Get Your Free Audiobook
-
Something Deeply Hidden
- Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 10 hrs and 9 mins
- Categories: Science & Engineering, Science
Non-member price: $43.89
People who bought this also bought...
-
The Big Picture
- On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void?
-
-
Sean's done it again 😁
- By Anonymous User on 07-07-2020
-
Until the End of Time
- Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe
- By: Brian Greene
- Narrated by: Brian Greene
- Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A journey across time, from our most refined understanding of the universe's beginning, to the closest science can take us to the very end. Explore how life and mind emerged from the initial chaos and how our minds, in coming to understand their own impermanence, seek in different ways to give meaning to experience: in story, myth, religion, creative expression, science, the quest for truth and our longing for the timeless or eternal.
-
-
Clever author just too compacted
- By Duncan J McIntyre on 17-04-2020
-
The Hidden Reality
- Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos
- By: Brian Greene
- Narrated by: Brian Greene
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There was a time when “universe” meant all there is. Everything. Yet, in recent years discoveries in physics and cosmology have led a number of scientists to conclude that our universe may be one among many. With crystal-clear prose and inspired use of analogy, Brian Greene shows how a range of different “multiverse” proposals emerges from theories developed to explain the most refined observations of both subatomic particles and the dark depths of space.
-
-
Great book but requires concentration.
- By Nikola on 20-05-2020
-
Quantum Space
- Loop Quantum Gravity and the Search for the Structure of Space, Time, and the Universe
- By: Jim Baggott
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today we are blessed with two extraordinarily successful theories of physics. The first is Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which describes the large-scale behavior of matter in a curved spacetime. The second is quantum mechanics. This theory describes the properties and behavior of matter and radiation at their smallest scales.
-
What Is Real?
- The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics
- By: Adam Becker
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The untold story of the heretical thinkers who challenged the establishment to rethink quantum physics and the nature of reality. Every physicist agrees quantum mechanics is among humanity's finest scientific achievements. But ask what it means, and the result will be a brawl. For a century, most physicists have followed Niels Bohr's Copenhagen interpretation and dismissed questions about the reality underlying quantum physics as meaningless.
-
-
Fantastic survey of the observation problem, albeit biased.
- By Mike on 31-08-2019
-
Our Mathematical Universe
- My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- By: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy, and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist.
-
-
Stunning analysis from the biggest perspective
- By Gordon on 02-08-2016
-
The Big Picture
- On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
- By: Sean Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 17 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void?
-
-
Sean's done it again 😁
- By Anonymous User on 07-07-2020
-
Until the End of Time
- Mind, Matter, and Our Search for Meaning in an Evolving Universe
- By: Brian Greene
- Narrated by: Brian Greene
- Length: 14 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A journey across time, from our most refined understanding of the universe's beginning, to the closest science can take us to the very end. Explore how life and mind emerged from the initial chaos and how our minds, in coming to understand their own impermanence, seek in different ways to give meaning to experience: in story, myth, religion, creative expression, science, the quest for truth and our longing for the timeless or eternal.
-
-
Clever author just too compacted
- By Duncan J McIntyre on 17-04-2020
-
The Hidden Reality
- Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos
- By: Brian Greene
- Narrated by: Brian Greene
- Length: 13 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
There was a time when “universe” meant all there is. Everything. Yet, in recent years discoveries in physics and cosmology have led a number of scientists to conclude that our universe may be one among many. With crystal-clear prose and inspired use of analogy, Brian Greene shows how a range of different “multiverse” proposals emerges from theories developed to explain the most refined observations of both subatomic particles and the dark depths of space.
-
-
Great book but requires concentration.
- By Nikola on 20-05-2020
-
Quantum Space
- Loop Quantum Gravity and the Search for the Structure of Space, Time, and the Universe
- By: Jim Baggott
- Narrated by: Nigel Patterson
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Today we are blessed with two extraordinarily successful theories of physics. The first is Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, which describes the large-scale behavior of matter in a curved spacetime. The second is quantum mechanics. This theory describes the properties and behavior of matter and radiation at their smallest scales.
