Third Thoughts
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
$0.99/mo for the first 3 months
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Third Thoughts
Buy for $15.56
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
John Lescault
-
By:
-
Steven Weinberg
About this listen
A wise, personal, and wide-ranging meditation on science and society by the Nobel Prize-winning author of To Explain the World.
For more than four decades, one of the most captivating and celebrated science communicators of our time has challenged the public to think carefully about the foundations of nature and the inseparable entanglement of science and society. In Third Thoughts, Steven Weinberg casts a wide net: from the cosmological to the personal, from astronomy, quantum mechanics, and the history of science to the limitations of current knowledge, the art of discovery, and the rewards of getting things wrong.
Winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics and author of the classic The First Three Minutes, Weinberg shares his views on some of the most fundamental and fascinating aspects of physics and the universe. But he does not seclude science behind disciplinary walls or shy away from politics, taking on what he sees as the folly of manned spaceflight, the harms of inequality, and the importance of public goods. His point of view is rationalist, realist, reductionist, and devoutly secularist.
Weinberg is that great rarity, a prize-winning physicist who is entertaining and accessible. The essays in Third Thoughts, some of which appear here for the first time, will engage, provoke, and inform - and never lose sight of the human dimension of scientific discovery and its consequences for our endless drive to probe the workings of the cosmos.
©2018 Steven Weinberg (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
-
The Biggest Ideas in the Universe
- Space, Time, and Motion
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 143
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 120
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
The most trusted explainer of the most mind-boggling concepts pulls back the veil of mystery that has too long cloaked the most valuable building blocks of modern science. Sean Carroll, with his genius for making complex notions entertaining, presents in his uniquely lucid voice the fundamental ideas informing the modern physics of reality. In the tradition of the legendary Richard Feynman lectures presented sixty years ago, this book is an inspiring, dazzling introduction to a way of seeing that will resonate across cultural and generational boundaries for many years to come.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Accompanying PDF is Included
- By Barton on 11-21-22
By: Sean Carroll
-
To Explain the World
- The Discovery of Modern Science
- By: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 261
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 220
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 218
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
How the world created a Newton
- By Gary on 03-02-15
By: Steven Weinberg
-
Higgs
- The Invention and Discovery of the 'God Particle'
- By: Jim Baggott, Steven Weinberg - foreword
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
The hunt for the Higgs particle has involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. So exactly what is this particle? Why does it matter so much? What does it tell us about the universe? Was finding it really worth all the effort? The short answer is yes. The Higgs field is proposed as the way in which particles gain mass - a fundamental property of matter. It's the strongest indicator yet that the Standard Model of physics really does reflect the basic building blocks of our universe. Little wonder the hunt and discovery of this new particle produced such intense media interest.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best of Baggott (as far as I can tell)
- By James S. on 03-17-23
By: Jim Baggott, and others
-
Dreams of a Final Theory
- The Scientist's Search for the Ultimate Laws of Nature
- By: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Stuart Langton
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 183
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 137
This is the story of a grand scientific quest: the quest for a unifying theory of nature. Writing with dazzling elegance and clarity, Nobel Prize - winning physicist Steven Weinberg retraces the steps that have led modern scientists from relativity theory and quantum mechanics to the notion of superstrings and the idea that our universe may coexist with others. Along the way, he voices the questions that are always present: Why does each explanation of the way nature works point to other, deeper explanations?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Informative
- By Roy on 08-03-09
By: Steven Weinberg
-
An Infinity of Worlds
- Cosmic Inflation and the Beginning of the Universe
- By: Will Kinney
- Narrated by: Graham Rowat
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
In the beginning was the Big Bang: an unimaginably hot fire almost fourteen billion years ago in which the first elements were forged. The physical theory of the hot nascent universe—the Big Bang—was one of the most consequential developments in twentieth-century science. And yet it leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the universe so big? Why is it so old? What is the origin of structure in the cosmos? In An Infinity of Worlds, physicist Will Kinney explains a more recent theory that may hold the answers to these questions and even explain the ultimate origins of the universe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Raised my interest in inflation
- By Human Reed on 06-11-23
By: Will Kinney
-
Reality Is Not What It Seems
- The Journey to Quantum Gravity
- By: Carlo Rovelli, Simon Carnell - translator, Erica Segre - translator
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,133
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,877
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,865
From the New York Times best-selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time, and Helgoland, a closer look at the mind-bending nature of the Universe. What are the elementary ingredients of the world? Do time and space exist? And what exactly is reality? Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has spent his life exploring these questions. He tells us how our understanding of reality has changed over the centuries and how physicists think about the structure of the Universe today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Most compelling physics book in at least 10 years!
