Very average, 04 Jan 2009
A book every student seems to have relating to optics, and it seems to stay on the shelf even into higher education. Whilst it contains a great deal of information on the various topics in optics it only touches the surface and leaves the reader desperately searching else where for more in depth coverage and understanding.

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

Very average, 04 Jan 2009
A book every student seems to have relating to optics, and it seems to stay on the shelf even into higher education. Whilst it contains a great deal of information on the various topics in optics it only touches the surface and leaves the reader desperately searching else where for more in depth coverage and understanding.

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

How to pass an optics exam... in a book!, 28 Oct 2002
The entire Schaum's series is great for learning how to understand problems (in this case in optics) and shows you how to get through examples that your lecturer hasn't *quite* explained properly.

The entire Scahum's series is great and will help you get through exams, assignments or if you want to learn how to apply all that theory to real-life situations.

This series has helped me through several exams and I highly recommend it to anyone!

Very average, 04 Jan 2009
A book every student seems to have relating to optics, and it seems to stay on the shelf even into higher education. Whilst it contains a great deal of information on the various topics in optics it only touches the surface and leaves the reader desperately searching else where for more in depth coverage and understanding.

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

How to pass an optics exam... in a book!, 28 Oct 2002
The entire Schaum's series is great for learning how to understand problems (in this case in optics) and shows you how to get through examples that your lecturer hasn't *quite* explained properly.

The entire Scahum's series is great and will help you get through exams, assignments or if you want to learn how to apply all that theory to real-life situations.

This series has helped me through several exams and I highly recommend it to anyone!

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Very average, 04 Jan 2009
A book every student seems to have relating to optics, and it seems to stay on the shelf even into higher education. Whilst it contains a great deal of information on the various topics in optics it only touches the surface and leaves the reader desperately searching else where for more in depth coverage and understanding.

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

How to pass an optics exam... in a book!, 28 Oct 2002
The entire Schaum's series is great for learning how to understand problems (in this case in optics) and shows you how to get through examples that your lecturer hasn't *quite* explained properly.

The entire Scahum's series is great and will help you get through exams, assignments or if you want to learn how to apply all that theory to real-life situations.

This series has helped me through several exams and I highly recommend it to anyone!

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Personal & Spiritual Journey of a Cosmologist in the Discovery of VSL Theory, 14 Jun 2007
This is a fascinating story of a young cosmologist who dared to challenge Einstein's most sacred laws of physics; the speed of light in vacuum is a universal constant. In human experience; space and time are perceived as universally rigid, but Einstein proposed that space & time; space-time could expand or contract but speed of light remains unchanged. On occasions many physicists have wondered, and debated that Varying Speed of Light (VSL) is an alternative explanation to inflation theory. A notable proponent is John Moffat who first expressed this idea to none other than father of relativity himself. Einstein responded by saying that "Every individual has to retain his way of thinking if he does not want to get lost in the maze of possibilities. However, nobody is sure of having taken the right road.... myself least of all." At another instance, Einstein said that "We are standing in front of a closed box which cannot open, and we try to discuss what is inside and what is not." The idea of VSL proposed by this author is not new, but he is one of those who made the theory a little more mainstream in physics. The first half of the book (chapter 2 - 6) discusses the current cosmological problems and inflation theory in layman terms, and in the second half, the author discusses his personal struggles in the pursuit of his controversial theory. He unleashes his mind and heart on any thing that matters; scientific bureaucracy, peer reviewing process, research-grant award mechanism, science administrators, and fellow scientists. The academic rat race is vividly explained along with his leftist and liberal leanings on political and social issues. He expresses cynicism against American and Russian scientists; a reflection of British educational system which refuses to forget 1776 and uncomfortable to admit scientific and technical superiority of another country.

The horizon effect of earth is due to its curvature, but the horizon of the universe is due to two factors; a definite age of the universe (13.7 billion years) and speed of light is constant. A consequence of this is when the universe was one second old, when it is known to have started expanding; the radius of the horizon was 300,000 kilometers. This suggests that the universe at its infancy had regions that did not have direct contact with each other, and thus can not explain the observed homogeneity of the universe (horizon problem). The second puzzle in cosmology is the flatness problem; the fate of the universe due to the dynamics of expansion, which results in three possible shapes; spherical, hyper-spherical (saddle shaped), and flat surface. When forces of expansion and gravity of the universe are matched, then the universe will neither collapse in a crunch nor does it expand endlessly leaving the universe in dark vacuum. This balanced state of the universe is highly unstable because the two opposing forces are nearly matched, when the natural tendency is that either the force of expansion or gravity takes control of the universe to increase entropy (Second law of Thermodynamics). This seemingly peculiar state of the universe is not clearly explained by the current cosmological models which call for a reexamination and perhaps reconsideration of existing theories.

VSL Model; at critical density of the universe, the density of matter that produces gravitational energy is equal to the density of matter producing expansion. In a closed universe (spherical shape), the mass density is above critical density, therefore gravitation supersedes; simultaneously the energy is lost due to a decrease in the speed of light under VSL model (correspondingly mass also decreases since E = MC(2)). Similarly for an open universe, energy is created (correspondingly mass also increases) from vacuum in the wake of expansion from an increase in the speed of light. Thus the universe gravitates to a flat universe in both closed and open situations but violating law of energy conservation (First law of Thermodynamics), because the total energy of the universe did not remain constant. VSL also explains the horizon problem. In VSL model; regions of the universe, which are denser will loss energy, whereas energy will be created in a sparse regions of the universe thereby maintaining homogeneity.

One of the properties of the cosmological constant is that vacuum energy is not diluted by expansion in contrast to matter and radiation. It is gravitationally repulsive and the energy density remains constant upon dilution: Expansion dilutes the lambda energy, but tension created by expansion makes up for the energy dilution thus balancing the power of expansion and gravity and thus keeping the universe flat. Hence vacuum energy theoretically must dominate the universe during expansion, but VSL model suppresses that by converting vacuum energy into matter. Other predictions of VSL include that near black holes the speed of light is zero at the horizon, and it also predicts in an eternal universe with no beginning and no end. Since the cosmic expansion is accelerating and cosmological constant lambda is responsible for slowing the speed of light since a sharp decrease in speed of light converts vacuum energy into ordinary matter and this result in conditions for new Big Bang. The cycle of new creation begins all over again.