-
What Is Real?
- The Unfinished Quest for the Meaning of Quantum Physics
- By: Adam Becker
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 11 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The untold story of the heretical thinkers who challenged the establishment to rethink quantum physics and the nature of reality. Every physicist agrees quantum mechanics is among humanity's finest scientific achievements. But ask what it means, and the result will be a brawl. For a century, most physicists have followed Niels Bohr's Copenhagen interpretation and dismissed questions about the reality underlying quantum physics as meaningless.
-
-
Fantastic survey of the observation problem, albeit biased.
- By Mike on 31-08-2019
-
Our Mathematical Universe
- My Quest for the Ultimate Nature of Reality
- By: Max Tegmark
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 15 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Max Tegmark leads us on an astonishing journey through past, present and future, and through the physics, astronomy, and mathematics that are the foundation of his work, most particularly his hypothesis that our physical reality is a mathematical structure and his theory of the ultimate multiverse. In a dazzling combination of both popular and groundbreaking science, he not only helps us grasp his often mind-boggling theories, but he also shares with us some of the often surprising triumphs and disappointments that have shaped his life as a scientist.
-
-
Stunning analysis from the biggest perspective
- By Gordon on 02-08-2016
-
The Emperor's New Mind
- Concerning Computers, Minds, and the Laws of Physics
- By: Roger Penrose
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 18 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this absorbing and frequently contentious book, Roger Penrose puts forward his view that there are some facets of human thinking that can never be emulated by a machine. The book's central concern is what philosophers call the "mind-body problem". Penrose examines what physics and mathematics can tell us about how the mind works, what they can't, and what we need to know to understand the physical processes of consciousness.
-
-
Not adapted for audio book. Inscrutable to laymen.
- By Anonymous User on 12-10-2020
-
Reality Is Not What It Seems
- The Journey to Quantum Gravity
- By: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 6 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
From the best-selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics comes a new audiobook about the mind-bending nature of the universe. What are time and space made of? Where does matter come from? And what exactly is reality? Scientist Carlo Rovelli has spent his whole life exploring these questions and pushing the boundaries of what we know. Here he explains how our image of the world has changed throughout centuries.
-
-
Beautifully written and delivered
- By Gav on 24-02-2019
-
The World According to Physics
- By: Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Jim Al-Khalili
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Shining a light on the most profound insights revealed by modern physics, Jim Al-Khalili invites us all to understand what this crucially important science tells us about the universe and the nature of reality itself. Al-Khalili begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, and then describes the three pillars of modern physics - quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics - showing how all three must come together if we are ever to have a full understanding of reality.
-
Mysteries of Modern Physics: Time
- By: Sean Carroll, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 12 hrs and 17 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Time rules our lives, woven into the very fabric of the universe-from the rising and setting of the sun to the cycles of nature, the thought processes in our brains, and the biorhythms in our day. Nothing so pervades our existence and yet is so difficult to explain. But now, in a series of 24 riveting lectures, you can grasp exactly why - as you take a mind-expanding journey through the past, present, and future, guided by a noted author and scientist.
-
-
Good!!
- By Anonymous User on 06-02-2019
-
The Planets
- By: Professor Brian Cox, Andrew Cohen
- Narrated by: Samuel West
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Mercury, a lifeless victim of the Sun’s expanding power. Venus, once thought to be lush and fertile, now known to be trapped within a toxic and boiling atmosphere. Mars, the red planet, doomed by the loss of its atmosphere. Jupiter, twice the size of all the other planets combined, but insubstantial. Saturn, a stunning celestial beauty, the jewel of our Solar System. Uranus, the sideways planet and the first ice giant. Neptune, dark, cold and whipped by supersonic winds. Pluto, the dwarf planet, a frozen rock.
-
-
Too complicated
- By Peata Melbourne on 16-01-2021
-
The Order of Time
- Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch
- By: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Benedict Cumberbatch
- Length: 4 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Time is a mystery that does not cease to puzzle us. Philosophers, artists and poets have long explored its meaning while scientists have found that its structure is different from the simple intuition we have of it. From Boltzmann to quantum theory, from Einstein to loop quantum gravity, our understanding of time has been undergoing radical transformations. Time flows at a different speed in different places, the past and the future differ far less than we might think, and the very notion of the present evaporates in the vast universe.
-
-
Fascinating and thought provoking
- By JM on 28-08-2018
-
A Series of Fortunate Events
- Chance and the Making of the Planet, Life, and You
- By: Sean B. Carroll
- Narrated by: Sean B. Carroll
- Length: 4 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why is the world the way it is? How did we get here? Does everything happen for a reason, or are some things left to chance? Philosophers and theologians have pondered these questions for millennia, but startling scientific discoveries over the past half century are revealing that we live in a world driven by chance. A Series of Fortunate Events tells the story of the awesome power of chance and how it is the surprising source of all the beauty and diversity in the living world.
-
-
Fantastic! Fantastic! Fantastic!
- By Michael on 14-10-2020
-
In Search of Schrödinger’s Cat
- Quantum Physics and Reality
- By: John Gribbin
- Narrated by: Nicholas Masters-Waage
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Search of Schrodinger's Cat tells the complete story of quantum mechanics, a truth stranger than any fiction. John Gribbin takes us step by step into an even more bizarre and fascinating place, requiring only that we approach it with an open mind. He introduces the scientists who developed quantum theory. He investigates the atom, radiation, time travel, the birth of the universe, super conductors and life itself. A fascinating and delightful introduction to the strange world of the quantum - an essential element in understanding today's world.
-
The Beginning of Infinity
- Explanations That Transform the World
- By: David Deutsch
- Narrated by: Walter Dixon
- Length: 20 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A bold and all-embracing exploration of the nature and progress of knowledge from one of today's great thinkers. Throughout history, mankind has struggled to understand life's mysteries, from the mundane to the seemingly miraculous. In this important new book, David Deutsch, an award-winning pioneer in the field of quantum computation, argues that explanations have a fundamental place in the universe.
-
-
Inspiring
- By Dirk Bertels on 21-03-2017
-
Three Roads to Quantum Gravity
- By: Lee Smolin
- Narrated by: L. J. Ganser
- Length: 8 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In Three Roads to Quantum Gravity, Lee Smolin provides an accessible overview of the attempts to build a final "theory of everything." He explains in simple terms what scientists are talking about when they say the world is made from exotic entities such as loops, strings, and black holes and tells the fascinating stories behind these discoveries: the rivalries, epiphanies, and intrigues he witnessed firsthand.
-
-
Beautiful narration. Tough subject matter!
- By Diana Prince on 29-08-2019
-
The Higgs Boson and Beyond
- By: Sean Carroll, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Sean Carroll
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Original Recording
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In this 12-lecture masterpiece of scientific reporting, you'll learn everything you need to know to fully grasp the significance of this discovery, including the basics of quantum mechanics; the four forces that comprise the Standard Model of particle physics; how these forces are transmitted by fields and particles; and the importance of symmetry in physics.
-
-
Awesome content, engaging.
- By Anonymous User on 18-09-2020
-
From Darwin to Derrida
- Selfish Genes, Social Selves, and the Meanings of Life
- By: David Haig, Daniel C. Dennett - foreword
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 14 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In From Darwin to Derrida, evolutionary biologist David Haig explains how a physical world of matter in motion gave rise to a living world of purpose and meaning. Natural selection, a process without purpose, gives rise to purposeful beings who find meaning in the world. The key to this, Haig proposes, is the origin of mutable “texts”―genes―that preserve a record of what has worked in the world. These texts become the specifications for the intricate mechanisms of living beings.