- By Kyle on 02-03-17
By: Carlo Rovelli, and others
-
The Biggest Ideas in the Universe
- Space, Time, and Motion
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 9 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 143
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 120
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 120
The most trusted explainer of the most mind-boggling concepts pulls back the veil of mystery that has too long cloaked the most valuable building blocks of modern science. Sean Carroll, with his genius for making complex notions entertaining, presents in his uniquely lucid voice the fundamental ideas informing the modern physics of reality. In the tradition of the legendary Richard Feynman lectures presented sixty years ago, this book is an inspiring, dazzling introduction to a way of seeing that will resonate across cultural and generational boundaries for many years to come.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Accompanying PDF is Included
- By Barton on 11-21-22
By: Sean Carroll
-
To Explain the World
- The Discovery of Modern Science
- By: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 261
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 220
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 218
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
How the world created a Newton
- By Gary on 03-02-15
By: Steven Weinberg
-
Higgs
- The Invention and Discovery of the 'God Particle'
- By: Jim Baggott, Steven Weinberg - foreword
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 5 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 46
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 38
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 38
The hunt for the Higgs particle has involved the biggest, most expensive experiment ever. So exactly what is this particle? Why does it matter so much? What does it tell us about the universe? Was finding it really worth all the effort? The short answer is yes. The Higgs field is proposed as the way in which particles gain mass - a fundamental property of matter. It's the strongest indicator yet that the Standard Model of physics really does reflect the basic building blocks of our universe. Little wonder the hunt and discovery of this new particle produced such intense media interest.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best of Baggott (as far as I can tell)
- By James S. on 03-17-23
By: Jim Baggott, and others
-
Dreams of a Final Theory
- The Scientist's Search for the Ultimate Laws of Nature
- By: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Stuart Langton
- Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 183
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 136
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 137
This is the story of a grand scientific quest: the quest for a unifying theory of nature. Writing with dazzling elegance and clarity, Nobel Prize - winning physicist Steven Weinberg retraces the steps that have led modern scientists from relativity theory and quantum mechanics to the notion of superstrings and the idea that our universe may coexist with others. Along the way, he voices the questions that are always present: Why does each explanation of the way nature works point to other, deeper explanations?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Informative
- By Roy on 08-03-09
By: Steven Weinberg
-
An Infinity of Worlds
- Cosmic Inflation and the Beginning of the Universe
- By: Will Kinney
- Narrated by: Graham Rowat
- Length: 5 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 6
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 6
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 6
In the beginning was the Big Bang: an unimaginably hot fire almost fourteen billion years ago in which the first elements were forged. The physical theory of the hot nascent universe—the Big Bang—was one of the most consequential developments in twentieth-century science. And yet it leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the universe so big? Why is it so old? What is the origin of structure in the cosmos? In An Infinity of Worlds, physicist Will Kinney explains a more recent theory that may hold the answers to these questions and even explain the ultimate origins of the universe.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Raised my interest in inflation
- By Human Reed on 06-11-23
By: Will Kinney
-
Reality Is Not What It Seems
- The Journey to Quantum Gravity
- By: Carlo Rovelli, Simon Carnell - translator, Erica Segre - translator
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 6 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,133
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,877
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,865
From the New York Times best-selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time, and Helgoland, a closer look at the mind-bending nature of the Universe. What are the elementary ingredients of the world? Do time and space exist? And what exactly is reality? Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has spent his life exploring these questions. He tells us how our understanding of reality has changed over the centuries and how physicists think about the structure of the Universe today.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Most compelling physics book in at least 10 years!
