Hiding in the Mirror: The Quest for Alternate Realities, from Plato to String Theory (by way of Alice in Wonderland, Einstein, and The Twilight Zone)An exploration of mankind's fascination with worlds beyond our own-by the bestselling author of The Physics of Star Trek Lawrence Krauss -an international leader in physics and cosmology-examines our long and ardent romance with parallel universes, veiled dimensions, and regions of being that may extend tantalizingly beyond the limits of our perception. Krauss examines popular culture's current embrace (and frequent misunderstanding) of such topics as black holes, life in other dimensions, strings, and some of the more extraordinary new theories that propose the existence of vast extra dimensions alongside our own. BACKCOVER: "An astonishing and brilliantly written work of popular science." -Science a GoGo "A brilliant, thrilling book . . . You'll have so much fun reading that you'll hardly notice you're getting a primer on contemporary physics and cosmology." -Walter Isaacson, author of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life |
Contents
| 5 | |
| 16 | |
THE ROAD TO RELATIVITY | 27 |
THE FOURTH DIMENSION | 35 |
DISTURBING THE UNIVERSE | 48 |
THE MEASURE OF ALL THINGS | 60 |
FROM FLATLAND TO PICASSO | 72 |
THE FIRST HIDDEN UNIVERSE AN EXTRA DIMENSION TO PHYSICS | 91 |
ALIENS FROM OTHER DIMENSIONS | 140 |
AN ENTANGLED KNOT | 154 |
SUPER TIMES FOR THE SUPERWORLD | 173 |
M IS FOR MOTHER | 188 |
D IS FOR BRANEWORLD | 207 |
A THEORY OF NOTHING? | 225 |
TRUTH AND BEAUTY | 243 |
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS | 255 |
Common terms and phrases
able actually allow appeared associated become brane called cause century charged completely consider cosmic rays curved demonstrated describe developed dimensional direction discovered discovery distance effects Einstein electric electromagnetism electron elementary particles energy example exist experience explain explore extra dimensions fact field force four four-dimensional fourth dimension fundamental geometry gravity hidden higher ideas imagine implies infinite interactions interesting involved known later laws least less light lines live look magnetic mass mathematical matter means measure models moving nature notion objects observed once otherwise perhaps physicists physics picture possible precisely predictions principle problem produce properties proposed quantities quantum mechanics question radiation rays reality reason relativity remarkable result scale seemed smaller space special relativity string theory suggested surface symmetry theoretical things three-dimensional tion turns ultimately understand unified universe weak