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Wonders of Brian Cox (with Andrew Cohen) #5
Forces of Nature
A breathtaking and beautiful exploration of our planet, this groundbreaking book accompanies the new BBC One TV series, providing the deepest answers to the simplest questions.
‘What is motion?’
‘Why is every snowflake different?’
‘Why is life symmetrical?’
To answer these and many other questions, Professor Brian Cox uncovers some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth and in the Universe and beyond.
From the immensity of the Universe and the roundness of Earth to the form of every single snowflake, the forces of nature shape everything we see. Pushed to extremes, the results are astonishing. In seeking to understand the everyday world, the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home, we develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to step beyond the everyday and approach the Universe beyond.
Forces of Nature takes you to the great plains of the Serengeti, the volcanoes of Indonesia and the precipitous cliffs in Nepal, to the humpback whales of the Caribbean and the northern lights of the Arctic. Brian will answer questions on Earth that will illuminate our understanding of the Universe.
Think you know our planet?
Think again.
‘What is motion?’
‘Why is every snowflake different?’
‘Why is life symmetrical?’
To answer these and many other questions, Professor Brian Cox uncovers some of the most extraordinary natural events on Earth and in the Universe and beyond.
From the immensity of the Universe and the roundness of Earth to the form of every single snowflake, the forces of nature shape everything we see. Pushed to extremes, the results are astonishing. In seeking to understand the everyday world, the colours, structure, behaviour and history of our home, we develop the knowledge and techniques necessary to step beyond the everyday and approach the Universe beyond.
Forces of Nature takes you to the great plains of the Serengeti, the volcanoes of Indonesia and the precipitous cliffs in Nepal, to the humpback whales of the Caribbean and the northern lights of the Arctic. Brian will answer questions on Earth that will illuminate our understanding of the Universe.
Think you know our planet?
Think again.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2016
About the author
Brian Cox
70 books1,763 followersNot to be confused with actor [Author: Brian Cox].
Brian Edward Cox, OBE (born 3 March 1968) is a British particle physicist, a Royal Society University Research Fellow, PPARC Advanced Fellow and Professor at the University of Manchester. He is a member of the High Energy Physics group at the University of Manchester, and works on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland. He is working on the R&D project of the FP420 experiment in an international collaboration to upgrade the ATLAS and the CMS experiment by installing additional, smaller detectors at a distance of 420 metres from the interaction points of the main experiments.
He is best known to the public as the presenter of a number of science programmes for the BBC, boosting the popularity of subjects such as astronomy; so is a science popularizer, and science communicator. He also had some fame in the 1990s as the keyboard player for the pop band D:Ream.
Brian Edward Cox, OBE (born 3 March 1968) is a British particle physicist, a Royal Society University Research Fellow, PPARC Advanced Fellow and Professor at the University of Manchester. He is a member of the High Energy Physics group at the University of Manchester, and works on the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN, near Geneva, Switzerland. He is working on the R&D project of the FP420 experiment in an international collaboration to upgrade the ATLAS and the CMS experiment by installing additional, smaller detectors at a distance of 420 metres from the interaction points of the main experiments.
He is best known to the public as the presenter of a number of science programmes for the BBC, boosting the popularity of subjects such as astronomy; so is a science popularizer, and science communicator. He also had some fame in the 1990s as the keyboard player for the pop band D:Ream.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 191 reviews
July 13, 2020
There is always a sense of wonder and curiosity with respect to the universe we live in. The advances in explaining our universe have been many, and yet it is not easy to summarize it in a way most people can relate to. Brian Cox does well to include the right amount of information with detail to be satisfying. There are portions on the book where it moves slowly but generally regains the track after some slack. The coverage includes space, origin theories, fundamental particles & forces.
Overall, an interesting read.
Overall, an interesting read.
August 27, 2016
This is another sumptuous book in the series but if you have read any of Professor Brian Cox's previous books you would come to expect nothing less - and this book does not disappoint.
However this book has quite a challenge ahead of it. You see his previous books have been on rather straight forward and easily defined subjects - the solar system, the universe and so on - how we have something a little more vague and as such something totally open to interpretation.
And this is where the challenge lies - what do you class as the force of nature - and this interpretation works both for and against this book. Do not get me wrong it is amazing with beautiful photography and amazing insights just that I would say that you do have a rather whirlwind tour.
Now I maintain that these books though never definitive act as an appetiser drawing the reader in with the hope that it sparks some thirst for more knowledge and setting the reader off on a journey of discovery - if the reader just thinks "hmm that was interesting" and simply shuts the book and goes off else where then the book and I guess Professor Cox have failed. Somehow reading this book I dont think they have anything to worry about, just yet.
