Dad of Divas' Reviews: Book Review - The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Book Review - The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics

About the Book
James Kakalios, the author of The Physics of Superheroes returns with an accessible and math-free primer on quantum mechanics. Most of us are unaware of how much we depend on quantum mechanics on a day-to-day basis. Using examples from science fiction pulp magazines and comic books, The Amazing Story of Quantum Mechanics explains the fundamental principles of quantum mechanics that underlie the world we live in.

In the pulp magazines and comics of the 1950s, it was predicted that the future would be one of gleaming utopias, with flying cars, jetpacks, and robotic personal assistants. Obviously, things didn’t turn out that way. But the world we do have is actually more fantastic than the most outlandish predictions of the science fiction of the mid-twentieth century. The World Wide Web, pocket-sized computers, mobile phones, and MRI machines have changed the world in unimagined ways.

The book begins with an overview of speculative science fiction, beginning with Jules Verne and progressing through the space adventure comic books of the 1950s. Using the example of Dr. Manhattan from the graphic novel and film Watchmen, Kakalios explains the fundamentals of quantum mechanics and describes nuclear energy via the hilarious portrayals of radioactivity and its effects in the movies and comic books of the 1950s.




My Take on the Book
While I am not a physics guru, this book did a great job at letter me get a better understanding about what Quantum Mechanics is and what it does for our society. The author does an amazing job at making this complex topic easy to understand. The author also opens the readers' eyes to the future and what it could still have in store for us. He finally allows us to understand how our present technology is connected to physics and quantum mechanics.

I have to say that I was completely amazed at how intertwined Physics is to our world. This book is a great addition to physics literature. It is a book that will help both the knowledgeable and layman to better understand these complex science principles.

If this book sounds like something you would like in your own library you can find it on Amazon!

All opinions expressed in this review are my own and not influenced in any way by the company.  Any product claim, statistic, quote or other representation about a product or service should be verified with the manufacturer or provider. Please refer to this site's Terms of Use  for more information. I have been compensated or given a product free of charge, but that does not impact my views or opinions.

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