The Quantum Moment
How Planck, Bohr, Einstein, and Heisenberg Taught Us to Love Uncertainty

Quotes

“Readers who want to comprehend quantum physics, creativity, metaphor in physics, and the history of modern quantum physics will enjoy this work. A lighter read than a science text, this is more accessible to the average person and will be enjoyed by creative readers who have a scientific leaning.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Readers will learn to appreciate the imaginative process that transforms quantum formulas into new metaphors for understanding the human condition. An exhilarating romp for the intellectually adventurous!” Booklist (starred review)

“Through the authors’ careful and vivid storytelling, science and culture inspire and reflect one another, from Einstein’s theories of relativity to Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle to modern conceptions of causality. The authors keep their discussions of these dense topics clear and fun to read without sacrificing detail…Crease and Goldhaber provide an excellent reminder that quantum mechanics affects so much of what we do and say and that concepts imagined one hundred years ago will influence the physical and intellectual spaces we inhabit in the future. Always entertaining and meticulously composed, this book will reorient your relationship with the quantum.” Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“Histories of quantum theory are typically dense with complex, abstract ideas, but philosopher Crease and physicist Goldhaber, both of Stony Brook University, offer a new twist, adding a fascinating look at the ways the mainstream world has embraced (though not always accurately!) the concepts of quantum mechanics…Crease and Goldhaber have written an accessible and entertaining history that embraces both the science and the silliness of quantum mechanics.” Publishers Weekly

“This is an amazing book for scientists and humanists alike! Every page yields surprises—not only about the complex history of quantum physics but about how it impacts our understanding of ourselves in daily life. Required reading for anyone concerned with casting the fate of humankind in a radically new light.” Edward S. Casey, author of The World at a Glance

“A fascinating tour of the lives and afterlives of some of the most captivating concepts of quantum theory.” David Kaiser, author of How the Hippies Saved Physics

“A delight! A tour de force that is both illuminating and extraordinarily readable.” Gino Segrè, author of Ordinary Geniuses: How Two Mavericks Shaped Modern Science

“Reading The Quantum Moment is a very fun way to learn about where quantum physics comes from and the strange, even astonishing places it has gone with or without the physicists for whom it is the language of their craft.” Peter Galison, author of Einstein’s Clocks, Poincare’s Maps, professor of science and physics, Harvard University