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Einstein's Intuition: Visualizing Nature in Eleven Dimensions by Thad Roberts
Presented in clear and accessible language with wonderfully supportive graphics, Roberts offers the reader a voyage through the stages of human knowledge. He then examines the outstanding mysteries of modern physics, the phenomena that lie outside the borders of our current understanding (dark energy, dark matter, the Big Bang, wave-particle duality, quantum tunneling, state vector reduction, etc.) and suggests that the next step in our intellectual journey is to treat the vacuum of space as a superfluid—modeling it as being composed of interactive quanta, which, in a self-similar way, are composed of subquanta, and so on. With this proposition Roberts imbues the vacuum with fractal geometry, and opens the door to explaining the outstanding mysteries of physics geometrically. Roberts’ model, called quantum space theory, has been praised for how it offers an intuitively accessible picture of eleven dimensions and for powerfully extending the insight of general relativity, eloquently translating the four forces into unique kinds of geometric distortions, while offering us access to the underlying deterministic dynamics that give rise to quantum mechanics. That remarkably simple picture explains the mysteries of modern physics is a way that is fully commensurate with Einstein’s Intuition. It is a refreshingly unique perspective that generates several testable predictions.
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Published January 1, 1740
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About the author
Thad Roberts
9 books10 followersAuthor of 'Einstein's Intuition', subject of 'Sex on the Moon', lover, philosopher of physics, adventurer.
Thad Roberts is a theoretical physicist, a philosopher of physics, the inspiration behind the New York Times best seller Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History, and the author of ‘Einstein’s Intuition: Visualizing Nature in Eleven Dimensions‘.
Thad enjoys exploring unfamiliar realms and seeking out new experiences in an attempt to absorb new perspectives and to expand his own horizons. He has sailed across the Atlantic through a tropical storm in a 55 foot sloop, excavated dinosaur fossils from the Great Basin, Mojave and Chihuahuan deserts, mined for rare gem stones in the Wah Wah mountains, skindived off the shores of Hawaii, flown zero-gravity, experienced extreme isolation, explored the remains of a sunken ship, and discovered the jungle covered remains of an ancient Mayan complex.
When he was 22, Thad was hired on as a co-op at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He worked as an Astrophysicist, then a Geo-astrophysicst, and eventually became a Flight Lead in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where he SCUBA dived with the astronauts, helped train them for their EVAs (space walks), and participated in underwater studies of the International Space Station mock-ups.
At age 25 Thad fell in love with a brilliant and beautiful Biology intern at NASA. Wanting to give her the moon (literally), Thad masterminded the infamous moon rock caper and made off with lunar samples. 33 years to the day after Neil Armstrong first picked up a piece of the moon, Thad sold some of those pieces and landed in the middle of a government sting.
Thad was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for his actions. Though he would never repeat those acts, Thad doesn’t regret how things turned out. Despite the isolation, loneliness, and hard lessons that defined those years, he notes that without that time of intense dedication and constant focus he may have never dived so deeply into questions about the construction of our Universe. After coming face to face with his own insecurities, Thad decided to overcome the odds of his past mistakes and to once again strive for his dreams. His days in prison were spent teaching, exercising, wrestling with the mysteries of modern physics, and exploring new axiomatic assumptions that might explain them.
Thad left prison with something more valuable to him than a safe full of moon rocks – a manuscript over 700 pages long that lucidly describes how he was led to a new geometric axioms for the structure of spacetime. The result was quantum space theory (qst), a specific form of superfluid vacuum theory (SVT), which now stands as a candidate for the theory of quantum gravity.
Thad’s book ‘Einstein’s Intuition: Visualizing Nature in Eleven Dimensions‘ has been acclaimed for how it lucidly explores the mysteries of modern physics and artfully challenges traditional assumptions about reality to construct a new perspective that brings new light to quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Thad is now living a life full of love, adventure, and friendship, and he is still shooting for the stars. He works (as a theoretical physicist for a private think tank) to contribute to Einstein’s dream of unifying the realms of relativity and quantum mechanics into one intuitively accessible map of Nature, and he is taking steps to one day fly to space. Thad also works as a public speaker for the APB, where he encourages everyone to chase their dreams, to richly experience the world for themselves, and to support others in their dreams. He believes that a first step in committing to your dreams is making a list of things done and things to do. With each other’s support he believes that we can all rebound from our mistakes and reach for the stars.