However this book has quite a challenge ahead of it. You see his previous books have been on rather straight forward and easily defined subjects - the solar system, the universe and so on - how we have something a little more vague and as such something totally open to interpretation.
And this is where the challenge lies - what do you class as the force of nature - and this interpretation works both for and against this book. Do not get me wrong it is amazing with beautiful photography and amazing insights just that I would say that you do have a rather whirlwind tour.
Now I maintain that these books though never definitive act as an appetiser drawing the reader in with the hope that it sparks some thirst for more knowledge and setting the reader off on a journey of discovery - if the reader just thinks "hmm that was interesting" and simply shuts the book and goes off else where then the book and I guess Professor Cox have failed. Somehow reading this book I dont think they have anything to worry about, just yet.
April 17, 2020
This exploration of science is perhaps a little bit unfocused, but Brian Cox has such an infectious enthusiasm for the subject that it's hard not to be swept along with him on this journey. All in all an interesting very book that I'm glad that I've read.
May 2, 2017
This surprising book exudes the author’s enduring sense of wonder and delight at the natural world. Such qualities, when demonstrated by a leading academic, who is also a well-loved and respected TV presenter, can motivate and inspire. I hope many non-scientists read this book.
Not an ‘easy’ read, it demands attention and concentration. But it does explain, where possible in layman’s terms, the fundamental forces that control how things are made in this extraordinary universe we occupy. Acknowledging the roles of early pioneers, and explaining the history of discovery, Professor Cox builds pictures of the way brilliant minds have come to understand the way things work in nature.
If I have a negative comment, it’s only that some early equations in the book would benefit from a few more labels to identify the quantities and qualities described. As the book progresses, however, these very issues, that I imagined were an assumption about readers’ mathematical skills and knowledge, are made clearer: the later formulae are better labelled. For someone like me, with all the mathematical aptitude of an artichoke, some of the workings might just as well have been written in Klingon. But that’s my problem, not the book’s.
It’s refreshing to find a scientist, a popular one at that, so willing to explain at length that science is not a fixed or exact thing. Its methods, however, are subject to peer scrutiny and its theorems require proofs to reach that status. Science is an area of endeavour where simple speculation coupled with a belief system is no substitute for factual information and a serious attempt to discover the realities. It’s refreshing to find this mind-set in a scientist of Professor Cox’s stature, since there are, unfortunately, scientists who treat their discipline in the same cavalier way that most religious authorities treat their beliefs: as if somehow the very fact that they believe their myths should render them beyond question.
I read this book as background research for a science fiction novel I’m writing. I’m very pleased I did! It’s caused me to reconsider certain elements of the future I’m portraying and prevented me appearing more foolish than I might otherwise seem: I’ve discovered that certain ‘facts’ in some fields are not quite what some proponents have declared them to be.
This is a book about the forces of nature. Four of them that form the basic ‘building blocks’ of how the universe, and everything in it, is structured. It’s a truly fascinating read, peppered with amusing comments and presented in a very readable manner. What could so easily have been a dry textbook, is actually an entertaining and informative piece of accessible writing. I wish I’d had teachers with Professor Cox’s ability to explain things in an engaging and inspiring fashion; my school education would have taken an entirely different and more useful route!
Readers with little scientific background may find some of the explanations difficult to comprehend, and those, like me, with poor maths, may have problems understanding some of the proofs. But the Professor makes allowances for these holes in our education and finds ways to make clear what might otherwise be obscure. It’s an intriguing and inspiring read and, having thoroughly enjoyed it, I fully recommend the book.
Not an ‘easy’ read, it demands attention and concentration. But it does explain, where possible in layman’s terms, the fundamental forces that control how things are made in this extraordinary universe we occupy. Acknowledging the roles of early pioneers, and explaining the history of discovery, Professor Cox builds pictures of the way brilliant minds have come to understand the way things work in nature.
If I have a negative comment, it’s only that some early equations in the book would benefit from a few more labels to identify the quantities and qualities described. As the book progresses, however, these very issues, that I imagined were an assumption about readers’ mathematical skills and knowledge, are made clearer: the later formulae are better labelled. For someone like me, with all the mathematical aptitude of an artichoke, some of the workings might just as well have been written in Klingon. But that’s my problem, not the book’s.