Publisher's Summary
Instant New York Times best seller
A Science News Favorite Science Book of 2019
As you listen to these words, copies of you are being created. Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist and one of this world’s most celebrated writers on science, rewrites the history of 20th-century physics. Already hailed as a masterpiece, Something Deeply Hidden shows for the first time that facing up to the essential puzzle of quantum mechanics utterly transforms how we think about space and time. His reconciling of quantum mechanics with Einstein’s theory of relativity changes, well, everything. Most physicists haven’t even recognized the uncomfortable truth: Physics has been in crisis since 1927.
Quantum mechanics has always had obvious gaps - which have come to be simply ignored. Science popularizers keep telling us how weird it is, how impossible it is to understand. Academics discourage students from working on the "dead end" of quantum foundations. Putting his professional reputation on the line with this audacious yet entirely reasonable audiobook, Carroll says that the crisis can now come to an end. We just have to accept that there is more than one of us in the universe. There are many, many Sean Carrolls. Many of every one of us.
Copies of you are generated thousands of times per second. The Many Worlds Theory of quantum behavior says that every time there is a quantum event, a world splits off with everything in it the same, except in that other world, the quantum event didn't happen. Step-by-step in Carroll's uniquely lucid way, he tackles the major objections to this otherworldly revelation until his case is inescapably established.
Rarely does a book so fully reorganize how we think about our place in the universe. We are on the threshold of a new understanding - of where we are in the cosmos, and what we are made of.
Critic Reviews
"What makes Carroll's new project so worthwhile, though, is that while he is most certainly choosing sides in the debate, he offers us a cogent, clear and compelling guide to the subject while letting his passion for the scientific questions shine through every page." (NPR)
"Enlightening and refreshingly bold." (Scientific American)
"Something Deeply Hidden is Carroll’s ambitious and engaging foray into what quantum mechanics really means and what it tells us about physical reality." (Science Magazine)
More from the same
What listeners say about Something Deeply Hidden
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Neety Thorsteinsson
- 09-11-2019
This book is bloody brilliant
Sean has a way of explaining complicated concepts in a very visual way. I found myself finally starting to understand and visualise some fundamental concepts in quantum physics. I learnt about entropy, entanglement, what a Hamiltonian is, particles, waves, the Everettian interpretations of quantum mechanics; basically things that blew my mind. I didn't really do any maths or science at school (clearly the concept of science wasn't explained to me very well at school, I thought it had something with to do with a bunson burner) so finding out so many amazing things about our universe has been awesome. Of course I had to listen to every chapter three times. And by three I mean seven. The point is some of this started to sink into my brain. So buy this book. Sean's podcasts are also great.
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 28-01-2020
I was the right audience for this book
and was well rewarded Over the years, I had read several popular science books on similar subjects, and in recent years watched PBS Space Time and listened to Sean Carroll's Mindscape. I had been left with questions and despaired for answers. This book anticipated these, and corrected some errors for which I had not even formed questions. Its probably the case that to do better requires actually studying the math. This book did an exceptional job in clearly explaining the route through the consensus and onto the quantum interpretation that it championed. As history of science, I found it very satisfying. I would have loved the book to have engaged directly with the philosophy of mathematics or of science. Without expertise in either, I nevertheless feel confident they would offer cogent critiques of the interpretation. In particular, I cannot help but be unsettled by the sense in which it seems to settle the interpretation of probability as being a real property of the universe.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- SteveK
- 20-10-2019
Very heavy going for the layperson
I love reading about physics in layman's terms (such as the works of Brian Greene, Kip Thorne and Leonard Susskind) and I love Sean's mindscape podcast. This text was a little too heavy on the assertive statements and very light on the analogy, which I felt made it harder to comprehend for the layperson that it could have been. nevertheless it's a fascinating topic and this book still have me a glimpse of some very deep and awe inspiring ideas.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 11-10-2019
truly hidden
really comes together in the final chapters. a difficult book worthy of everyone, excellent work from sean once again. ❤
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
- Andy Lee
- 30-09-2019
Wild.
The concepts in this book are wild. I can't say I understood all the equations but I think I got my head around most concepts. I'm not a cosmologist, but this book feels super important.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 21-12-2020
A satisfying journey
If you have an interest in quantum physics this book is a good follow on from Carlo Rovelli et al. The book covers a lot of territory and yet manages to be coherent and interesting along the way. There are a few slightly laborious moments related to particle observation and entanglement however the following chapters coalesce what seemed to be at first disparate ideas nicely.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Conrad Barski
- 11-09-2019
The Best Layperson Book on Quantum Physics
The only bad thing about this book is the title- It should really just be called "Understanding Quantum Physics". I have read several books on the subject before and have always been disappointed by the confused explanations found in popular books on this subject. This book is categorically better than any previous book I've encountered. The first three chapters are key: Chapter 1 explains why this stuff is so damn confusing and why the usual explanations are so unsatisfying. Chapter 2 then describes the bare-metal math of quantum physics (the Schrödinger equation) and explains the ramifications of this formula when all other complexities are stripped away, so you can really understand "what's going on". Chapter 3 then recontextualizes the history of quantum theory, all the personalities and experiments of the 20th Century, in light of the Schrödinger equation. This ordering is so smart, because this theory was conceived through a series of haphazard scientific discoveries that really need to be discussed separately from the theory itself, and Dr. Carroll's book does this brilliantly. After these initial sections, the book dives into more cutting-edge, speculative ideas, which are also a great read- But in my opinion, the early sections of this book are the main attraction & are a great read for anyone interested in science.
57 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mike
- 13-09-2019
For Sale: Many Worlds, Gently Used
Dr Carroll is our generation’s preeminent physics explainer. He does not disappoint in this latest book. In particular, his vector analogy of the wave function - wherein measurements we can make (position, velocity, etc.) are as vector components of the sum total of reality at any given moment - is very satisfying. Sean pulls off similar magic in elucidating “random” radioactive decay as our measured view of what is really a *deterministic* evolution of superposed un-decayed plus decayed wave function states. Ironically, there is a lot of poetry in what Dr Carroll refers to as austere quantum mechanics, or AQM. AQM is Dr Carroll’s quick re-branding of Many Worlds. None of this re-branding or wonderful explanation, however, has me convinced of the Many Worlds interpretation. This is because I believe there is a better explanation. Dr Carroll does compare Many Worlds to other theories here, and I do agree Many Worlds is indeed superior to the other theories presented in this book. But he does not consider theories for which the wave function is neither ontologically real, *nor* epistemic, which are nevertheless complete in themselves. In particular, Relational Quantum Mechanics (RQM) asks us to consider quantum interactions (measurements) as real, such that the wave function is relegated to a “theoretical account of the way distinct physical systems affect one another when they interact (and not of the way physical systems ‘are’)” [Laudisa, Federico and Rovelli, Carlo, "Relational Quantum Mechanics", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy]. In the end, walking away from this book without the Many Worlds is ok. Dr Carroll was never really selling them anyway. He only ever wanted us to take this journey with him, and take it seriously. And that I would do many, many times over.
33 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Charlie Firneno
- 22-11-2019
Excellent and thorough for non scientists
I've listened to at least a dozen books on particle physics, astrophysics, and quantum theory. Sean Carroll is by far the most thorough without being esoteric. He does not skip over explanations of complex material. Every time you think to yourself "but why" or "how does that happen" the next words he speaks are addressing those thoughts. His narration is excellent. The pace is also perfect. It's fast enough to not become boring, but deliberate enough so you have time to absorb the concepts being discussed. I am not a scientist and do not have a favorite among quantum theories, so I was not bothered by the fact that this book openly advocates for the many worlds interpretation. Carroll spends a good deal of time describing other theories as well as the critiques of many worlds.
