Lost in Math

How Beauty Leads Physics Astray

By: Sabine Hossenfelder

Narrated by: Laura Jennings

A contrarian argues that modern physicists' obsession with beauty has given us wonderful math but bad science

Whether pondering black holes or predicting discoveries at CERN, physicists believe the best theories are beautiful, natural, and elegant, and this standard separates popular theories from disposable ones. This is why, Sabine Hossenfelder argues, we have not seen a major breakthrough in the foundations of physics for more than four decades. The belief in beauty has become so dogmatic that it now conflicts with scientific objectivity: observation has been unable to confirm mindboggling theories, like supersymmetry or grand unification, invented by physicists based on aesthetic criteria. Worse, these "too good to not be true" theories are actually untestable and they have left the field in a cul-de-sac. To escape, physicists must rethink their methods. Only by embracing reality as it is can science discover the truth.

©2018 Sabine Hossenfelder (P)2018 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

A Theoretical Physicist look at Particle Physics

This is a very nice book that explains how theoretical particle physics has come to be dominated by the speculative theories of supersymmetry and superstrings. Recent experimental results mentioned in the book, and a couple that were not explored, have thrown these edifices into doubt. This has led to a crisis in theoretical physics. This book is an excellent overview of that crisis.

Questioning the very foundations of Physics

The book reviews the main theories of quantum physics, questioning their fundamental assumptions and methods. The story is critical of the more controversial developments, it is very personal and reflective, yet it reveals the author's rigorous scientific thinking. Excellent line of argument, easy listening, despite the high pace of reading.

An interesting take on physics

Let me be clear- math and science are not my strong suits so I cannot speak to the validity of the research on the topic, but I enjoyed it. It was well written, well narrated,and accessible to the listener.

it gives me better understanding of Sabine

I knew Sabine from YouTube so I liked the book and understand her frustrations with the state of physics better now

Sabine H. is amazing.

Great book/perspective and one can't help but believe that perhaps she is right about the seeming dead end into which physics has been enticed. Difficult as it may be to find perhaps a new perspective (not so "beautiful") is where physics needs to head???

Masterful, If I Could Only Understand

I grasped about 40% of what was written (spoken) and then understood about 25% of that which I comprehended. That measures out to a 10% mastering of the data and examination of the data presented in Lost in Math, How Beauty Leads Physics Astray, written by Sabine Hossenfelder, and delightfully narrated by Laura Jennings. I am not a cosmologist: obviously. Yet, I very much enjoy learning about observational astronomy and particle physics. I love discovering unresolved issues and contemplating answers, or what my ignorance presupposes could be solutions. Just for the right to fantasize. It brings ease to my mental state of being.

Dr. Hossenfelder takes note that cosmology has had very diminished success over the last 80 years in developing answers; particularly if compared to the prior 80 years. She, in this examination of why, is critical of the formalism that has overtaken the academic world of physics. Along the way she turns out to be a very good describer of the science of physics (notwithstanding my 10% understanding of what she is teaching me).

This read (listen) was just true fun. Recommended.

corruption of science

i don"t want to.write a rebiew and zi should.not be bullied into doing so. @!aaaaaaaaa

Bias in Science

This is perhaps the best book I've come across in dealing with the Philosophy of Science and the underlying biases we have in the fields. It doesn't start this way but it's a discovery of why limits and bias in traditional science thinking occurs. Part history of physics and part particle physics intro (though it assumes a pretty good understanding to follow the debate so if you hated high school physics skip this one) - some aspects go very deep. But in the end it's worth it. You look at a field like particle physics with a new sense of questioning - and if they aren't perfect how can other sciences that move towards social variables have any hope if they aren't considering such issues.

Smart honest science writing very well narrated.

Well crafted interesting and entertaining Hossenfelder does a remarkably good job of dispassionately outlining some of the cracks in the foundations of some of the popular threads in modern physical theory. While providing a great service to the physics community with the discussion of cognitive bias.
Math is a tool for accurately describing data and making predictions about the outcomes of experiments. When well formulated it can point to new discoveries but math is not science. Nature and physical processes ultimately determines the applicability of human invented mathematics, Hossenfelder seems to understand this unlike many of the math wielding secular metaphysicists which today dominate the space of ideas in quantum foundations.

​Took Physics in School

​I took Physics in school and got nothing out of it. 16 weeks of homework, quizes, midterms, final and I barely passed. If "Lost in Math" was a requirement to read before the semester, I surely had gotten a better grade. Sabine Hossenfelder explains something terribly hard to understand into simple equations and theories. Almost want to enroll myself an extension college class again to understand much deeper on what I just learned in this book.