In Search of SUSY: Supersymmetry and the Theory of Everything

by Gribbin

«SUSY» es un anagrama de supersymmetry (supersimetría) que se considera como la base para desarrollar una completa «teoría del todo» que abarcaría a todas las partículas y fuerzas del Universo y que puede reducir las cuatro fuerzas básicas de la naturaleza -gravedad, electromagnetismo, y las fuerzas nucleares fuerte y débil- a una única superfuerza. Este libro de John Gribbin, auténtico viaje al corazón del universo, aborda las grandes cuestiones que se ha planteado desde siempre la humanidad, y lo hace no sólo con una extraordinaria capacidad para presentarnos de modo elocuente y lúcido ideas complicadas, sino que escribe sobre ellas como si de aventuras se tratara.

Genres: Science, Physics, Nonfiction, Popular Science, Quantum Mechanics

160 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1998

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gribbin moves from a brief introduction to quantum mechanics, through basic ideas in particle physics, to the search for supersymmetry and the appeal of string theory. The focus is unsurprisingly on the quest for unification, after an initial puzzling proliferation of discoveries series of particles. This short book provides the necessary background to appreciate the significance of what is being investigated in supercolliders, including CERN and the ATLAS project, looking for the important Higgs boson and possible supersymmetric partners.

[White · Rating 5 out of 5]

I got this book when the news of superstrings made its way into the commons. This one is bordering on a mathematical appeal but it is still easy enough to understand. The famous split experiment of particles and waves is referred to in here and the connection to superstrings being at the foundation of everything that exists takes center stage in this book.

I loved this book. It goes a bit further than some in half the pages.

[Omneya Hassan · Rating 4 out of 5]

من أروع كتب الفيزياء التي قرأتها .. يمكن احتاج مني وقت طويل لإنهائه .. و يمكن أعيد قراءته مرة ثانيه لأنه كان صعب على عقلي استقبال و فهم كل الكلام من أول مرة
كتاب به كم هائل من المعلومات .. أسلوب مبسط لكن ليس بالسهل .. يمكن ان يقرأه من له خلفيه بسيطة عن الفيزياء

[laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

some popsci is absolute crap. this, however, is not. also, the cover is totally beautiful.

[Luke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense book... Kind of like going down the rabbit hole. Blew my mind!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like how Gribbin ties history and theory together to give the reader an anchor in time and personality. Very helpful for these abstract concepts. This is a short, dense book that covers a lot of ground in a very readable way.

[Jim Bowering · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good summary of the search.

[Mary Kate Petrykovets · Rating 2 out of 5]

I’m really not sure what happened here, I promise I paid attention 😀

[Cheryl · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read one page and didn’t understand anything. I thought the author was writing a book in a non scientific way so that people such as myself could learn.

[Xavier Lasauca i Cisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un article publicat a la revista Science revelava que la massa del bosó W, una de les partícules responsables de la interacció de la força nuclear feble, no s’ajustava al que prediu el model estàndard de física de partícules, una teoria que descriu les partícules elementals que constitueixen la matèria i les seves interaccions d’acord amb la mecànica quàntica i la relativitat especial. L’article, que porta per títol «High-precision measurement of the W boson mass with the CDF II detector», revelava que la massa del bosó W és de 80.433 MeV, mentre que el model estàndard prediu que la seva massa hauria de ser de 80.357 MeV. I l’única explicació plausible d’aquesta discrepància seria l’existència de la supersimetria (o, com és coneguda en anglès, SUSY, mot creuat provinent de 'supersymmetry'). El fet que les partícules conegudes tinguin 'germanes supersimètriques' explicaria aquesta desviació i, alhora, la composició de la matèria fosca.

La supersimetria és, a més, un concepte que es considera la base per desenvolupar una «teoria del tot» completa, que abraçaria totes les partícules i forces de l’univers i que, de manera molt resumida, té per objectiu reduir les quatre forces bàsiques de la natura —gravetat, electromagnetisme i les forces nuclears forta i feble— a una única superforça.

En aquest llibre, que porta per subtítol 'Supersimetría, cuerdas y teoría del todo', l’astrònom i mestre de la divulgació científica John Gribbin ens proposa un autèntic viatge al cor de l’univers tot abordant les grans qüestions que s’ha plantejat des de sempre la humanitat. I ho fa amb una capacitat extraordinària per presentar-nos de manera eloqüent i lúcida idees complicades.

Pel primer capítol («Física cuántica para principiantes») desfilen els conceptes bàsics i els personatges essencials sobre els quals s’assenten les bases de la mecànica quàntica des de finals del segle xix fins a mitjan segle xx (Maxwell, Planck, Schrödinger, Einstein, Feynman...). En el segon capítol, Gribbin aprofundeix en la distinció entre partícules i camps, amb el protagonisme de les recerques de Bohr, Rutherford i Murray Gell-Mann, entre d’altres, i una descripció amena de la teoria de l’electrodinàmica quàntica.

Feta aquesta contextualització prèvia, en el tercer capítol, l’autor aborda el concepte de superforça i les aportacions dels físics de la segona meitat del segle xx (Mills, Yang, Schwinger, Higgs, Glashow, Salam, Weinberg...) per aconseguir una descripció matemàtica que inclogui totes les forces de la natura. Finalment, en el quart capítol («Buscando a SUSY desesperadamente»), l’autor ens introdueix en la teoria de la cromodinàmica quàntica i descriu els treballs que alguns físics teòrics han desenvolupat per construir una teoria de gran unificació, amb una descripció pedagògica de la teoria M en la darrera part del llibre.