It’s refreshing to find a scientist, a popular one at that, so willing to explain at length that science is not a fixed or exact thing. Its methods, however, are subject to peer scrutiny and its theorems require proofs to reach that status. Science is an area of endeavour where simple speculation coupled with a belief system is no substitute for factual information and a serious attempt to discover the realities. It’s refreshing to find this mind-set in a scientist of Professor Cox’s stature, since there are, unfortunately, scientists who treat their discipline in the same cavalier way that most religious authorities treat their beliefs: as if somehow the very fact that they believe their myths should render them beyond question.
I read this book as background research for a science fiction novel I’m writing. I’m very pleased I did! It’s caused me to reconsider certain elements of the future I’m portraying and prevented me appearing more foolish than I might otherwise seem: I’ve discovered that certain ‘facts’ in some fields are not quite what some proponents have declared them to be.
This is a book about the forces of nature. Four of them that form the basic ‘building blocks’ of how the universe, and everything in it, is structured. It’s a truly fascinating read, peppered with amusing comments and presented in a very readable manner. What could so easily have been a dry textbook, is actually an entertaining and informative piece of accessible writing. I wish I’d had teachers with Professor Cox’s ability to explain things in an engaging and inspiring fashion; my school education would have taken an entirely different and more useful route!
Readers with little scientific background may find some of the explanations difficult to comprehend, and those, like me, with poor maths, may have problems understanding some of the proofs. But the Professor makes allowances for these holes in our education and finds ways to make clear what might otherwise be obscure. It’s an intriguing and inspiring read and, having thoroughly enjoyed it, I fully recommend the book.
June 21, 2019
Very strong indepth educational book, learnt many thing from this, Brian Cox yet again makes topics very interesting, the book is well written, well presented, the book cover is OK, this book really expands your knowledge, many people I believe would find this book interesting, if you like the TV series, this book is a great complement to the TV shows. The eudcational level is that the book would potentially be very useful to university students, study relevent topics. Reall enjoyed this book. No editorial issues, no negatives at all from my point of view.
May 26, 2018
This is such an interesting read! It forms book 5 of my Penguin Read the Year Challenge too. Well written, interesting and thoroughly fascinating. It felt like my science lessons from school all in one! Only, this is a little more complicated. I’d highly recommend it.
July 21, 2022
What can I say. Science made sexy by Prof. Brian Cox. I love it, the only thing I can say is that it was too short and maybe too random or too many different topics. I do see the correlation, but feel that with less topics, more details could have been covered, but then again, these books aren't maybe for fanatics like me. I love it, can't wait to read the next.
June 17, 2020
Whenever I read books like these, I’m always awe-inspired by the sheer vastness and pure amazingness of our little home in a huge universe. The fundamental laws of nature, quantum mechanics, physics and the tenacity of biology never ceases to amaze me and this book expertly communicated all of that.
Beautifully written and in a way that will help you to slow down, stop and think and truly appreciate the intricacies of the world and the physics we live in and are bound by. It lays down and explains many of the fundamental laws and science, in a way that caters for both the science novice and the scientist alike.
It does go deep into the maths and science in some instances which, even if you don’t understand (which most wont claim to, me included!) it will still work to amaze and show the deep levels of understanding and human endeavour to explain and work out the world around us. It really helps to make you appreciate just how complex and amazing our world is- something that can get so easily overlooked in the wrappings of our everyday lives.
I’ll always be a fan of Brian’s work and his easy way of communicating science to all, and this book like many of his others, did a beautiful job of explaining and exploring the many forces of nature in a way that held your interest, kept you entertained, intrigued and in awe in the beautiful world we get to call home. I’ll never tire about learning more of our beautiful planet!
Beautifully written and in a way that will help you to slow down, stop and think and truly appreciate the intricacies of the world and the physics we live in and are bound by. It lays down and explains many of the fundamental laws and science, in a way that caters for both the science novice and the scientist alike.
It does go deep into the maths and science in some instances which, even if you don’t understand (which most wont claim to, me included!) it will still work to amaze and show the deep levels of understanding and human endeavour to explain and work out the world around us. It really helps to make you appreciate just how complex and amazing our world is- something that can get so easily overlooked in the wrappings of our everyday lives.
I’ll always be a fan of Brian’s work and his easy way of communicating science to all, and this book like many of his others, did a beautiful job of explaining and exploring the many forces of nature in a way that held your interest, kept you entertained, intrigued and in awe in the beautiful world we get to call home. I’ll never tire about learning more of our beautiful planet!
