
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
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Narrated by:
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Carlo Rovelli
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By:
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Carlo Rovelli
About this listen
The New York Times best seller from the author of The Order of Time, Reality Is Not What It Seems and Helgoland.
This playful, entertaining, and mind-bending introduction to modern physics briskly explains Einstein's general relativity, quantum mechanics, elementary particles, gravity, black holes, the complex architecture of the Universe, and the role humans play in this weird and wonderful world. Carlo Rovelli, a renowned theoretical physicist, is a delightfully poetic and philosophical scientific guide. He takes us to the frontiers of our knowledge: To the most minute reaches of the fabric of space, back to the origins of the cosmos, and into the workings of our minds. The audiobook celebrates the joy of discovery.
“Here, on the edge of what we know, in contact with the ocean of the unknown, shines the mystery and the beauty of the world", Rovelli writes. “And it’s breathtaking”.
©2016 Carlo Rovelli (P)2016 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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Critic reviews
“One of the year’s most entrancing books about science.” (The Wall Street Journal)
“Clear, elegant...a whirlwind tour of some of the biggest ideas in physics.” (The New York Times Book Review)
“The writing is elegant and poetic, and Carlo's explanatory clarity is compelling. He organized this short book into seven lessons that introduce the non-specialized reader to the most fascinating questions about the universe, including how we learn about it.” (NPR)
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Story
Over two millennia ago, the prescient insights of Anaximander paved the way for cosmology, physics, geography, meteorology, and biology, setting in motion a new way of seeing the world. His legacy includes the revolutionary ideas that the Earth floats in a void, that animals evolved, that the world can be understood in natural rather than supernatural terms, and that universal laws govern all phenomena. In this elegant work, the renowned theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli brings to light the importance of Anaximander’s overlooked influence on modern science
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Father of Science
- By Darwin8u on 10-31-24
By: Carlo Rovelli
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The Many Hidden Worlds of Quantum Mechanics
- By: Sean Carroll, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 11 hrs and 51 mins
- Original Recording
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In a field known for startling ideas, the Many-Worlds Interpretation (MWI) of quantum mechanics may take the prize. It holds that parallel to our own world are a large number of other universes, almost identical to ours but with small variations. Copies of each of us inhabit a myriad of these worlds. But they are not us exactly; they share our past history, but they are different people who have unique futures. Although these realms are invisible and can’t communicate with each other, prominent physicists are convinced they must exist.
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Sean Carroll always has such amazing content
- By Amazon Customer on 12-26-23
By: Sean Carroll, and others
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What Is Real?
- The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics
- By: Adam Becker
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Every physicist agrees quantum mechanics is among humanity's finest scientific achievements. But ask what it means, and the result will be a brawl. For a century, most physicists have followed Niels Bohr's Copenhagen interpretation and dismissed questions about the reality underlying quantum physics as meaningless. A mishmash of solipsism and poor reasoning, Copenhagen endured, as Bohr's students vigorously protected his legacy, and the physics community favored practical experiments over philosophical arguments.
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Good, "light" "read"... potential caveat below...
- By James S. on 03-31-18
By: Adam Becker
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The Elegant Universe
- Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions, and the Quest for the Ultimate Theory
- By: Brian Greene
- Narrated by: Erik Davies
- Length: 15 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
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In a rare blend of scientific insight and writing as elegant as the theories it explains, Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of 11 dimensions where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter-from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas-is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy.
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Well Written, Good Narration
- By Verena on 06-12-09
By: Brian Greene
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Brief Answers to the Big Questions
- By: Stephen Hawking, Eddie Redmayne - foreword
- Narrated by: Garrick Hagon, Lucy Hawking, Ben Whishaw
- Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Stephen Hawking not only unraveled some of the universe's greatest mysteries but also believed science plays a critical role in fixing problems here on Earth. Now, as we face immense challenges on our planet - including climate change, the threat of nuclear war, and the development of artificial intelligence - he turns his attention to the most urgent issues facing us. Will humanity survive? Should we colonize space? Does God exist? These are just a few of the questions Hawking addresses in this wide-ranging, passionately argued final book from one of the greatest minds in history.
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A wonderful, wonderful listening experience
- By La Traviata on 10-16-18
By: Stephen Hawking, and others
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The God Equation
- The Quest for a Theory of Everything
- By: Michio Kaku
- Narrated by: Feodor Chin
- Length: 5 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
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When Newton discovered the law of gravity, he unified the rules governing the heavens and the Earth. Since then, physicists have been placing new forces into ever-grander theories. But perhaps the ultimate challenge is achieving a monumental synthesis of the two remaining theories—relativity and the quantum theory. This would be the crowning achievement of science, a profound merging of all the forces of nature into one beautiful, magnificent equation to unlock the deepest mysteries in science: What happened before the Big Bang?
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Not what you may think
- By Anne85 on 04-11-21
By: Michio Kaku
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The End of Everything
- (Astrophysically Speaking)
- By: Katie Mack
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman, Katie Mack
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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We know the universe had a beginning. With the Big Bang, it expanded from a state of unimaginable density to an all-encompassing cosmic fireball to a simmering fluid of matter and energy, laying down the seeds for everything from black holes to one rocky planet orbiting a star near the edge of a spiral galaxy that happened to develop life as we know it. But what happens to the universe at the end of the story? And what does it mean for us now?
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My New Favorite!
