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An Introduction to Black Holes, Information and the String Theory Revolution: The Holographic Universe
Over the last decade the physics of black holes has been revolutionized by developments that grew out of Jacob Bekenstein's realization that black holes have entropy. Stephen Hawking raised profound issues concerning the loss of information in black hole evaporation and the consistency of quantum mechanics in a world with gravity. For two decades these questions puzzled theoretical physicists and eventually led to a revolution in the way we think about space, time, matter and information. This revolution has culminated in a remarkable principle called "The Holographic Principle", which is now a major focus of attention in gravitational research, quantum field theory and elementary particle physics. Leonard Susskind, one of the co-inventors of the Holographic Principle as well as one of the founders of String theory, develops and explains these concepts.
200 pages, Paperback
First published December 1, 2004
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1302 people want to read
About the author
Leonard Susskind
12 books827 followersLeonard Susskind is the Felix Bloch Professor of Theoretical Physics at Stanford University. His research interests include string theory, quantum field theory, quantum statistical mechanics and quantum cosmology. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, an associate member of the faculty of Canada's Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, and a distinguished professor of the Korea Institute for Advanced Study.
read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_...
read more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_...
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
August 16, 2020
Susskind's writing style is excellent. The information is always there when you need it. The superb clarity and minimalism of his writing helps understanding very much. You can tell he's a great professor.
This is not a book for beginners (obviously) and includes a lot of the mathematical formulation of the theory. On the other hand, many of the formulae are included mostly to provide a visual support for what's expressed in words (like taking a look at the terms to get a feeling of what the formula does). But since there are no deep derivations (you're expected to be, to an extent, already familiar with them) most of these formulae don't help you get to the next level of understanding, not really. Still they're nice to have on the page. There are also lots of excellent diagrams.
Overall, the book is addressed to a physicist with a strong background in theoretical physics (at an absolute minimum general relativity and semiclassical field theory) or to an amateur who understands theoretical physics very well at the conceptual level and is willing to skip the math and take Susskind's word for it.
It's enjoyable, it's well presented, and Susskind has the sort of writing voice many fiction writers would kill for. He's engaging, and his passion and unquenched curiosity for the subject seeps out.
This is not a book for beginners (obviously) and includes a lot of the mathematical formulation of the theory. On the other hand, many of the formulae are included mostly to provide a visual support for what's expressed in words (like taking a look at the terms to get a feeling of what the formula does). But since there are no deep derivations (you're expected to be, to an extent, already familiar with them) most of these formulae don't help you get to the next level of understanding, not really. Still they're nice to have on the page. There are also lots of excellent diagrams.
Overall, the book is addressed to a physicist with a strong background in theoretical physics (at an absolute minimum general relativity and semiclassical field theory) or to an amateur who understands theoretical physics very well at the conceptual level and is willing to skip the math and take Susskind's word for it.
It's enjoyable, it's well presented, and Susskind has the sort of writing voice many fiction writers would kill for. He's engaging, and his passion and unquenched curiosity for the subject seeps out.
July 25, 2025
Very cool ideas
I enjoyed this quite a lot. The ideas from which The Holographic Universe begin come from the observation that the amount of information you can fit into a black hole depends on the square of its radius, rather than the cube. That is, the information content of a black hole is proportional not to its volume, which would have been the obvious guess, but to its surface area. This leads to the hypothesis that all the information on the state of a black hole is carried on its surface, not in its interior.
From there we get to the idea (supported by some other physical theory) that every event horizon has this property: that the information is not contained within it, but on its surface.
Noting that the boundary of the observable universe is, from our point of view, an event horizon, this leads to the idea of the Holographic Universe, and to an estimate of the total information content of the universe. It's a huge number, obviously, but finite.
My impression, in the ten years since I read this, is that the ideas are not accepted among other physicists. I still enjoyed it, though. For those of us willing to endure a little math, Leonard Susskind is one of the best physics popularizers around. His The Theoretical Minimum: What You Need to Know to Start Doing Physics series of YouTube lectures are terrific.
Blog review.
I enjoyed this quite a lot. The ideas from which The Holographic Universe begin come from the observation that the amount of information you can fit into a black hole depends on the square of its radius, rather than the cube. That is, the information content of a black hole is proportional not to its volume, which would have been the obvious guess, but to its surface area. This leads to the hypothesis that all the information on the state of a black hole is carried on its surface, not in its interior.
From there we get to the idea (supported by some other physical theory) that every event horizon has this property: that the information is not contained within it, but on its surface.
Noting that the boundary of the observable universe is, from our point of view, an event horizon, this leads to the idea of the Holographic Universe, and to an estimate of the total information content of the universe. It's a huge number, obviously, but finite.
My impression, in the ten years since I read this, is that the ideas are not accepted among other physicists. I still enjoyed it, though. For those of us willing to endure a little math, Leonard Susskind is one of the best physics popularizers around. His The Theoretical Minimum: What You Need to Know to Start Doing Physics series of YouTube lectures are terrific.
Blog review.
October 9, 2017
Leonard Susskind is definitely the best alive physicist. I've recently learned about him that he was the man who treated Veneziano's dual model as quantum mechanical oscillating string.
This book is very hard to comprehend. All the topics are so abstract that you can merely imagine what is going on. Starting with simple Schwarzchild metric and doing manipulations in a way that you get conformally flat Minkowski space-time and then transform it to Rindler space is like whatever. Penrose diagrams are fatality.
On the other hands, authors get through different topics cohesively. I have no degree in physics, but I was able to follow majority of logic flow. The main aim of this book is explore black holes and show that they can be represented as a very very big 1 dimensional string
Black holes are extremely rare objects to observe in reality. However, they are just solutions to Einstein equations and physicist love to do so (solve those non-linear differential equations in arbitrary space-times in D dimension - whatever 2). If there exists a black hole then you can do some theoretical experiments. You can either stand far away from horizon or fall into a black hole.
That is the main observation in the book that discussions go around. Some fundamental laws should have to be modified that our current understanding of black holes be more realistic (and reasonable).
This book discusses 4 different views: Black Hole Complimentary, UV/IR connection, Holographic principle and String view of Black Holes. There are some mathematical formulas around to prove assumptions. At the end, you see that there exists a pattern: You have to find a connection between Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula and statistical microscopic states or thermodynamic entropy.
Authors claim that calculations on all types of black holes that were studied precisely agree with Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula.
This book is very hard to comprehend. All the topics are so abstract that you can merely imagine what is going on. Starting with simple Schwarzchild metric and doing manipulations in a way that you get conformally flat Minkowski space-time and then transform it to Rindler space is like whatever. Penrose diagrams are fatality.
On the other hands, authors get through different topics cohesively. I have no degree in physics, but I was able to follow majority of logic flow. The main aim of this book is explore black holes and show that they can be represented as a very very big 1 dimensional string
Black holes are extremely rare objects to observe in reality. However, they are just solutions to Einstein equations and physicist love to do so (solve those non-linear differential equations in arbitrary space-times in D dimension - whatever 2). If there exists a black hole then you can do some theoretical experiments. You can either stand far away from horizon or fall into a black hole.
That is the main observation in the book that discussions go around. Some fundamental laws should have to be modified that our current understanding of black holes be more realistic (and reasonable).
This book discusses 4 different views: Black Hole Complimentary, UV/IR connection, Holographic principle and String view of Black Holes. There are some mathematical formulas around to prove assumptions. At the end, you see that there exists a pattern: You have to find a connection between Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula and statistical microscopic states or thermodynamic entropy.
Authors claim that calculations on all types of black holes that were studied precisely agree with Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula.
March 28, 2020
Great book on the remarkable and astonishing idea of Holographic principle! 4 key ideas to match string theory and black holes, very clear explanations even if you’re not into the mathematical details described in the book. For those who love string theory, quantum gravity and black holes, this is a book to have in your shelf!
April 27, 2019
3 1/4 stars
August 26, 2024
This small book by Susskind packs a lot of information in about 170 pages explaining field theory and entropy of black holes as well as his Holographic Principle.
Part 1 of the book provides all the tools, the coordinates and metrics, to include, Schwarzchild coordinates, tortoise coordinates, Kruskal coordinates, equivalence principle, and Penrose diagram. Susskind likes Penrose diagram and often present whatever subject in discussion in Penrose diagram along side other coordinates. You will get used to looking at problems using both 4 regions of Kruskal coordinates and Penrose diagram. Part 1 also provided all the metrics associated with each coordinates making the book a good reference tool.