The negative side of VSL is the violation of energy conservation but it provides for converting vacuum energy into the matter. This model also favors infinite speed of light during Planck epoch in order to explain the horizon problem. It is proposed that the primordial speed of light would be 32 zeros added to the current value (an extreme scenario for the varying speed of light!). There are several versions of VSL including two alternatives from the authors work. Ultimately experimental evidence should favor one VSL model over all others. Although the author mainstreamed this theory in physics but his shabby literature search ignored the work of John Moffat who must get the credit for the discovery of VSL theory.



Compelling combination of real science and real life, 08 Aug 2006
"Faster than the Speed of Light" is one of an increasing trend of books mixing hard science with softer autobiographical detail. I presume this is the reason it has been picked up by Arrow Books, Random House's populist brand, alongside the likes of "Charles and Camilla" and Rodney Bewes' autobiography. However, don't let its stable mates fool you. This is a true thoroughbred, and deserves far more attention than it has had to date. The scientific explanations are clearer and better written than the "Brief History of Time". As well as a canter through the history of cosmology, Magueijo, provides us with a fascinating backdrop of both his personal approach to science, and the context of how scientific research is still being carried out. For those of us who will never actually be doing this work, or as the author cuttingly puts it, give up on real science and take up finance, this is as close to the real thing as we're likely to get.

- The Science -
The first half of the book provides an explanation of the building blocks that make up the big bang theory - with no autobiography. We're treated to a quick run round special relativity, where Magueijo uses an analogy of cows travelling close to the speed of light. Despite being fairly annoying, this works very well, and is certainly memorable. We're then given a concise description of general relativity, which I'd rate as good as any that I've read, before moving off into a discussion of the big bang theory and open vs closed universes. This is where he is at his strongest, and I found myself really enjoying his explanations, particularly around the fundamental problems around the big bang. This part of the book finishes with a description of the Inflation hypothesis, which although simplified, is very clear and to the point.

- The Approach -
The second half of the book is the more autobiographical, and explains the varying speed of light (VSL) theory, or theories. As well as the science itself, it also provides a fascinating insight into where Magueijo and his collaborators get their ideas from. VSL is initially presented as the search for an alternative theory to Inflation. As the theories seem to hold water, they are developed into a wider set of hypotheses that basically take on all the big problems in cosmology. There is a more than a touch of megalomania here, which in itself is riveting. Who wakes up in the morning one day and decides to take on general relativity amd quantum gravity before breakfast? Mr Magueijo, it would seem.

- The Context -
Along with the scientific approach comes a fair dose of what could politely be called context, or less politely, office politics. Magueijo is a big personality, or as he himself puts it, "has a big mouth". As the book progresses, he allows himself a fair bit of freedom to use both. Some of his targets include: older scientists, High Table at Cambridge colleges, university administrators, male physicists who stare at women, and technical journals. I laughed like a drain, but wondered if he'll be as rude when he's over 40.


A fast-paced text, 30 Dec 2005
Joao Magueijo's book `Faster than the Speed of Light' is an intriguing look into some of the `bleeding edge' theoretical realms of cosmology and theoretical physics, while also charting an all-too-familiar pattern of academic jealousy, intrigue, and the attempt by the established powers-that-be, the keepers of the dogmatic domain, to downplay those ideas (or persons) that might present significant challenge to their fields. In many ways, this is not unlike church structures of the past that saw it necessary to force thinkers such as Galileo to recant his scientific positions; alas, academic politics has always been among the more nasty of the forms of politics (Kissinger made this observation comparing the realms of academic politics with `realpolitik'); Mageuijo makes no secret about those he respects and those he does not in this text - one assumes he has a secure, tenure position somewhere, or a text like this could cost him such an opportunity.

The science itself is intriguing - he traces in a somewhat disjointed way the pattern of physics discoveries that led up to the solidification of the `law of physics' that nothing travels faster than the speed of light, and that the speed of light (the term `c' in Einstein's famous equation E=mc-squared) is constant across all frames of observational reference. This constancy was not Einstein's idea - it was a discovery twenty years prior by Americans Michelson and Morley; Einstein incorporated it into this Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, and the game was afoot for the developments of twentieth-century physics and astronomy.

Mageuijo discusses the development from these beginnings, as well as many of the problems and questions that were not solved from the beginning. The scientific exposition can become very complex - for example, Mageuijo's discussion of M-theory and Planck-sized strings (one-dimensional objects) and membranes (planar objects) `living in' eleven dimensions despite the four-dimensional space-time that we see becomes very difficult to follow. This book does not have much by way of equations (it is meant for a general audience rather than a scientifically elite audience), and mathematical structures do not always translate well into conversational English.

Perhaps the primary item of note in this text is Mageuijo's idea of the Varying Speed of Light (VSL). Mageuijo mentions early in the text that even Einstein had a paper published (in 1911, after the Special Theory of Relativity but prior to the General Theory of Relativity) on the varying speed of light, but that this idea was jettisoned - rightly so, Mageuijo states, as that particular theory was wrong, but it nonetheless demonstrated that the sanctity of the constancy of the speed of light has never been complete. Mageuijo discusses his VSL theory in some detail (albeit without the mathematics to back it up, a decided drawback for this text; however, one assumes that mathematically-trained scholars will be able to find some such material for analysis), including some objections (scientific and mathematical as opposed to personal/professional) and the attempts to get around the problems raised.

