Jim Al-Khalili’s new book, The World According to Physics, is his love letter to the subject he has spent most of his life thinking about.
Physics is a key part of the human quest to understand the world. In this talk, he shares with us his account of what physics has achieved. Taking us on thrilling journey through the laws of the universe, he brings to life what physics reveals about the nature of reality. What is the cutting edge of what we know? What are the speculative theories that may become scientific fact in the future?
Jim Al-Khalili is renowned for his ability to make the principles and stories of science easily understandable. From the physics of the cosmos to the physics of everyday life, he will bring us up to speed – uncovering what the biggest ideas mean and why they matter. What are the discoveries that lie ahead?
Presented by the UNSW Centre for Ideas and supported by UNSW Science. This event is part of the UNSW x National Science Week program – head here to see the full program.
Want to read Jim Al-Khalili’s book, The World According to Physics? You can purchase it from the UNSW Bookshop by calling 02 9385 6622 or emailing orders@bookshop.unsw.edu.au.
About the Book
Shining a light on the most profound insights revealed by modern physics, Jim Al-Khalili invites us all to understand what this crucially important science tells us about the universe and the nature of reality itself.
Al-Khalili begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, and then describes the three pillars of modern physics—quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics—showing how all three must come together if we are ever to have a full understanding of reality. Using wonderful examples and thought-provoking analogies, Al-Khalili illuminates the physics of the extreme cosmic and quantum scales, the speculative frontiers of the field, and the physics that underpins our everyday experiences and technologies, bringing the reader up to speed with the biggest ideas in physics in just a few sittings. Physics is revealed as an intrepid human quest for ever more foundational principles that accurately explain the natural world we see around us, an undertaking guided by core values such as honesty and doubt. The knowledge discovered by physics both empowers and humbles us, and still, physics continues to delve valiantly into the unknown.
Making even the most enigmatic scientific ideas accessible and captivating, this deeply insightful book illuminates why physics matters to everyone and calls one and all to share in the profound adventure of seeking truth in the world around us.
Jim Al-Khalili is professor of physics at the University of Surrey. He is one of Britain’s best-known science communicators and has written numerous books, including Quantum: A Guide for the Perplexed; The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance; and Life on the Edge: The Coming of Age of Quantum Biology. He is a fellow of the Royal Society and lives in Southsea, England. Twitter @jimalkhalili