What do you think?
Rate this book
Grand Unification and The New Look of the Atom
Discover a provocative new conceptual model for the physics of the universe that answers some difficult (1) What is dark matter? (2) What is dark energy? (3) What are virtual particles and antimatter? (4) What explains the Big Four of natural forces? (5) What are gravity waves, really? (6) Why have we been fooled into thinking that energy travels in bundles? (7) Why does light behave as both a wave and a particle? (8) How do electrons switch orbital shells without crossing the space in between them? (9) What was Albert Einstein's great oversight?
- GenresNonfiction
30 pages, Paperback
First published December 2, 2004
159 people want to read
About the author
L.N. Smith
4 books34 followersIn this world of credentialed experts, the author, L.N. Smith, is not one of them. In fact, his credentials are so unconvincing that he has chosen to publish under a humorous pen name instead of his real name. "L.N. Smith" is actually the abbreviation for a phrase that sets up a joke. (The clues to the full name are in Sunrise Over Disney.) Only time will tell if the joke is on him or on today's "credentialed experts."
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 17, 2012
- Your Serenity! Your Serenity!
- What is it now, Brother Emmanuel?
- I've found another heretic sir.
- Another one?
- Yes sir.
- That's the third this week, isn't it?
- Yes sir. I think it must be the unseasonably warm weather sir.
- Well, what kind of heresy is this one spouting?
- He says there are only four dimensions sir.
- That's not so bad, Brother Emmanuel. The Blessed Penrose has said the same thing.
- But there's more to it sir. He denies spontaneous symmetry breaking. Claims there are equal amounts of matter and anti-matter in the universe.
- Hm, that sounds more serious. How does he explain the lack of mutual annihilation in the early moments of the Big Bang?
- He doesn't go into that sir.
- Well, all the same, I'm inclined to...
- Wait sir, I've saved the worst bit for last. He argues for the existence of a luminiferous aether.
- He does? What about the Revelation of Saint Michelson-Morley?
- He has some explanation involving the Earth carrying its aether along with it. Frankly, sir, I was a bit shocked. I didn't want to read it too carefully.
- I must admit that is rather blasphemous.
- And he denies the essentially probabilistic nature of quantum processes.
- Don't get carried away here, Brother Emmanuel. No need to complicate things. We have a solid case against him already.
- Yes sir. Can I burn him at the stake sir?
- Oh, alright. If you're sure you want to.
- Thank you sir! I'll go and do that immediately.
- Wait. I've changed my mind.
- But please sir...
- We've burned enough heretics for now. Think of something else.
- But sir, what am I supposed to do?
- Oh... I don't know. Use your initiative. Write an ironic review on Goodreads or something.
- But sir...
- That's enough, Brother Emmanuel. Dismissed.
- What is it now, Brother Emmanuel?
- I've found another heretic sir.
- Another one?
- Yes sir.
- That's the third this week, isn't it?
- Yes sir. I think it must be the unseasonably warm weather sir.
- Well, what kind of heresy is this one spouting?
- He says there are only four dimensions sir.
- That's not so bad, Brother Emmanuel. The Blessed Penrose has said the same thing.
- But there's more to it sir. He denies spontaneous symmetry breaking. Claims there are equal amounts of matter and anti-matter in the universe.
- Hm, that sounds more serious. How does he explain the lack of mutual annihilation in the early moments of the Big Bang?
- He doesn't go into that sir.
- Well, all the same, I'm inclined to...
- Wait sir, I've saved the worst bit for last. He argues for the existence of a luminiferous aether.
- He does? What about the Revelation of Saint Michelson-Morley?
- He has some explanation involving the Earth carrying its aether along with it. Frankly, sir, I was a bit shocked. I didn't want to read it too carefully.
- I must admit that is rather blasphemous.
- And he denies the essentially probabilistic nature of quantum processes.
- Don't get carried away here, Brother Emmanuel. No need to complicate things. We have a solid case against him already.
- Yes sir. Can I burn him at the stake sir?
- Oh, alright. If you're sure you want to.
- Thank you sir! I'll go and do that immediately.
- Wait. I've changed my mind.
- But please sir...
- We've burned enough heretics for now. Think of something else.
- But sir, what am I supposed to do?
- Oh... I don't know. Use your initiative. Write an ironic review on Goodreads or something.
- But sir...
- That's enough, Brother Emmanuel. Dismissed.
January 17, 2013
I received a free copy of this e-book from the author. I wasn't explicitly told to give a review in return, but I'm doing it anyway because I figure it's the nice/polite thing to do.
Grand Unification and the New Look of the Atom is actually two short stories that seek to explain concepts of physics ("Grand Unification": E-comets and the universe; "The New Look of the Atom": How atoms are structured).
I had a little trouble actually understanding if this was supposed to be tales describing some process of physics, or if these physics processes were incorporated into science fiction. So that explains something if my shelves are all messed up for this.
I really liked "Grand Unification" and I think Smith did a great job describing the complexity of the universe. I also like the way he sets up and tells this story: through a planetarium scientist, one who is more like a regular non-scientist (in that he's not so great at formal sciences or even physics itself), to us as we go through an exhibit in the planetarium meant to explain the Big Bang and other questions about the creation of the universe. Instead, we get Norbert explaining e-comets, or how the universe is made up of little non-existent pockets (or something; I'm not as great at explaining it, to be honest).
I will admit that the entire "your scientists" bit was a little irritating. Is Norbert an alien? Why is he referring to the scientists of the world as only ours and not his? He also came across as a little condescending at times.
As for "The New Look of the Atom," I found it to be a tad overcomplicated for something I find to be so simple (the structure of an atom). The metaphor was too complicated to fully get the picture until the very end and so I thought it ended up being a wasted learning opportunity. I didn't really enjoy that part.
Overall, I think this book is a short, quick and easy to understand explanation about certain aspects of physics, but if you're more used to scientific articles and in-depth, non-metaphorical, non-fable-styled looks at science, then this book may be too -- I don't want to say juvenile, but that's all I can think of -- for you. I can definitely see people reading it to their kids (not toddlers, of course!) in the hopes of promoting a love for science.
Grand Unification and the New Look of the Atom is actually two short stories that seek to explain concepts of physics ("Grand Unification": E-comets and the universe; "The New Look of the Atom": How atoms are structured).
I had a little trouble actually understanding if this was supposed to be tales describing some process of physics, or if these physics processes were incorporated into science fiction. So that explains something if my shelves are all messed up for this.
I really liked "Grand Unification" and I think Smith did a great job describing the complexity of the universe. I also like the way he sets up and tells this story: through a planetarium scientist, one who is more like a regular non-scientist (in that he's not so great at formal sciences or even physics itself), to us as we go through an exhibit in the planetarium meant to explain the Big Bang and other questions about the creation of the universe. Instead, we get Norbert explaining e-comets, or how the universe is made up of little non-existent pockets (or something; I'm not as great at explaining it, to be honest).
I will admit that the entire "your scientists" bit was a little irritating. Is Norbert an alien? Why is he referring to the scientists of the world as only ours and not his? He also came across as a little condescending at times.
As for "The New Look of the Atom," I found it to be a tad overcomplicated for something I find to be so simple (the structure of an atom). The metaphor was too complicated to fully get the picture until the very end and so I thought it ended up being a wasted learning opportunity. I didn't really enjoy that part.
Overall, I think this book is a short, quick and easy to understand explanation about certain aspects of physics, but if you're more used to scientific articles and in-depth, non-metaphorical, non-fable-styled looks at science, then this book may be too -- I don't want to say juvenile, but that's all I can think of -- for you. I can definitely see people reading it to their kids (not toddlers, of course!) in the hopes of promoting a love for science.
December 15, 2011
Grand Unification is a humorous and entertaining way to learn aspects of science that can be confusing and often hard to understand. I would recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn in a fun and enjoyable way. This book is definitely a favorite.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews