Showing results by author "Steven Weinberg" in All Categories

Now updated with a major new afterword that incorporates the latest cosmological research, this classic of contemporary science writing by a Nobel prize-winning physicist explains to general readers what happened when the Universe began, and how we know.

In this rich, irreverent, and compelling history, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg takes us across centuries, from ancient Miletus to medieval Baghdad and Oxford, from Plato's Academy and the Museum of Alexandria to the cathedral school of Chartres and the Royal Society of London. He shows that the scientists of ancient and medieval times not only did not understand what we understand about the world--they did not understand what there is to understand or how to understand it.

The hunt for the Higgs particle has involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. So exactly what is this particle? Why does it matter so much? What does it tell us about the universe? Was finding it really worth all the effort? The short answer is yes. The Higgs field is proposed as the way in which particles gain mass - a fundamental property of matter. It's the strongest indicator yet that the Standard Model of physics really does reflect the basic building blocks of our universe. Little wonder the hunt and discovery of this new particle produced such intense media interest.

This is the story of a grand scientific quest: the quest for a unifying theory of nature. Writing with dazzling elegance and clarity, Nobel Prize - winning physicist Steven Weinberg retraces the steps that have led modern scientists from relativity theory and quantum mechanics to the notion of superstrings and the idea that our universe may coexist with others. Along the way, he voices the questions that are always present: Why does each explanation of the way nature works point to other, deeper explanations?

Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics and author of the classic The First Three Minutes, Weinberg shares his views on some of the most fundamental and fascinating aspects of physics and the universe. But he does not seclude science behind disciplinary walls or shy away from politics, taking on what he sees as the folly of manned spaceflight, the harms of inequality, and the importance of public goods. His point of view is rationalist, realist, reductionist, and devoutly secularist. 

The second story in the laugh-out-loud series by children's literature legend Jon Scieszka. This action-packed space saga follows a new mission, where AstroWolf, LaserShark, SmartHawk, and StinkBug must find a planet fit for human life after we've finally made Earth unlivable. After they splash-land on the Water Planet, they find power-hungry clams, a rebellious underwater force, and a world full of too-good-to-be-true.   

Warning: This is not your grandfather's d'var Torah podcast. Second Warning: The Schrift may prove monocle-shattering to those who consider themselves politically correct, moral, nice, or have ever even once helped an old blind lady across the street. Let's call into question some of the most hallowed beliefs of twenty-first century culture. Let's wake up from our automatized morality. It is time that we see philosophy as something rebellious and therapeutic rather than boring and esoteric. Using humor, personal anecdotes, and much hubris, the Schrift provides fresh and unexpected answers to ...