Although we have come a long way towards deciphering the laws of the universe, many physicists still regard time as one of the greatest unsolved mysteries. The book "About Time" provides answers to questions about time that philosophers and scientists have asked throughout the ages, such as: Does it have a beginning and an end? And why does it only refer to the future without the past? Can it be extended, compressed or even reversed? Is it even real?In this thought-provoking book, Jim Al-Khalili deals directly with the intractable problems of time, studying them thoroughly across the three fundamental pillars of physics: quantum mechanics, general relativity, and thermodynamics. It shows how time can be understood differently in each domain: as a coordinate or symbol, as an inseparable distance from space-time, or as a direction or “arrow.”He explains why it can be difficult to reconcile these different visions, and describes how theoretical physicists at the forefront of the field are trying to achieve this. Al-Khalili makes a convincing argument that time is real and not an illusion, and that the main arrow of time is not just a trick of our senses, but an essential feature of reality, rooted in the structure of our universe from the beginning.
By sharing new insights into some of the most complex and profound questions in science, About Time will forever change the way you think about the passage of time and your place in it.
