Black Bodies and Quantum Cats: Tales from the Annals of

Black Bodies and Quantum Cats: Tales from the Annals of Physics

Physics, once known as "natural philosophy," is the most basic science, explaining the world we live in, from the largest scale down to the very, very,Â veryÂ smallest, and our understanding of it has changed over many centuries. InÂ Black Bodies and Quantum Cats, science writer Jennifer Ouellette traces key developments in the field, setting descriptions of the fundamentals of physics in their historical context as well as against a broad cultural backdrop. Newtonâ€™s laws are illustrated via the filmÂ Addams Family Values, whileÂ Back to the FutureÂ demonstrates the finer points of special relativity. Poeâ€™s "The Purloined Letter" serves to illuminate the mysterious nature of neutrinos, and Jeanette Wintersonâ€™s novelÂ Gut SymmetriesÂ provides an elegant metaphorical framework for string theory.Â An enchanting and edifying read, Black Bodies and Quantum Cats shows that physics is not an arcane field of study but a profoundly human endeavorâ€”and a fundamental part of our everyday world.

Black Bodies and Quantum Cats: Tales from the Annals of Physics