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The Universe in a Nutshell

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Description

Stephen Hawking’s phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world. Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book. The Universe in a Nutshell • Quantum mechanics • M-theory • General relativity • 11-dimensional supergravity • 10-dimensional membranes • Superstrings • P-branes • Black holes One of the most influential thinkers of our time, Stephen Hawking is an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but for the clarity and wit with which he expresses them. In this new book Hawking takes us to the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, to explain in laymen’s terms the principles that control our universe. Like many in the community of theoretical physicists, Professor Hawking is seeking to uncover the grail of science — the elusive Theory of Everything that lies at the heart of the cosmos. In his accessible and often playful style, he guides us on his search to uncover the secrets of the universe — from supergravity to supersymmetry, from quantum theory to M-theory, from holography to duality. He takes us to the wild frontiers of science, where superstring theory and p-branes may hold the final clue to the puzzle. And he lets us behind the scenes of one of his most exciting intellectual adventures as he seeks “to combine Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynman’s idea of multiple histories into one complete unified theory that will describe everything that happens in the universe.” With characteristic exuberance, Professor Hawking invites us to be fellow travelers on this extraordinary voyage through space-time. Copious four-color illustrations help clarify this journey into a surreal wonderland where particles, sheets, and strings move in eleven dimensions; where black holes evaporate and disappear, taking their secret with them; and where the original cosmic seed from which our own universe sprang was a tiny nut. The Universe in a Nutshell is essential reading for all of us who want to understand the universe in which we live. Like its companion volume, A Brief History of Time, it conveys the excitement felt within the scientific community as the secrets of the cosmos reveal themselves. Read more

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Bantam; First Edition (November 6, 2001)


Language ‏ : ‎ English


Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 224 pages


ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0593048156


ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 23


Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds


Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.8 x 0.88 x 10.2 inches


Best Sellers Rank: #53,995 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #80 in Cosmology (Books) #82 in Astrophysics & Space Science (Books) #87 in Astronomy (Books)


#80 in Cosmology (Books):


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If you place your order now, the estimated arrival date for this product is: Nov 28 – Dec 4

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Top Amazon Reviews


  • A fantastic book for anyone interested in learning about the science of cosmology & astronomy.
As some who has been fascinated with astronomy and related subjects for more than 7 decades, I am always seeking out books and other material to increase my knowledge. This is why when I saw this 216-page hard cover edition while browsing on Amazon (The universe in a nutshell by Stephen Hawking) I decided to purchase this fantastic book. This book is filled with clear and detailed illustrations. This volume provides an overview of numerous research discoveries that have changed the way we think about the cosmos. This book was written after his most popular bestselling book, “ A brief history of time.” This excellent book is organized into 7 chapters covering the following material: “A brief history of relativity, the shape of time, the universe in a nutshell, predicting the future, protecting the past, our future Star Trek or not, and brane new world.” The late Stephen Hawking has a unique way of explaining the complex astronomical and cosmological theories in a way that even non-scientists understand. If you are a fan of Stephen Hawking’s books this is one you may want to check out. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Tactical principles of the most effective Combative Systems). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on July 15, 2024 by Joseph J. Truncale

  • Cutting edge in physics by a master.
Well written by a master - used to gain insight into the cutting edge of physics and cosmology.
Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2024 by Gordon K. Morris

  • Hubby is a nerd.
Hubby loves it. Anything to do with outer space, history, etc. he is all for it.
Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2024 by Dawnb1

  • Hawking
As always, Steve knocked it out of the park! I would highly recommend this book to anyone (and have had), if for no other reason, it will make you THINK - and ask questions! Some of it will be over most people's heads, but the concepts are presented in a most understandable way (I have a BSEE degree and am a big fan of astrophysics). I am so sorry Steve is no longer with us to tease our brains, but his words live on! RIP Steve Hawking, you are missed. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on March 21, 2019 by ERIC STAUCH

  • A very good introduction to topics in theoretical physics.
Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018, was a preeminent physicist, and this is one of several books that he wrote describing physics for a non-mathematical audience. In it he discusses such things as whether time had a beginning, the nature of black holes, and progress toward a complete unified theory to explain the universe. I found the book fascinating, primarily for the science but also for incidental remarks about the scientists. To my surprise, it was a fairly quick read, the prose free of abtruse contortions, and the text interspersed with diagrams and illustrations. That said, there were times when I was deeply perplexed. I read chapter two twice to understand it better, and there were five places in the subsequent chapters where I wrote question marks to indicate my confusion. Chapter six, where Hawking turns from physics to biology and computers, appealed to me less than the rest of the book. (I found myself questioning his assertions there in a way that I didn't in the physics sections.) I mentioned that I found this a quicker read than I'd expected. The downside to that is that I'd have appreciated more detail, but that may be hard to achieve without getting into nitty-gritty mathematics. Overall, this strikes me as a very good introduction to the areas of theoretical physics that Hawking studied. Interested readers, myself included, can then scurry away to find further books on the subject. Highly recommended. About my book reviews: I try to review every book I read, including those that I don't end up enjoying. The reviews are not scholarly, but just indicate my reaction as a reader, reading being my addiction. I am miserly with 5-star reviews; 4 stars means I liked a book very much; 3 stars means I liked it; 2 stars means I didn't like it (though often the 2-star books are very popular with other readers and/or are by authors whose other work I've loved). ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on September 22, 2019 by Mary Soon Lee

  • A great gift for your pseudoscholar friends
Scholarship is great. But you know what? Most real scholarship is rare and is probably incommunicable. Enter a book like this with wonderful color illustrations, a writer with a reasonable sense of humor, and a text that gives if you work on it. Yes, I said work. There is no other way. Books have to be read; it is the only way of discovering what they contain. Worst luck, it takes time and energy. But the rewards are great and will include your being a welcome asset at dinner parties, especially those parties that discuss the origin of the universe, the nature of matter, the distortion of space-time by gravity, and the possibilities of time loops working backward. I read A Brief History of Time, the first book by Stephen, and found much repetition in this his follow-up book. And like a dummy I paid full price at the local Barnes and Noble for The Universe in a Nutshell when I should have ordered from Amazon. After reading the book and rereading it, I ordered three as Christmas gifts for my children. I wanted to share with them the knowledge that: 1. The universe is awesome. 2. Our current understanding of the universe is awesome too. And 3. This masterpiece by one of the awesome physicist-mathematicians of our time is awesome as well. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2001 by Bernard M. Patten

  • Highly recommended seller of “collectible” NUTSHELL Universe book!
Extremely happy with the collectible book in perfect condition including transcription inside hard shell book binder / cover. 😃 📕 Seller was also very kind and helpful, who quickly was able to answer a bunch of questions I had about it, and done so in a personable way, and shared even more history about it’s origins and the prior owner (who was a prolific scientist and engineer!). Would highly recommend purchase anything from this trustworthy and helpful seller. ... show more
Reviewed in the United States on April 12, 2022 by rp

  • A kind of fairy tale that talks about reality at the boundaries of knowledge
One of the foundational books in my early teens. Reading it again almost 10 years after it feels like a gentle lullaby book about the boundaries of astrophysics.
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2022 by Luna G. de Oliveira

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