Overall, this is a fascinating book. It is rough around the edges (Mageuijo is a physicist, not a professor of English), but the ideas contained within are intriguing, and the story of the fight to get some recognition for a rogue idea (remember, please, that the idea that the earth and planets went around the Sun, rather than all the rest revolving around the earth, was once considered a rogue and radical idea, a threat to the stability not only of science but of society in general) meshed with the academic politics shows that no profession, however lofty and grand, is immune to the human foibles that beset us all.

The Genius That Is Joao Magueijo, 01 Jun 2004
I have just finished reading “Faster That The Speed Of Light” by João Magueijo. Anybody interested in the universe we live in or relativity must read this book. I have read many books on this subject including Stephen Hawking excellent books "A Brief History Of Time" & "The Universe In A Nutshell".

This book manages to describe relatively (no pun indented) complex theories in a way even I can understand. He manages to break it down to grass roots level with his “cows in a field” analogy of Special Relativity. Not only does he achieve this, but also it introduces us to a concept that rocks the very foundations of physics, that the speed of light is not constant (or is it?).

João manages to deliver all that while explaining the personal struggle he and his collaborators suffered within the scientific community while working on these theories, the highs and the lows and just how close they came to throwing it all in the trashcan.

In summary this is the most interesting book I have had the pleasure of reading. The only drawback I can find, to the book, is that it’s not finished yet, João were waiting for the sequel.

short on science, long on autobiography, 12 Mar 2004
Radical breakthroughs in scientific thinking are becoming more and more difficult to achieve, not least because any new theories are increasingly concerned with what is at or beyond the limits of measurement and therefore are difficult to ground in the usual way. Consequently, the notion of a variable light speed, seemingly at odds with the basic tenets of special relativity, is highly speculative since such variability could only be detected in an early universe, near or in black holes, or at planck scales of measurement. While theoretical therefore, it is not entirely metaphysical.
Unfortunately, very little time in this book is spent on exploring these speculations in any depth, and could probably account for about fifty of its pages. The larger bulk of the work is dedicated to the task of pouring scorn on the peer review system, the administrative structure of scientific institutions and the semi-political and ego-oriented nature of research. One imagines that the pursuit of knowledge was akin to the pursuit of sports, and that a budding scientist had a useful life of only a handful of years before being put out to grass.
The problem is that the book seems to have been written with this as its main driving force, and it reads like an adolescent’s list of grievances against his parents. The book is liberally peppered with four letter words, and it is written in a manner which suggests that the author, after years of insults and ill-treatment, is finally getting his own back.
It is part of the fabric of living in the modern world and not a situation peculiar to science alone. But in this respect, he shoots himself in the foot, for he has unwittingly presented the world of science as a modern day priesthood serving the church of knowledge in terms which confirm the views of it by philosophers such as Feyerabend. But it is a church recreating the dogmatic form of religion in which the author aspires to become a kind of rebel bishop, having a say in the creation of new dogmas.

Very average, 04 Jan 2009
A book every student seems to have relating to optics, and it seems to stay on the shelf even into higher education. Whilst it contains a great deal of information on the various topics in optics it only touches the surface and leaves the reader desperately searching else where for more in depth coverage and understanding.

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

How to pass an optics exam... in a book!, 28 Oct 2002
The entire Schaum's series is great for learning how to understand problems (in this case in optics) and shows you how to get through examples that your lecturer hasn't *quite* explained properly.

The entire Scahum's series is great and will help you get through exams, assignments or if you want to learn how to apply all that theory to real-life situations.

This series has helped me through several exams and I highly recommend it to anyone!

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Personal & Spiritual Journey of a Cosmologist in the Discovery of VSL Theory, 14 Jun 2007
This is a fascinating story of a young cosmologist who dared to challenge Einstein's most sacred laws of physics; the speed of light in vacuum is a universal constant. In human experience; space and time are perceived as universally rigid, but Einstein proposed that space & time; space-time could expand or contract but speed of light remains unchanged. On occasions many physicists have wondered, and debated that Varying Speed of Light (VSL) is an alternative explanation to inflation theory. A notable proponent is John Moffat who first expressed this idea to none other than father of relativity himself. Einstein responded by saying that "Every individual has to retain his way of thinking if he does not want to get lost in the maze of possibilities. However, nobody is sure of having taken the right road.... myself least of all." At another instance, Einstein said that "We are standing in front of a closed box which cannot open, and we try to discuss what is inside and what is not." The idea of VSL proposed by this author is not new, but he is one of those who made the theory a little more mainstream in physics. The first half of the book (chapter 2 - 6) discusses the current cosmological problems and inflation theory in layman terms, and in the second half, the author discusses his personal struggles in the pursuit of his controversial theory. He unleashes his mind and heart on any thing that matters; scientific bureaucracy, peer reviewing process, research-grant award mechanism, science administrators, and fellow scientists. The academic rat race is vividly explained along with his leftist and liberal leanings on political and social issues. He expresses cynicism against American and Russian scientists; a reflection of British educational system which refuses to forget 1776 and uncomfortable to admit scientific and technical superiority of another country.

The horizon effect of earth is due to its curvature, but the horizon of the universe is due to two factors; a definite age of the universe (13.7 billion years) and speed of light is constant. A consequence of this is when the universe was one second old, when it is known to have started expanding; the radius of the horizon was 300,000 kilometers. This suggests that the universe at its infancy had regions that did not have direct contact with each other, and thus can not explain the observed homogeneity of the universe (horizon problem). The second puzzle in cosmology is the flatness problem; the fate of the universe due to the dynamics of expansion, which results in three possible shapes; spherical, hyper-spherical (saddle shaped), and flat surface. When forces of expansion and gravity of the universe are matched, then the universe will neither collapse in a crunch nor does it expand endlessly leaving the universe in dark vacuum. This balanced state of the universe is highly unstable because the two opposing forces are nearly matched, when the natural tendency is that either the force of expansion or gravity takes control of the universe to increase entropy (Second law of Thermodynamics). This seemingly peculiar state of the universe is not clearly explained by the current cosmological models which call for a reexamination and perhaps reconsideration of existing theories.

