In Search of Schrodinger's Cat: Quantum Physics And Reality

Quantum mechanics is the subject here, a theory so strange that Einstein could not accept it, and so basic that modern science rests on it. The book asks what the theory says about reality, and it takes Schrödinger's Cat as the thread for that search.

John Gribbin sets out the whole history of quantum physics, step by step. He introduces the scientists who built the theory, then applies it to a run of topics: the atom, radiation and time travel, followed by how the universe began, superconductors and living things.

This is popular science written for the general reader. Only an open mind is required, so no background in physics is assumed. The pace is a gradual descent into stranger ground, with each stage building on the one before.

The author also shows how far the theory reaches into daily life. Without it there would be no lasers, television or computers, no nuclear power or nuclear weapons, and no molecular biology, DNA research or genetic engineering. It suits curious readers who want a clear account of the science behind these technologies and of the puzzles at its core.