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Carlo Rovelli

    May 3, 1956

    Carlo Rovelli is an Italian theoretical physicist and writer whose work delves into the realms of quantum gravity and the history and philosophy of science. A key figure in the development of loop quantum gravity, his writings are characterized by a profound exploration of the nature of reality and our place within it. Rovelli masterfully bridges complex scientific concepts with poetic sensibility, making fundamental questions of existence accessible to a broad audience. He regularly contributes essays and articles to prominent Italian newspapers, sharing his insights with clarity and grace.

    Carlo Rovelli
    Helgoland
    The Order of Time
    General Relativity: The Essentials
    Reality is not what it seems (the journey to quantum gravity)
    White Holes
    Quantum Gravity
    • Anaximander

      And the Nature of Science

      • 240 pages
      • 9 hours of reading

      Recognized as a TLS Book of the Year, this title offers a compelling exploration of its themes, engaging characters, and thought-provoking narrative. The author masterfully weaves intricate plots that challenge perceptions and invite readers to reflect on deeper societal issues. With a unique perspective and captivating prose, the book stands out in its genre, promising an enriching reading experience that resonates long after the final page is turned.

      Anaximander2024
      3.7
    • 'If you want to remember why you once fell in love with the idea of the cosmos, or want to fall in love with it for the first time, then this book is for you' ObserverFrom Carlo Rovelli, the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, this is a story of wonder, new worlds and why the end is just the beginningLet us journey into the heart of a black hole. Let us slip beyond its boundary, the horizon, and tumble - on and on - down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we'll see geometry fold, we'll feel the equations draw tight around us. Eventually, we'll pass it: the remains of a star, deep and dense and falling further far. And then - the bottom. Where time and space end, and the white hole is born . . .With lightness and magic, here Carlo Rovelli traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, of the uncertainty and joy of going where we've not yet been. Guiding us to the edge of theory and experiment, he invites us to go beyond, to experience the fever and the disquiet of science. Here is the extraordinary life of a white hole.A BOOK OF THE YEAR ACCORDING TO THE FINANCIAL TIMES SUNDAY TELEGRAPH NEW STATESMAN * NEW SCIENTIST

      White Holes: Inside the Horizon2024
    • A mesmerizing trip to the strange new world of white holes. Rovelli traces the ongoing adventure of his own cutting-edge research, of the uncertainty and joy of going where we've not yet been

      White Holes2023
      4.3
    • General Relativity: The Essentials

      • 150 pages
      • 6 hours of reading

      In this short book, renowned theoretical physicist and author Carlo Rovelli gives a straightforward introduction to Einstein's General Relativity, our current theory of gravitation. Focusing on conceptual clarity, he derives all the basic results in the simplest way, taking care to explain the physical, philosophical and mathematical ideas at the heart of "the most beautiful of all scientific theories". Some of the main applications of General Relativity are also explored, for example, black holes, gravitational waves and cosmology, and the book concludes with a brief introduction to quantum gravity. Written by an author well known for the clarity of his presentation of scientific ideas, this concise book will appeal to university students looking to improve their understanding of the principal concepts, as well as science-literate readers who are curious about the real theory of General Relativity, at a level beyond a popular science treatment.

      General Relativity: The Essentials2021
      4.2
    • „Siła nauki tkwi w braku strachu przed wymyślaniem świata na nowo”. Helgoland, bezdrzewna wyspa na Morzu Północnym, stała się miejscem przełomu w mechanice kwantowej, kiedy dwudziestotrzyletni Werner Heisenberg odkrył nowe zasady rządzące rzeczywistością. Teoria kwantowa zrewolucjonizowała nasze postrzeganie świata, ujawniając, że rzeczywistość nie może być zredukowana do zbioru cząstek. Jak pisze Rovelli, świat jest bardziej utkany z relacji i oddziaływań niż z obiektów, co prowadzi do wniosku, że to, co nie wchodzi w interakcje, nie istnieje. Nasza wiedza o istnieniu czegokolwiek wynika z oddziaływań z otoczeniem. Dla tych, którzy nie znają fizyki kwantowej, Carlo Rovelli w przystępny sposób wyjaśnia tę fascynującą teorię. Jego książka pozwala zrozumieć nową wizję rzeczywistości, pomijając nieistotne szczegóły. Mimo złożoności tematu, autor stara się przedstawić go jasno, ukazując trudności w zrozumieniu mechaniki kwantowej. Odkrycia w tej dziedzinie mogą wzbudzać uczucie wolności i szczęścia, a świat teorii kwantowej, odkryty przez młodego badacza, wydaje się niezwykle piękny.

