálneho hľadiska, pričom pekne a zrozumiteľne rozpísal zákony, pričom k nim pridal aj trochu pozadia.
Na niektorých pasáž mi trochu vadilo, že by mohli byť aj trochu viac rozpísané, ale to už je asi len na mne vygooglit si veci, ktoré ma oslovili najviac
Čo ma veľmi prekvapilo, bol všeobecný rozhľad autora. Autor sa dobre orientoval či už v biológii alebo filozofii. Podľa mňa tento autorov rozhľad veľmi pekne scelil knihu.
Keďže táto kniha už je pomerne staršia, bolo vidno, že niektoré informácie sú už zastaralé, preto by ma nesmierne zaujímal nový autorov pohľad na vývoj v astrofyzike posledných rokov. Toho sa však bohužiaľ asi nedočkám.
Každopádne odporúčam prečítať, zaujímavá kniha.
Michio Kaku knihu rozdelil do troch zrozumiteľný h celkov. V nich rozoberal "nemožnosti", ktoré by sa mohli resp. nemohli stať. Tieto podrobne rozobral z fyzikálneho hľadiska, pričom pekne a zrozumiteľne rozpísal zákony, pričom k nim pridal aj trochu pozadia.
Na niektorých pasáž mi trochu vadilo, že by mohli byť aj trochu viac rozpísané, ale to už je asi len na mne vygooglit si veci, ktoré ma oslovili najviac
Čo ma veľmi prekvapilo, bol všeobecný rozhľad autora. Autor sa dobre orientoval či už v biológii alebo filozofii. Podľa mňa tento autorov rozhľad veľmi pekne scelil knihu.
Keďže táto kniha už je pomerne staršia, bolo vidno, že niektoré informácie sú už zastaralé, preto by ma nesmierne zaujímal nový autorov pohľad na vývoj v astrofyzike posledných rokov. Toho sa však bohužiaľ asi nedočkám.
Každopádne odporúčam prečítať, zaujímavá kniha.
clemmyrose's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
3.5
lilac_rose's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.5
I enjoy reading about concepts that are fantastical and come from the imaginations of sci-fi authors. So, reading about how they may actually apply in modern physics is fascinating. However, this book is both slightly outdated and too complex for someone with my limited knowledge of physics.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed Kaku's deep-dive into possible future technologies, although he clearly had a bone to pick with folks who don't buy into string theory and spent a little too much time trying to argue with them.
professorfate's review against another edition
4.0
My history with physics is not a pleasant one. In my senior year of high school, I took honors physics—since I was in honors pretty-much-everything-else. The teacher was a drug addict and was only there about half the time until he got fired (effective the end of the school year), after which we saw him occasionally. I had to try to learn physics pretty much on my own for the state’s Regents exam—which I barely passed.
Then I went to Virginia, where I had to take three semesters of physics—not because of any desire to, but because I was in the Engineering School and it was a requirement. With my thorough knowledge gleaned from high school, I just barely squeaked by those classes as well.
So, given all that, why am I reading a book on high-end theoretical physics? Because in spite of the system’s best efforts to make me hate it, I do find certain areas of physics fascinating. Now, this is not to say that I understand it all (or even half of it). In fact, I recently read a book on nanotechnology (a “For Dummies” book, even), and had a really hard time of it.
Dr. Kaku, however, has a gift for making his explanations for the most part understandable to somebody like me. In this book, he explores areas of physics that are staples of science fiction and that many people consider impossible in the real world—topics like teleportation, Death Stars, time travel, telekinesis, telepathy, and so forth—and discusses whether these are really impossible or not. He divides the book into three sections: Class I impossibilities, which are things that are impossible with today’s technology, but could come into being within the next century or so; Class II, which are things that could happen but will take centuries or millenia, and; Class III, which are things that are impossible given our current knowledge of the laws of physics.
This is not to say that I understood everything he said. There were some topics that elicited the equivalent of a blank stare from me, but I found that I could follow most of the book, and more than most other science books I’ve read. But what really helped me was his voluminous knowledge of science fiction and being able to relate the concepts to things that I’ve seen in the movies or read in books.