March 11, 2018
The short introductory book on science is too short to serve a purpose. To start with, the tone is as if the author is trying to convince its readers that there is science/reason, rather than anything mystical, at the base of the reality around. The wonderment angle often leads to the author spending a considerable amount of time (compared to the size of the book) making elementary arguments, discussing the history of scientists/discovery or raising questions that do not fit. From the mundane or the most comprehensible, the author would suddenly make almost quantum jumps to extremely complex arguments with little explanations. And in another flash, the readers would find the book on a completely different topic as it covers multiple branches of biochemistry, evolutionary science, astronomy, electromagnetism, relativity and quantum physics apart from issues like the origin of life and even the Big Bang.
March 21, 2020
Do I now know physics? Nope. But I know somewhere between 5 and 15% more on some topics of physics than I did before this book. But that's not really why I liked Forces of Nature - I don't think my life will be directly impacted by knowing or forgetting how many flavors of neutrinos there are. (Three. And yes, for some reason they're called "flavors".)
What I liked was that Cox and Cohen do a great job of linking things you might not have thought are linked, of weaving a bit of science history into simple but not dumbed-down explanations of physical and chemical mechanisms, and especially of transmitting how utterly brilliant they find the whole thing. So even if you haven't the slightest interest in the topic, even if you've never wondered why the sky is blue and why beex build hexagonal hives, just read it to take part in a fancy university professor's joy about how the world works. How often do you get to do that?
(Did not fit into the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2020)
What I liked was that Cox and Cohen do a great job of linking things you might not have thought are linked, of weaving a bit of science history into simple but not dumbed-down explanations of physical and chemical mechanisms, and especially of transmitting how utterly brilliant they find the whole thing. So even if you haven't the slightest interest in the topic, even if you've never wondered why the sky is blue and why beex build hexagonal hives, just read it to take part in a fancy university professor's joy about how the world works. How often do you get to do that?
(Did not fit into the PopSugar Reading Challenge 2020)
October 16, 2020
So enchanting and spellbinding that I couldn't drop it. Aesthetic, elegant and beautifully written popular science book. The only one who could write better would be late Carl Sagan. It'll be quite hard to find using Monet as a framework to explain Special Theory of Relativity elsewhere.
March 15, 2019
I don't know what it is about the way he explains complicated topics but I really connect with it. Fantastic book.
January 18, 2020
Brian Cox to fizyk, którego jedną z pasji jest dzielenie się z innymi własną nieokiełznaną fascynacją otaczającym nas światem. To kolejna książka, w której stara się pokazać głębokie relacje, jakie są udziałem ludzi i świata przyrody, włącznie ze skrajnymi jego emanacjami - od skali kosmicznej po atomową.
"Ukryte siły natury" powstały przy okazji serialu dokumentalnego BBC, stąd współautorem publikacji jest Andrew Cohen - szef działu nauki ten brytyjskiej stacji. Głównym celem ksi��żki, podobnie jak serialu, było podanie przykładów, w jaki sposób nauka pomaga opisać pozornie złażone zjawiska przyrodnicze przy użyciu fundamentalnych zasad.
Cox wychodząc z powszednich, i dostępnych zmysłami każdemu, elementów świata, zadaje pytania o przyczyny takiego a nie innego zachowania, wyglądu czy przebiegu zjawiska, przedmiotu. Chociażby płatki śniegu. Czemu każdy jest inny, czemu są różnej budowy i rozmiaru, choć zawsze sześcioramienne? W odpowiedzi, wychodząc z kluczowej tu budowy cząsteczki wody, przechodząc przez opis zjawisk atmosferycznych, które sposób ostatecznego formowania się płatku determinują, dociera do praw symetrii i właściwości polarnych wody (str. 30-53).
Fizyk nie unika poszukiwań ciekawych metod przyciągnięcia każdego. Niezależnie, czy rozumie się entropię, właściwości falowe światła, uwspólnianie orbit elektronów czy zawiłe mechanizmy fotosyntezy, ostatecznie każdy czytelnik po lekturze książki zrozumie istotę biochemiczną życia czy feerię barw naszej Ziemi - 'błękitnej kropki'. Cox w wielu elementach dydaktyzmu i dziecięcej wrażliwości, bliski jest Feynmanowi, Saganowi czy deGrasse Tysonowi. To chyba bardzo dobra rekomendacja.
========
Szczególnie gorąca zachęta do pochylenia się nad pewnym fragmentem książki.