- By Kyle on 02-03-17
By: Carlo Rovelli, and others
-
A Universe from Nothing
- Why There Is Something Rather Than Nothing
- By: Lawrence M. Krauss
- Narrated by: Lawrence M. Krauss, Simon Vance
- Length: 5 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,453
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 3,038
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 3,007
Where did the universe come from? What was there before it? What will the future bring? And finally, why is there something rather than nothing? Krauss’ answers to these and other timeless questions, in a wildly popular lecture on YouTube, has attracted almost a million viewers. One of the few prominent scientists to have actively crossed the chasm between science and popular culture, Krauss reveals that modern science is indeed addressing the question of why there is something rather than nothing—with surprising and fascinating results.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Read Review Before Buying
- By Nathan on 04-26-18
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,001
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,553
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,548
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Well Written, Good Narration
- By Verena on 06-12-09
By: Brian Greene
-
The Greatest Story Ever Told - So Far
- Why Are We Here?
- By: Lawrence M. Krauss
- Narrated by: Lawrence Krauss
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,139
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,902
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 1,894
In this grand poetic vision of the universe, Lawrence Krauss tells the dramatic story of the discovery of the hidden world that underlies reality - and our place within it. Reality is not what you think or sense - it’s weird, wild, and counterintuitive, and its inner workings seem at least as implausible as the idea that something can come from nothing. With his trademark wit and accessible style, Krauss leads us to realms so small that they are invisible to microscopes, to the birth and rebirth of light, and into the natural forces that govern our existence.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Mean spirited rant against religion
- By A Kindle Customer on 08-06-18
-
Our Mathematical Universe
- My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- By: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,513
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,197
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,188
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy, and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wow!
- By Michael on 02-02-14
By: Max Tegmark
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,670
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,211
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,191
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
This book & Greene's analogies connected Qs to As
- By Blair on 02-02-11
By: Brian Greene
-
The Grand Design
- By: Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow
- Narrated by: Steve West
- Length: 4 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,133
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,401
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,386
When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? What is the nature of reality? Is the apparent “grand design” of our universe evidence of a benevolent creator who set things in motion—or does science offer another explanation? In The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow present the most illuminating scientific thinking about these and other abiding mysteries of the universe, in nontechnical language marked by brilliance and simplicity.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A GREAT book but not purely science
- By Kristopher on 09-16-10
By: Stephen Hawking, and others
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 717
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 623
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 616
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good, "light" "read"... potential caveat below...
- By James S. on 03-31-18
By: Adam Becker
-
Quantum Man
- Richard Feynman’s Life in Science
- By: Lawrence M. Krauss
- Narrated by: Lawrence M. Krauss
- Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 823
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 696
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 690
Perhaps the greatest physicist of the second half of the 20th century, Richard Feynman changed the way we think about quantum mechanics, the most perplexing of all physical theories. Here Lawrence M. Krauss, himself a theoretical physicist and best-selling author, offers a unique scientific biography: a rollicking narrative coupled with clear and novel expositions of science at the limits.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Richard Feynman's Science
- By Tom Miller on 04-23-11
-
This Way to the Universe
- A Theoretical Physicist's Journey to the Edge of Reality
- By: Michael Dine
- Narrated by: Michael Dine
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 30
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 30
This Way to the Universe is a celebration of the astounding, ongoing scientific investigations that have revealed the nature of reality at its smallest, at its largest, and at the scale of our daily lives. The enigmas that Professor Michael Dine discusses are like landmarks on a fantastic journey to the edge of the universe. Asked where to find out about the big bang, dark matter, the Higgs boson particle - the long cutting edge of physics right now - Dine had no single book he could recommend. This is his accessible, authoritative, and up-to-date answer.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting but far above my intellect
- By Richard M. on 04-25-23
By: Michael Dine
-
Lost in Math
- How Beauty Leads Physics Astray
- By: Sabine Hossenfelder
- Narrated by: Laura Jennings
- Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,008
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 864
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 855
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A rare glimpse into the inner world of physics
- By Joe on 12-08-18
-
The Trouble with Physics
- The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
- By: Lee Smolin
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 536
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 360
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 363
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Strings snipped
- By J B Tipton on 06-06-10
By: Lee Smolin
-
The Universe
- Leading Scientists Explore the Origin, Mysteries, and Future of the Cosmos
- By: John Brockman
- Narrated by: Antony Ferguson, Danny Campbell, Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 12 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 179
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 155
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 156
In The Universe, today's most influential science writers explain the science behind our evolving understanding of The Universe and everything in it, including the cutting-edge research and discoveries that are shaping our knowledge. Lee Smolin reveals how math and cosmology are helping us create a theory of the whole universe. Neil Turok analyzes the fundamental laws of nature, what came before the big bang, and the possibility of a unified theory. And much more.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Equivalant to reading 25 books
- By Gary on 10-05-14
By: John Brockman
Related to this topic
-
The Quantum Story
- A History in 40 Moments
- By: Jim Baggott
- Narrated by: Mike Pollock
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 235
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 174
Utterly beautiful. Profoundly disconcerting. Quantum theory is quite simply the most successful account of the physical universe ever devised. Its concepts underpin much of the 21st-century technology that we now take for granted. But at the same time it has completely undermined our ability to make sense of the world at its most fundamental level.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
who's the target reader?
