The theoretical physicist and leading science communicator explains how physics can shed light on life's biggest quandaries[Bokinfo].
Sabine Hossenfelder Book order
Sabine Hossenfelder is a theoretical physicist who delves into the mysteries of quantum gravity. Her research explores fundamental questions about the nature of reality and the universe's underlying structure. Through her work, she seeks to unravel complex physical phenomena and contribute to our understanding of the cosmos.
- 2022
- 2018
Lost in Math
- 304 pages
- 11 hours of reading
A contrarian argues that modern physicists' obsession with beauty has given us wonderful math but bad science Whether pondering black holes or predicting discoveries at CERN, physicists believe the best theories are beautiful, natural, and elegant, and this standard separates popular theories from disposable ones. This is why, Sabine Hossenfelder argues, we have not seen a major breakthrough in the foundations of physics for more than four decades. The belief in beauty has become so dogmatic that it now conflicts with scientific objectivity: observation has been unable to confirm mindboggling theories, like supersymmetry or grand unification, invented by physicists based on aesthetic criteria. Worse, these "too good to not be true" theories are actually untestable and they have left the field in a cul-de-sac. To escape, physicists must rethink their methods. Only by embracing reality as it is can science discover the truth.