VSL Model; at critical density of the universe, the density of matter that produces gravitational energy is equal to the density of matter producing expansion. In a closed universe (spherical shape), the mass density is above critical density, therefore gravitation supersedes; simultaneously the energy is lost due to a decrease in the speed of light under VSL model (correspondingly mass also decreases since E = MC(2)). Similarly for an open universe, energy is created (correspondingly mass also increases) from vacuum in the wake of expansion from an increase in the speed of light. Thus the universe gravitates to a flat universe in both closed and open situations but violating law of energy conservation (First law of Thermodynamics), because the total energy of the universe did not remain constant. VSL also explains the horizon problem. In VSL model; regions of the universe, which are denser will loss energy, whereas energy will be created in a sparse regions of the universe thereby maintaining homogeneity.

One of the properties of the cosmological constant is that vacuum energy is not diluted by expansion in contrast to matter and radiation. It is gravitationally repulsive and the energy density remains constant upon dilution: Expansion dilutes the lambda energy, but tension created by expansion makes up for the energy dilution thus balancing the power of expansion and gravity and thus keeping the universe flat. Hence vacuum energy theoretically must dominate the universe during expansion, but VSL model suppresses that by converting vacuum energy into matter. Other predictions of VSL include that near black holes the speed of light is zero at the horizon, and it also predicts in an eternal universe with no beginning and no end. Since the cosmic expansion is accelerating and cosmological constant lambda is responsible for slowing the speed of light since a sharp decrease in speed of light converts vacuum energy into ordinary matter and this result in conditions for new Big Bang. The cycle of new creation begins all over again.

The negative side of VSL is the violation of energy conservation but it provides for converting vacuum energy into the matter. This model also favors infinite speed of light during Planck epoch in order to explain the horizon problem. It is proposed that the primordial speed of light would be 32 zeros added to the current value (an extreme scenario for the varying speed of light!). There are several versions of VSL including two alternatives from the authors work. Ultimately experimental evidence should favor one VSL model over all others. Although the author mainstreamed this theory in physics but his shabby literature search ignored the work of John Moffat who must get the credit for the discovery of VSL theory.



Compelling combination of real science and real life, 08 Aug 2006
"Faster than the Speed of Light" is one of an increasing trend of books mixing hard science with softer autobiographical detail. I presume this is the reason it has been picked up by Arrow Books, Random House's populist brand, alongside the likes of "Charles and Camilla" and Rodney Bewes' autobiography. However, don't let its stable mates fool you. This is a true thoroughbred, and deserves far more attention than it has had to date. The scientific explanations are clearer and better written than the "Brief History of Time". As well as a canter through the history of cosmology, Magueijo, provides us with a fascinating backdrop of both his personal approach to science, and the context of how scientific research is still being carried out. For those of us who will never actually be doing this work, or as the author cuttingly puts it, give up on real science and take up finance, this is as close to the real thing as we're likely to get.

- The Science -
The first half of the book provides an explanation of the building blocks that make up the big bang theory - with no autobiography. We're treated to a quick run round special relativity, where Magueijo uses an analogy of cows travelling close to the speed of light. Despite being fairly annoying, this works very well, and is certainly memorable. We're then given a concise description of general relativity, which I'd rate as good as any that I've read, before moving off into a discussion of the big bang theory and open vs closed universes. This is where he is at his strongest, and I found myself really enjoying his explanations, particularly around the fundamental problems around the big bang. This part of the book finishes with a description of the Inflation hypothesis, which although simplified, is very clear and to the point.

- The Approach -
The second half of the book is the more autobiographical, and explains the varying speed of light (VSL) theory, or theories. As well as the science itself, it also provides a fascinating insight into where Magueijo and his collaborators get their ideas from. VSL is initially presented as the search for an alternative theory to Inflation. As the theories seem to hold water, they are developed into a wider set of hypotheses that basically take on all the big problems in cosmology. There is a more than a touch of megalomania here, which in itself is riveting. Who wakes up in the morning one day and decides to take on general relativity amd quantum gravity before breakfast? Mr Magueijo, it would seem.

- The Context -
Along with the scientific approach comes a fair dose of what could politely be called context, or less politely, office politics. Magueijo is a big personality, or as he himself puts it, "has a big mouth". As the book progresses, he allows himself a fair bit of freedom to use both. Some of his targets include: older scientists, High Table at Cambridge colleges, university administrators, male physicists who stare at women, and technical journals. I laughed like a drain, but wondered if he'll be as rude when he's over 40.


A fast-paced text, 30 Dec 2005
Joao Magueijo's book `Faster than the Speed of Light' is an intriguing look into some of the `bleeding edge' theoretical realms of cosmology and theoretical physics, while also charting an all-too-familiar pattern of academic jealousy, intrigue, and the attempt by the established powers-that-be, the keepers of the dogmatic domain, to downplay those ideas (or persons) that might present significant challenge to their fields. In many ways, this is not unlike church structures of the past that saw it necessary to force thinkers such as Galileo to recant his scientific positions; alas, academic politics has always been among the more nasty of the forms of politics (Kissinger made this observation comparing the realms of academic politics with `realpolitik'); Mageuijo makes no secret about those he respects and those he does not in this text - one assumes he has a secure, tenure position somewhere, or a text like this could cost him such an opportunity.

The science itself is intriguing - he traces in a somewhat disjointed way the pattern of physics discoveries that led up to the solidification of the `law of physics' that nothing travels faster than the speed of light, and that the speed of light (the term `c' in Einstein's famous equation E=mc-squared) is constant across all frames of observational reference. This constancy was not Einstein's idea - it was a discovery twenty years prior by Americans Michelson and Morley; Einstein incorporated it into this Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, and the game was afoot for the developments of twentieth-century physics and astronomy.

Mageuijo discusses the development from these beginnings, as well as many of the problems and questions that were not solved from the beginning. The scientific exposition can become very complex - for example, Mageuijo's discussion of M-theory and Planck-sized strings (one-dimensional objects) and membranes (planar objects) `living in' eleven dimensions despite the four-dimensional space-time that we see becomes very difficult to follow. This book does not have much by way of equations (it is meant for a general audience rather than a scientifically elite audience), and mathematical structures do not always translate well into conversational English.