- By Hannah on 09-17-11
By: Jim Baggott
-
The Trouble with Physics
- The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
- By: Lee Smolin
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 536
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 360
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 363
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Strings snipped
- By J B Tipton on 06-06-10
By: Lee Smolin
-
Knocking on Heaven's Door
- How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World
- By: Lisa Randall
- Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 184
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 156
The latest developments in physics have the potential to radically revise our understanding of the world: its makeup, its evolution, and the fundamental forces that drive its operation. Knocking on Heaven's Door is an exhilarating and accessible overview of these developments and an impassioned argument for the significance of science. There could be no better guide than Lisa Randall.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Too Political
- By Allan on 12-14-11
By: Lisa Randall
-
Einstein and the Quantum
- The Quest of the Valiant Swabian
- By: A. Douglas Stone
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 61
Einstein and the Quantum reveals for the first time the full significance of Albert Einstein's contributions to quantum theory. Einstein famously rejected quantum mechanics, observing that God does not play dice. But, in fact, he thought more about the nature of atoms, molecules, and the emission and absorption of light - the core of what we now know as quantum theory - than he did about relativity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
educational and fun
- By Amjad on 12-04-13
By: A. Douglas Stone
-
The Infinity Puzzle
- Quantum Field Theory and the Hunt for an Orderly Universe
- By: Frank Close
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 121
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 95
The second half of the 20th century witnessed a scientific gold rush as physicists raced to chart the inner workings of the atom. The stakes were high, the questions were big, and there were Nobel Prizes and everlasting glory to be won. Many mysteries of the atom came unraveled, but one remained intractable-what Frank Close calls the "Infinity Puzzle."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Succinct exposition
- By Gary on 06-26-12
By: Frank Close
-
To Explain the World
- The Discovery of Modern Science
- By: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 261
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 220
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 218
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
How the world created a Newton
- By Gary on 03-02-15
By: Steven Weinberg
-
The Quantum Story
- A History in 40 Moments
- By: Jim Baggott
- Narrated by: Mike Pollock
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 235
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 174
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 174
Utterly beautiful. Profoundly disconcerting. Quantum theory is quite simply the most successful account of the physical universe ever devised. Its concepts underpin much of the 21st-century technology that we now take for granted. But at the same time it has completely undermined our ability to make sense of the world at its most fundamental level.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
who's the target reader?
- By Hannah on 09-17-11
By: Jim Baggott
-
The Trouble with Physics
- The Rise of String Theory, The Fall of a Science, and What Comes Next
- By: Lee Smolin
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 14 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 536
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 360
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 363
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Strings snipped
- By J B Tipton on 06-06-10
By: Lee Smolin
-
Knocking on Heaven's Door
- How Physics and Scientific Thinking Illuminate the Universe and the Modern World
- By: Lisa Randall
- Narrated by: Carrington MacDuffie
- Length: 14 hrs and 24 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall3.5 out of 5 stars 184
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 152
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 156
The latest developments in physics have the potential to radically revise our understanding of the world: its makeup, its evolution, and the fundamental forces that drive its operation. Knocking on Heaven's Door is an exhilarating and accessible overview of these developments and an impassioned argument for the significance of science. There could be no better guide than Lisa Randall.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Too Political
- By Allan on 12-14-11
By: Lisa Randall
-
Einstein and the Quantum
- The Quest of the Valiant Swabian
- By: A. Douglas Stone
- Narrated by: Gabriel Vaughan
- Length: 11 hrs and 9 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 71
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 61
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 61
Einstein and the Quantum reveals for the first time the full significance of Albert Einstein's contributions to quantum theory. Einstein famously rejected quantum mechanics, observing that God does not play dice. But, in fact, he thought more about the nature of atoms, molecules, and the emission and absorption of light - the core of what we now know as quantum theory - than he did about relativity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
educational and fun
- By Amjad on 12-04-13
By: A. Douglas Stone
-
The Infinity Puzzle
- Quantum Field Theory and the Hunt for an Orderly Universe
- By: Frank Close
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 121
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 101
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 95
The second half of the 20th century witnessed a scientific gold rush as physicists raced to chart the inner workings of the atom. The stakes were high, the questions were big, and there were Nobel Prizes and everlasting glory to be won. Many mysteries of the atom came unraveled, but one remained intractable-what Frank Close calls the "Infinity Puzzle."
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Succinct exposition
- By Gary on 06-26-12
By: Frank Close
-
To Explain the World
- The Discovery of Modern Science
- By: Steven Weinberg
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 10 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 261
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 220
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 218
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
How the world created a Newton
- By Gary on 03-02-15
By: Steven Weinberg
-
The Island of Knowledge
- The Limits of Science and the Search for Meaning
- By: Marcelo Gleiser
- Narrated by: William Neenan
- Length: 10 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 552
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 488
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 486
How much can we know about the world? In this audiobook physicist Marcelo Gleiser traces our search for answers to the most fundamental questions of existence, the origin of the universe, the nature of reality, and the limits of knowledge. In so doing he reaches a provocative conclusion: Science, like religion, is fundamentally limited as a tool for understanding the world. As science and its philosophical interpretations advance, we face the unsettling recognition of how much we don't know.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Island of knowledge
- By Joshua Kring on 07-26-15
By: Marcelo Gleiser
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 717
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 623
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 616
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Good, "light" "read"... potential caveat below...
- By James S. on 03-31-18
By: Adam Becker
-
Our Mathematical Universe
- My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- By: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,513
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,197
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,188
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy, and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wow!
- By Michael on 02-02-14
By: Max Tegmark
-
Quantum Enigma
- Physics Encounters Consciousness
- By: Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kuttner
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 266
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 228
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 228
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.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wow. Very Informative and mind boggling.
- By Kevin Harper, Realtor on 08-11-17
By: Bruce Rosenblum, and others
-
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
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 125
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 113
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 114
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.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Physics textbook without the math
- By Victor on 05-13-18
By: Lisa Randall
-
The World According to Physics
- By: Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Jim Al-Khalili
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 106
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 95
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 95
Shining a light on the most profound insights revealed by modern physics, Jim Al-Khalili invites us all to understand what this crucially important science tells us about the universe and the nature of reality itself. Al-Khalili begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, and then describes the three pillars of modern physics - quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics - showing how all three must come together if we are ever to have a full understanding of reality.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
excellent book
- By Anonymous User on 05-10-21
By: Jim Al-Khalili
-
The Unknown Universe
- A New Exploration of Time, Space and Cosmology
- By: Stuart Clark
- Narrated by: Stephen Hoye
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,135
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,024
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,026
On March 21, 2013, the European Space Agency released a map of the afterglow of the big bang. Taking in 440 sextillion kilometers of space and 13.8 billion years of time, it is physically impossible to make a better map: We will never see the early universe in more detail. On the one hand, such a view is the apotheosis of modern cosmology; on the other, it threatens to undermine almost everything we hold cosmologically sacrosanct.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Everything, Absolutely Everything!