If you have an interest in physics, I would recommend this book.
Then I went to Virginia, where I had to take three semesters of physics—not because of any desire to, but because I was in the Engineering School and it was a requirement. With my thorough knowledge gleaned from high school, I just barely squeaked by those classes as well.
So, given all that, why am I reading a book on high-end theoretical physics? Because in spite of the system’s best efforts to make me hate it, I do find certain areas of physics fascinating. Now, this is not to say that I understand it all (or even half of it). In fact, I recently read a book on nanotechnology (a “For Dummies” book, even), and had a really hard time of it.
Dr. Kaku, however, has a gift for making his explanations for the most part understandable to somebody like me. In this book, he explores areas of physics that are staples of science fiction and that many people consider impossible in the real world—topics like teleportation, Death Stars, time travel, telekinesis, telepathy, and so forth—and discusses whether these are really impossible or not. He divides the book into three sections: Class I impossibilities, which are things that are impossible with today’s technology, but could come into being within the next century or so; Class II, which are things that could happen but will take centuries or millenia, and; Class III, which are things that are impossible given our current knowledge of the laws of physics.
This is not to say that I understood everything he said. There were some topics that elicited the equivalent of a blank stare from me, but I found that I could follow most of the book, and more than most other science books I’ve read. But what really helped me was his voluminous knowledge of science fiction and being able to relate the concepts to things that I’ve seen in the movies or read in books.
If you have an interest in physics, I would recommend this book.
antisocial_auntie's review against another edition
4.0
Did the audiobook, took me awhile to get my brain back into the physics-nerd world I used to live in and then really enjoyed it. The reader was excellent.
billybear72's review against another edition
5.0
Fascinating, possibly a bit stuck in current thinking but amazing nontheless
xonrad's review against another edition
2.0
Quite simply not for me.
Fairly interesting overall, but I was expecting something quite a lot deeper than what is on offer. A little too much of a reliance on popular fandom references to explore concepts and reinforce "possibilities" and such.... that's fine for a younger audience or those that are only just beginning their journey-with-a-purpose into the wide world of non-fiction literature... or the casual factoid accumulator.
But for the likes of myself, I found it especially frustrating, far too often, to have the literature move on to another concept, or another speculative fiction reference, just when some real depth was within reach.
To make a sci-fi reference; the intended effect/audience is that of a TV Star Trek episode, and most certainly NOT a Frank Herbert "Dune" saga experience.
It's more a beginner's guide to, and glimpse at, speculative thinking in the real world... and it accomplishes that goal very well.
Fairly interesting overall, but I was expecting something quite a lot deeper than what is on offer. A little too much of a reliance on popular fandom references to explore concepts and reinforce "possibilities" and such.... that's fine for a younger audience or those that are only just beginning their journey-with-a-purpose into the wide world of non-fiction literature... or the casual factoid accumulator.
But for the likes of myself, I found it especially frustrating, far too often, to have the literature move on to another concept, or another speculative fiction reference, just when some real depth was within reach.
To make a sci-fi reference; the intended effect/audience is that of a TV Star Trek episode, and most certainly NOT a Frank Herbert "Dune" saga experience.
It's more a beginner's guide to, and glimpse at, speculative thinking in the real world... and it accomplishes that goal very well.
clarks_dad's review against another edition
4.0
I like Michio Kaku. It's amazing that someone as intelligent and lost in the world of physics and mathematics to co-create something as complicated as string field theory can write lay science books that are interesting, relevant and funny. In this book, Kaku uses science fiction to explore the realms of physics and as a jumping-off point for the discussion of theoretical physics. A sucker for science fiction myself, I found Kaku's discussions enlightening and heartening. Kaku is an optimist with a firm belief in human progress and has a way of reaching to the kid in all of us by showing how marvels such as teleportation, interstellar travel and time travel are perfectly acceptable in the realm of modern physics. He is also very careful to caution us by giving realistic timetables for humanity's ability to harness and create such fabulous inventions.
Kaku divides all of his discussions on the "impossible" into three categories:
Class I impossibilities: Things that do not violate the known laws of physics, but require a technological leap in our capacity to manipulate energy. These impossibilities have a strong chance of becoming reality by at the latest, the end of the century.
Class II impossibilities: Things that do not violate the known laws of physics but are impossible for our level of civilization (his categorization of types of civilizations classified by their use of energy is interesting in its own right). These things may become possible if we make the leap from a type 0 civilization to a type 1 civilization (more on this below).
Class III impossibilities: Things that violate known laws of physics, but that may be possible if we expand our knowledge and find ways to create conditions or environments that violate these laws and create new ones (sounds crazy, but Kaku insists this would be possible for a type 3 civilization).
Before I forget, Kaku explains (based on the work of noted physicist Freeman Dyson) we are a type 0 civilization because we use dead plant and animal matter as our chief source of energy, which is extremely limited and inefficient. A type 1 civilization has mastered terrestrial energy - they can manipulate the weather, mine the oceans and tap energy at the core of their planet. A type 2 civilization has mastered stellar energy - their energy consumption is so vast they need to extract it from a star. A type 3 civilization are galactic, they consume and can manipulate the energy of multiple stars in multiple solar systems. We are on the verge of breaking through to a type 1 civilization. Depressing right? The leap between levels of civilizations, however, is predicted to occur at faster and faster rates, much like computer speeds doubling and doubling where growth becomes exponential. The hardest part is starting out. ;)
Anyway, the most interesting thing is that most of the bizarre and seemingly magical technology discussed in Physics of the Impossible Kaku classifies as Class 1 impossibilities. As crazy as it may sound, teleportation, cloaking devices, robots and the harnessing of anti-matter are all possible by the end of the century. This is more than wishful thinking. Kaku presents sound science to back up his claims, which is enormously exciting and makes me anxious for the future.
Sadly, things like faster-than-light interstellar travel and time travel are class 2 impossibilities that we will never see in our lifetimes.
A great book for the kid in all of us, and a sound introduction to the world of theoretical physics for all people.
Kaku divides all of his discussions on the "impossible" into three categories:
Class I impossibilities: Things that do not violate the known laws of physics, but require a technological leap in our capacity to manipulate energy. These impossibilities have a strong chance of becoming reality by at the latest, the end of the century.
Class II impossibilities: Things that do not violate the known laws of physics but are impossible for our level of civilization (his categorization of types of civilizations classified by their use of energy is interesting in its own right). These things may become possible if we make the leap from a type 0 civilization to a type 1 civilization (more on this below).
Class III impossibilities: Things that violate known laws of physics, but that may be possible if we expand our knowledge and find ways to create conditions or environments that violate these laws and create new ones (sounds crazy, but Kaku insists this would be possible for a type 3 civilization).
Before I forget, Kaku explains (based on the work of noted physicist Freeman Dyson) we are a type 0 civilization because we use dead plant and animal matter as our chief source of energy, which is extremely limited and inefficient. A type 1 civilization has mastered terrestrial energy - they can manipulate the weather, mine the oceans and tap energy at the core of their planet. A type 2 civilization has mastered stellar energy - their energy consumption is so vast they need to extract it from a star. A type 3 civilization are galactic, they consume and can manipulate the energy of multiple stars in multiple solar systems. We are on the verge of breaking through to a type 1 civilization. Depressing right? The leap between levels of civilizations, however, is predicted to occur at faster and faster rates, much like computer speeds doubling and doubling where growth becomes exponential. The hardest part is starting out. ;)
Anyway, the most interesting thing is that most of the bizarre and seemingly magical technology discussed in Physics of the Impossible Kaku classifies as Class 1 impossibilities. As crazy as it may sound, teleportation, cloaking devices, robots and the harnessing of anti-matter are all possible by the end of the century. This is more than wishful thinking. Kaku presents sound science to back up his claims, which is enormously exciting and makes me anxious for the future.
Sadly, things like faster-than-light interstellar travel and time travel are class 2 impossibilities that we will never see in our lifetimes.
A great book for the kid in all of us, and a sound introduction to the world of theoretical physics for all people.