How to Build a Time Machine

by Paul C.W. Davies

Book Overview

With his rare knack for making cutting-edge theoretical science effortlessly accessible, world-renowned physicist Paul Davies has won a devoted readership with his bestselling books The Fifth Miracle,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0142001864
• ISBN13: 9780142001868
• Release Date: March 2003
• Publisher: Penguin Adult Hc/Tr
• Length: 144 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.0" x 7.9"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

A GREAT book

This was my first book on relativity and quantum mechanics. I read it in sixth grade, and had no trouble whatsoever understanding it. I have recommended it to many of my friend, all of whom enjoyed it. This book tackles some of the REALLY weird physics, and does it in simple, nonbigwordable way that the layman can understand. No equations, pictures and illistrations instead. A great introduction for the newbie. -Emmsey Squire

A Real-Science Time Travel Plan!

I have read other books by Paul Davies, and found this one as enlightening, entertaining and challenging as previous ones. This is serious science, not science fiction. Davies outlines in a very readable style, with good diagrams and humorous illustrations, the current thinking in Quantum Physics concerning the concept of time. He discusses the mechanical and mathematical possibilities of moving between points in times, reflecting on principles and implications in the Theory of Relativity. He discusses worm holes and how to create and control them, using anti-gravity, negative energy and time dilation. He goes through the known steps necessary to create a time dilation by connecting one point of time in relation to a certain spatial location to different time conditions in another spatial location. This involves, of course, reflections on light speed and the physical and practical limitations involved in the state of the universes as we know it. This is fascinating reading, with both feet planted firmly on terra firma, but with the mind probing the depths and breadths of existence and possibilities within the laws of physics! Stimulating!

buy it used, if you can get a cheap one

This book was a very interesting look at what it would take to build a time machine, but it's only 128 pages. Don't expect to go build one after reading this, but at least when you finish you can poke fun at star-trek. It's a quick read, but it's worthwhile.

Time Travel easily understood

I am almost done reading How To Build A Time Machine and so far it is remarkably easy to understand. This book is perfect for people wanting to get a general idea of the physical possibilities of time travel. Davies does a great job of putting the physics of time travel into lamens terms. I think anyone remotely interested in time physics should start here.

An interesting book

If you would like to find a book that talk about time machine and related concepts (the possibility of going back to the past, going to the future, the implied logical paradox, etc), don't miss this book. The author manage to convey complex concepts to the reader with simple languages. I like Stephen Hawking's history of time but it is too difficult for me. Paul Davies's book is small in size, I manage to "finish" and "understand" it within one day.