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The Lightness of Being
- Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 6 hrs and 10 mins
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Publisher's summary
Our understanding of nature's deepest reality has changed radically, but almost without our noticing, over the past 25 years. Transcending the clash of older ideas about matter and space, acclaimed physicist Frank Wilczek explains a remarkable new discovery: matter is built from almost weightless units, and pure energy is the ultimate source of mass. He calls it "The Lightness of Being." Space is no mere container, empty and passive. It is a dynamic grid, modern ether, and its spontaneous activity creates and destroys particles. This new understanding of mass explains the puzzling feebleness of gravity, and a gorgeous unification of all the forces comes sharply into focus. The Lightness of Being is the first book to explore the implications of these revolutionary ideas about mass, energy, and the nature of empty space. In it, Wilczek masterfully presents new perspectives on our incredible universe and envisions a new golden age of fundamental physics.
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A physicist speeds across space, time, and everything in between showing that our elegant universe from the Higgs boson to antimatter to the most massive group of galaxies is shaped by hidden symmetries that have driven all our recent discoveries about the universe and all the ones to come. Why is the sky dark at night? Is it possible to build a shrink-ray gun? If there is antimatter, can there be antipeople? Why are past, present, and future our only options? Are time and space like a butterfly's wings? No one but Dave Goldberg, the coolest nerd physicist on the planet, could give a hyper-drive tour of the universe like this one.
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Good, but for whom?
- By Michael on 08-31-13
By: Dave Goldberg
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Quantum Enigma
- Physics Encounters Consciousness
- By: Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kuttner
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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In trying to understand the atom, physicists built quantum mechanics, the most successful theory in science and the basis of one-third of our economy. They found, to their embarrassment, that with their theory, physics encounters consciousness. Authors Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner explain all this in nontechnical terms with help from some fanciful stories and anecdotes about the theory's developers. They present the quantum mystery honestly, emphasizing what is and what is not speculation.
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Wow. Very Informative and mind boggling.
- By Kevin Harper, Realtor on 08-11-17
By: Bruce Rosenblum, and others
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Calculating the Cosmos
- How Mathematics Unveils the Universe
- By: Ian Stewart
- Narrated by: Dana Hickox
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In Calculating the Cosmos, Ian Stewart presents an exhilarating guide to the cosmos, from our solar system to the entire universe. He describes the architecture of space and time, dark matter and dark energy, how galaxies form, why stars implode, how everything began, and how it's all going to end. He considers parallel universes, the fine-tuning of the cosmos for life, what forms extraterrestrial life might take, and the likelihood of life on Earth being snuffed out by an asteroid.
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Crank alert: rejects modern cosmology
- By James Weisner on 03-20-17
By: Ian Stewart
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The Trouble with Physics
- The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
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In this illuminating book, the renowned theoretical physicist Lee Smolin argues that fundamental physics - the search for the laws of nature - is losing its way. Ambitious ideas about extra dimensions, exotic particles, multiple universes, and strings have captured the publics imagination -- and the imagination of experts.
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Strings snipped
- By J B Tipton on 06-06-10
By: Lee Smolin
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Paradox
- The Nine Greatest Enigmas in Physics
- By: Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Matthew Waterson
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Throughout history, scientists have come up with theories and ideas that just don't seem to make sense. These we call paradoxes. The paradoxes Al-Khalili offers are drawn chiefly from physics and astronomy and represent those that have stumped some of the finest minds. With elegant explanations that bring the listener inside the mind of those who've developed them, Al-Khalili helps us to see that, in fact, paradoxes can be solved if seen from the right angle.
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Almost Useless
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The Physics of Star Trek
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What actually happens when the words, "beam me up, Scottie" are uttered? What "warps" when something travels at warp speed? Internationally renowned theoretical physicist and educator Lawrence M. Krauss provides matter-of-fact scientific explanations of the physics of Star Trek in this highly creative and informative guide for both the devoted Trekkie and the physics novice.
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Interesting Book. Quite Technical
- By Christopher B. on 12-07-04
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To Explain the World
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In this rich, irreverent, and compelling history, Nobel Prize-winning physicist Steven Weinberg takes us across centuries, from ancient Miletus to medieval Baghdad and Oxford, from Plato's Academy and the Museum of Alexandria to the cathedral school of Chartres and the Royal Society of London. He shows that the scientists of ancient and medieval times not only did not understand what we understand about the world--they did not understand what there is to understand or how to understand it.
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How the world created a Newton
- By Gary on 03-02-15
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The Big Picture
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- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
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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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The Cosmic Cocktail
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The ordinary atoms that make up the known universe - from our bodies and the air we breathe to the planets and stars - constitute only 5 percent of all matter and energy in the cosmos. The rest is known as dark matter and dark energy, because their precise identities are unknown. The Cosmic Cocktail is the inside story of the epic quest to solve one of the most compelling enigmas of modern science - what is the universe made of? - told by one of today’s foremost pioneers in the study of dark matter.