- By Gillian on 03-09-17
By: Stuart Clark
-
Uncertainty
- Einstein, Heisenberg, Bohr, and the Struggle for the Soul of Science
- By: David Lindley
- Narrated by: Robert Blumenfeld
- Length: 7 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 370
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 209
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 210
Werner Heisenberg's "uncertainty principle" challenged centuries of scientific understanding, placed him in direct opposition to Albert Einstein, and put Niels Bohr in the middle of one of the most heated debates in scientific history. Heisenberg's theorem stated that there were physical limits to what we could know about sub-atomic particles; this "uncertainty" would have shocking implications.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
fascinating insight into the real drama of physics
- By Ryan on 09-07-10
By: David Lindley
-
Spooky Action at a Distance
- The Phenomenon That Reimagines Space and Time-and What It Means for Black Holes, the Big Bang, and Theories of Everything
- By: George Musser
- Narrated by: William Hughes
- Length: 8 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 657
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 578
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 576
What is space? It isn't a question that most of us normally stop to ask. Space is the venue of physics; it's where things exist, where they move and take shape. Yet over the past few decades, physicists have discovered a phenomenon that operates outside the confines of space and time. The phenomenon - the ability of one particle to affect another instantly across the vastness of space - appears to be almost magical.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Rambling but Asks Good Questions
- By Michael on 12-19-15
By: George Musser
-
Coming of Age in the Milky Way
- By: Timothy Ferris
- Narrated by: Timothy Ferris
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 115
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 63
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 65
Humans have long sought to comprehend the enormities of cosmic space and time. Here, best selling science writer Timothy Ferris tells the story of that quest. He interweaves the majestic themes of astronomy, physics, religion, and philosophy with fresh and lasting portraits of the men and women who created what has been called our society's most precious treasure - its conception of the universe at large.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Brief survey of discovery from Columbus to now
- By serine on 01-23-16
By: Timothy Ferris
-
The Cosmic Cocktail
- Three Parts Dark Matter
- By: Katherine Freese
- Narrated by: Tamara Marston
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 103
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 87
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 87
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.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
I was looking for a book about science....
- By Jeff on 03-27-15
By: Katherine Freese
-
Euclid's Window
- The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace
- By: Leonard Mlodinow
- Narrated by: Robert Blumenfeld
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 594
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 420
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 422
Through Euclid's Window Leonard Mlodinow brilliantly and delightfully leads us on a journey through five revolutions in geometry, from the Greek concept of parallel lines to the latest notions of hyperspace. Here is an altogether new, refreshing, alternative history of math revealing how simple questions anyone might ask about space -- in the living room or in some other galaxy -- have been the hidden engine of the highest achievements in science and technology.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Wow!
- By Eric on 08-13-10
By: Leonard Mlodinow
What listeners say about Third Thoughts
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-11-21
A worthwhile book
Irrespective of whether you agree with his ideas, Steven Weinberg conveys in this compilation of articles fetching points of view about the history of science, state-of-the-art physics and cosmology, metaphysics, or public matters. Pieces about the standard model of particle physics might turn out to be challenging for the average reader.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance3 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- Clint Harman
- 12-20-20
Not what I expected
I was expecting scientific insight. I got sour grapes by an academic dunderhead who doesn’t accept that manned space flight is the primary emotional foundation for all federal spending on science.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 11-15-20
Great!
a fantastic piece of work & analysis of many essential issues! There's no BS science. There's no condescending tone. Very recondite subject matters are clearly explained!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall3 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story3 out of 5 stars
- David
- 04-04-21
Dull and Uninspired
Essays that remind me of my high school physics teacher... the dullest instructor in history.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Dave in San Diego
- 01-08-22
No need to have a PhD in physics.
Extremely well written and very well read. Mister Weinberg succeeds in making the abstract counter intuitive ideas behind quantum physics a good deal clearer, at least to someone with my limited intelligence.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story1 out of 5 stars
- B
- 12-08-22
Dull, wandering, repetitive
Weinberg seems to have earned his reputation as an ego driven theorist. Though I largely don’t disagree with his views, there doesn’t seem to be a point to this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful