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Physics of the Impossible: A Scientific Exploration into the World of Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Time Travel | 
 enlarge | Author: Michio Kaku
Publisher: Doubleday
Category: Book
List Price: $26.95
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Avg. Customer Rating:  60 reviews
Sales Rank: 1794
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 352
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.2
ISBN: 0385520697
Dewey Decimal Number: 530
EAN: 9780385520690
ASIN: 0385520697
Publication Date: March 11, 2008
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Product Description
A fascinating exploration of the science of the impossible—from death rays and force fields to invisibility cloaks—revealing to what extent such technologies might be achievable decades or millennia into the future.
One hundred years ago, scientists would have said that lasers, televisions, and the atomic bomb were beyond the realm of physical possibility. In Physics of the Impossible, the renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores to what extent the technologies and devices of science fiction that are deemed equally impossible today might well become commonplace in the future.
From teleportation to telekinesis, Kaku uses the world of science fiction to explore the fundamentals—and the limits—of the laws of physics as we know them today. He ranks the impossible technologies by categories—Class I, II, and III, depending on when they might be achieved, within the next century, millennia, or perhaps never. In a compelling and thought-provoking narrative, he explains:
How the science of optics and electromagnetism may one day enable us to bend light around an object, like a stream flowing around a boulder, making the object invisible to observers “downstream”
How ramjet rockets, laser sails, antimatter engines, and nanorockets may one day take us to the nearby stars
How telepathy and psychokinesis, once considered pseudoscience, may one day be possible using advances in MRI, computers, superconductivity, and nanotechnology
Why a time machine is apparently consistent with the known laws of quantum physics, although it would take an unbelievably advanced civilization to actually build one
Kaku uses his discussion of each technology as a jumping-off point to explain the science behind it. An extraordinary scientific adventure, Physics of the Impossible takes readers on an unforgettable, mesmerizing journey into the world of science that both enlightens and entertains.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 55 more reviews...
 Definitely worth it for the layman. January 7, 2009
Do not listen to the naysayers. Most of the negative comments by above reviewers seem to come from those physics elitists who may (or may not) already know a lot about the discipline. But for those who either don't care or weren't paying attention Dr. Kaku has dedicated a lot just trying to get people to become interested in science. This only goes to show how much he has been paying attention to the social state of affairs regarding lack of interest in science in this country and that he cares enough to try to reach out to people. What better way than to tie in physical theories with all things sci-fi?
No book that I know of has included so many cocncepts that you read about and see on tv in one place, and specifically addresses the issues in concise order, chapter by chapter. Yes, it is true that the book will be somewhat overly basic for those who already have a strong foundation in physics. But then, most of you will have already extrapolated your physics knowledge to much of what he is touching upon, would you not? (Why would you read his book to begin with?)
He does not go into immence detail about hard physics and theory, and pretty much has no mathematics or equations included at all. But he does talk about a broad scope of subjects in the realm of physics, and one of his most basic premises are the stages of civilizations and what he calls classes of physical impossibilities, which he basically rates on scales from 1 to 3. A great method for comparative stages of complexity of science, and level of advancement. Wonderful idea. He piques your interest by introducing a sci-fi concept then, often times, goes into a great explanation of the history of that particular area of physics that have to do with that sci-fi subject and describes how the field has developed and will develop in the future.
I will agree that, at times, the information is relayed in a rather splotchy manner. He jumps around in the timeline of history depending on which sci-fi subject he is discussing, which can give it a somewhat confusing aire at times, having you jump around the book at places so you can tie it in with other info that is related but mentioned several chapters ago. But there's a wonderful thing at the back of the book for that. It's called an index.
Overall this is a wonderful book for those who have an interest about physics or are just curious about it. ESPECIALLY if you have no knowledge of the field, it is a good place to start. And it's a wonderful book for those who love sci-fi and always wondered when you might be able to buy a hoverboard, or teleporter, or laser gun in the near future. Read the book to find out.
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go finish building that lightsaber....
Excellent source of knowledge without killing it December 19, 2008
Some of these egg heads can get a bit dry (Brief History of Time) but Kaku is interesting, exciting (you can hear it in his voice like a little kid... he loves what he does like the croc hunter guy did) and always moving from topic to topic never sitting on one thing so long that you ever get bored.
A very good read that goes from fundamentals to modern science in a pithy, concise and fun manner!
Great book for beginners. December 1, 2008
I'm not much for reviews, but I really enjoyed this book. In a crude nutshell, if you're into sci-fi i.e. time travel, star wars, or just curious about what might be possible in terms of physics/quantum theory, this book will leave you wanting more. The first couple of chapters were kind of difficult to follow(mainly because of a lot of the scientific terms. But no worries, it'll get easier and flow much faster.
If you're a fan of history channel's "The Universe" this is definitely a book for you.
Wherein "impossible" sometimes only means "quite difficult"! November 27, 2008
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
What do Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, Lawrence Krauss, Clifford Pickover, Brian Greene, Douglas Hofstadter and Michio Kaku have in common? Aside from being respected physicists, scientists, mathematicians and theoreticians, they also have the uncanny ability to write at a level that we mere mortals can understand. Happily this allows our workaday world of common non-scientists to participate in at least a rudimentary understanding of the esoteric mysteries of the universe that are fascinating in the extreme and so bizarre as to outstrip the most obtuse imaginings of fiction writers.
Michio Kaku takes us on a grand tour of the modern world of physics by grouping topics that either were or are still considered impossible into three large classes - first, those items that don't appear to violate the currently known laws of science and having been considered as impossibilities in times past are either now realities or are verging on reality as technology and experimentation makes progress with such blinding speed; second, items that also don't appear to break the rules as we know them but await the development of technology that is likely centuries or millennia beyond whatever skills we might even envisage at this point in history; and, finally, those things that our current knowledge of scientific law would suggest are genuinely impossible.
Kaku treats the eager science loving reader with a generous and formidable list of topics - force fields, telekinesis and ESP, faster-than-light travel, time travel, parallel universes, perpetual motion, telepathy, phaser weaponry, precognition, antimatter, negative matter, hyperspace travel, extraterrestrials and much more. His writing style is at once down to earth, scientifically correct without being either esoteric or condescending, and even witty and humorous as he regales us with amusing tales of the correspondence between science and the astonishingly prescient writers of the science fiction genre. As you might well imagine, the brilliant writers and creators of the Star Trek series come up in Kaku's discussion on more than one occasion.
Brilliant, informative and entertaining! Highly recommended. But Class III impossibilities being forever impossible? If I learned anything from this book, I don't think I'll ever say "never" again. Who knows? Stay tuned!
Paul Weiss
stretching the mind beyond the routine November 25, 2008
LIke all of Dr. Kaku's books, this volume pushes the envelope of oiur current scientific understanding. This is where reality meets science fiction of the believable variety. And is written in a manner that does not require advanced degrees in physics. A must for the adventurous of mind.
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