Entropy is introduced in chapter 4 by studying black hole evaporation using Rindler field theory and introducing Hawking radiation. Black hole information theory is introduced in chapter 9 by suggesting the loss of information in a black hole by Hawking was wrong due to violation of energy conservation. Black hole complementarity is also discussed according to which no observers, Fidos and Frefoes, contradict each other by observing violation of physical laws.
Part 2 of the book goes into entropy, holographical principle and String Theory. Susskind uses Adscft because its metrics is most suitable to present Holographic principle. It is a 10 dimensional product consisting of Ads5 and 5 sphere S5. Susskind has not discussed String theory extensively in this work. He shows string and its radial momentum grow exponentially when it falls toward the horizon. He also considers the entropy of strings by using statistical mechanics of strings to compute the micro degree of freedom in entropy.
This books contains lots of coordinates and metrics,and is best used as a tool in conjunction with a course on this topic.
Part 1 of the book provides all the tools, the coordinates and metrics, to include, Schwarzchild coordinates, tortoise coordinates, Kruskal coordinates, equivalence principle, and Penrose diagram. Susskind likes Penrose diagram and often present whatever subject in discussion in Penrose diagram along side other coordinates. You will get used to looking at problems using both 4 regions of Kruskal coordinates and Penrose diagram. Part 1 also provided all the metrics associated with each coordinates making the book a good reference tool.
Entropy is introduced in chapter 4 by studying black hole evaporation using Rindler field theory and introducing Hawking radiation. Black hole information theory is introduced in chapter 9 by suggesting the loss of information in a black hole by Hawking was wrong due to violation of energy conservation. Black hole complementarity is also discussed according to which no observers, Fidos and Frefoes, contradict each other by observing violation of physical laws.
Part 2 of the book goes into entropy, holographical principle and String Theory. Susskind uses Adscft because its metrics is most suitable to present Holographic principle. It is a 10 dimensional product consisting of Ads5 and 5 sphere S5. Susskind has not discussed String theory extensively in this work. He shows string and its radial momentum grow exponentially when it falls toward the horizon. He also considers the entropy of strings by using statistical mechanics of strings to compute the micro degree of freedom in entropy.
This books contains lots of coordinates and metrics,and is best used as a tool in conjunction with a course on this topic.
February 21, 2024
This came in the post, an early birthday gift from a good friend who thought I might like it. I had seen the book on Amazon before and figured it might be too much for my little brain, so when I got it, I kind of thought 'Oh no, I'll never ever understand this.' I mostly did though, and I was amazed by the way the book is written, it really makes huge subjects accessible for someone with zero scientific background and knowledge like me. The ideas themselves are profound, even if someday, they are disbelieved or disproven entirely, all massive discoveries generally start with an idea. I have read a lot about quantum mechanics, black holes, etc for a while now, so that ended up serving as a foundation to grasp the concepts. The equations were still far beyond me, but there is something very beautiful in strings of numbers that the universe itself seems to speak in. After I read this, I went to find Susskinds lectures on YouTube and seriously, what a remarkable mind. Amazing book.
April 16, 2022
This is an unusual book, it is an introduction, to an unusual topic; the hypothesized holographic principle, which follows from early research on the information theoretical properties of black holes and entropy, of Dr Steven Hawking. Most of the papers are found on hep-th. The concepts seem clear, if the mathematics and physics require some grounding in some topics that would take 2-3 days to pick up- Kipp Thorne's famous "Gravitation", for example. The acid test, and to what extent, information is conserved, in physics, is the key issue- is the universe a hologram, containing bits of data, or information at the Planck scale, embedded in regions of space? I will likely review the papers, when I have some time.
February 25, 2019
From 2007. Captures and idea that has fascinated me for a decade. Finally catching up to it a bit and of course, it may already be passe if I ever get all the way there. Rats.
books-to-avoid
August 11, 2021Susskind is quite the L. Frank Baum of physics i.e. ridiculous imaginary nonsense for children.
September 17, 2023
Interesting book, insightful at times, it is very technical at times though.
May 24, 2014
Without a background in maths, I found it quite tough going. Super interesting though.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews