The Physics of Einstein: Black holes, time travel, distant starlight, E=mc2

by Jason Lisle

Does light from distant galaxies really take billions of years to reach Earth? Is time-travel possible? Are black holes real? What are some of the weird effects of traveling at near the speed of light? And how do we really know? The physics discovered by Albert Einstein allows us to answer all of these questions. In this easy-to-read book, we learn how Einstein was able to deduce what happens when an object approaches the speed of light. The results are as amazing as they are strange. Designed for readers with no background in physics, this book explores one of the strangest and most fascinating branches of science.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Physics, Astronomy

282 pages, Paperback

Published January 18, 2018

About the author

Dr. Jason Lisle is an astrophysicist who formerly worked for the creationist organization Answers in Genesis as both a speaker and researcher, but is now Director of Research at the Institute for Creation Research.

Dr. Lisle is a creationist who has a PhD in Astrophysics, which he obtained through the University of Colorado in Boulder. His postgraduate research concentrated on solar dynamics, utilizing NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) to monitor the surface of the sun. His PhD dissertation "Probing the Dynamics of Solar Supergranulation and its Interaction with Magnetism." is available from the University of Colorado and he has also published numerous papers in scientific literature concerning convection cells in the sun.

Although some creationists claim, as in the film Expelled, that holding to creationist beliefs while pursing a degree at an accredited University will get you kicked out, Dr. Jason Lisle recieved his undergraduate degree from Ohio Wesleyan University summa cum laude with a double-major in physics and astronomy and a minor in mathematics. For his thesis and dissertation, (Master's and Ph.D accordingly,) though members of his Peer-Review Panel might have been aware of his young Earth beliefs - their evaluation of his work was based on his actual research and not his personal beliefs.

Reviews

[Thane Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really easy book to understand the implications of the physics of Einstein. I’m a layman but found each chapter fascinating. There’s a good bit of math as he proves his points but you can skip the math and just read the text to get the main ideas.

[Devin Geiger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lisle does a great job writing, explaining complex concepts in a way most people will be able to understand. He also keeps the readers interest and attention throughout the book, unlike many other books about math and science. Above all, he talks about these concepts in a way that points to the God who created them.

[Jason Carwile · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you only have a cultural understanding(that is if you know what most people know) of the physics of relativity, you're in for a wild ride as you gain a deeper understanding of relativity and shed the mythology(made up ideas and stories that sound similar to but oppose the actual ideas of Einstein) that has surrounded it in the past few decades.

[Rod Innis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a hard book to review. It has quite a bit of very difficult math for a nonmath person to understand. Yet, on the other hand, it has some great explanations of how relativity (the physics of Einstein) relates to the makeup of our universe. The part that was most amazing to me is how it explains the orderliness of the universe; how mathematics explains so much of how our universe works.
The author says "God is the source of all truth, and therefore laws of logic are essentially a reflection of the way God thinks. Mathematics is the way God thinks about numbers. And since it is the mind of God that upholds the physical universe, naturally the physical universe will be characterized by strict adherence to logical and mathematical principles." This seems highly unlikely in a universe that exploded into existence purely by chance! The very orderliness of the universe points to an intelligent designer.
If you have, like myself, have a limited understanding of complex mathematics, you will have to skip the detailed mathematics used in the book. But it is still a great book for anyone seeking to know more about how modern science and mathematics point to God as the Creator rather than an accidental beginning for our universe.

[Eddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Where to start… This is a treasure of a book for laypeople who are interested in physics, but with the optional layer of detail for those open to the math and formulas behind everything. So fascinating! It surprises me, and then doesn’t, that we don’t hear more about this topic in popular media. The information so clearly explained was exciting for me, the way good fiction is—except that it’s not fiction! I probably will re-read it to get a better grasp of certain principles (and maybe even brush up on some math)? #1 You will be amazed at God’s creativity and power in the way the universe is designed. #2 You’ll never look at time travel in sci-fi movies the same again! :)

[Ayden Tilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely mind blowing book. There is so much about the universe that we have no idea about, so much that we do know about that contradicts what our small human brains would think. How the universe turns is so insanely intricate, it shows nothing but a Creator behind it all.
Dr. Lisle explains everything so clearly even though it is so hard to comprehend. He makes it as easy as possible to follow what he says, giving us the math and physics. His skill in writing is amazing, and his knowledge is crazy!

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating look at general and special relativity. There is a lot of math - but it is summarized well. Anisotropic synchrony convention (ASC) is consistent with physics and can satisfactorily explain the "distant starlight" objection to Biblical six-day creation.

[Zachary Damm · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whether coming from a physics background or not, every thoughtful reader can benefit from Lisle's presentation of Einstein's work in physics.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good, clear introduction to the topic.