Cox pokusił się o wytłumaczenie maksymalnie prosto szczególnej teorii względności (STW) - jej sprzeczności z intuicją. Pokazał, jak samym logicznym wnioskowaniem, krocząc śladami myśli Einsteina, da się zbudować gmach tej teorii. Chyba jedną z fundamentalnych konsekwencji STW da się podać słowami (str. 169):
"Jeżeli przyjmiemy teorię względności Einsteina bez zastrzeżeń, nie ma sensu stwierdzenie, że przeszłość już się wydarzyła, a przyszłość dopiero wydarzy. Zdarzenie rozdzielone przestrzennie może znajdować się w czyjejś przyszłości z jednej perspektywy oraz w czyjejś przeszłości z innej"
Uważam, że warto zrozumieć, dlaczego tak absurdalne dla naszego myślenia o czasie stwierdzenia są faktem, a nam wciąż trudno się z tym pogodzić. Gorąco zachęcam do przeczytania stron 154-177, gdzie wszystko najistotniejsze o STW jest wyjaśnione. Jeśli raz za mało - polecam kolejny, a może nawet 5x. To niewiele stron, a ostatecznie można zrozumieć, czym jest tkanka czasoprzestrzeni.
========
"Ukryte siły natury" to świetna lektura, w której prowadzeni jesteśmy za rękę przez Coxa do długiej serii pytań 'JAK i DLACZEGO', na które odpowiedzi otwierają przed nami kolejne drzwi dziwów natury. Pytania o unikatowe właściwości wody, podstawy biochemiczne życia, preferowany w przyrodzie kształt sferyczny czy subtelne właściwości barw, stanowią pretekst do pobudzania ciekawości przyrodą, przy okazji pozwalają na zadumę nad naszą unikatowością i subtelnością relacji przyrodniczych. Ostatecznie po lekturze w każdym chyba zostaje przekonanie, że wszystko, co nas otacza, jest cudem. Czy można oczekiwać więcej od książki popularno-naukowej?
Gorąco zachęcam do lektury.
BARDZO DOBRA - 8.5/10
"Ukryte siły natury" powstały przy okazji serialu dokumentalnego BBC, stąd współautorem publikacji jest Andrew Cohen - szef działu nauki ten brytyjskiej stacji. Głównym celem ksi��żki, podobnie jak serialu, było podanie przykładów, w jaki sposób nauka pomaga opisać pozornie złażone zjawiska przyrodnicze przy użyciu fundamentalnych zasad.
Cox wychodząc z powszednich, i dostępnych zmysłami każdemu, elementów świata, zadaje pytania o przyczyny takiego a nie innego zachowania, wyglądu czy przebiegu zjawiska, przedmiotu. Chociażby płatki śniegu. Czemu każdy jest inny, czemu są różnej budowy i rozmiaru, choć zawsze sześcioramienne? W odpowiedzi, wychodząc z kluczowej tu budowy cząsteczki wody, przechodząc przez opis zjawisk atmosferycznych, które sposób ostatecznego formowania się płatku determinują, dociera do praw symetrii i właściwości polarnych wody (str. 30-53).
Fizyk nie unika poszukiwań ciekawych metod przyciągnięcia każdego. Niezależnie, czy rozumie się entropię, właściwości falowe światła, uwspólnianie orbit elektronów czy zawiłe mechanizmy fotosyntezy, ostatecznie każdy czytelnik po lekturze książki zrozumie istotę biochemiczną życia czy feerię barw naszej Ziemi - 'błękitnej kropki'. Cox w wielu elementach dydaktyzmu i dziecięcej wrażliwości, bliski jest Feynmanowi, Saganowi czy deGrasse Tysonowi. To chyba bardzo dobra rekomendacja.
========
Szczególnie gorąca zachęta do pochylenia się nad pewnym fragmentem książki.
Cox pokusił się o wytłumaczenie maksymalnie prosto szczególnej teorii względności (STW) - jej sprzeczności z intuicją. Pokazał, jak samym logicznym wnioskowaniem, krocząc śladami myśli Einsteina, da się zbudować gmach tej teorii. Chyba jedną z fundamentalnych konsekwencji STW da się podać słowami (str. 169):
"Jeżeli przyjmiemy teorię względności Einsteina bez zastrzeżeń, nie ma sensu stwierdzenie, że przeszłość już się wydarzyła, a przyszłość dopiero wydarzy. Zdarzenie rozdzielone przestrzennie może znajdować się w czyjejś przyszłości z jednej perspektywy oraz w czyjejś przeszłości z innej"
Uważam, że warto zrozumieć, dlaczego tak absurdalne dla naszego myślenia o czasie stwierdzenia są faktem, a nam wciąż trudno się z tym pogodzić. Gorąco zachęcam do przeczytania stron 154-177, gdzie wszystko najistotniejsze o STW jest wyjaśnione. Jeśli raz za mało - polecam kolejny, a może nawet 5x. To niewiele stron, a ostatecznie można zrozumieć, czym jest tkanka czasoprzestrzeni.