Perhaps the primary item of note in this text is Mageuijo's idea of the Varying Speed of Light (VSL). Mageuijo mentions early in the text that even Einstein had a paper published (in 1911, after the Special Theory of Relativity but prior to the General Theory of Relativity) on the varying speed of light, but that this idea was jettisoned - rightly so, Mageuijo states, as that particular theory was wrong, but it nonetheless demonstrated that the sanctity of the constancy of the speed of light has never been complete. Mageuijo discusses his VSL theory in some detail (albeit without the mathematics to back it up, a decided drawback for this text; however, one assumes that mathematically-trained scholars will be able to find some such material for analysis), including some objections (scientific and mathematical as opposed to personal/professional) and the attempts to get around the problems raised.

Overall, this is a fascinating book. It is rough around the edges (Mageuijo is a physicist, not a professor of English), but the ideas contained within are intriguing, and the story of the fight to get some recognition for a rogue idea (remember, please, that the idea that the earth and planets went around the Sun, rather than all the rest revolving around the earth, was once considered a rogue and radical idea, a threat to the stability not only of science but of society in general) meshed with the academic politics shows that no profession, however lofty and grand, is immune to the human foibles that beset us all.

The Genius That Is Joao Magueijo, 01 Jun 2004
I have just finished reading “Faster That The Speed Of Light” by João Magueijo. Anybody interested in the universe we live in or relativity must read this book. I have read many books on this subject including Stephen Hawking excellent books "A Brief History Of Time" & "The Universe In A Nutshell".

This book manages to describe relatively (no pun indented) complex theories in a way even I can understand. He manages to break it down to grass roots level with his “cows in a field” analogy of Special Relativity. Not only does he achieve this, but also it introduces us to a concept that rocks the very foundations of physics, that the speed of light is not constant (or is it?).

João manages to deliver all that while explaining the personal struggle he and his collaborators suffered within the scientific community while working on these theories, the highs and the lows and just how close they came to throwing it all in the trashcan.

In summary this is the most interesting book I have had the pleasure of reading. The only drawback I can find, to the book, is that it’s not finished yet, João were waiting for the sequel.

short on science, long on autobiography, 12 Mar 2004
Radical breakthroughs in scientific thinking are becoming more and more difficult to achieve, not least because any new theories are increasingly concerned with what is at or beyond the limits of measurement and therefore are difficult to ground in the usual way. Consequently, the notion of a variable light speed, seemingly at odds with the basic tenets of special relativity, is highly speculative since such variability could only be detected in an early universe, near or in black holes, or at planck scales of measurement. While theoretical therefore, it is not entirely metaphysical.
Unfortunately, very little time in this book is spent on exploring these speculations in any depth, and could probably account for about fifty of its pages. The larger bulk of the work is dedicated to the task of pouring scorn on the peer review system, the administrative structure of scientific institutions and the semi-political and ego-oriented nature of research. One imagines that the pursuit of knowledge was akin to the pursuit of sports, and that a budding scientist had a useful life of only a handful of years before being put out to grass.
The problem is that the book seems to have been written with this as its main driving force, and it reads like an adolescent’s list of grievances against his parents. The book is liberally peppered with four letter words, and it is written in a manner which suggests that the author, after years of insults and ill-treatment, is finally getting his own back.
It is part of the fabric of living in the modern world and not a situation peculiar to science alone. But in this respect, he shoots himself in the foot, for he has unwittingly presented the world of science as a modern day priesthood serving the church of knowledge in terms which confirm the views of it by philosophers such as Feyerabend. But it is a church recreating the dogmatic form of religion in which the author aspires to become a kind of rebel bishop, having a say in the creation of new dogmas.

Poor book, 11 Nov 2008
This book has very poor black and white illustrations, the author trys to be funny, and each time he changes the subject he calls it a new project, so the number of projects is deciving.
It may be ok for a teenager who did not get advanced level in high school education to get some knowlege from this book otherwise it is useless, and does not worth the money I paid for.

Very average, 04 Jan 2009
A book every student seems to have relating to optics, and it seems to stay on the shelf even into higher education. Whilst it contains a great deal of information on the various topics in optics it only touches the surface and leaves the reader desperately searching else where for more in depth coverage and understanding.

Excellent book for the basics, 03 Jan 2001
Covers all the basics very well. A bit weak on some of the most recent developments (non-linear optics and laser optics for instance).

An essential for those studying Optics, 11 Mar 2000
This book is an absolute must for all students studying Optics at University level. It is certainly a necessity for those studying Physics at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

The basics are covered simply, but completely, and more advanced topics are covered more qualitatively than quantitatively

Excellent Optics Intro, and also good reference book, 29 Jan 1999
This book is constantly referred to by those who have been practicing in the field of optics for years and years, but also serves as an excellent introduction to optics. The explanations are simple, clear and direct. The explanations in Hecht often settle complicated arguments on esoteric regions of optics, by reducing the argument to first principles and clear, concise descriptions.

How to pass an optics exam... in a book!, 28 Oct 2002
The entire Schaum's series is great for learning how to understand problems (in this case in optics) and shows you how to get through examples that your lecturer hasn't *quite* explained properly.

The entire Scahum's series is great and will help you get through exams, assignments or if you want to learn how to apply all that theory to real-life situations.

This series has helped me through several exams and I highly recommend it to anyone!

An excellent review of quantum physics and reality, 15 Oct 2008
This is one of the best books I have read that reviews both classical and quantum physics to explain the nature of physical reality. Although somewhat outdated, it describes all major schools of thoughts (interpretations) of quantum reality in layman's terms with comparisons and numerous references to the work of other authors. Although this is written for a general reader; it requires some knowledge of undergraduate level physics.

