When
scientists peer through a telescope at the distant stars in outer space
or use a particle-accelerator to analyze the smallest components of
matter, they discover that the same laws of physics govern the whole
universe at all times and all places. Physicists call the eternal,
ubiquitous constancy of the laws of physics symmetry.
Nobel Laureate Leon M. Lederman and physicist Christopher T. Hill
explain the supremely elegant concept of symmetry and all its profound
ramifications to life on Earth and the universe at large in this
eloquent, accessible popular science book. They not only clearly
describe concepts normally reserved for physicists and mathematicians,
but they also instill an appreciation for the profound beauty of the
universe's inherent design. Central to the story of symmetry is an
obscure, unpretentious, but extremely gifted German mathematician named
Emmy Noether. In some of her earliest work she proved that the law of
the conservation of energy was connected to the idea of symmetry and
thus laid the mathematical groundwork for what may be the most
important concept of modern physics. Lederman and Hill reveal concepts
about the universe, based on Noether's work, that are largely unknown
to the public and have wide-reaching implications in connection with
the Big Bang, Einstein's theory of relativity, quantum mechanics, and
many other areas of physics. Through ingenious analogies and
illustrations, they bring these astounding notions to life. This book
will open your eyes to a universe you never knew existed..
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Symmetry and the
Beautiful Universe
by Leon M. Lederman and Christopher T. Hill
Prometheus Books,
2008
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