How Curiosity, Physics, and Improbable Experiments Changed the World
Starred review from September 26, 2022
Physicist Sheehy debuts with a terrific history of experiments that have changed the course of science. In a fast-paced and accessible narrative, Sheehy keenly demonstrates how “our view of the smallest constituents in nature has changed rapidly throughout the last 120 years.” Though scientists at the end of the 19th century “agreed that the subject of physics was almost complete,” the discovery of X-rays showed that the universe still had more secrets to uncover. A long line of experiments followed: around 1900, Max Planck did important work with “energy quantisation,” Hans Geiger and Ernest Marsden uncovered the structure of atoms a few years later, and the early 1910s saw the discovery of cosmic rays. Sheehy also examines inventions each discovery made possible, including semiconductors, the World Wide Web, archaeological dating methods, and CT scans. Along the way come fascinating profiles of scientists, including several women who have been omitted from history (Bibha Chowdhuri, for example, found evidence of “two new subatomic particles” in the 1930s). With punchy writing and vivid historical details, Sheehy brilliantly captures the curiosity that fuels science, the frustration of “false starts and failures,” and the thrill of finding answers that are bound to raise more questions. This is pop science at its best. Agent: Chris Wellbelove, Aitken Alexander Assoc.
October 15, 2022
An accelerator physicist takes readers on a tour of 12 significant scientific experiments of the 20th century. From the basic structure of the atom to the mass of the Higgs boson, how we understand the world around us--in particular, how we understand matter--has been profoundly transformed in the last century. In this accessible and fascinating book, Sheehy shows how human curiosity, ingenuity, and persistence have resulted in ever more sophisticated experiments designed to test even the most esoteric theories. "Over the course of a century," she writes, these experiments "have changed our lives in almost every aspect, from computing to medicine, from energy to communications and from art to archaeology." Among others, the author describes the mechanics behind the cathode ray tube, the cyclotron, synchrotron radiation, linear accelerators, and the Large Hadron Collider, "the biggest machine on Earth." Being an experimental physicist requires vision, collaboration, and a skill set that ranges from engineering to mechanics as well as extremely complex mathematics. At the heart of these experiments lies a question that is as philosophical as it is scientific: How does matter interact to create everything, from atoms to apples to human intelligence? The author blends personal narrative and scientific history as she eloquently explains each experiment, the collaborative effort required for its success, and how the subsequent discovery advanced our knowledge of the fundamental building blocks of our universe--and led to the invention of innumerable technologies, from MRI to GPS. Looking to the future, Sheehy describes the heady possibilities for new experiments, some of which could cost billions of dollars and involve tens of thousands of scientists from across the globe. Such experiments will hopefully shed light on big mysteries yet to be solved and further enlighten us regarding the entanglement of all of the universe's matter. An exhilarating overview of experimental science and the remarkable humans who make discovery possible.
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November 1, 2022
The next time you use your smartphone, heat a dish in your microwave oven, or are in need of a CT scan or MRI, you may want to thank a physicist. Sheehy, an Australian accelerator physicist, dazzles in her overview of elemental components of matter and the physicists who, through dogged persistence, unwavering commitment, trial, error, and luck reshaped our understanding of the world. Unlike many other books that review advances in physics, Sheehy's delves into roadblocks faced by the discipline, elaborates on theories, and clearly articulates how scientific discovery of invisible particles led to new technologies. From accounts of early particle accelerators to today's more powerful accelerators, including those in hospitals, Sheehy reveals the secrets of protons, neutrons, electrons, quarks, and photons. Readers will learn the essence of matter and the driving forces of the universe and all that's in it. Perhaps most striking of all is the way Sheehy not only conveys how advances in quantum mechanics improve health and technology but also imparts wonder over the space and matter that create us.
COPYRIGHT(2022) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
December 1, 2022
From cathode-ray tubes to x-rays to particle accelerators, key experiments in classical physics and quantum mechanics have led to a greater understanding of the nature of matter and the world. Sheehy (accelerator physics, Univ. of Oxford and Univ. of Melbourne) selected 12 ground-breaking experiments from the past century to the present in order to tell the story of what constitutes matter at its essence, namely subatomic particles and the forces that act upon it. This area of physics--known as particle physics--came about as a result of an accumulation of knowledge that scientists gleaned from experiments with light and radiation, for example, and the technologies invented, such as particle colliders, in order to test their theories. The author describes each experiment and the science behind it with accessible language and shows how they have led to life-changing discoveries in the field of medicine, computing, and communications, among others. VERDICT Readers curious about the important breakthroughs in physics will appreciate this conceptualized overview of some of the most innovative and influential experiments, which advanced the understanding of the fundamental nature of reality.--Donna Marie Smith
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