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Philip Ball - Beyond Weird- Why Everything You Thought You Knew about Quantum Physics Is Different


The winner of the 2018 Physics World Book of the Year is a profound take on the true meaning of quantum mechanics, and the limits of our knowledge itself
Quantum mechanics – its fundamental interpretations, contemporary technical applications, and even its history and philosophy – has dominated the headlines in physics this year. It is no surprise then, that the field was also a hot topic when it came to popular-science writing, with three books on the subject making our 2018 top 10 list. But if you were to read one of the many books on the subject released this year, then it should the winner of the 2018 Physics World Book of the Year – Beyond Weird: Why Everything You Thought You Knew About Quantum Physics is Different by Philip Ball.

Spooky, strange and apparently impenetrable, quantum mechanics is often thought of as impossible to truly comprehend. It is also notoriously difficult to explain to a general audience, especially without falling into the trap of analogies that never quite work. In Beyond Weird, Ball, a veteran author and science writer, takes to task the long-held view that the quantum world is “weird” – instead, he points out that quantum theory simply reveals how nature truly works, absurd though it may seem to us at times, with our everyday experiences in the “classical” world. The inherent “weirdness” is in our understanding, says Ball, as he tackles the varied interpretations of quantum mechanics.




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