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I was looking for a book about science....
- By Jeff on 03-27-15
By: Katherine Freese
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Forces of Nature
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Professor Brian Cox uncovers some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth and in the universe and beyond. From the immensity of the universe and the roundness of Earth to the form of every single snowflake, the forces of nature shape everything we see. Pushed to extremes, the results are astonishing. In seeking to understand the everyday world, the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home, we develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to step beyond the everyday.
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Complicated in its simplicity
- By Philomath on 06-13-17
By: Professor Brian Cox, and others
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What listeners say about The Lightness of Being
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Scott
- 11-30-14
WHY is he WHISPERING???
I like this topic a lot—This book covers many great concepts in cosmology and theoretical physics, and they're beautifully presented. It's a significant contribution to that class of books which helps the listener piece together a consistent view of dark energy, dark matter, and the underlying structure of space itself.
One of the most interesting discussions is on the history of the ether, and how the fashion of this concept has ebbed and flowed over the past one hundred and twenty years. Wary of this antiquated term, we're left with a description of space as some kind of soup of particle pairs that spontaneously appear and annihilate, due to the basic uncertainty of quantum fluctuations.
However, what I found strange about this book was what it did NOT discuss. The fact that there was so much about spontaneously created and annihilated particle pairs begs the question—why is there no name given to this phenomenon? If the idea is truly distinct from John Wheeler's 1955 Quantum Foam proposal, then why is there no comparison drawn? And if space is full of this phenomenon, what is the possible extent of it, relative to the visible matter in the universe? Is the author purposefully avoiding questions to which he has no good answer? That doesn't seem scientific at all.
Furthermore, the predominant view of this book is from a particle-based perspective,
although there are many tantalizing references to quantum field theory—but no in-depth discussion of the specific nature of bosons vs. their associated fields.
Overall, it feels like there are so many opportunities lost in this presentation of a truly fascinating subject.
Now for the worst of it. The narration is intolerable. Walter Dixon narrates with a strange, affected whisper that's both distracting and demeaning. His unyielding, emotionally-charged tone is the kind of voice you'd expect of a dramatic fairy story told to a five-year-old. I've listened to more than three hundred audiobooks, and this reading is one of the worst. This is a book on SCIENCE, Folks—so what's with the reader's continual high-drama, hush-hush inflections? I only survived by continually mocking this ridiculous, over-the-top narration. Not that that's the whole of it—you've got to admire how Mr. Dixon can plow through a long, complicated sentence without taking a breath—but making a complex sentence go by quickly is NOT the best way to make it clear to a listener. Furthermore, at random intervals, his tone becomes strangely strident, making the listening experience both continuously frustrating and occasionally uncomfortable. You have to wonder—doesn't Gildan Media have a director to help wayward narrators match their tone appropriately to the source material?
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- Alexandra Hopkins
- 10-23-16
Beautifully written, deep understanding
Frank Wilczek is not only a Nobel-Prize winning quantum physicist, he is also a beautiful writer. He, of course, has a deep understanding of quantum physics, and he does not shy away from the concepts that lie at its foundation, including, in particular, quantum fields.
The focus of the book is what quantum physics tells us about the ultimate nature of reality. Wilczek believes that quantum fields and similar entities underlie reality--an approach I find very appealing.
This book is meant for a popular audience, but it is not a beginner's book. I came to the book after reading about 10 others on quantum physics. While there is very little math, the book is challenging. Wilczek's style is poetic, which I very much enjoy, but sometimes I wished for more examples of his abstract thinking.
I highly recommend "The Lightness of Being" for readers who have a sound knowledge of the basics of quantum physics and hope to make sense of how it relates to the reality that we experience.
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- Anonymous User
- 06-09-18
Awesome! As simple as possible, but not simpler ;D
His mastery of the subject is apparent immediately. He is not afraid of speaking of many subjects that others may consider too vague or speculative (but beautiful). As is quoted in the book: "Better for ask forgiveness than permission"
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- robert
- 08-11-14
We are part of the cosmic dance.
This book is crystal clear . The best cosmology book that I have found.Under standing understanding : I believe that it plays off of the human minds ability to integrate information, , to the highest level,in the parallel and probablistic. Space time GPS grid, in our brain. The human brain uses this process to create consciousness but probably tries out many juxtapositions prior to determining what Will become conscious. Even the very best non-algorithmic computer programs can't yetdo this. The brain creates A virtual reality based on this, for survival.