========
"Ukryte siły natury" to świetna lektura, w której prowadzeni jesteśmy za rękę przez Coxa do długiej serii pytań 'JAK i DLACZEGO', na które odpowiedzi otwierają przed nami kolejne drzwi dziwów natury. Pytania o unikatowe właściwości wody, podstawy biochemiczne życia, preferowany w przyrodzie kształt sferyczny czy subtelne właściwości barw, stanowią pretekst do pobudzania ciekawości przyrodą, przy okazji pozwalają na zadumę nad naszą unikatowością i subtelnością relacji przyrodniczych. Ostatecznie po lekturze w każdym chyba zostaje przekonanie, że wszystko, co nas otacza, jest cudem. Czy można oczekiwać więcej od książki popularno-naukowej?
Gorąco zachęcam do lektury.
BARDZO DOBRA - 8.5/10
May 5, 2020
This is great-Brian Cox talking through the physical forces that shape the world/universe - electromagnetism, gravity, & strong & weak nuclear forces, and how they create patterns and certain structures in the universe - spherical planets, tidal oceans, snowflakes, bilateral symmetry in many animal species, etc. It’s physics well explained for the layperson (experts might find it too basic- but then, it’s so nicely articulated they might enjoy it). I LOVED it, especially the discussions around the physical origins of life on earth. A lot of the book is quite abstract (as physics often is) and across it all is the sheer joy and delight Cox takes in the pursuit and value of knowledge, which as an academic meant a lot to me. There’s still quite a lot of maths and chemistry in here so if they’re not your thing this probably isn’t for you. I listened to the audio which was narrated by Samuel West who of course was EXCELLENT, think I’ll now only listen to books narrated by him 😂
November 14, 2019
This is an interesting and informative book. It’s very approachable and written at entry level. It was adapted from a television show and this fact is noticeable and maybe a bit irritating. I listened to the audobook and the reader has a great voice.
July 3, 2023
Brilliant. Explains why everything “is”, in a clear and straightforward way, breaks down big questions into simple phrases and you don’t have to be a science genius to follow along. It was fascinating and fun, but honestly I cannot remember a single thing… 3.5/5 ⭐️
August 6, 2023
these two quotes pretty much sum up this book for me. you gotta love how much brian cox desperately wants you as a reader to understand so you can share his excitement for his subject matter, you can feel it through some of his downright lyrical prose. that being said, the beauty and intrigue and complexity of the subjects covered in this book reminds me both why i initially took a physics a-level, and why i promptly dropped it.
“Science has forced us to look fixedly into an infinite universe, and its volume dilutes special pleading to a vanishingly small and pathetic whimper. And yet what's left is better. No monument to the gods is as magnificent as the story of our planet; of the origin and evolution of life on the rare Earth and the rise of a fledgling civilisation taking its first steps into the dark. We stand related to every one of Darwin's endless, most beautiful forms, each of us connected at some branch in the unbroken chain of life stretching back 4 billion years. We share more in common with bacteria than we do with any living things out there amongst the stars, should they exist, and they are more worthy of our attention. Build cathedrals in praise of bacteria; we are on our own, and as the dominant intellect we are responsible for our planet in its magnificent and fragile entirety.” p. 190
“If you look at the diagram for quite a long time, you should be able to convince yourself that D,(e) = (0-ф) + (180°- 24) + (0-ф). If you want to plot D (0) against for yourself, then substitute for using Snell's law.” p. 197
“Science has forced us to look fixedly into an infinite universe, and its volume dilutes special pleading to a vanishingly small and pathetic whimper. And yet what's left is better. No monument to the gods is as magnificent as the story of our planet; of the origin and evolution of life on the rare Earth and the rise of a fledgling civilisation taking its first steps into the dark. We stand related to every one of Darwin's endless, most beautiful forms, each of us connected at some branch in the unbroken chain of life stretching back 4 billion years. We share more in common with bacteria than we do with any living things out there amongst the stars, should they exist, and they are more worthy of our attention. Build cathedrals in praise of bacteria; we are on our own, and as the dominant intellect we are responsible for our planet in its magnificent and fragile entirety.” p. 190
“If you look at the diagram for quite a long time, you should be able to convince yourself that D,(e) = (0-ф) + (180°- 24) + (0-ф). If you want to plot D (0) against for yourself, then substitute for using Snell's law.” p. 197
March 7, 2023
An audiobook that really fired my imagination. Took me back to the basics that make up our world, and our scientific explanations. One of the most important books anyone could read or listen to. I was hoping it would be narrated by Prof Brian Cox but Samuel West was not a bad second. I'll look out for more of these Science audiobooks and will have to enjoy this one again sometime soon.
