The ascent of gravity

No cover — Marcus Chown: The ascent of gravity (2017)

267 pages

English language

Published Dec. 30, 2017

ISBN:: 978-1-68177-537-1
OCLC Number:: 975119584

(1 review)

Discusses the concept of gravity from its earliest recognition in 1666 to the discovery of gravitational waves in 2015, and explains why gravity holds the key to understanding the nature of time and the origin of the universe.

"Why the force that keeps our feet on the ground holds the key to understanding the nature of time and the origin of the universe. Gravity is the weakest force in the everyday world yet it is the strongest force in the universe. It was the first force to be recognized and described yet it is the least understood. It is a "force" that keeps your feet on the ground yet no such force actually exists. Gravity, to steal the words of Winston Churchill, is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." And penetrating that enigma promises to answer the biggest questions in science: what is space? What is time? …

Discusses the concept of gravity from its earliest recognition in 1666 to the discovery of gravitational waves in 2015, and explains why gravity holds the key to understanding the nature of time and the origin of the universe.

"Why the force that keeps our feet on the ground holds the key to understanding the nature of time and the origin of the universe. Gravity is the weakest force in the everyday world yet it is the strongest force in the universe. It was the first force to be recognized and described yet it is the least understood. It is a "force" that keeps your feet on the ground yet no such force actually exists. Gravity, to steal the words of Winston Churchill, is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." And penetrating that enigma promises to answer the biggest questions in science: what is space? What is time? What is the universe? And where did it all come from? Award-winning writer Marcus Chown takes us on an unforgettable journey from the recognition of the "force" of gravity in 1666 to the discovery of gravitational waves in 2015. And, as we stand on the brink of a seismic revolution in our worldview, he brings us up to speed on the greatest challenge ever to confront physics."--Dust jacket flap.

4 editions

Thom reviewed The ascent of gravity by Marcus Chown

Review of 'The ascent of gravity' on 'Goodreads'

4 stars

This short book by UK author Marcus Chown does what a popular science book should - give a brief history, good examples and anecdotes, end notes for those who want more, sprinkle with humor and step out of the way. I just wish it had a few illustrations and a bibliography.

Starting with Newton then leading to Einstein, the first two parts of the book do an excellent job of describing not just where we are but why we wanted to go there. The third part explains some of the why (black holes) and then gives many of the options for where next, but also makes clear that we just don't know yet. I really appreciated the views of Nima Arkani-Hamed in this section.

This book doesn't delve into the math, but leaves enough bread crumbs for those who want to delve into that, physics, or even history. One minor …

This short book by UK author Marcus Chown does what a popular science book should - give a brief history, good examples and anecdotes, end notes for those who want more, sprinkle with humor and step out of the way. I just wish it had a few illustrations and a bibliography.

Starting with Newton then leading to Einstein, the first two parts of the book do an excellent job of describing not just where we are but why we wanted to go there. The third part explains some of the why (black holes) and then gives many of the options for where next, but also makes clear that we just don't know yet. I really appreciated the views of Nima Arkani-Hamed in this section.

This book doesn't delve into the math, but leaves enough bread crumbs for those who want to delve into that, physics, or even history. One minor quibble - we "build too many walls and not enough bridges" was said by Joseph Fort Newton, not Isaac. Chown does an excellent job of setting other historical myths in their place - though the occasional scene of fantasy revealed as "fun to imagine" wore a little thin.

Overall an excellent book on the subject, and a decent introduction to where we are now - or at least were in 2017 :)

Subjects

Gravitation
Gravity