Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines

by Richard A. Muller

Book Overview

We live in complicated, dangerous times. Present and future presidents need to know if North Korea's nascent nuclear capability is a genuine threat to the West, if biochemical weapons are likely to be... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393337111
• Release Date: September 2009
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.3" x 1.0" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Physics for POTUS 101

The "101" in the title means that the items in this book are either common sense, part of the standard curiculum or things that anyone with even a limited exposure to science should know. The fact that most people haven't a clue is due to talk show talking heads, crazy web tales/blogs, conspiracy nuts, erroneous newspaper articles, reporters who can't spell pi AND junk science augmented by urban legends. We've all heard the one about the engineer who disappeared after inventing the 200mpg engine that ran off water. The author explains that our dependence on fossil fuels derives from their nature: No other molecule delivers the "bang for the buck" as coal and gas. Muller also shoots down the widespread belief that renewable energy is somehow cheap or even "free". Indeed, the limited use of renewable sources is due to their high price. Then he tackles the problems with each renewable technology while suggesting nuclear and clean coal as alternatives. The potential dangers of terrorism are discussed and nukes or virulent bio weapons are rejected for scientific reasons (technical ability, the nature of germs). Gasoline is the most likely future culprit since only it packs such a wallop. Space travel is summarized with an appeal to use robots and not humans. Finally, there are several chapters on global warming in which the case for a 1 degree rise in temperatures over the past 100 years (with humans contributing 50%) is made. The wildass predictions that excite the public are the ones that inevitably fail: Mass starvations, resource depletion, wild weather, mass species extinction, oceans rising feet (or yards). We now know that climate for the past 12,000 years has been exceptional. The norm has been cold, heat and dryness. He points out that the poles (often used as "proof") are actually behaving the opposite. Gore is rightfully taken to task for absurd claims, unscientific charts, erroneous statements and dire (but false) warnings. Finally, he suggests real world solutions which, of course, are more practical, mundane and will probably garner not 1/100th of the media fixes we read about such as less toilet paper, no mowing of lawns, no Bar-B-Q's, eating local, blah blah. Common sense solutions are conservation, tehnology and investment in viable technologies that can make a difference. An excellent book for those wanting the truth behind the headlines - A.

Excellent book, dispells endless common misconceptions, flawless logic

I, a civilian, read this book at the recommendation of a certain naval ensign. It is by far the most informative piece of literature I have ever had grace my eyes with it's print. Time is of the essence for me at the moment, so I will be brief. If you have any desire to be able to be an informed citizen who does not participate in useless urban legends about science, or if you want to know the truth behind all the political fluff that obscures most modern scientific truth, I highly recommend you read this book cover to cover.

Clear and Objective

This book is not for the casual reader, but it is a must-read for those who pride themselves on being well informed in any one of the five important issues discussed in this book: Terrorism, Energy, Nukes, Space, and Global Warming. The author has ordered the subject matter according to what he believes are the most pressing issues that will confront the new President. While passionate about the subject material, the author is refreshingly detached in reaching his conclusions, as a physicist should be. When I recommend this book to my better-informed friends, the most frequent question I get back is, "What does he say about Global Warming?" Those who are looking for pithy sound bites will be disappointed. Those who fear a boring professorial-type lecture will be pleasantly surprised. Dr. Muller presents well thought-out rationales for each section, and his delivery has been refined in the classroom by teaching non-physics students at the University of California, Berkley. I appreciate Dr. Muller's respect for his readers (and future Presidents.) He does not try to impose a hidden agenda upon us. Dr. Muller clearly states his premises and the physics of his findings flows nicely from them Here is a sketch of my views, as a physicist, on what the reader can expect. Terrorism: Dr. Muller discusses the high energy content in the jet fuel carried by each hijacked airplane that hit the towers of the World Trade Center on 9/11. He later describes the likely limitations of a terrorist's dirty bomb. He reminds us that Jose Padilla, an American with extensive al-Qaeda training, proposed to build a dirty bomb. Padilla was directed instead to blow up two apartment buildings using natural gas. Energy: Dr. Muller hits us with a number of "surprises," such as, gasoline delivers 15 times the energy of an equal weight of TNT; coal is 20 times cheaper than gasoline for the same energy; a square mile of sunlight at midday receives a gigawatt of power. He points out that gasoline holds 100 times more energy, pound for pound, than the high quality expensive batteries in cell phones. (Hence, although he owns a hybrid car himself, he is skeptical about the future of all-electric cars until batteries or fuel cells can be greatly improved.) Nukes: Here he includes both nuclear weapons and nuclear power. After explaining how to estimate the dangers of exposing many people to radioactivity, he discusses the difficulty of building nuclear weapons. He describes how to build safe nuclear reactors, such as Pebble Bed reactors. Space: Dr. Muller's believes that science should be the central goal of government space programs. Consequently, he advocates robotics rather than manned space travel. He uses a number of examples to illustrate rocket propulsion, orbits, spy satellites, stealth bombers, meteorite impacts, etc. Global Warming: This is the most balanced and competent treatment of climate change that I have found. After a chapter on

A Level-Headed Scientific Approach to Important Issues

What drew me to this book was not so much its title, although it is quite intriguing, but its author. I had read a couple of Professor Muller's books in the past and found them to be very engaging as well as models of clarity. This book is no exception. Using logical scientific reasoning, the author addresses various topics that a future president would likely need to deal with. The topics are: terrorism, energy, nuclear matters, outer space and global warming. Removing any mythology and misinformation that may be associated with these issues, the author carefully analyzes them from a physics perspective; this is to help any future presidents in making solid well-informed decisions. The contentious matter of global warming is dealt with particularly well; in fact, it is one of the fairest and most level-headed discussions of this matter that I have read thus far. A set of notes at the end of the book contain a few simple calculations that complement some of the statements in the main text. However, a reader who is math-phobic need to not worry since the notes are not essential to fully appreciate the book's content. The writing style is very clear, accessible, authoritative, friendly and quite engaging. This informative book can be enjoyed by anyone, especially those interested in the use of a logical scientific approach to address important world issues.

One of the Most Important Books of the Twenty First Century

Buy this book! Read it, and understand it. Then buy one for your Senators and Congressman, and insist they read and understand it. Richard Muller, a physics professor at Cal Berkeley and researcher at Laurence Berkeley Labs, has written a highly accessible book that treats some of the most important, yet misunderstood, topics of our time. He treats, in understandable language, the physics and some of the economics of terrorism, energy, nukes, space, and global warming. You will get no politics. In fact, you probably will have no idea who he might vote for. But you will learn the key facts, questions, and alternatives on the vital issues. You will be amazed at what you didn't know, what you knew that actually isn't true, and what the real alternatives for solutions likely are. You will be outraged at the ignorance of our politicians, policymakers, television news anchors and commentators, as well as newspaper editors and columnists. But you will not be bored. Professor Muller reveals the real story, the promise and the limitations of solutions to topics such as these: Nine-Eleven, terrorist nukes, the next terrorist attack, and biological terrorism; key energy surprises, solar power, and the end of oil; radioactivity; nuclear weapons, nuclear power, nuclear waste, and controlled fusion; space and satellites, humans in space, and spy satellites; history of climate change, the greenhouse effect, evidence and false evidence, non-solutions, real solutions, and new technologies. My personal biases: I have a background in both physics and management, and practiced both during a 35-year career with NASA. I do not know Professor Muller, but have admired his work since I discovered his "Physics for Future Presidents" podcasts on iTunesU. I highly recommend this book.