Thad Roberts is a theoretical physicist, a philosopher of physics, the inspiration behind the New York Times best seller Sex on the Moon: The Amazing Story Behind the Most Audacious Heist in History, and the author of ‘Einstein’s Intuition: Visualizing Nature in Eleven Dimensions‘.
Thad enjoys exploring unfamiliar realms and seeking out new experiences in an attempt to absorb new perspectives and to expand his own horizons. He has sailed across the Atlantic through a tropical storm in a 55 foot sloop, excavated dinosaur fossils from the Great Basin, Mojave and Chihuahuan deserts, mined for rare gem stones in the Wah Wah mountains, skindived off the shores of Hawaii, flown zero-gravity, experienced extreme isolation, explored the remains of a sunken ship, and discovered the jungle covered remains of an ancient Mayan complex.
When he was 22, Thad was hired on as a co-op at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. He worked as an Astrophysicist, then a Geo-astrophysicst, and eventually became a Flight Lead in the Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory, where he SCUBA dived with the astronauts, helped train them for their EVAs (space walks), and participated in underwater studies of the International Space Station mock-ups.
At age 25 Thad fell in love with a brilliant and beautiful Biology intern at NASA. Wanting to give her the moon (literally), Thad masterminded the infamous moon rock caper and made off with lunar samples. 33 years to the day after Neil Armstrong first picked up a piece of the moon, Thad sold some of those pieces and landed in the middle of a government sting.
Thad was sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for his actions. Though he would never repeat those acts, Thad doesn’t regret how things turned out. Despite the isolation, loneliness, and hard lessons that defined those years, he notes that without that time of intense dedication and constant focus he may have never dived so deeply into questions about the construction of our Universe. After coming face to face with his own insecurities, Thad decided to overcome the odds of his past mistakes and to once again strive for his dreams. His days in prison were spent teaching, exercising, wrestling with the mysteries of modern physics, and exploring new axiomatic assumptions that might explain them.
Thad left prison with something more valuable to him than a safe full of moon rocks – a manuscript over 700 pages long that lucidly describes how he was led to a new geometric axioms for the structure of spacetime. The result was quantum space theory (qst), a specific form of superfluid vacuum theory (SVT), which now stands as a candidate for the theory of quantum gravity.
Thad’s book ‘Einstein’s Intuition: Visualizing Nature in Eleven Dimensions‘ has been acclaimed for how it lucidly explores the mysteries of modern physics and artfully challenges traditional assumptions about reality to construct a new perspective that brings new light to quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Thad is now living a life full of love, adventure, and friendship, and he is still shooting for the stars. He works (as a theoretical physicist for a private think tank) to contribute to Einstein’s dream of unifying the realms of relativity and quantum mechanics into one intuitively accessible map of Nature, and he is taking steps to one day fly to space. Thad also works as a public speaker for the APB, where he encourages everyone to chase their dreams, to richly experience the world for themselves, and to support others in their dreams. He believes that a first step in committing to your dreams is making a list of things done and things to do. With each other’s support he believes that we can all rebound from our mistakes and reach for the stars.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
July 26, 2018
I am curious how you found out about this book. If you aren't my friend on Goodreads, then, like me, I imagine you fell down an internet rabbit hole that lead to this book.
This book receives from me the highest honor Goodreads can bestow (5-stars) because of its impact on my thinking, not because of the writing style or the pleasure of the read. Truth-be-told, the lyrical approach taken by the author wore me out.
Read this book for the ideas, that is, if you are the type to enjoy intellectual journeys.
There are veins of complex mathematics sprinkled throughout this book. At best it could be said that I skimmed those sections. You do not need to have a formal background in math to be mind-fucked by this book.
Lastly, a tip-o-the-hat to Thad. Thanks for writing this book. You are a loon and I appreciate that very much. Looking forward to your next book, but please don't make it 600 pages.
This book receives from me the highest honor Goodreads can bestow (5-stars) because of its impact on my thinking, not because of the writing style or the pleasure of the read. Truth-be-told, the lyrical approach taken by the author wore me out.
Read this book for the ideas, that is, if you are the type to enjoy intellectual journeys.
There are veins of complex mathematics sprinkled throughout this book. At best it could be said that I skimmed those sections. You do not need to have a formal background in math to be mind-fucked by this book.
Lastly, a tip-o-the-hat to Thad. Thanks for writing this book. You are a loon and I appreciate that very much. Looking forward to your next book, but please don't make it 600 pages.
September 10, 2017
Pokud někoho z vás zajímá fyzika, tak tohle je skvělá knížka. Vždycky mi nevyhovovala kvantová fyzika a zajímala mě teorie všeho.
A tahle knížka nabízí racionální a hlavně deterministickou teorii. Vysvětluje gravitaci, kvanta, černé díry, big bang, temnou hmotu i temnou energii. A přitom poměrně pochopitelně.
Neříkám, že tahle kvantová teorie vakua je správná, ale aspoň nabízí přístupný vhled do toho, čím se fyzika aktuálně zabývá. Doporučuju!
A tahle knížka nabízí racionální a hlavně deterministickou teorii. Vysvětluje gravitaci, kvanta, černé díry, big bang, temnou hmotu i temnou energii. A přitom poměrně pochopitelně.
Neříkám, že tahle kvantová teorie vakua je správná, ale aspoň nabízí přístupný vhled do toho, čím se fyzika aktuálně zabývá. Doporučuju!
May 4, 2018
Read before teaching a class on Modern Physics.
"Modern science is based on the principle: 'Give us one free miracle, and we'll explain the rest.' The one free miracle is the appearance of all the mass and energy in the universe and all the laws that govern it in a single instant from nothing. ~ Terence McKenna. "
"Modern science is based on the principle: 'Give us one free miracle, and we'll explain the rest.' The one free miracle is the appearance of all the mass and energy in the universe and all the laws that govern it in a single instant from nothing. ~ Terence McKenna. "
August 19, 2016
Great concepts that make you rethink reality. It reminds me of reading "Emperor's New Mind," and "Dancing WuLi Masters," as a child. If you want to conceptualize reality in an entirely new way, pick up a copy of "Einstein's Intuition: Visualizing Nature in Eleven Dimensions" and set your mind free.
There is a great TEDx talk on YouTube with some subject matter from this book. You can search for "Thad Roberts - Visualizing Eleven Dimensions" on YouTube, or just use this URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSz5B...
Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Einsteins-Intu...
Amazon.ca
https://www.amazon.ca/Einsteins-Intui...
There is a great TEDx talk on YouTube with some subject matter from this book. You can search for "Thad Roberts - Visualizing Eleven Dimensions" on YouTube, or just use this URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSz5B...
Amazon.com
https://www.amazon.com/Einsteins-Intu...
Amazon.ca
https://www.amazon.ca/Einsteins-Intui...
September 11, 2016
perfect balance of Science and Philosophy!! I felt it was maybe a bit long but in all honesty it needed to be to get all the points across.
November 17, 2018
Thad,
I really enjoyed reading your book. It is among the most enlightening I have ever read. I don't think I would have understood it, had I not watched your "Conversations" videos. The first was breathtaking for me. While I have enough math, it makes me tired. But the visualizations, these are mind-blowing.
As a technologist I have always had an interest in the application and integration of diverse technologies. So I entertain a wide range of material and technology.
I have two comments about the book. The first is, while I thought your life experiences were going to be tedious, as the pages wore on they were a great diversion from the more intense content. Great Idea.
The second is, your claims of QST further removing us from a need for God may have been a bridge too far.
For example: when I read Gen 1:1, I see
At once God created space, time, and matter and the matter was randomly distributed.
And the Spirit of God organized the matter.
And God said: Let there be light. (and the matter coalesced) and exploded into a bright light.
From this I see that space-time and matter are created. Therefor the creator is not material and transcends the material universe(s). So the problem returns to where did the quanta of space-time come from if not from the only uncaused cause or prime mover.
Your discovery of the elegance of the vacuum's parameters have His fingerprints all over them.
Your claim that the choices are between determinism and stochasticism belies the fact which you prove that what may appear to be stochasticim in one frame of reference may be determinism or providence or omnipotence or sovereignty at a higher level.
I used to believe that it would be difficult for God to know all the possibilities. But when I learned that there are 50 trillion computers in every human body, I thought, this would not be hard for Him at all. Your quotes from Laplace get to my point.
'The thing left out of Theise's "From the Bottom Up" is that each self assembling component has simple rules to follow that make it possible to organize.'
Beyond that, your work is brilliant. Keep going (toward what I know with confidence).
Bruce Spidel
I really enjoyed reading your book. It is among the most enlightening I have ever read. I don't think I would have understood it, had I not watched your "Conversations" videos. The first was breathtaking for me. While I have enough math, it makes me tired. But the visualizations, these are mind-blowing.
As a technologist I have always had an interest in the application and integration of diverse technologies. So I entertain a wide range of material and technology.
I have two comments about the book. The first is, while I thought your life experiences were going to be tedious, as the pages wore on they were a great diversion from the more intense content. Great Idea.
