Reddit reviews Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension

Perhaps you'd be interested in some old school Existentialism, The Myth of Sisyphus by Albert Camus.

Or maybe something less heavy in personal philosophy but another supremely important question: If someday our universe will die, can humanity escape such a fate? A question lightly pondered in Hyperspace by Michio Kaku.

Two other must reads of the same theme By Issac Asimov, The Last Question, and The Last Answer.

Amen.

But seriously, I grew up going to a Grace Gospel church and reading Chick tracts till the age of 13. I was steeped in holy logic, but was always a smart kid with good parents than encouraged me to read...

I discovered Michio Kaku and started reading voraciously on the Straight Dope message boards around age 16. It was a pretty fast dawning on me that there was much more to the universe than what was explained by the christian bible.

To this day, it still bothers me to write words like 'god', 'bible', and 'gospel' without capital letters... But through it all, I credit the internet (non-caps) with the reason that I'm now an agnostic skeptic who set aside a traditional degree in favor of a philosophy major. Now I'm in medical school and interviewing for jobs next summer... haven't met god yet, just people with real pain, love, ignorance, and desire to just feel good in life.

You can't come up with radical ideas extrapolated from current science if you don't have an understanding of current science.

Start with research. I think the first thing you need to do is to bone up on physics. Asimov's series is a great popular science examination of physics.

Then read some of the more outre modern popular science books. Hyperspace by Michio Kaku would be an excellent choice.

It's no good trying to write about future physics if you don't have a familiarity with at least high school series physics. A large percentage of SF fans is scientifically literate. If you try handwaving, you'll come off as technically naive. Better to write about elves & vampires, where you can make shit up as you go along.

I very HIGHLY recommend this book of his: Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension

It's a great read.

I'm reading Hyperspace by Michio Kaku; it is a very interesting book about how geometry makes seemingly non-geometric things possible, but the book edition is dated 1995.

Do you guys know more recent books on the topic, with a similar popular science slant? Specifically about geometry's role in physics?

"Bravo Two Zero" or "Immediate Action" by Andy McNab.

"Supernature" by Lyall Watson. An old, but interesting and thought-provoking book.

"Hyperspace" by Michio Kaku.

"Lies My Teacher Told Me" by James Loewen.

"People of the Lie" by M. Scott Peck.

Edit: I was going to suggest "The Hot Zone" as well, but Amberkisses got there ahead of me, so I upvoted him/her instead.

Confrontational atheism: Testament: Memoir of the Thoughts and Sentiments of Jean Meslier

>"Know, then, my friends, that everything that is recited and practiced in the world for the cult and adoration of gods is nothing but errors, abuses, illusions, and impostures. All the laws and orders that are issued in the name and authority of God or the gods are really only human inventions…."

>"And what I say here in general about the vanity and falsity of the religions of the world, I don’t say only about the foreign and pagan religions, which you already regard as false, but I say it as well about your Christian religion because, as a matter of fact, it is no less vain or less false than any other.



Softer (much less confrontational) atheism: 50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God

>This unique approach to skepticism presents fifty commonly heard reasons people often give for believing in a God and then raises legitimate questions regarding these reasons, showing in each case that there is much room for doubt. Whether you're a believer, a complete skeptic, or somewhere in between, you'll find this review of traditional and more recent arguments for the existence of God refreshing, approachable, and enlightening.



Favorites non-fiction (or at least mostly non-fiction as time will tell) and not directly related to atheism: Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10th Dimension and The Illustrated A Brief History of Time and the Universe in a Nutshell



Favorites fiction (also not directly atheist related): Treasure Island, and Hogfather: A Novel of Discworld



Atheism book I've tried to read and found to be over my head that's supposed to be the end-all-be-all: The Miracle of Theism: Arguments For and Against the Existence of God

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Currently reading and while enjoyable it's a bit tough to get, I've found myself re-reading pages regularly: QED: The Strange Theory of Light and Matter

Physics of the impossible is where is drew the line. Cool for actually little kids I guess.

I really liked Hyperspace: a scientific journey through universes, time warps and the 10th dimension.

https://www.amazon.com/Hyperspace-Scientific-Parallel-Universes-Dimension/dp/0385477058

I got his book in 7th or 8th grade so it took me quite a while to even sorta get it. I really just thought it was cool. That book springboarded me into Brian Greene's stuff. After that I really became attached to the "philosophy" of quantum physics. Then... I became a nihilist and kinda hated everything and gave it up haha. Now I'm back to being happy with my cartoons and the occasional science channel

I read in the book Hyperspace that they don't think the current M-theory/String Theory is the final theory, because of the fact that gravity cannot be mathematically explained in the same way that the electromagnetic/strong/weak forces are, so my choice will probably have to be that.

Hyperspace by Michio Kaku.

Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein's Outrageous Legacy by Kip Thorne.

A Sound Of Thunder by Ray Bradbury.

The Green Futures of Tycho by William Sleator.

The well-worn copy of Hyperspace by Michio Kaku has a special place in my bookcase. Right next to Gravitation.

How to Win Friends and Influence people simple tips on how to be a better human being

The Richest Man in Babylon Simple tips to keep and grow the money you have

Factory Girls true stories of the modern Chinese migration of young women from rural farm areas to cites to work in factories

Hyperspace "Wil Wheaton recommended" blow your mind with science!

I would look through Michio Kaku's bibliography. He writes a lot about time travel, FTL, parallel worlds, etc. Hyperspace is a good starting point.

Also World Building by Stephen L. Gillett. It's specifically aimed at SF writers and covers how to design solar systems, life-supporting planets, etc. This book is part of an SF writing series edited by Bova; I haven't looked at the other books in the series, but they sound interesting.

What about A Short History of Nearly Everything? Or Seal Team Six? Or The Magicians? What about American Gods, Hyperspace and The Grand Design

What I'm saying is 18 is too few. Get cracking.

Well, I believe that quantum physics indicates that the space in which we exist is in fact four-dimensional (including time), so the likelihood that we're in fact a dot on a higher-dimensional Mona Lisa is pretty small. Our universe may be 10-dimensional overall, but six of those dimensions split off from our four-dimensional space when energy density dropped shortly after the big bang and are currently curled up in an infinitesimal ball. One hypothesis is that, if you raise energy levels high enough, the 10 dimensions will unify again and the gravitational force will unify with the electromagnetic forces.

For a fantastic explanation of all this, check out Hyperspace by Michio Kaku - it's a book about quantum physics and crazy higher-dimensional stuff, written for people who don't know anything about physics, that reads like a novel.

Michio Kaku does a great job of explaining advanced concepts of physics in layman's terms. He describes 14 dimensions in the book.

read this book:
http://www.amazon.com/Hyperspace-Scientific-Odyssey-Parallel-Universes/dp/0385477058/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1291998866&sr=8-3


DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK FROM AMAZON!
get it elsewhere please.


edit: OOH! since you mentioned time. This will help you learn to conceive alternate states of such....and is a really kick-ass book.


http://www.amazon.com/Einsteins-Dreams-Alan-Lightman/dp/140007780X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1291999070&sr=1-1

DON'T BUY THIS ONE FROM AMAZON EITHER! plz.

Not at all. What has been proven, has been proven. It exists as a base for progress until it is proven otherwise. It is funny that you mention 2+2 because math is axiomatic and can only be proven within a system. Even the most basic math is subject to scrutiny under different circumstances.

Here are a few books you might enjoy:

Hyperspace

A Short History of Nearly Everything


They explore some ideas I think you might like. I'm not an idiot, even though it is clear you think so. I just don't like rational. It is boring.