13 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Michael
- 01-10-2019
Good introduction to MultiWorld...but
This is largely a high level explanation and defense of Everett's Universal Wavefunction (aka Multiworlds). The first and primary argument is that since all other interpretations of QM involve the wave function, then a theory that postulates nothing more than the wave function better satisfies Occam's razor than any other, more complicated, theory. There are a number of subtle issues with this logic. Firstly, although the wave function is a part of all QM interpretations, it is generally regarded as a calculation tool, not an element of reality. The wave function is used in computing results but fundamentally can not be measured. I, and others dubious of MW, agree that IF one accepts the WF as REAL, then MW is the obvious final result. Nevertheless there is no evidence the WF is actually real. Carroll refers to assuming MW from the reality of the WF as Austere QM. I don't find this logic Austere at all. The WF is, itself, is not purely quantum. Indeed the WF is very non-quantum involving multiple continuums, including a complex continuum, along with countless degrees of freedom. This is hardly Austere as implied by Carroll's argument. Only very late in the book does Carroll admit the dark side of the WF, infinite degrees of freedom, unexpected infinities, and inherently classical underpinnings. MW does not really add anything useful to QM and seems to become a theory of anything. Carroll spends a chapter demonstrating that MW is consistent with the statistics of the world we experience, but his arguments depend on limited branching - without ever explaining when, if ever, branching happens. Much later he admits that how and when and how much branching occurs is completely unknown. If branching is infinite (which it seems to be) Carroll's MW statistical arguments all become invalid. Carroll examines a few other QM interpretations but does not include Smolin's Causal Sets (or other relational QM theories) which seems much more likely, actually IS Austere, is completely discrete, and is without classical underpinnings. The last I checked, MW was the most popular interpretation of QM and its popularity was growing. I was certainly was not convinced and found the author did not really present counter arguments to MW thoroughly or well. The narration was excellent.
27 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mr. Michael A. Hewson
- 25-09-2019
Boggle
Mr Carroll has left no stone unturned in his analysis of the 'difficult' roots of quantum mechanics. His smooth style carries you along his lucid stream of explanation. I am on my third listening. His dissertation on the structure of Hilbert spaces via the example of spins & q-bits is tremendous. As for the deeply hidden secret, well, this was known several generations ago. It's just that very few like the implication : the many worlds interpretation of measurement instances. I hadn't known that this a straightforward consequence of the simplest set of axioms. Entanglement now sounds so obvious, not forgetting especially the experimental work of Mr Aspect who verified the musings of Mr Bell. The universe really works that way. How amazing is that ! Oh, and did you know that the Earth orbiting around the Sun generates a mere 200 Watts of power in gravitational waves ? Or that a moving body may lose kinetic energy by emitting light, and by doing so it doesn't slow down but loses mass as per E/c^2 ! These are two of many lovely snippets scattered within the text. One point of sociology within the physics community : those who prod and poke at these base areas of quantum mechanics are viewed with at least mild disdain. We are very lucky to have Mr Carroll on the job and reporting back to us from this 'mystical' frontier. For me he is right up there with Mr Feynman for quality of communication. A soft warning though : you'd best have no distractions while listening, as it would be a shame to miss the finer points. A quiet, dark room would be ideal.
