Fake Physics, Andrew May
Fake Physics, Andrew May
List: $16.95 | Sale: $11.87
Club: $8.47

Fake Physics
Spoofs, Hoaxes, and Fictitious Science

Author: Andrew May

Narrator: Tim Gerard Reynolds

Unabridged: 6 hr 44 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/27/2021

Categories: Nonfiction, Science, Physics

Synopsis

People are used to seeing “fake physics” in science fiction—concepts like faster-than-light travel, antigravity, and time travel, to name a few. The fiction label ought to be a giveaway, but some SF writers—especially those with a background in professional science—are so adept at “technobabble” that it can be difficult to work out what is fake and what is real. To confuse matters further, Isaac Asimov’s 1948 piece about the fictitious time-traveling substance thiotimoline was written, not as a short story, but in the form of a spoof research paper.The boundaries between fact and fiction can also be blurred by physicists themselves—sometimes unintentionally, sometimes with tongue-in-cheek, sometimes to satirize perceived weaknesses in research practices. Examples range from hoaxes aimed at exposing poor editorial standards in academic publications, through “thought experiments” that sound like the plot of a sci-fi movie to April Fools’ jokes. Even the latter may carry a serious message, whether about the sociology of science or poking fun at legitimate but far-out scientific hypotheses.This entertaining book is a joyous romp exploring the whole spectrum of fake physics—from science to fiction and back again.

About Andrew May

Andrew May obtained a PhD in astrophysics from the University of Manchester in 1982 and is an experienced and versatile professional, with a career spanning academia, government, and private industry. Since the start of 2011 he has been working as a freelance writer and defense consultant. He has a wide range of interests and has written both authoritatively and entertainingly on the physical sciences, military technology, British history, science fiction, New Age beliefs, and the paranormal.

About Tim Gerard Reynolds

Tim Gerard Reynolds is an established audiobook narrator who has won several AudioFile Earphones Awards and was a finalist for the prestigious Audie Award for Best Fantasy Narration. He trained for the stage at the Samuel Beckett Center at Trinity College in Dublin and the Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center in New London, Connecticut.

Reviews

Goodreads review by JustEvan

I would assume the author is getting paid by Nature magazine before reading this book. The number of times he fawningly refers to it as "that most prestigious of peer-reviewed journals" is just weird. That said, generally a fun read with a couple issues. The first is an error in definitions. Mr. May......more

Goodreads review by Carlos

May combines writing about comedic satires written by scientific experts for a specialized audience with the purposeful misrepresentation of scientific knowledge aimed at a general audience in order to push a particular agenda. While reading about the former had some entertainment value, reading abo......more

Goodreads review by Ralph

This was a fun read, but read the description. This book is about both crossovers between sci fi and science and scientists having fun. It also pokes fun at some of the publishers. In addition to the vanity publishers, one scientist had to put the name of his pet onto his paper since he was having p......more

Goodreads review by Ian

I like the premise of this book, but found it hard to follow along with. The rising problems with fake research papers makes me wonder why people still do them for fun. Seems like it might actually be of kor eharm than good at times.......more

Goodreads review by Jason

Interesting book, but it wasn't what I was looking for (this book is more focused on scientific trolling by scientists than anything).......more

Add to Cart
Add to Wish List