According to Ludwig Boltzman, sensory impressions are based at best on statistical estimates and scientific research is ,at neither precise nor accurate.Complex Scietific investigations, demand statistical analysis.
In special relativity, momentum is closely related to energy. Under boosts, energy and momentum mix with one another, just as time and space do. The total momentum of an isolated system is conserved. Space-time and matter and energy interact on Einstein's reality- metric grid and the brain creates-responds with a virtual reality based on historical survival. A dance,history does”nt repeat itself, but it rhymes.
What's fundamental, is the interpretation of quantum field theory as the grid. The reality grid like the neuronal consciousness grid is semi continuous ,with fermions ,photons and other bosons ,being simultaneously destroyed and created along the way to create motion just like our neurological consciousness grid creates and destroys ionic flow , integrating to the highest level. Space Time matter energy events don't repeat , but they do rhyme .Events may start out random, at the quantum level, but in a complex manner, they end up as a song ,and we and our consciousness ,are part of of the cosmic dance.
Paraphrased after Wilczek, Frank (2009-03-25). The Lightness of Being: Mass, Ether, and the Unification of Forces
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- Sam
- 12-20-21
Beautiful Concepts Described Lucidly
Time worth spent listening to.
The concepts covered by the author are simply skimmed by the instructors in universities.
Beautifully narrated, in simple language, which bridges the unexplained concepts in Universities.
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- James S.
- 07-26-18
Good overview of Standard Model, deep + accessible
I have a deeper understanding of the physics underlying the Standard Model after having listened to this audible. Wilczek's explanations are clear and concise, and taken from a unique enough perspective that it's not just boring repeats of others' works. It's not complete, but helps to form a clearer picture.
The narration does detract somewhat from the quality of the book's content, but no so badly as to be unbearable.
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- JMC
- 05-21-17
A clear, deep, thorough review by Nobel Laureate
Would you listen to The Lightness of Being again? Why?
Would I listen to this again? I already have.
In order to more fully grasp the principles and issues of various chapters, one needs to have the broad overview also present to mind. It is worth the effort. Few books on modern physics succeed so well.
What other book might you compare The Lightness of Being to and why?
Weinberg's To Explain the World, Nick Lane The Vital Question, Lawrence Krauss The Greatest Story Ever Told - So Far.
Even though written for the general public, Wilczek's book is no way superficial nor a "popular" discussion that leaves you with little when all is said and done. Yes, you have to work at understanding the argument, and you have to have some familiarity with the basics of modern physics. But the development of the ideas and the progression of the explanation for the "lightness" of being is both exciting and rewarding.
What about Walter Dixon’s performance did you like?
Very clear and direct. Limited use of emphasis, but always there in the right places.
Any additional comments?
... leaves you wanting for more from Wilczek
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- Vistarina
- 12-29-22
Lyrical prose telling mathematics and physics
Deepest story told beautifully in chronicling the neverending human endeavor to understand the very essence of our being.
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- Jason C.
- 03-05-16
Need to know the subject well to enjoy this
Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?
Yes but it was a real struggle. As a layman who listens a lot of Physics, Cosmology, Quantum Mechanics, and Astronomy type books from our greatest minds, this is the first book that I have written a review for. Because this book was way over your typical layman who enjoys these types of books and I listened to the entire sample and could not realize that this is too far above my understanding. Also it played quite fast and I was happy to see that I could actually slow it down by .75x. That helped but again I think this book requires an above average grasp of QCD and QED.
What does Walter Dixon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
Walter Dixon did a good job with the reading, it just seemed fast, and that may have nothing to do with his performance. Perhaps it's a technical thing.
Do you think The Lightness of Being needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
Frank Wilczek has many interesting things to say in this book and presents what I believe is a new perspective on things, but perhaps a follow-up ....on Quark and Lepton interactions for Dummies. An alternative would be to select a sample that represents the advanced complexity of his work.
Any additional comments?
I'll listen to it again, hoping more of it will sink in. Also I would not hesitate to buy another title written by Frank Wilczek, or read by Walter Dixon. I hope readers of this review are able to click to see my library which has quite a few hard science books so they might see where I am coming from.
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- Teeg
- 10-23-24
Professor Wilczek is Amazing
Nobel Laureate in Physics Frank Wilczek is extraordinary not only in his accomplishments as a physicist. He can describe difficult concepts of physics with such clarity and simplicity, that a non-scientist can understand them. This follows Feynman's recommendation: you know your physics when you can explain it clearly to a four-year-old. I especially appreciate how he explains cosmology in terms of musical composition - two different elegant forms of organized intelligence. If I could enroll in university to study for a PhD in Physics, I'd want Professor Wilczek to be my teacher and advisor.
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