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 19-09-2019
An honest and humble look at fundamental physics
Couldn't stop listening when I started. The most honest description of physics I've heard In a while. Also really nice to atlast get a physics book on something new and not just rehashing the same old stories
5 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- William Whitt
- 17-10-2019
Much like the quantum foam, I am abuzz
I love that this was narrated by Sean Carroll himself as it ensures that you get his desired emphasis and intonations with every sentence. Whether you have no existing quantum mechanics knowledge, support the Copenhagen interpretation, or perhaps one of the other approaches like Loop Quantum Gravity, you'll find that this book provides you with lots of good brain food to chew on. Honestly I have already listened to some chapters more than four times just to really ponder some of the points he makes and I'll likely listen to it in its entirety at least three times - so definitely money well spent for me. Professor Carroll is doing us all a favor here by (quite literally) speaking so elegantly on the foundations and meanings of quantum mechanics. For too long the status quo in quantum has been "shut up and calculate" and this book aims to change that. Every significant technology wave in human history has come from finding a deeper understanding or insight of (often times) mundane or known concepts (e.g. thinking deeper on the speed of light led to relativity). Quantum mechanics has already provided society with so much in terms of technology... for us to sit idly by and accept a partial understanding of the topic while allowing those entrenched in the field to push the "shut up and calculate" mentality is really kneecapping progress. Get started on your next book Sean!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Darwin8u
- 31-05-2020
Shut up and calculate
"I think I can safely say that nobody understands quantum mechanics." - Richard Feynman "Shut up and calculate." - David Mermin "Sweet is by convention, bitter by convention, cold by convention, color by convention; in truth there are only atoms and the void." - Democritus As an enthusiast, I love physics. I think there is something in my brain that associates the bleeding edge of physics with poetry and art. I'm not the only one. Authors like Thomas Pynchon and Cormac McCarthy are constantly using physics as a springboard into literary ideas and explorations. I think one of the big connections between theoretical physics and literature is the fact that both seek to explain the world through imagery and metaphor. Physics are hard science's poets. Sean Carrol does a fantastic job of describing the many-worlds interpretation (MWI) as initially suggested by Hugh Everett. The entire price of admission to this book was paid when I discovered in this book that Hugh Everett is the father of EELS' lead singer and song-writer Mark Oliver Everett (also known as E). Talk about convergence. Anyway, the book was well written, carefully laid out, and like other topics I've flirted with (Knot theory), I'm pretty sure I just walked off with a pip of knowledge, but I'll keep coming back to the damn fruit of the tree of knowledge.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Thomas H. Kregel
- 14-11-2019
Very interesting
I didn't follow everything but I only have a BS in Physics. Each time I listen I understand more.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Leonardo Diaz
- 16-10-2019
Definitely a good explanation of the many worlds.
I definitely left with a much better understanding of the many-worlds interpretation, and I can see why it is so attractive to many Everettians, it's probably the most direct explanation of quantum superposition and entanglement, it just makes sense. But it's definitely a far-fetched idea that makes it a hard pill to swallow.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 25-12-2019
Brilliant but not for beginners
If you have already read quite a lot about Quantum Mechanics in Pop Science and enjoy Sean Carroll in particular (and the 'many worlds interpretation') you will benefit from this book. I enjoyed it but some sections about how various calculations are made, were frankly rather too specialist for me. No matter. I will listen to them several times over. It gives me the feeling that despite being a complete non-scientist and non-specialists, I have crawled up the learning curve a little.
9 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 15-10-2019
Super position of all relevant texts.
Great work! Sean Carroll recording it himself was important to me. Would have lost interest quickly if it was in the voice of some random speaker who could'nt care less about quantum waves and field theory. Thank you!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 02-12-2019
Easy to understand. Great narrating.
So much information packed into each chapter. Carroll explains concepts well. Flows like a story with bolstering physics theories and formulae. will listen again.
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Adam Revill
- 21-04-2020
Still struggling
Elegantly explained I have no doubt, except that I still struggle to understand. My limitation not the books
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall

- Anonymous User
- 14-07-2020
Many books many worlds, but this one is just right
Best audio book ever, it may be the only audio book I heard but do I need to hear any others? maybe in a branching reality I do but in this one, it's the only one I need
16 Best Audiobooks by Aboriginal Authors
Across genres, there’s no shortage of brilliant titles from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers of Australia.



25 Best Celebrity Audiobooks
It’s always a pleasant surprise to pick up a familiar story and find an unexpected famous friend in the narrator’s booth.



Best Audiobooks of 2020
We've crunched the numbers, heard from our listeners and gotten expert opinions to round up the best listens of 2020.