The physics of reality revealed by the quantum physics centers on two facts; wave - particle duality of matter, and the results of Thomas Young's double slit experiments. Several schools of thought originated to interpret reality based on this observation; most notable is the Copenhagen interpretation. According to this interpretation, the particle wave spreads throughout the universe, and it could appear anywhere in the universe until it is observed. The very act of observing the wave make wave functions to collapse as a particle at the point of observation (detection), and it will be observed at that location with certainty. But as soon as we stop looking at the wave, then probability wave leaks from that location and spreads to the universe, hence we are unable to predict the path of the wave from one point of detection to the next moment in time. The particles know more about the world than just the immediate locality, which is strange in terms of human perception of day-to-day reality dictated by classical laws of physics. The main contention is the human observer determines if the particle behaves like wave or particle and it is impossible to determine the physical state (wave or particle) prior to the measurements. In essence, matter at the most fundamental level is unreal until it is observed by a human being. The Copenhagen school of thought offers a holistic view of quantum world. Another feature of the quantum world is that wave and particle states are complimentary properties; that is both states can not exist at the same time but matter could be either in one or the other state. This is due to the Heisenberg's uncertainty principle which states that the momentum of a quantum object and its position can not be measured at the same time. This is not measurement problem but due to quantum uncertainty because the position refers to the particle nature as it will have a definite existence, but the momentum is a measure of wave nature of the object moving in a certain direction at a definite speed. Thus complementarities results directly from this principle.

John Gribbin explores the absurdity of Copenhagen interpretation to explain the outcome of a thought (Schrodinger's kittens) experiment to explain quantum entanglement, and whether a human observer is essential to crystallize quantum reality. Bell's inequality and Aspect's experiment show that entangled quantum entities behave as one system no matter which interpretation is used. The instantaneous nature of feedback in the entanglement of quantum particles is explained by Wheeler - Feynman model of electromagnetic radiation, which has two sets of solutions to Maxwell's equations. One set of solutions, the common sense solution describes waves moving outward from an accelerated charged particle and forward in time. The second set of waves describes waves travelling backwards in time and converging on to the charged particle. When proper allowance is made for both sets of waves interacting with all charged particles in the universe most of the complexity cancels out leaving only the familiar common sense (retarded) waves to carry electromagnetic influences from one particle to another. As a result of these interactions each individual charged particle is instantaneously aware of its position in relation to all other charged particles in the universe. The waves must also move backwards in time (advanced waves) so that they provide feedback at the source of wave production so that every particle in the universe is an integral part of the whole electromagnetic web. Wheeler - Feynman theory provides for particle here and now to know about the past and future states of the universe. John Cramer extended these equations to Schrodinger's wave equations. John Cramer's transactional interpretation states this; when an electron vibrates it attempts to radiate by producing a field which is a time-symmetric mixture of retarded wave propagating into the future, and advanced wave going into the past atemporally. In Cramer's words the emitter can be considered to produce an offer wave travelling to the absorber, this in turn returns a confirmation wave backwards to the emitter and the transaction is compete with a handshake. In reality this sequence of events is atemporal it all happens at once. In this, there is no need to assign a special status to the observer. The dramatic success in resolving the puzzles of quantum physics is at the expense of accepting just one idea that the quantum wave can travel backwards through time. On the positive note that it doesn't violate cause-effect reality because cause can not exist if there is no effect in the transactional interpretation. In addition, the freedom of will prevails in physical reality without being bogged down technicality of quantum laws.

1. In Search of Schrodinger's Cat
2. The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality
3. Quantum Reality: Beyond the New Physics
4. Quantum: Einstein, Bohr and the Great Debate About the Nature of Reality
5. Einstein's Moon: Bell's Theorem and the Curious Quest for Quantum Reality
6. Quantum Physics: Illusion or Reality? (Canto): Illusion or Reality? (Canto)
7. Science and Ultimate Reality: Quantum Theory, Cosmology, and Complexity

Quantum reality in a technicolour fog, 27 Aug 2008
This book is all over the place. It includes a 'history of light', and entertaining philosophical diversions, but fundamental insights are infrequent. Quantum reality is lost in the technicolour fog.

The author passes over his previously favoured "Many World Interpretation" for Cramer's "transactional" approach. Hardly mainstream physics. Gribbin himself seems half hearted about it. He sets up the kittens' thought experiment, but leaves them hanging on for 150 pages. He gets back to the kittens in the last few pages, but produces a far too hurried explanation of Cramer's "solution" .

It's essential, in a book of this nature, to give the best account of your main opposition. Then you dismantle it using your best arguments against it. Gribbin doesn't do this. He simply dismisses Copenhagen with little argument, and gets on with the "gosh, wow" stuff. The reader deserves to be treated better.

The title suggests this book might explain how quantum mechanics fits into a considered vision of reality. It doesn't deliver.

About the interpretation of quantum mechanics, 05 Nov 2006
This books claims that Transactional's (or Cramer's) interpretation of quantum mechanics has solved all the mysteries of the theory. I'm not sure that the author would hold the same opinion ten years after that (the book is dated 1996).

In fact, there is growing consensus today that the right interpretation is so called "decoherence". For a comparison of interpretations, look for Interpretation_of_quantum_mechanics in Wikipedia

Anyway, as is always the case with Gribbin's books, reading is insightful. The travel is worth the reading, although the final conclusion may be wrong. Only the final chapter (even only part of it) is devoted to explain Cramer's interpretation.

John, we'd very much like to have another book like this, but devoted to the "decoherence" approach!

