Description
Professor Stephen Hawking is widely considered to be one of the smartest theoretical physicists of our time. In The Theory of Everything, he takes readers on an exciting voyage across the universe. This book brings together seven of his most famous lectures, given at Cambridge, Oxford, and other places. Each one is broken down into straightforward, jargon-free English that makes the history of modern physics obvious to both beginners and experienced science fans.
The Beginning of the Universe
Hawking starts with the deep question: Why is there anything instead than nothing? He talks about how discoveries in comprehending space-time curvature led to the groundbreaking insight that the cosmos had a beginning: the Big Bang. He does this by tracing the intellectual ancestry from Aristotle’s unmoved mover to Einstein’s general relativity. He describes, with his usual wit, how galaxies were pulled apart by space expanding and how cosmic microwave background radiation, which was originally a lucky find, became a smoking gun for this primordial explosion.
Black Holes and Event Horizons Hawking looks at black holes, which are areas of space where gravity is so strong that even light can’t escape. He explains the math behind the Schwarzschild radius, talks about how matter collapses under its own weight, and shares his own groundbreaking idea: black holes should give out a mild thermal radiation, which is now called Hawking radiation. This finding connected quantum theory and gravity, suggesting that black holes are not permanent prisons but rather progressively disappearing anomalies. This raises deep questions regarding the nature of space-time and the loss of information.
When Quantum Mechanics and Cosmology Meet
The Theory of Everything‘s main goal is to bring together two very different ideas: quantum mechanics, which deals with the weird world of subatomic particles, and general relativity, which is Einstein’s geometric theory of gravity. Hawking takes readers through the strange ideas of uncertainty, wave–particle duality, and quantum tunneling before looking into ideas like string theory and M-theory. He talks on how vibrating strings and various dimensions could, in theory, bring together the different forces of nature into one beautiful framework.
The Arrow of Time
Why does time only move in one direction? Hawking talks on the thermodynamic arrow of time, which is related to the unstoppable rise of entropy, and compares it to the cosmological arrow, which is defined by the universe’s expansion. He thinks about whether time could go back and forth, and he looks into his “no-boundary proposal,” which imagines the universe as a finite but unbounded four-dimensional surface. This bold model suggests that asking “What happened before the Big Bang?” may be as pointless as asking what lies north of the North Pole.
Where We Fit in the Universe
Hawking’s typical mix of humility and awe runs through these lectures. He thinks about the anthropic principle, which says that the universe’s physical constants seem to be perfectly set up for life, and the exciting idea of aliens being smart. He talks on the good and bad things that could come from future technologies, such interstellar travel and artificial intelligence. He tells us to be curious but also to recognize how big the cosmos is.
A History of Being Curious
Hawking’s story is full of personal stories, from his early love of math to his belief that disability should never stop someone from reaching their goals. The tone is still close and supportive. He asks readers to join him on the great journey of discovery and reminds us that science is not a collection of facts, but an ever-changing story fashioned by brave ideas and constant questioning.
By the end of the last lesson, readers understand that the search for a “Theory of Everything” is far from over. But Hawking gives us hope that people may keep finding out more about the universe’s secrets by working together, being creative, and using their imaginations. The Theory of Everything is proof of Hawking’s incredible intelligence and a guide for everyone who wants to learn more about the universe’s deepest secrets.
About the Author
Stephen W. Hawking (1942–2018) was Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge and author of groundbreaking works such as A Brief History of Time. Despite being diagnosed with motor neurone disease at age 21, he made seminal contributions to cosmology, quantum gravity, and black‑hole physics, becoming one of the world’s most celebrated scientists and a tireless popularizer of complex scientific ideas.
Product Details
- Title: The Theory of Everything: The Origin and Fate of the Universe
- Author: Stephen W. Hawking
- ISBN-13: 9788179925911
- Publisher: Jaico Publishing House
- Published: 2002 (Indian edition)
- Pages: 160
- Binding: Paperpack
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