- By Hannah Crazyhawk on 08-16-20
By: Katie Mack
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The Evidence for Modern Physics
- How We Know What We Know
- By: Professor Don Lincoln, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Don Lincoln
- Length: 11 hrs and 54 mins
- Original Recording
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In this 24-lesson course aimed at non-scientists, noted particle physicist Dr. Don Lincoln of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory covers more than a century of progress in physics, describing exactly how scientists reach the conclusions they do. He starts with the atom, which was long hypothesized but wasn’t definitively proven until a paper by Albert Einstein in 1905. That was just the beginning, as researchers probed ever deeper into the atom’s complex structure, leading to the weird findings of quantum mechanics.
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Strongly Recommend for Everyone
- By Liam A on 05-23-21
By: Professor Don Lincoln, and others
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The Hidden Reality
- Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos
- By: Brian Greene
- Narrated by: Brian Greene
- Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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There was a time when “universe” meant all there is. Everything. Yet, in recent years discoveries in physics and cosmology have led a number of scientists to conclude that our universe may be one among many. With crystal-clear prose and inspired use of analogy, Brian Greene shows how a range of different “multiverse” proposals emerges from theories developed to explain the most refined observations of both subatomic particles and the dark depths of space.
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This book & Greene's analogies connected Qs to As
- By Blair on 02-02-11
By: Brian Greene
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The Big Picture
- On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void?
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ABSOLUTE MUST READ!
- By serine on 05-12-16
By: Sean Carroll
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Warped Passages
- Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
- By: Lisa Randall
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Warped Passages is an altogether exhilarating journey that tracks the arc of discovery from early 20th-century physics to the razor's edge of modern scientific theory. One of the world's leading theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall provides astonishing scientific possibilities that, until recently, were restricted to the realm of science fiction. Unraveling the twisted threads of the most current debates on relativity, quantum mechanics, and gravity, she explores some of the most fundamental questions posed by Nature.
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Physics textbook without the math
- By Victor on 05-13-18
By: Lisa Randall
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Existential Physics
- A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions
- By: Sabine Hossenfelder
- Narrated by: Gina Daniels
- Length: 8 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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Not only can we not currently explain the origin of the universe, it is questionable we will ever be able to explain it. The notion that there are universes within particles, or that particles are conscious, is ascientific, as is the hypothesis that our universe is a computer simulation. On the other hand, the idea that the universe itself is conscious is difficult to rule out entirely.
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Unscientific and unengaging
- By Jase G on 03-29-23
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Fooled by Randomness
- The Hidden Role of Chance in Life and in the Markets
- By: Nassim Nicholas Taleb
- Narrated by: Sean Pratt
- Length: 10 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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This audiobook is about luck, or more precisely, how we perceive and deal with luck in life and business. It is already a landmark work, and its title has entered our vocabulary. In its second edition, Fooled by Randomness is now a cornerstone for anyone interested in random outcomes.
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Pass on this one and read The Black Swan
- By Wade T. Brooks on 06-25-12
What listeners say about Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
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- L. DiPaula
- 05-28-16
Clear and concise
A clear & digestible summation of major physics theories spoken in layman's terms. A brief and thought-provoking refresher for those interested in the studies of physics without needing to be a professional in the field to comprehend the concepts presented.
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- Daniel B.
- 07-08-17
It's understandable; it's physics
It is mind blowing. It is clear and concise. Read by the author, it is a distinct pleasure. I know English is not his native tongue, so the way he speaks is so concise and charming. He is thought-provoking yet he gets the concepts across clearly. It made me really think about physics, life, and being human.
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- SPICELY ORGANIC SPICES
- 04-19-16
Excellent
Extraordinary, excellent, enjoyed every sentence. while listening most of the time I had smile of joy on my lips....
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- rblock
- 09-13-22
Almost there.
Still in Plato's cave, but the chains loosen. When we are finally able to turn around the rest of the story will be obvious.
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- SpiritSeeker
- 01-21-25
language that clarifies complex concepts
I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the way we interact with our reality.
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- Philip K Springer, MD
- 04-16-16
Hey most remarkable book
What can I say but it was marvelous to hear Carlo Ravelli. It took me back to my college days in the 50s when I realized that my prof in physics made the most sense of any of my teachers.
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- Charles O'Connor
- 07-16-20
A fresh perspective!
The content was great and had some new perspectives that I had yet to encounter up to this point, having already read most of the works by physicists such as Hawking, Tyson, Dirac, Carroll, Einstein, and others. The only downside to this audio book is that Rovelli's accent made it somewhat hard to understand the narration when I was listening during work. This was most likely due to the untreated rooms I was working in (bad acoustics/lots of reverb and echo) and the fact that I was giving the book maybe 75% of my attention. However I've been listening to a few other audio books in the same environment and the same way without these issues. Overall it is a great book and has earned a spot in my hardback collection!
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- John Henry
- 05-07-21
I was loaded wit fear & horror as approaching her
He was a bit overbearing but who wouldn't be if they've had 2carr y their own body home like 12 times. I'd like 2keep it very quiet!!!!!!
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- Dr. Brian Klinge
- 10-13-17
Interesting Lessons
Not being a scientist, I found this most interesting explanation and lessons of Physics, and why certain phenomenon are observed and occur.
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- Ze
- 04-14-22
Carlo strikes again
Carlo has a unique gift and ability to bring complex topics closer to reach for the average reader/listener. His skill in explaining scientific topics is honestly addictive.
So, why does he have to ruin all this by trying too hard to fit his lessons as chapters in a book on the “answer to life, the universe and everything”? Chapters 1-7 are interesting and a great read. Last chapter, he ruins it all and loses all credibility, often contradicting himself.
Just read the first 6-7 chapters. Avoid the chaotic rambling in the last one.
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