Mind Blowing, 06 Nov 2005
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat was mind blowing in 1985, now 20 years on much of the theory put forward in Schrodinger's Cat has been proved by experiment. Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality is what science/physics should be, interesting and thought provoking.
John Gribbin doesn't treat the reader as a complete imbecile or as the next Richard Feynman but pitches the book just right with the correct balance of technical details and clear analogies. There's not too many books on quantum theory that you can't put down, but this is without doubt one such book.

this book will blow your bind, 25 Feb 2005
If you have read in search of schodinger's cat then you have to read this. It takes you further than you might want to go (it gets a bit obscure in places but stick with it) it covers a bit of pre history that we already know but at the end it has a punch that will knock you out (if it does not then read the book again)

Personal & Spiritual Journey of a Cosmologist in the Discovery of VSL Theory, 14 Jun 2007
This is a fascinating story of a young cosmologist who dared to challenge Einstein's most sacred laws of physics; the speed of light in vacuum is a universal constant. In human experience; space and time are perceived as universally rigid, but Einstein proposed that space & time; space-time could expand or contract but speed of light remains unchanged. On occasions many physicists have wondered, and debated that Varying Speed of Light (VSL) is an alternative explanation to inflation theory. A notable proponent is John Moffat who first expressed this idea to none other than father of relativity himself. Einstein responded by saying that "Every individual has to retain his way of thinking if he does not want to get lost in the maze of possibilities. However, nobody is sure of having taken the right road.... myself least of all." At another instance, Einstein said that "We are standing in front of a closed box which cannot open, and we try to discuss what is inside and what is not." The idea of VSL proposed by this author is not new, but he is one of those who made the theory a little more mainstream in physics. The first half of the book (chapter 2 - 6) discusses the current cosmological problems and inflation theory in layman terms, and in the second half, the author discusses his personal struggles in the pursuit of his controversial theory. He unleashes his mind and heart on any thing that matters; scientific bureaucracy, peer reviewing process, research-grant award mechanism, science administrators, and fellow scientists. The academic rat race is vividly explained along with his leftist and liberal leanings on political and social issues. He expresses cynicism against American and Russian scientists; a reflection of British educational system which refuses to forget 1776 and uncomfortable to admit scientific and technical superiority of another country.

The horizon effect of earth is due to its curvature, but the horizon of the universe is due to two factors; a definite age of the universe (13.7 billion years) and speed of light is constant. A consequence of this is when the universe was one second old, when it is known to have started expanding; the radius of the horizon was 300,000 kilometers. This suggests that the universe at its infancy had regions that did not have direct contact with each other, and thus can not explain the observed homogeneity of the universe (horizon problem). The second puzzle in cosmology is the flatness problem; the fate of the universe due to the dynamics of expansion, which results in three possible shapes; spherical, hyper-spherical (saddle shaped), and flat surface. When forces of expansion and gravity of the universe are matched, then the universe will neither collapse in a crunch nor does it expand endlessly leaving the universe in dark vacuum. This balanced state of the universe is highly unstable because the two opposing forces are nearly matched, when the natural tendency is that either the force of expansion or gravity takes control of the universe to increase entropy (Second law of Thermodynamics). This seemingly peculiar state of the universe is not clearly explained by the current cosmological models which call for a reexamination and perhaps reconsideration of existing theories.

VSL Model; at critical density of the universe, the density of matter that produces gravitational energy is equal to the density of matter producing expansion. In a closed universe (spherical shape), the mass density is above critical density, therefore gravitation supersedes; simultaneously the energy is lost due to a decrease in the speed of light under VSL model (correspondingly mass also decreases since E = MC(2)). Similarly for an open universe, energy is created (correspondingly mass also increases) from vacuum in the wake of expansion from an increase in the speed of light. Thus the universe gravitates to a flat universe in both closed and open situations but violating law of energy conservation (First law of Thermodynamics), because the total energy of the universe did not remain constant. VSL also explains the horizon problem. In VSL model; regions of the universe, which are denser will loss energy, whereas energy will be created in a sparse regions of the universe thereby maintaining homogeneity.

One of the properties of the cosmological constant is that vacuum energy is not diluted by expansion in contrast to matter and radiation. It is gravitationally repulsive and the energy density remains constant upon dilution: Expansion dilutes the lambda energy, but tension created by expansion makes up for the energy dilution thus balancing the power of expansion and gravity and thus keeping the universe flat. Hence vacuum energy theoretically must dominate the universe during expansion, but VSL model suppresses that by converting vacuum energy into matter. Other predictions of VSL include that near black holes the speed of light is zero at the horizon, and it also predicts in an eternal universe with no beginning and no end. Since the cosmic expansion is accelerating and cosmological constant lambda is responsible for slowing the speed of light since a sharp decrease in speed of light converts vacuum energy into ordinary matter and this result in conditions for new Big Bang. The cycle of new creation begins all over again.

The negative side of VSL is the violation of energy conservation but it provides for converting vacuum energy into the matter. This model also favors infinite speed of light during Planck epoch in order to explain the horizon problem. It is proposed that the primordial speed of light would be 32 zeros added to the current value (an extreme scenario for the varying speed of light!). There are several versions of VSL including two alternatives from the authors work. Ultimately experimental evidence should favor one VSL model over all others. Although the author mainstreamed this theory in physics but his shabby literature search ignored the work of John Moffat who must get the credit for the discovery of VSL theory.



Compelling combination of real science and real life, 08 Aug 2006
"Faster than the Speed of Light" is one of an increasing trend of books mixing hard science with softer autobiographical detail. I presume this is the reason it has been picked up by Arrow Books, Random House's populist brand, alongside the likes of "Charles and Camilla" and Rodney Bewes' autobiography. However, don't let its stable mates fool you. This is a true thoroughbred, and deserves far more attention than it has had to date. The scientific explanations are clearer and better written than the "Brief History of Time". As well as a canter through the history of cosmology, Magueijo, provides us with a fascinating backdrop of both his personal approach to science, and the context of how scientific research is still being carried out. For those of us who will never actually be doing this work, or as the author cuttingly puts it, give up on real science and take up finance, this is as close to the real thing as we're likely to get.

- The Science -
The first half of the book provides an explanation of the building blocks that make up the big bang theory - with no autobiography. We're treated to a quick run round special relativity, where Magueijo uses an analogy of cows travelling close to the speed of light. Despite being fairly annoying, this works very well, and is certainly memorable. We're then given a concise description of general relativity, which I'd rate as good as any that I've read, before moving off into a discussion of the big bang theory and open vs closed universes. This is where he is at his strongest, and I found myself really enjoying his explanations, particularly around the fundamental problems around the big bang. This part of the book finishes with a description of the Inflation hypothesis, which although simplified, is very clear and to the point.

