Fundamentals

Starred review from October 5, 2020
The universe at its grandest and most minuscule is explored in this beguiling meditation on physics. Nobel Prize–winning physicist Wilczek (A Beautiful Question) elaborates on wide-ranging themes, including the vast size of the universe and minute yet spacious dimensions of subatomic structures; the simplicity of the elementary forces underlying theoretical physics; the delicate interplay between dynamic change and environmental stability that allowed life to arise on Earth; and the deeper unities between the seeming contradictions of quantum mechanics. Wilczek manages to convey advanced physics without overtaxing lay readers with complexities and knotty concepts, and does so by sticking closely to lucid accounts of the experiments and calculations scientists perform to establish how the world works, and by using straightforward but evocative descriptions of natural phenomena. (“Once the temperature gets low enough, the photons in the fireball cease to interact significantly with the other matter,” he writes of the early universe after the Big Bang, adding, “in plain English, the sky clears up, so that light travels more or less freely from one end of the universe to another, as it does today.”) The result is a stimulating and very readable scientific tour of the cosmos. Agent: John Brockman, Brockman Literary.

Starred review from October 1, 2020
The Nobel laureate digs back in to the fundamentals of modern physics, which not only provide a basic structure for how the universe works, but also suggest how humanity fits into the frame. In his fifth book on the nature of physical reality, MIT physics professor Wilczek delivers a breathtaking feat of popularization, especially in the "simplified" way he presents and dissects 10 fundamental principles in fields of study ranging from cosmology to quantum mechanics. He is rigorous in distinguishing fact from speculation and science from pseudo-science, and he is comprehensive (given the limitations of his condensed approach) in describing the nature of the observations and experiments that establish those facts. The author makes some informed guesses about the future of research and discovery, and he offers a detailed appendix that expands on some of the principles discussed in the main text. While the book will be most accessible to readers with some familiarity with the science, Wilczek is a cogent writer with the ability to lend clarity to many complex, esoteric principles and theories. To be sure, the narrative is a mind-bender of the first order--in the best way possible--but what makes it so engrossing is that the author does far more than just present the facts and speculations, however fascinating; on every page, readers will glean his exhilaration and joy in discovery. Although Wilczek does not consider the troublesome role hubris has played in the history of science, and some of his enthusiasms for "exploitation" (genetic engineering, artificial intelligence, etc.) don't always address the risks of incautious development, he is a voice of reason above all--not least on human potential and responsibility and the critical divide between physical reality and the delusions of religious fundamentalism. Another winner from Wilczek, who invites us to be born again into a richer, deeper understanding of the world.

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Starred review from October 15, 2020
Nobel Prize-winning author Wilczek (A Beautiful Question, 2015) shares his thoughts on ten fundamental entities that inform our understanding of the physical world. His coverage includes what's currently believed to be true, when it was figured out and by whom, and predictions of what future research may uncover. Beginning with space and time, he moves right along to cosmic history and complexity, finishing with unresolved mysteries and his belief that complementarity?the notion that single entities can have seemingly contradictory properties at the same time?will figure prominently in future breakthroughs. All of the technical aspects are presented in accessible language, and Wilczek blends in relatable examples, anecdotes, quotes, and bits of humor, taking pains to differentiate between fact and theory. In his preface, Wilczek shares that his grandson was born during the writing of this book, and keeps circling back to how babies learn through unbiased, creative experimentation. He hopes that future researchers will cultivate this innate curiosity and open-mindedness, increasing empathy and appreciation for the ever-expanding possibilities of science, not in contradiction to traditional beliefs, but in celebration of the wonders of our universe.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)