“Cosmos and Quantum” dives into the profound disconnect between general relativity, governing the cosmos, and quantum mechanics, ruling the subatomic world. These two pillars of modern physics offer seemingly incompatible descriptions of reality. Unifying them promises a deeper understanding of the universe's origins, constituents, and fate.
For example, quantum entanglement suggests particles can be linked across vast distances, defying classical notions of space and time. The book explores the historical development of both theories and the challenges of merging smooth spacetime with quantum fluctuations.
The book argues that the current impasse isn't just a technical problem but a sign of incomplete understanding of space, time, and even observation itself. It begins with general relativity's core concepts like black holes, then explores quantum mechanics, covering wave-particle duality. Later chapters tackle the conflict points, introducing candidate theories like string theory.
The book emphasizes the philosophical underpinnings of this unification effort, challenging readers to question assumptions about reality.