The second is, your claims of QST further removing us from a need for God may have been a bridge too far.
For example: when I read Gen 1:1, I see
At once God created space, time, and matter and the matter was randomly distributed.
And the Spirit of God organized the matter.
And God said: Let there be light. (and the matter coalesced) and exploded into a bright light.
From this I see that space-time and matter are created. Therefor the creator is not material and transcends the material universe(s). So the problem returns to where did the quanta of space-time come from if not from the only uncaused cause or prime mover.
Your discovery of the elegance of the vacuum's parameters have His fingerprints all over them.
Your claim that the choices are between determinism and stochasticism belies the fact which you prove that what may appear to be stochasticim in one frame of reference may be determinism or providence or omnipotence or sovereignty at a higher level.
I used to believe that it would be difficult for God to know all the possibilities. But when I learned that there are 50 trillion computers in every human body, I thought, this would not be hard for Him at all. Your quotes from Laplace get to my point.
'The thing left out of Theise's "From the Bottom Up" is that each self assembling component has simple rules to follow that make it possible to organize.'
Beyond that, your work is brilliant. Keep going (toward what I know with confidence).
Bruce Spidel
June 17, 2019
Unfortunately, this book is not about physics. It is about personal philosophy, at not very good at that either.
The theory proposed is completely useless in it's predictive power: it has none.
Don't expect this book to teach you anything about physics or reality, because the author does not have any insight. And using Einstein's name in the title is, how should I put it, pathetic.
Other people have noted, that it is not an easy read. This is true and not because it is deep, but because it is shallow and mostly gibberish. Towards the end it turns into complete nonsense.
The theory proposed is completely useless in it's predictive power: it has none.
Don't expect this book to teach you anything about physics or reality, because the author does not have any insight. And using Einstein's name in the title is, how should I put it, pathetic.
Other people have noted, that it is not an easy read. This is true and not because it is deep, but because it is shallow and mostly gibberish. Towards the end it turns into complete nonsense.
September 16, 2016
Deep, heartfelt and ultimately profound.
Central to this book is the understanding of Nature in all its complexity and yet utter simplicity. The point being that there is actually an underlying and understandable fabric that all reality is resolved upon. This is a challenging idea at first, but throughout the book this idea is clarified and strengthened. This forces us outside a comfort zone we might have from current physics, but the rewards of that are multitude.
The book shows us that the simplicity of Nature requires us to strip away and conceptually picture the complexity of it in a different light. This is thought-provoking, but Roberts leads us at every step to this new understanding, this new ontology, with history, anecdote and theory. His logic is clean and simple with the reader being introduced gently and refreshed throughout the book.
Piece by piece, Roberts stands on the shoulders of giants, putting the milestones of physics as cornerstones into a beautiful new building. This process is filled with fresh insights into the true significance of what has gone before and guides to an edifice of great splendor and clarity. The journey is led softly, allowing the reader to fully appreciate the importance and significance of the journey that is science.
The book concludes with a full breath towards the humanity and nobility of both science and searching for deep truths. Roberts is unabashed about his placing science central to the human adventure and urges us to exemplify those that do. This then transforms into how having a deeper understanding of Nature is important and edifying to what might be called the spirit. Ultimately seeing the fabric of Nature connects us to the universe and what it is to be human and exist. This is not a saga devoid of humanity.
There are obvious connections with the theories and the writings of many philosophies. This is a book for anyone seeking a deeper insight into the reality of reality and ultimately, who we are. It also poses the challenge to the reader to never being complacent with worldviews and dogma – always challenge it. “Einstein’s Intuition” encourages us all to take a personal journey into the unknown.
A magnificent intersection of so many beautiful areas of thought, perspective and humanity, Roberts weaves a deep, rich tapestry of history, philosophy and physics with an always-present eye to the human side of exploration and adventure.
Central to this book is the understanding of Nature in all its complexity and yet utter simplicity. The point being that there is actually an underlying and understandable fabric that all reality is resolved upon. This is a challenging idea at first, but throughout the book this idea is clarified and strengthened. This forces us outside a comfort zone we might have from current physics, but the rewards of that are multitude.
The book shows us that the simplicity of Nature requires us to strip away and conceptually picture the complexity of it in a different light. This is thought-provoking, but Roberts leads us at every step to this new understanding, this new ontology, with history, anecdote and theory. His logic is clean and simple with the reader being introduced gently and refreshed throughout the book.
