The atom and the apple : twelve tales from contemporary physics

Parisian physics professor Balibar has a fervor for life and his work that makes this look at everyday physics, its history, and his own life experiences contagiously readable. Whether explaining the crystal chime of a wine glass or the 'sweet spot' in bicycle touring, his text is eloquent, charming and rigorous, translated beautifully by Stein... Full of ways to rethink daily activities and draw out readers' curiosity, this is an excellent, personable scientific tour. -- PublishersWeekly.com (Starred Review) Casting himself as more a dreamer than a detail-obsessed scientist, French physics professor Balibar credits his own childlike sense of wonder as the inspiration for this engaging collection of essays on the physics of everyday objects... Balibar's breezy bicycle ride through the French countryside is the starting point for an engaging digression on chaos theory and the so-called butterfly effect... [B]alibar is careful to keep his readers enthralled with colorful analogies and a flair for dressing up scientific concepts in elegant, entertaining prose. -- Carl Hays, Booklist When it comes to ideas, the French have the knack. You see it in their science documentaries and, as Sebastien Balibar's little book proves, you see it in their science writing. The assumption is that readers are curious folk who may not know the, uh, domain of discourse, but they're interested. No need to talk down, no need to talk up to show off. Just chat. And that's exactly what Balibar, a physicist, does. He draws us into 12 problems of physics--from chaos theory to cosmology--by recounting events of his childhood and career. It's wonderful. -- Leigh Dayton, The Australian The Atom and the Apple is a delightful ramble through many areas of science as well as through the experiences, opinions, passions and frustrations of a leading research physicist. Unlike most books describing scientific ideas to the wider public, Sebastien Balibar does not attempt to present a systematic discourse on a single area of physics, but tries instead to convey a wide range of scientific concepts together with the excitement of research and a description of the environment in which the physicist works. It is a very refreshing read that will do much to bring an understanding of scientific culture to the reader. This book is certainly provocative and stimulating, and it frequently challenges political correctness... The Atom and the Apple provides an accessible introduction to a wide range of physics topics: the Big Bang, superfluidity, chaos and turbulence, quantum computing and cryptography, the matter-antimatter asymmetry of the Universe and many more. At least as importantly, however, Balibar explains the framework that underpins scientific knowledge and research. Since attempts to solve the major challenges in this enjoyable book help to make an informed debate possible. -- Chris Sachrajda, Times Higher Education Supplement This work is a translation of the French physicist's collection of short essays covering a wide range of topics, from background radiation in the universe to energy in the atom. Balibar explicates the physics of our natural world as much as he meditates on what we can expect from physics in the future... Balibar's delightful essays are evocative of similar reflections in biology by the late scientist-author Lewis Thomas. They are not just a recounting of physical information, but also a reflection on our natural and created reality through the lens of quotidian life. -- N. Sadanand, Choice [A] pleasantly personal view on some key scientific issues, life, the universe and everything. -- Brian Clegg, Popular Science Praise for the original French edition: "With this book, Balibar shows that physics research, even at the Ecole Normale Superieure, is not enclosed by an ivory tower. Rather than transform the discipline into a kind of pure abstraction in which mathematics takes precedence over reality, this author resolutely inscribes physics into everyday life--in particular, his everyday life--as if to show that a scientist always sees the world through the instrument of his knowledge, or to convince readers that childhood questions bear investigation throughout one's entire life. -- Le Monde Praise for the original French edition: "Balibar has written...a beautiful book about working as a researcher, using simple explanations of facts based on experience, and questions that apply to everyone. His testimony is honest, fun, and important. -- P. G. de Gennes, 1991 Nobel laureate in physics, La Recherche This book will not only spark reflection among teachers but also will provide many anecdotes to share with students. -- Susan Behrens, NSTA Recommends The Atom and the Apple, the book of Sebastien Balibar, professor of physics at the Normal Superior School from Paris, is addressed to general readers and explores fascinating aspects of our world and demonstrates why the pursuit of scientific knowledge is well worth everyone's time, regardless of scientific background. -- Lidia Elena Kozma, Zentralblatt MATH Lire la suite...