Parallel Worlds

A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos

By: Michio Kaku

Narrated by: Marc Vietor

Is our universe dying?

Could there be other universes?

In Parallel Worlds, world-renowned physicist and best-selling author Michio Kaku - an author who "has a knack for bringing the most ethereal ideas down to earth" (Wall Street Journal) - takes listeners on a fascinating tour of cosmology, M-theory, and its implications for the fate of the universe.

In his first book of physics since Hyperspace, Michio Kaku begins by describing the extraordinary advances that have transformed cosmology over the last century and particularly over the last decade, forcing scientists around the world to rethink our understanding of the birth of the universe and its ultimate fate. In Dr. Kaku's eyes, we are living in a golden age of physics, as new discoveries from the WMAP and COBE satellites and the Hubble space telescope have given us unprecedented pictures of our universe in its infancy.

As astronomers wade through the avalanche of data from the WMAP satellite, a new cosmological picture is emerging. So far the leading theory about the birth of the universe is the "inflationary universe theory", a major refinement on the big bang theory. In this theory our universe may be but one in a multiverse, floating like a bubble in an infinite sea of bubble universes, with new universes being created all the time. A parallel universe may well hover a mere millimeter from our own.

The very idea of parallel universes and the string theory that can explain their existence was once viewed with suspicion by scientists, seen as the province of mystics, charlatans, and cranks. But today physicists overwhelmingly support string theory and its latest iteration, M-theory, as it is this one theory that, if proven correct, would reconcile the four forces of the universe simply and elegantly and answer the question "what happened before the big bang?"

Already, Kaku explains, the world's foremost physicists and astronomers are searching for ways to test the theory of the multiverse using highly sophisticated wave detectors, gravity lenses, satellites, and telescopes. The implications of M-theory are fascinating and endless. If parallel worlds do exist, Kaku speculates, in time - perhaps a trillion years or more from now, as appears likely - when our universe grows cold and dark in what scientists describe as a big freeze, advanced civilizations may well find a way to escape our universe in a kind of "interdimensional lifeboat".

An unforgettable journey into black holes and time machines, alternate universes, and multidimensional space, Parallel Worlds gives us a compelling portrait of the revolution sweeping the world of cosmology.

©2006 Michio Kaku (P)2016 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"In Parallel Worlds, Michio Kaku brings his formidable explanatory talents to bear on one of the strangest and most exciting possibilities to have emerged from modern physics: that our universe may be but one among many, perhaps infinitely many, arrayed in a vast cosmic network. With deft use of analogy and humor, Kaku patiently introduces the reader to variations on this theme of parallel universes, coming from quantum mechanics, cosmology, and most recently, M-theory. Read this book for a wonderful tour, with an expert guide, of a cosmos whose comprehension forces us to stretch to the very limits of imagination." (Brian Greene, Professor of Theoretical Particle Physics, Columbia University, and author of The Fabric of the Cosmos and The Elegant Universe)

"Those who might enjoy a tour of cosmology, time travel, string theory, and the universe in 10 or 11 dimensions will find no better guide than Michio Kaku, a rare individual who has undertaken research in these subject areas yet also knows well how to present this intriguing, complex material in an engaging and easily assimilable style." (Donald Goldsmith, author of The Runaway Universe and Connecting with the Cosmos)

"A highly readable and exhilarating romp through the frontiers of cosmology." (Martin Rees, author of Our Cosmic Habitat and Our Final Century)

Little bit over my head. Love Michio Kaku, but...

Would you consider the audio edition of Parallel Worlds to be better than the print version?

No idea. Probably in some ways, yes.

What could Michio Kaku have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

I loved the illustrations and examples he gave to relate the complicated concepts to everyday life. Would've liked more if possible. And to the layperson, I don't really care about ultra-specific details - but I understand he wanted to be thorough. It just made the book drag a little for me.

Which character – as performed by Marc Vietor – was your favorite?

Einstein.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. Mind would have exploded.

Any additional comments?

I'd look for the abridged version if you're just a layperson like me who likes to watch documentaries on space and is intrigued about the possibility of time travel and parallel worlds -- but is not well steeped in the topic. I like physics but I, by no means, am an expert in math or physics. I have a very basic grasp of space, time, and physics. In all, this book was over my head and not extremely enjoyable. But Michio Kaku is amazing and I am by no means bashing him! This is a great book, especially for those of you who may have more knowledge than I do in this department!! Just beware, layperson, this may get a little tedious to listen to.

Excellent book!

Another great book by Michio Kaku. I read this book years ago, and wanted to review. Made for a great listen. A very accessible delivery of a complex subject. A must listen for any physics enthusiasts or those who are just plain fascinated by science and technology.

Great layman's introduction

For those of us not blessed with deductive mathematical minds, but nevertheless interested in the way the universe works, this book provides a great overview of astrophysics and catalogs various theories of physicists. It alao provides historical context and remains, for the most part, highly accessible. Excellent performance as well.

nice

Loved it ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡
it was a great book. Extremely informative, I highly recommended it to everyone.

Very enlightening

I have been able to increase my understanding of the world and the universe at large.

Possibilities for a better tomorrow

The best description that comes to mind regarding this amazing title is....."The possibilities for a better, brighter, more encouraging tomorrow, resides within this award winning text....The narration is superb and I highly recommend it!!

Excellent overview of quantum science.

This was a great book for one with just a basic understanding of astronomy and physics.

Dated, Still Powerful

This book was published in 2005 and there have been some very important scientific milestones reached in the near two decades since. While none of these milestones have invalidated the concepts here, many of the ideas have become much more developed, while others have had strong evidence to support one train of thought in preference of others (Higgs Bozon, Gravitational Waves, CERN and the LHC, and reusable rockets being high on the list).

The book is an exceptionally well balanced view of the state of cosmological science, catering both to well verse and sophomore readers alike. while the work doesn't present any seminal ideas and so is arguably already obsolete, it is a fascinating opportunity to enter a well articulated mind from the early millennium exploring the vanguard of cosmological theories and their implications on the real world.

A complete masterpiece of modern thoughts

This book was fascinating because not only did it clearly layout complicated scientific theories in a easy to understand why, it also left the sense of awe and wonder which so much of this genre of literature is devoid of. Although the author's opinion and views we're clear it was not opinionated. he laid out the different lines of thought and took them to their logical conclusion through each perspective. I would recommend anyone that is interested in physics for its own sake or one who is curious about the philosophical and Theological implications of the grand discoveries which it is made to read this book. If I could tell Michio Kaku thank you face to face for all of his great work I would.

Thought-provoking

I was familiar with nearly all the topics discussed in the book, yet still the author did a great job of disseminating the topics and ideas he discusses. The author frequently references books and movies which is great, however, he was strangely incorrect when he referenced the movie The Matrix, and said that aliens created the simulation. Clearly he was either not paying attention to The Matrix, never saw it, or even worse is just plain wrong about his interpretation of what he saw. What is concerning to me is that if he could get a simple thing like that wrong, how much more of this book is wrong. Even so, I enjoyed the book as I've enjoyed many books by the author.