The Search for Superstrings, Symmetry, and the Theory of Everything

“Clear and elegant . . . Anyone who has tried to get through one of the many books on quantum theory, superstrings, and such, ought to give this book a try.” —American Way

No one is more successful than John Gribbin when it comes to making the cutting edge of physics more accessible to a broad lay audience. In Schrodinger's Kittens, he took readers to the eerie world of subatomic particles & waves. Now, he explores the most exciting area of research in physics today: string theory.

Following a series of major breakthroughs in the 1990s, physicists are putting together a clearer picture of how subatomic particles work. By hypothesizing particles as a single loop of vibrating “string,” they are on the brink of discovering a way to explain all of nature's forces in a single theory. Grandly named “superstrings,” and incorporating the ideas of “supersymmetry,” these models are the prime candidate for the long sought-for “Theory of Everything.” Written in clear & accessible language, The Search for Superstrings, Symmetry, and the Theory of Everything brings to life the remarkable scientific research that is on the cusp of radically altering our conception of the universe.

“One of England’s best-known science writers . . . Gribbin is an optimist, believing that we are ever closer to another ‘Deep Truth’ about the universe . . . For those who want the story up to now, this is a fine place to begin.” —David Williams, The Seattle Times

“A clear and comprehensive popular treatment of the cutting edge of physics.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A thorough yet palatable primer . . . an exciting tour de force.” —Publishers Weekly