How the Weakest Force in the Universe Shaped Our Lives
by Brian Clegg
Physicists will tell you that four forces control the universe. Of these, gravity may the most obvious, but it is also the most mysterious. Newton managed to predict the force of gravity but couldn't explain how it worked at a distance. Einstein picked up on the simple premise that gravity and acceleration are interchangeable to devise his mind-bending general relativity, showing how matter warps space and time.
Not only did this explain how gravity worked and how apparently simple gravitation has four separate components but it predicted everything from black holes to gravity's effect on time. Whether it's the reality of anti-gravity or the unexpected discovery that a ball and a laser beam drop at the same rate, gravity is the force that fascinates.
"Clegg's accessible presentation offers insight into everything from Aristotelian science to black holes and string theory as it reveals the complexities and surprises of a familiar force that continues to surprise scientists." - Publishers Weekly
"Starred Review. Clegg's skills never flag, and his account remains lucid and free of jargon, bad jokes and math phobia." - Kirkus Reviews
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Brian Clegg was born in 1955 in Rochdale, Lancashire (England). He was educated at Manchester Grammar School and went on to read Natural Science (specializing in experimental physics) at Cambridge University.
Clegg has written regular columns, features, and reviews for numerous magazines. He lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and two children.
I always find it more difficult to say the things I mean than the things I don't.
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