January 3, 2021
Good introduction to the physics that surround us. Pleasent listen/read for those interested in such topics. Nothing groundbreaking, but formulated in a relatively easy-to-digest way.
October 21, 2023
ngl I don't remember anything about this book
May 25, 2021
It is packed with amazing things and well written. (He only lost a star due to too many references to himself which I personally find a bit off putting - save them for your autobiography Bri.)
February 3, 2018
Professor Cox is the type of person who is optimistic with his physics: he lifts people up to the wonders of the universe rather than pulling the board from beneath and letting you fall into stark realism. This is perhaps due to his English sentiment of not taking anything too serious, whilst also drawing from his great love of the subject and the hundreds of scientists who pioneered some part of it and transformed physics into what it is today.
Forces of Nature is a broad overview of the four fundamental forces of nature: the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, the electromagnetic force and the force of gravity. Professor Cox goes on to answer many of the questions that are intrinsic to our universe—a universe created with fixed laws made manifest in a creative amalgamation of numbers. The book is based off of a BBC documentary and Cox makes use of this very visual explanation of things; he describes the physics of symmetry through manatees off the coast of Florida, and the wonders of colour through his diving into the mid-Atlantic ridge in Iceland.
I would be lying if I said that textbooks do not provide the information with the same enthusiasm as Cox does, but Professor Cox’s prose is noticeably beautiful, romantic and kind; he is pleasantly droll, enthusiastic, modest and not at all pejorative. You can tell he has an appreciation for just about every sub-field of physics and not only that, he seems to be greatly appreciative of the arts; Claude Monet and George Orwell appear amongst his quotes and visualisations. People often frown at me when I tell them that Physics and Literature are incredibly similar to one another, but they shouldn’t be shocked at the idea that a lot of physicists turn into writers and communicators; it is not a coincidence that scientists often convey the secrets of the universe in poetic prose. After all, every creation story needs a language—Professor Cox has found a kind and intelligent one.
Original Review posted at: https://suspectnarglesblog.wordpress....
Forces of Nature is a broad overview of the four fundamental forces of nature: the strong nuclear force, the weak nuclear force, the electromagnetic force and the force of gravity. Professor Cox goes on to answer many of the questions that are intrinsic to our universe—a universe created with fixed laws made manifest in a creative amalgamation of numbers. The book is based off of a BBC documentary and Cox makes use of this very visual explanation of things; he describes the physics of symmetry through manatees off the coast of Florida, and the wonders of colour through his diving into the mid-Atlantic ridge in Iceland.
I would be lying if I said that textbooks do not provide the information with the same enthusiasm as Cox does, but Professor Cox’s prose is noticeably beautiful, romantic and kind; he is pleasantly droll, enthusiastic, modest and not at all pejorative. You can tell he has an appreciation for just about every sub-field of physics and not only that, he seems to be greatly appreciative of the arts; Claude Monet and George Orwell appear amongst his quotes and visualisations. People often frown at me when I tell them that Physics and Literature are incredibly similar to one another, but they shouldn’t be shocked at the idea that a lot of physicists turn into writers and communicators; it is not a coincidence that scientists often convey the secrets of the universe in poetic prose. After all, every creation story needs a language—Professor Cox has found a kind and intelligent one.
Original Review posted at: https://suspectnarglesblog.wordpress....
October 8, 2018
I tried with this one, I really did. I don't have any science background, and math was never my strongest subject in school, but I know when someone is a good teacher. The biggest factor is being able to take really abstract or difficult concepts and boil them down into something someone who doesn't have a physics degree can understand them. Neil deGrasse-Tyson can do it wonderfully. Carl Sagan could do it too. Brian Cox? Nope. Not even a little. After a third chapter if scratching my head, rereading the section to see if I missed something, and then giving up and moving on to the next concept, I eventually made the decision to DNF this book. Nothing in this book was boiled down so the lay person (ie. me) could get more than the basic gist of the concept.
As much as this stuff interests me, I don't want to have to go and get a physics degree just to understand what this author is trying to say.
As much as this stuff interests me, I don't want to have to go and get a physics degree just to understand what this author is trying to say.
September 15, 2017
Some of the discussions are too deep for a pop science book. But the "Ionian enchantments" I had from some of the information provided by the book make up for its shortcomings.
January 12, 2020
This is such a great book! Prof. Brian Cox is a master of describing complex science in enchanting storytelling. I wish I had this book in high school!
November 1, 2021
I'll not make this an overly long review as I'm no scientist and, therefor, not qualified to delve into this into too much detail.
As I said, I am no scientist, but this book does not require you to be one. It simply requires that you have a curious mind as to how everything works and an urge to dive a tad deeper than simply being curious. The science in this book is accessible to anyone. There are, obviously, times when it does advance a tad, but for the most part it's kept at a level where anyone can pick it up and feel like they're along for the ride rather than simply nodding, smiling and waiting for the smart men with the big words to go away and leave you in peace.
The writing style is very witty and engaging, something that a lot of science books I've tried either attempt and don't do very well, fail at all together, or simply do not try. In the case of the latter, it's hardly their fault. Most scientists write for other scientists so assume all the big words and equations are understood (thankfully Cox and Cohen aren't solely of that school of thought).
I enjoyed this from start to finish and was thoroughly upset when it ended. I wanted there to be more, more, more. But, that's what these books are designed to do: give you a taste for the main course; a main course you need to track down and devour on your own, as opposed to being spoon fed here.
If you've the slightest curiosity about the world, solar system and universe around you, I'd highly recommend picking up this book (and others like it). Some of the things in here opened my eyes to different ways of seeing the world and I look forward to diving into more of their work to continue that journey.
As I said, I am no scientist, but this book does not require you to be one. It simply requires that you have a curious mind as to how everything works and an urge to dive a tad deeper than simply being curious. The science in this book is accessible to anyone. There are, obviously, times when it does advance a tad, but for the most part it's kept at a level where anyone can pick it up and feel like they're along for the ride rather than simply nodding, smiling and waiting for the smart men with the big words to go away and leave you in peace.
The writing style is very witty and engaging, something that a lot of science books I've tried either attempt and don't do very well, fail at all together, or simply do not try. In the case of the latter, it's hardly their fault. Most scientists write for other scientists so assume all the big words and equations are understood (thankfully Cox and Cohen aren't solely of that school of thought).
I enjoyed this from start to finish and was thoroughly upset when it ended. I wanted there to be more, more, more. But, that's what these books are designed to do: give you a taste for the main course; a main course you need to track down and devour on your own, as opposed to being spoon fed here.
If you've the slightest curiosity about the world, solar system and universe around you, I'd highly recommend picking up this book (and others like it). Some of the things in here opened my eyes to different ways of seeing the world and I look forward to diving into more of their work to continue that journey.
December 16, 2023
Wondrous, insightful, confusing. All words I would use to describe this book. Brian Cox takes the reader on a tour of many of the worlds natural phenomena. Why do honeybees made hexagonal honeycombs? Why are snowflakes 6-pointed? Why do we observe colour the way we do?
Along with this Brian Cox takes us on a tour of particle and astrophysics, discussing the fundamental particles, along with theorizing how life may have initially formed on earth. Gravity, general and special relativity were particularly interesting sections of the book, as well as the concept of motion. The sections of this book relating to biological processes were harder to get my head around, entirely due to my own lack of education in the biological sciences.
Overall, I would highly recommend, this book takes the reader through some of the most complex topics but in a way that is easy to follow.
Along with this Brian Cox takes us on a tour of particle and astrophysics, discussing the fundamental particles, along with theorizing how life may have initially formed on earth. Gravity, general and special relativity were particularly interesting sections of the book, as well as the concept of motion. The sections of this book relating to biological processes were harder to get my head around, entirely due to my own lack of education in the biological sciences.
Overall, I would highly recommend, this book takes the reader through some of the most complex topics but in a way that is easy to follow.
March 25, 2018
This was a really interesting and informative book. I liked the fact that it explored science through asking basic questions about the world, such as 'Why do snowflakes have six points?' or 'What makes things different colours?' etc. This made it feel like I was learning how the knowledge is applied to the world rather than that I was just learning random facts. I did struggle to understand some concepts and diagrams but you can tell that he's done his best to explain things clearly. He also throws in the occasional anecdote or a bit of dry wit which made it entertaining too.
July 24, 2020
If you look at the sky at night you will see beautiful stars shining, have you ever asked yourself . How the universe began? Why the sun shines? Why the sky is blue? Why there is life on earth? Why we can't explain scientifically why we can't go back in time? Why we can't go back to the past? Scientists look for the answers to many questions, they won't want to be right but they want to know. This book inspired by BBC television. Brian Cox leads us with his amazing to discover the Forces of Nature
August 4, 2017
As with most of the TV Shows and other stuff done by Brian, this book is a very good primer into the wonder of science and the natural world. The narrator of the Audiobook really does a good job conveying that tone of wonder and amazement that is so often heard from Brian on his TV miniseries. I think this is definitely a good book for anyone interested in the natural word.
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