      Helgoland. Sens kwantowej rewolucji.2021
      3.9
    • Helgoland

      Wie die Quantentheorie unsere Welt verändert

      Als der junge deutsche Physiker Werner Heisenberg 1925 auf Helgoland die mathematischen Grundlagen der Quantenmechanik schuf, setzte er einen Prozess in Gang, der Mikrokosmos und Makrokosmos voneinander trennte. Hundert Jahre später verdanken wir der Quantenphysik unser Wissen um die Grundlagen der Chemie, die Funktionsweise der Sonne oder auch unseres Gehirns, sie ist die Basis moderner Hochtechnologie vom Laser bis zum Computer. Und doch gibt sie der Forschung nach wie vor Rätsel über Rätsel auf. Rovellis neues Buch führt uns ein in die Welt der physikalischen Forschung zu den allerkleinsten Teilchen, die er selbst maßgeblich betreibt. Was wissen wir und was können wir wissen über die Zustände der quantischen Welt, die Möglichkeiten ihrer Beobachtung, die Grenzen unserer materiellen Existenz und ihrer Beschreibung, aber eben auch über unser Bewusstseinsvermögen und schließlich die schwindelerregende Auffassung moderner Teilchenphysik von der Beschaffenheit unserer materiellen Welt als bloßes Geflecht von Beziehungen und Interaktionen?

      Helgoland2021
      3.5
    • Helgoland is a treeless island in the North Sea where the twenty-three-year-old Werner Heisenberg made the crucial breakthrough for the creation of quantum mechanics, setting off a century of scientific revolution. Full of alarming ideas (ghost waves, distant objects that seem to be magically connected, cats that appear both dead and alive), quantum physics has led to countless discoveries and technological advancements. Today our understanding of the world is based on this theory, yet it is still profoundly mysterious... As scientists and philosophers continue to fiercely debate the meaning of the theory, Rovelli argues that its most unsettling contradictions can be explained by seeing the world as fundamentally made of relationships rather than substances. We and everything around us exist only in our interactions with one another. This bold idea suggests new directions for thinking about the structure of reality and even the nature of consciousness.

      Helgoland2021
      4.1
    • «Siamo esserini che vivono sulla crosta di una palla di roccia lanciata nello spazio, come una piccola astronave. Fuori, c’è uno straordinario mondo ancora inesplorato. Come un bambino che si affacci per la prima volta a una finestra sul mare, l’umanità intera guarda dall'oblò dei suoi telescopi, curiosa, incantata.» Questa raccolta di articoli di Carlo Rovelli, scritti tra il 2010 e il 2020 per vari quotidiani, esplora temi che spaziano dai viaggi psichedelici a poeti come Lucrezio, Dante e Leopardi, sottolineando il legame tra scienza e poesia. Si discute di filosofi da Aristotele a David Lewis, di buchi neri, onde gravitazionali, e della nascita del tempo, con riferimenti a scienziati come Hawking e Lemaître. Rovelli riflette sulla sua generazione, sull'università, la politica, l’ateismo e la natura della mente, inclusa quella dei polpi. È un viaggio attraverso le passioni intellettuali di un fisico in cerca di nuove idee e di una visione integrata della scienza e della cultura. In questo diario delle sue avventure intellettuali, l’autore esprime la sua fede nell’impegno civile e nella divulgazione, sognando un mondo in cui la gentilezza prevalga sulle regole.

      Ci sono luoghi al mondo dove più che le regole è importante la gentilezza - Nuova edizione aggiornata2020
    • One of the most inspiring and counter-intuitive thinkers of our age, the bestselling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, transforms the way we think about the world with his reflections on science, history and humanity In this collection of writings, the logbook of an intelligence always on the move, Carlo Rovelli follows his curiosity and invites us on a voyage through science, history, philosophy and politics. Written with his usual clarity and wit, these pieces range widely across time and space: from Newton's alchemy to Einstein's mistakes, from Nabokov's butterflies to Dante's cosmology, from travels in Africa to the consciousness of an octopus, from mind-altering psychedelic substances to the meaning of atheism. Charming, pithy and elegant, this book is the perfect gateway to the universe of one of the most influential scientists of our age.

      There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important Than Kindness2020
      3.9