Presents simple illustrations of the concepts of mass, space, and black holes that make up the theory of relativity.

An account of the century of experimentation that confirmed Einstein's theory of relativity, bringing to life the science and scientists at the origins of relativity, the development of radio telescopes, the discovery of black holes and quasars, and the still unresolved place of gravity in quantum theory. Albert Einstein did nothing of note on May 29, 1919, yet that is when he became immortal. On that day, astronomer Arthur Eddington and his team...

With its answers to questions such as What is time? and What is space?, this clear, nontechnical treatment makes the principles of relativity more accessible to the general reader. The author gradually introduces Einstein's theory in terms of familiar concepts from high school-level geometry, utilizing more than 60 drawings to illuminate profound yet often simple ideas.

Based on the ideas of Einstein and Minkowski, this concise treatment is derived from the author's many years of teaching the mathematics of relativity at the University of Michigan. Geared toward advanced undergraduates and graduate students of physics, the text covers old physics, new geometry, special relativity, curved space, and general relativity. Beginning with a discussion of the inverse square law in terms of simple calculus, the treatment...

Surely, you have heard the story of the astronaut coming back to earth, looking as young and fit as when he left, with everybody else on earth hardly being able to walk because of the years added to their age, as a result of the difference in how time passed on Earth as opposed to the time passing over the astronaut. Many would argue that this is just an illusion, when in fact, although not literally true, there is a scientific explanation for this:...

By the year 1900, most of physics seemed to be encompassed in the two great theories of Newtonian mechanics and Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. Unfortunately, there were inconsistencies between the two theories that seemed irreconcilable. Although many physicists struggled with the problem, it took the genius of Einstein to see that the inconsistencies were concerned not merely with mechanics and electromagnetism, but with our most elementary...

Borel was born the son of Honoré, a pastor, and Emilie Teissié-Solier Borel, in the French town of Saint-Affrique on January 7, 1871. His was a world heavily influenced by the recent humiliation of the Franco-Prussian War, and on a personal level, Borel, as the younger brother of two sisters, had to fight to distinguish himself. Distinction came early, however, with an invitation to study at several prestigious preparatory schools in Paris. Borel...

A qualitative overview of the foundational principles of relativity, including historical development of concepts of relativity from the time of Galileo.This book is aimed at anyone with an interest in the history of development of special and general relativity. It should provide a working knowledge of the main ideas, able to stand on its own, or form the basis for further study. The content discussed could support the Scottish Qualifications Authority's...

The first full biography of Albert Einstein since all of his papers have become available shows how his scientific imagination sprang from the rebellious nature of his personality. Biographer Isaacson explores how an imaginative, impertinent patent clerk--a struggling father in a difficult marriage who couldn't get a teaching job or a doctorate--became the locksmith of the mysteries of the atom and the universe. His success came from questioning conventional...

Amélia est une étudiante sensible aux événements paranormaux. Elle écrit un article pour le journal de l'université, sur lequel elle déclare qu'elle entend des voix venues du futur. Stephen, professeur de physique, lit l'article et en discute avec sa femme Isabella, docteur en psychiatrie. Un jour, Amélia s'évanouit dans la cafétéria pendant que ses amis parlaient des cours de dissections. Isabella, docteur d'Amélia, révèle qu'elle...