An engaging popular history of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, taking in the sheer magnificence of its discovery, as well as the infighting that the theory sparked across a century.
Pedro G. Ferreira Book order
Pedro G. Ferreira is a leading expert in cosmology and the early universe, with his work frequently delving into general relativity. As a professor of astrophysics at the University of Oxford, he contributes to scientific publications and is a regular commentator for the BBC, bringing his insights on the cosmos to a broader audience.
- 2015
- 2014
The Perfect Theory
A Century of Geniuses and the Battle Over General Relativity
"At the core of Einstein's general theory of relativity are a set of equations that explain the relationship among gravity, space, and time--possibly the most perfect intellectual achievement of modern physics. For over a century, physicists have been exploring, debating, and at times neglecting Einstein's theory in their quest to uncover the history of the universe, the origin of time, and the evolution of solar systems, stars, and galaxies. In this sweeping narrative of science and culture, Pedro Ferreira explains the theory through the human drama surrounding it: the personal feuds and intellectual battles of the biggest names in twentieth-century physics, from Einstein and Eddington to Hawking and Penrose. We are in the midst of a momentous transformation in modern physics. As scientists look farther and more clearly into space than ever before, The Perfect Theory engagingly reveals the greater relevance of general relativity, showing us where it started, where it has led, and where it can still take us"--
