Something Deeply Hidden

centers of black holes to the beginning of the universe. But it is only when we look at the world in extreme close-up that the apparent weirdness of quantum phenomena becomes unavoidable.

 

One of the themes in this book is that quantum mechanics doesn't deserve the connotations of spookiness, in the sense of some ineffable mystery that it is beyond the human mind to comprehend. Quantum mechanics is amazing; it is novel, profound, mind-stretching, and a very different view of reality from what we're used to. Science is like that sometimes. But if the subject seems difficult or puzzling, the scientific response is to solve the puzzle, not to pretend it's not there. There's every reason to think we can do that for quantum mechanics just like any other physical theory.

 

Many presentations of quantum mechanics follow a typical pattern. First, they point to some counterintuitive quantum phenomenon. Next, they express bafflement that the world can possibly be that way, and despair of it making sense. Finally (if you're lucky), they attempt some sort of explanation.

 

Our theme is prizing clarity over mystery, so I don't want to adopt that strategy. I want to present quantum mechanics in a way that will make it maximally understandable right from the start. It will still seem strange, but that's the nature of the beast. What it won't seem, hopefully, is inexplicable or unintelligible.

 

We will make no effort to follow historical order. In this chapter we'll look at the basic experimental facts that force quantum mechanics upon us, and in the next we'll quickly sketch the Many-Worlds approach to making sense of those observations. Only in the chapter after that will we offer a semi-historical account of the discoveries that led people to contemplate such a dramatically new kind of physics in the first place. Then we'll hammer home exactly how dramatic some of the implications of quantum mechanics really are.

 

With all that in place, over the rest of the book we can set about the fun task of seeing where

objects as small as particles to those as enormous as black holes, Carroll s exploration of quantum theory introduces readers to some of the most groundbreaking ideas in physics today. Publishers Weekly

A thrilling tour through what is perhaps humankind's greatest intellectual achievement quantum mechanics. With bold clarity, Carroll deftly unmasks quantum weirdness to reveal a strange but utterly wondrous reality. Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics, director of Columbia's Center for Theoretical Physics, and author of The Elegant Universe

Sean Carroll s immensely enjoyable Something Deeply Hidden brings readers face to face with the fundamental quantum weirdness of the universe or should I say universes? And by the end, you may catch yourself finding quantum weirdness not all that weird. Jordan Ellenberg, professor of mathematics at the University of Wisconsin Madison and author of How Not To Be Wrong
 
Sean Carroll is always lucid and funny, gratifyingly readable, while still excavating depths. He advocates an acceptance of quantum mechanics at its most minimal, its most austere appealing to the allure of the pristine. The consequence is an annihilation of our conventional notions of reality in favor of an utterly surreal world of Many-Worlds. Sean includes us in the battle between a simple reality versus a multitude of realities that feels barely on the periphery of human comprehension. He includes us in the ideas, the philosophy, and the foment of revolution. A fascinating and important book. Janna Levin, professor of physics and astronomy at Barnard College and author of Black Hole Blues

Sean Carroll beautifully clarifies the debate about the foundations of quantum mechanics and champions the most elegant, courageous approach: the astonishing 'Many-Worlds' interpretation. His explanations of its pros and cons are clear, evenhanded, and philosophically gob smacking. Steven Strogatz, professor of mathematics at Cornell University and author of Infinite Powers

Carroll gives us a front-row seat to the development of a new vision of physics: one that connects our everyday experiences to a dizzying hall-of-mirrors universe in which our very sense of self is challenged. It's a fascinating idea, and one that just might hold clues to a deeper reality. Katie Mack, theoretical astrophysicist at North Carolina State University and author of The End of Everything

I was overwhelmed by tears of joy at seeing so many fundamental issues explained as well as they ever have been. Something Deeply Hidden is a masterpiece, which stands along with Feynman's QED as one of the two best popularizations of quantum mechanics I've ever seen. And if we classify QED as having had different goals, then it's just the best popularization of quantum mechanics I've ever seen, full stop. Scott Aaronson, professor of computer science at the University of Texas at Austin and director of UT Austin's Quantum Information Center
 
Irresistible and an absolute treat to read. While this is a book about some of the deepest current mysteries in physics, it is also a book about metaphysics, as Carroll lucidly guides us on how to not only think about the true and hidden nature of reality but also how to make sense of it. I loved this book. Priyamvada Natarajan, theoretical astrophysicist at Yale University and author of Mapping the Heavens