The Evidence for Modern Physics: How We Know What We Know

4.4 4.4 out of 5 stars | 5 ratings

Price: 21.88

Last update: 12-25-2024


About this item

How do we know the universe is 13.8 billion years old? How do we know the speed of light is 299,792,458 meters per second? How do we know there are subatomic particles that live less than a trillionth of a trillionth of a second? Studying how physicists make discoveries is the best way to understand key developments in modern physics - from quantum mechanics, to the theory of relativity, to cosmology.

In this 24-lesson course aimed at non-scientists, noted particle physicist Dr. Don Lincoln of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory covers more than a century of progress in physics, describing exactly how scientists reach the conclusions they do. He starts with the atom, which was long hypothesized, but wasn’t definitively proven until a paper by Albert Einstein in 1905. That was just the beginning, as researchers probed ever deeper into the atom’s complex structure, leading to the weird findings of quantum mechanics. Meanwhile, Einstein’s more famous work in relativity overturned conceptions of time and space, especially in the realm of the super-fast and ultra-massive.

Relativity and quantum theory are notoriously counterintuitive, but Dr. Lincoln shows why their conclusions must be true. He does the same for cosmology, which has advanced from the view that the Milky Way galaxy is all that exists, to the realization that there are likely a trillion of galaxies in the observable universe. Along the way, he deals with the Big Bang, black holes, dark matter, dark energy, and cosmic inflation, among other ideas. Some are purely speculative, but he points out what it would take to prove them.

The Evidence for Modern Physics is an intellectual roller-coaster ride that will amaze and enlighten. As Dr. Lincoln says, “You must wonder how we can say with such certainty that the world of the super-fast and ultra-small follow such bizarre rules. Well, you’re in luck, because that’s exactly what this course is about.”

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.


Top reviews from the United States

  • JFB1949
    5.0 out of 5 stars Full of information
    Reviewed in the United States on July 30, 2024
    Easy to understand
  • R
    5.0 out of 5 stars How Physics Should Be Taught
    Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2024
    Excellent overview of modern physics presented through the experimental findings that evolved theory. Teaching the why we know what we know and how that knowledge has evolved is much more effective and comprehensive than teaching the what we know. This is how all teaching of science should be done as it makes science theory that much more accessible and encourages curiosity, thereby leading to a higher likelihood of individuals pursuing scientific discovery in their lives and careers.
  • NJ
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting POV, but not much new
    Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2023
    Renowned Physicist Don Lincoln's "The Evidence for Modern Physics" is an ambitious endeavor to present the fundamental concepts of particle physics, quantum physics, relativity, and cosmology through the lens of an experimentalist. As an overview of the empirical foundations upholding our current understanding of physics, the book succeeds in covering the key discoveries and techniques of modern physics. However, for readers who have read any popular books on these subjects, Prof. Lincoln's approach contains too little that is substantively new.

    Lincoln's book diverges from the traditional approach of explaining scientific concepts chronologically and theoretically. Instead, he briefly introduces well-known theories and then spends far more time discussing the evidence that supports them. The idea is to ground abstract ideas, like relativity, quantum weirdness, and everything in between, in the tangible data that should make us believe. One comes across most modern physics concepts, including those as advanced as time dilation, wave-particle duality, and quantum entanglement. Still, the course rarely explains the concepts well, as the focus is never on them. From Galileo's inclined plane to the Large Hadron Collider, the book is more about the experimental ingenuity that proved them valid.

    Unfortunately, the evidence discussed is not new; it's the same data that has been presented in countless other popular science books. The unique selling point here is the focus on evidence as the central argument, but this is a minor positive at best.

    For those new to physics, the vast scope attempted means complex concepts like general relativity and quantum field theory are covered hastily, lacking powerful explanations involving everyday analogies, elaborations involving tales, and repetitions to illuminate them fully. Those already familiar with these topics from other popularizers like Brian Greene, Sean Carroll, or Carlo Rovelli are unlikely to encounter anything new.

    In distilling a vast field down to its empirical essence, the course is, at best, a consolidator and refresher for its enthusiasts.

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