John Gribbin es va doctorar en Astrofísica a la Universitat de Cambridge i actualment és visiting fellow en astronomia a la Universitat de Sussex. Els seus àmbits de recerca són la física quàntica, l’evolució humana, el canvi climàtic, l’escalfament global i l’origen de l’univers.

[skein · Rating 3 out of 5]

the nice thing about Gribbin is that he is apologetically inconfident of everything, so i don’t feel stupid when i absolutely don’t fucking understand HOW fermion particles disobey the laws of physics as i experience them, also apparently they time-travel and have a sort of consciousness …? i got nothin. and Gribbin doesn’t know what to think of all this shit either, so that’s real nice.

[Benja · Rating 3 out of 5]

SINOPSIS:

Se trata de un libro de repaso de la mecánica cuántica con los temas ya clásicos en esta materia: Todo ello enfocado para llegar a las teorías más modernas que tratan de explicar la realidad más profunda que nos rodea.

COMENTARIO:

Es un repaso por la mecánica cuántica, pero adolece de que muchos temas los trata de forma muy superficial, mencionándolos y dando por entendido que el lector los conoce, cuando esto no es cierto. He tenido que hacer un esfuerzo de memoria para recordar algunos temas de los que apenas explica nada. Lo mejor del libro es la parte final que habla de las teorías más modernas sobre la explicación de la realidad a nivel más ínfimo que nos rodea. Teorías muy sugestivas que a veces es difícil de diferenciar con al magia. Teorías como la de cuerdas, supercuerdas, SUSY, branas, mundos de 11 y 21 dimensiones, la N8, E6 X E6, etc. etc. Son todas muy sugerentes y muy imaginativas ¿Será así el microcosmos que nos rodea? No lo sé, pero más que ciencia parece mitología.

[kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a more serious science book for layman, e.g., not an easy read. The latter comment does not imply it is hard to follow though. The framework is laid out very nicely explaining how the physicists came up with concepts one after another, eventually leading to quantum physics, and from there start discovering atomic/subatomic-level particles and building up mathematical relationships and validating their mathematics with particle accelerators, with the ultimate aim of explaining the unifying theory of physics of multiple forces. The only problem is that you need to grapple with terms like borons, fermions, leptons, hadrons, etc., which are only explained once when they were first mentioned. Having said that, the complicated mathematics is dealt with at a very high-level that does not slow down the story development.

[Priscilla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great interweaving of the historical framework of physics research with more "technical" details/information. Great introduction to individual particles and subparticles, the evolution of how they are defined, and how they are thought to be constructed. Got a little too fast, for me, when the book got to field theory - would have liked the chapters on larger theories to be as complete in description as were the sections on the "objects" of the quantum world. One of the best science books I've read by someone who wasn't actively involved in his discipline (Gribben has a PhD in physics, but writes instead of working as a particle physicist). I'll definitely read more from him.

Couldn't put it down. Kept me up night after night.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book for anyone who wants to get a cursory but good overview of quantum mechanics, its relationship to classic Newtonian physics, and its implications for how we understand the universe. Gribbin writes in an informal but erudite style, and he inserts the difficult equations only when necessary and to prove a point. I usually find that books written for non-physicists like me tend to be patronizing and long-winded, so this book was refreshing. Also, it's short enough and has enough short chapters for those of you who read on your commute!

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd physics book I ever read, and I just finished up my re-read of it. I know its old material now, but I wanted to ease my way back into physics.
Gribbin does a good job of brushing through a brief history of particle physics, from its beginning with wave-particle duality up through the surge of string theory in the 90s. Im not sure how it reads to a non-science person... But I have a love/hate feeling with the lack of math. He touches on the major points and what they ultimately ended up meaning for physics without getting bogged down with details.

[sheena d! · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gribbin does an awesome job making physics heartbreaking, relevant and accessible for all of us who just can't get it. And he's not even that mathy or impossible about the whole ordeal!

After reading this, could I explain super-symmetry to a nine year old? No. But maybe you would be able to.

And for what's worth, the historical snippets of the lives of various physicists who who were hungry for some unified theory are fascinating.

[Doug Barg · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second book by Gribbin I've read. While avoiding overstatement or manufactured emotion, he has a talent for eliciting the drama from the trajectory of scientific exploration. At the same time he simplifies extremely advanced concepts into accessible explanations without becoming either patronizing or didactic. After completing the book, I re-visited the CERN LHC website, and was delighted to find I had a much more profound understanding of the research there.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't think I ever read it entirely. Got this in August 2001 at the Discovery Store in Baltimore after the Blue Stars season ended, parting with Davonna, and before heading to the airport with mom & dad.

[Yohanes Nugroho · Rating 4 out of 5]

About half of the book is easy to read, but the rest is just too complex for me (Physics is not my major). Very interesting book.

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly accessible for the lay-physicist-wannabes in all of us.

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

fascinating read.

[Aina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great particle physics book, loving it! Wow, such a well written book, difficult subjects of particle physics and attempts to build a grand unified theory are explained so well.

[diddier gil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love science books. This one talks about quantum particles, but does it in a language that any mortal can understand. One of my favorite books.

[Elio Nakouzi · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the more accessible books on this matter.

[Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

♥.♥ Pure class! Would have been even more thrilling if multiverse was explained properly.