Piece by piece, Roberts stands on the shoulders of giants, putting the milestones of physics as cornerstones into a beautiful new building. This process is filled with fresh insights into the true significance of what has gone before and guides to an edifice of great splendor and clarity. The journey is led softly, allowing the reader to fully appreciate the importance and significance of the journey that is science.
The book concludes with a full breath towards the humanity and nobility of both science and searching for deep truths. Roberts is unabashed about his placing science central to the human adventure and urges us to exemplify those that do. This then transforms into how having a deeper understanding of Nature is important and edifying to what might be called the spirit. Ultimately seeing the fabric of Nature connects us to the universe and what it is to be human and exist. This is not a saga devoid of humanity.
There are obvious connections with the theories and the writings of many philosophies. This is a book for anyone seeking a deeper insight into the reality of reality and ultimately, who we are. It also poses the challenge to the reader to never being complacent with worldviews and dogma – always challenge it. “Einstein’s Intuition” encourages us all to take a personal journey into the unknown.
A magnificent intersection of so many beautiful areas of thought, perspective and humanity, Roberts weaves a deep, rich tapestry of history, philosophy and physics with an always-present eye to the human side of exploration and adventure.
November 15, 2016
Roberts is a theoretical physicist for the 21st century. He makes physics exciting with a questioning mind and bold imagination. This work, partially completed while the author was in prison for somewhat infamously stealing a moon rock, is as rebellious as it is conceptual. What's more important, it raises challenging questions which are worthy of deep consideration.
I'd recommend a foundational knowledge of Steven Hawking and Brian Greene before reading this work. The work of Carl Sagan and Neil Degrasse Tyson is also helpful for understanding what Roberts is proposing. Once you do, I think you'll agree the arguments Roberts puts forward deserve a response from the mainstream astrophysics community. While Quantum Space Theory may not be the ultimate unified theory that Einstein was seeking, it is elegant in its simplicity and thought-provoking.
You may not ultimately subscribe to the author's vision of a unified theory (it is, after all, nearly blasphemous in circles of quantum physics). Even if you don't, this book provides beautifully intuitive explanations of concepts such as dark matter, dark energy, wave-particle duality, dimensions greater than the fourth, the forces, and more.
While the writing is imperfect, this book is more than worth a read for those interested in theoretical physics or astrophysics. Do yourself a favor and have your preconceptions challenged.
I'd recommend a foundational knowledge of Steven Hawking and Brian Greene before reading this work. The work of Carl Sagan and Neil Degrasse Tyson is also helpful for understanding what Roberts is proposing. Once you do, I think you'll agree the arguments Roberts puts forward deserve a response from the mainstream astrophysics community. While Quantum Space Theory may not be the ultimate unified theory that Einstein was seeking, it is elegant in its simplicity and thought-provoking.
You may not ultimately subscribe to the author's vision of a unified theory (it is, after all, nearly blasphemous in circles of quantum physics). Even if you don't, this book provides beautifully intuitive explanations of concepts such as dark matter, dark energy, wave-particle duality, dimensions greater than the fourth, the forces, and more.
While the writing is imperfect, this book is more than worth a read for those interested in theoretical physics or astrophysics. Do yourself a favor and have your preconceptions challenged.
January 1, 2020
Narrated by: Jonathan Farkasofsky
Narrator rating: 2/5 star rating
Didn’t like the narrator.
The book was okay. I liked the physics stuff but didn’t care for his personal story so much. The physics is amazing and QST seems like it provides solutions and explanations to many things. He claims that interactions between the quanta causes small traces of energy to be lost to the quanta and that explains why we see the redshift that we do from distant galaxies and it explains away dark matter as not being a thing. I was hoping for a summary of QST at the end but he did not.
started: 2019-12-02.Dec.Mon 08:51:27
finished: 2019-12-27.Dec.Fri 12:21:57
duration: 20h:31m
Narrator rating: 2/5 star rating
Didn’t like the narrator.
The book was okay. I liked the physics stuff but didn’t care for his personal story so much. The physics is amazing and QST seems like it provides solutions and explanations to many things. He claims that interactions between the quanta causes small traces of energy to be lost to the quanta and that explains why we see the redshift that we do from distant galaxies and it explains away dark matter as not being a thing. I was hoping for a summary of QST at the end but he did not.
started: 2019-12-02.Dec.Mon 08:51:27
finished: 2019-12-27.Dec.Fri 12:21:57
duration: 20h:31m
October 13, 2016
could not finish, not b/c its dense or difficult, but b/c I could find nothing of substance.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews