How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and

How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival

Named one of the Top Physics Books of 2012 by Physics World

The surprising story of eccentric young scientists who stood up to conventionâ‚¬â€¢and changed the face of modern physics.
Today, quantum information theory is among the most exciting scientific frontiers, attracting billions of dollars in funding and thousands of talented researchers. But as MIT physicist and historian David Kaiser reveals, this cutting-edge field has a surprisingly psychedelic past. How the Hippies Saved Physics introduces us to a band of freewheeling physicists who defied the imperative to â‚¬Å“shut up and calculateâ‚¬Â and helped to rejuvenate modern physics.

For physicists, the 1970s were a time of stagnation. Jobs became scarce, and conformity was encouraged, sometimes stifling exploration of the mysteries of the physical world. Dissatisfied, underemployed, and eternally curious, an eccentric group of physicists in Berkeley, California, banded together to throw off the constraints of the physics mainstream and explore the wilder side of science. Dubbing themselves the â‚¬Å“Fundamental Fysiks Group,â‚¬Â they pursued an audacious, speculative approach to physics. They studied quantum entanglement and Bellâ‚¬s Theorem through the lens of Eastern mysticism and psychic mind-reading, discussing the latest research while lounging in hot tubs. Some even dabbled with LSD to enhance their creativity. Unlikely as it may seem, these iconoclasts spun modern physics in a new direction, forcing mainstream physicists to pay attention to the strange but exciting underpinnings of quantum theory.

A lively, entertaining story that illuminates the relationship between creativity and scientific progress, How the Hippies Saved Physics takes us to a time when only the unlikeliest heroes could break the science world out of its rut. 46 black-and-white illustrations
Country USA
Manufacturer W. W. Norton & Company
Binding Hardcover
ReleaseDate 2011-06-27
UnitCount 1
EANs 9780393076363

Country	USA
Manufacturer	W. W. Norton & Company
Binding	Hardcover
ReleaseDate	2011-06-27
UnitCount	1
EANs	9780393076363

How the Hippies Saved Physics: Science, Counterculture, and the Quantum Revival

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