Existential Physics
A Scientist's Guide to Life's Biggest Questions
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Existential Physics
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Narrated by:
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Gina Daniels
About this listen
A contrarian scientist wrestles with the big questions that modern physics raises, and what physics says about the human condition.
Not only can we not currently explain the origin of the universe, it is questionable we will ever be able to explain it. The notion that there are universes within particles, or that particles are conscious, is ascientific, as is the hypothesis that our universe is a computer simulation. On the other hand, the idea that the universe itself is conscious is difficult to rule out entirely.
According to Sabine Hossenfelder, it is not a coincidence that quantum entanglement and vacuum energy have become the go-to explanations of alternative healers, or that people believe their deceased grandmother is still alive because of quantum mechanics. Science and religion have the same roots, and they still tackle some of the same questions: Where do we come from? Where do we go to? How much can we know? The area of science that is closest to answering these questions is physics. Over the last century, physicists have learned a lot about which spiritual ideas are still compatible with the laws of nature. Not always, though, have they stayed on the scientific side of the debate.
In this lively, thought-provoking book, Hossenfelder takes on the biggest questions in physics: Does the past still exist? Do particles think? Was the universe made for us? Has physics ruled out free will? Will we ever have a theory of everything? She lays out how far physicists are on the way to answering these questions, where the current limits are, and what questions might well remain unanswerable forever. Her book offers a no-nonsense yet entertaining take on some of the toughest riddles in existence, and will give the listener a solid grasp on what we know—and what we don’t know.
* This audiobook includes a downloadable PDF with key visual figures included in the book.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
©2022 Sabine Hossenfelder (P)2022 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"Part gonzo journalist, part curious child, part teacher, and part accomplished researcher, Sabine Hossenfelder is a unique writing talent and a unique science popularizer. One cannot help being provoked reading her prose, as she knows how to push your buttons. But she also abhors bullshit, which makes her take on the deepest human questions and what physics has to say about them worth looking at, and also ensures that it will be different than those other physics books of grand verbosity about frontier physics. You might agree with her. You might not. But you will come away from the experience enriched, and will think about the world differently than you did before.” (Lawrence Krauss, best-selling author of The Physics of Star Trek, A Universe from Nothing, and The Physics of Climate Change)
What listeners say about Existential Physics
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- nick rich
- 23-02-23
excellent
Sabine's youtube channel is a must, she is a great science communicator. This book has the hallmarks of the straight-talking and humorous style she uses. I'd of preferred it if she narrated herself. The actual content covers the interesting areas of physics, the big stuff....and not just focused on black holes!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Mike
- 06-01-24
Many ideas, some that jarred with my own!
Open-minded science, a breath of fresh air, sometimes a bit presumptuous, against some pretty big ideas, but well worth a listen, and then most definitely a second listen!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Stuart Piper
- 15-01-24
Shame Sabine didn’t narrate
Really enjoy Sabine’s YouTube content - it was strange hearing her words in someone else’s mouth, rather than in her well known voice. Sabine is a great storyteller, but this narrator has a grating voice break and over enunciates each word as if she doesn’t quite understand them - it’s very awkward phrasing, and makes Sabine’s text sound inaccessible when in fact her talent is that she makes things accessible, as an author.
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Grahan Price
- 03-05-23
Great
Most lovely
As always she hits the nail on the head
A must listen book
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story1 out of 5 stars
- Fran Gilhooley
- 18-06-24
Not deep enough
Maybe I expected too much, but I felt this was a whole lot of writing to say in my humble opinion not that much. Wanted more.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Budgie
- 21-08-23
The book is great, the audible version dreadful.
I strongly recommend this book to anyone who is not a physicist who seeks to learn a little of puzzles which are presented to physicists today. The author has written a great introduction to the state of knowledge of today's physics which complements many of her YouTube videos which I recommend. Sadly the Audible version is dreadful, being read by a reader with a strong US accent. I purchased the Audible version as my eyes are old and getting tired and had hoped to hear Sabine herself or at least somebody who spoke English without an accent. No such luck. Just get the book and good lighting!
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2 people found this helpful
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 07-06-23
Sorry but Sabine should have narrated this.
I have achieved the highest level in audible and this book has the strangest narrator choice of all my audiobooks. Science educational content but the narrator sounds like a Grandma reading a cookie recipe, it's odd.
This is pretty lightweight content for anyone who watches her content on YouTube, maybe this was aimed at the über layman. I did enjoy the listen with a few good takeaways. I still love Sabine but I am just being candid.
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2 people found this helpful