- The Approach -
The second half of the book is the more autobiographical, and explains the varying speed of light (VSL) theory, or theories. As well as the science itself, it also provides a fascinating insight into where Magueijo and his collaborators get their ideas from. VSL is initially presented as the search for an alternative theory to Inflation. As the theories seem to hold water, they are developed into a wider set of hypotheses that basically take on all the big problems in cosmology. There is a more than a touch of megalomania here, which in itself is riveting. Who wakes up in the morning one day and decides to take on general relativity amd quantum gravity before breakfast? Mr Magueijo, it would seem.

- The Context -
Along with the scientific approach comes a fair dose of what could politely be called context, or less politely, office politics. Magueijo is a big personality, or as he himself puts it, "has a big mouth". As the book progresses, he allows himself a fair bit of freedom to use both. Some of his targets include: older scientists, High Table at Cambridge colleges, university administrators, male physicists who stare at women, and technical journals. I laughed like a drain, but wondered if he'll be as rude when he's over 40.


A fast-paced text, 30 Dec 2005
Joao Magueijo's book `Faster than the Speed of Light' is an intriguing look into some of the `bleeding edge' theoretical realms of cosmology and theoretical physics, while also charting an all-too-familiar pattern of academic jealousy, intrigue, and the attempt by the established powers-that-be, the keepers of the dogmatic domain, to downplay those ideas (or persons) that might present significant challenge to their fields. In many ways, this is not unlike church structures of the past that saw it necessary to force thinkers such as Galileo to recant his scientific positions; alas, academic politics has always been among the more nasty of the forms of politics (Kissinger made this observation comparing the realms of academic politics with `realpolitik'); Mageuijo makes no secret about those he respects and those he does not in this text - one assumes he has a secure, tenure position somewhere, or a text like this could cost him such an opportunity.

The science itself is intriguing - he traces in a somewhat disjointed way the pattern of physics discoveries that led up to the solidification of the `law of physics' that nothing travels faster than the speed of light, and that the speed of light (the term `c' in Einstein's famous equation E=mc-squared) is constant across all frames of observational reference. This constancy was not Einstein's idea - it was a discovery twenty years prior by Americans Michelson and Morley; Einstein incorporated it into this Special Theory of Relativity in 1905, and the game was afoot for the developments of twentieth-century physics and astronomy.

Mageuijo discusses the development from these beginnings, as well as many of the problems and questions that were not solved from the beginning. The scientific exposition can become very complex - for example, Mageuijo's discussion of M-theory and Planck-sized strings (one-dimensional objects) and membranes (planar objects) `living in' eleven dimensions despite the four-dimensional space-time that we see becomes very difficult to follow. This book does not have much by way of equations (it is meant for a general audience rather than a scientifically elite audience), and mathematical structures do not always translate well into conversational English.

Perhaps the primary item of note in this text is Mageuijo's idea of the Varying Speed of Light (VSL). Mageuijo mentions early in the text that even Einstein had a paper published (in 1911, after the Special Theory of Relativity but prior to the General Theory of Relativity) on the varying speed of light, but that this idea was jettisoned - rightly so, Mageuijo states, as that particular theory was wrong, but it nonetheless demonstrated that the sanctity of the constancy of the speed of light has never been complete. Mageuijo discusses his VSL theory in some detail (albeit without the mathematics to back it up, a decided drawback for this text; however, one assumes that mathematically-trained scholars will be able to find some such material for analysis), including some objections (scientific and mathematical as opposed to personal/professional) and the attempts to get around the problems raised.

Overall, this is a fascinating book. It is rough around the edges (Mageuijo is a physicist, not a professor of English), but the ideas contained within are intriguing, and the story of the fight to get some recognition for a rogue idea (remember, please, that the idea that the earth and planets went around the Sun, rather than all the rest revolving around the earth, was once considered a rogue and radical idea, a threat to the stability not only of science but of society in general) meshed with the academic politics shows that no profession, however lofty and grand, is immune to the human foibles that beset us all.

The Genius That Is Joao Magueijo, 01 Jun 2004
I have just finished reading “Faster That The Speed Of Light” by João Magueijo. Anybody interested in the universe we live in or relativity must read this book. I have read many books on this subject including Stephen Hawking excellent books "A Brief History Of Time" & "The Universe In A Nutshell".

This book manages to describe relatively (no pun indented) complex theories in a way even I can understand. He manages to break it down to grass roots level with his “cows in a field” analogy of Special Relativity. Not only does he achieve this, but also it introduces us to a concept that rocks the very foundations of physics, that the speed of light is not constant (or is it?).

João manages to deliver all that while explaining the personal struggle he and his collaborators suffered within the scientific community while working on these theories, the highs and the lows and just how close they came to throwing it all in the trashcan.

In summary this is the most interesting book I have had the pleasure of reading. The only drawback I can find, to the book, is that it’s not finished yet, João were waiting for the sequel.

short on science, long on autobiography, 12 Mar 2004
Radical breakthroughs in scientific thinking are becoming more and more difficult to achieve, not least because any new theories are increasingly concerned with what is at or beyond the limits of measurement and therefore are difficult to ground in the usual way. Consequently, the notion of a variable light speed, seemingly at odds with the basic tenets of special relativity, is highly speculative since such variability could only be detected in an early universe, near or in black holes, or at planck scales of measurement. While theoretical therefore, it is not entirely metaphysical.
Unfortunately, very little time in this book is spent on exploring these speculations in any depth, and could probably account for about fifty of its pages. The larger bulk of the work is dedicated to the task of pouring scorn on the peer review system, the administrative structure of scientific institutions and the semi-political and ego-oriented nature of research. One imagines that the pursuit of knowledge was akin to the pursuit of