Why Does E=MC2 and Why Should We Care

By: Brian Cox, Jeff Forshaw

Narrated by: Jeff Forshaw

In one of the most exciting and accessible explanations of The Theory of Relativity in recent years, Professors Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw go on a journey to the frontier of 21st century science to consider the real meaning behind the iconic sequence of symbols that make up Einstein's most famous equation, exploring the principles of physics through everyday life.

©2010 Brian Cox & Jeff Forshaw (P)2010 WF Howes Ltd

well written

I needed a break from the strictly quantum theory side and much of it is what I already understood. But, Brian and Jeff do a great job ! this book is a great place to start to understanding the "why."... I hope I live long enough to see a complete unification. I am always looking for hints to that end. No matter how many books and papers I have studied,, there is always something "different" in where it leads my thoughts. I was not disappointed.

Superb Introduction to Relativity !

This is a great introduction to understanding how energy has been converted to mass and back into energy, creating every bit of known matter. The first part of the book introduces the reader to the concept of e=mc2, in very simple and easy to understand terms. In the second part of the book, the authors breakdown the equation to teach any curious learner the math behind the equation. Even if you are not interested in breaking down the math, I would still highly recommend this book if you are curious about special or general relativity.

I found the 3rd part of the book to be the most enjoyable. The authors give a fantastic and extremely easy to understand survey of the various types of stars in the universe. Stars are one of my favorite things to read about, and I have read my share of books about them. I would definitely say these authors excelled at explaining the relationship between mass and type of star as well as the forces at work to keep stars active. There is a beautiful dance that exists between the inward pull of gravity and the outward push of fusion and electron repulsion. The way the authors organized this discussion was so simple and beautiful. I think anyone interested in the dynamics of stars would love this book. They did not mention my favorite star, the brown dwarf. That was a tiny bit disappointing.

The final part of the book gave an extremely brief summary of the standard model as well as a summary of some of the particles accelerators and wave detectors. The authors chose not to bog the reader down with the various particles of the standard model. They were more interested in trying to help the reader understand how these particles are at work in e = mc2.

I would definitely recommend this book for someone who is looking for an introduction or a refresher.

thoroughly enjoyable

explained specific and general relativity in a clear manner with minimal math. I was able to follow most of it while listening to the audio while driving. The audible was well read and engaging.

A good review of Physics

What made the experience of listening to Why Does E=MC2 and Why Should We Care the most enjoyable?

I thought that this book did a real good job of explaining the theory of relativity with out using any more complex math then Patagium theorem.

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

No, it is better to have breaks and think about what was discussed.

Wow great explanation wirh a bit or real maths

This book really does help get an understanding of the universe and the equation. It was a great book

so way should we care?

Where does Why Does E=MC2 and Why Should We Care rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

great book you will need to read it more then once to get all the info and becuse of that it great that it on mp3 so you can listen with easi

Awesome, but difficult subject for audio

It is difficult to organize the information at times when just listening. This is especially true if u listen while performing other tasks in which you're likely to be interrupted (such as driving). The information is intriguing and the story telling/thought experiments captivating.

best book about special relativity

Galileo's equivalence principle and Light speed should be the same to everyone are the most important keys.
I learned a lot from this book much more than other books. The author reads this audiobook by himself very well!

Have a pencil and paper handy...

Would you listen to Why Does E=MC2 and Why Should We Care again? Why?

I fully plan to listen to the book again... and again... and again. I have a general understanding of the topic and am not a physicist or mathematician, but I know enough to do the math in this book, I just want to understand it better.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Why Does E=MC2 and Why Should We Care?

Mathematically changing the unit of measurement from meters per second to the speed of light (c).

What does Jeff Forshaw bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

He has a similar accent to Brian Cox and sounds like he REALLY KNOWS this material. It was a pleasure to listen to him through the reading.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It made lightbulbs go off over and over again... it was GREAT!

Excellent Reading of a Fascinating Tale

This is one of the best books on this topic I have ever read and Jeff Forshaw reads it with excitement and wonder.