New books & media

The Waltz of Reason: The Entanglement of Mathematics and Philosophy, Karl Sigmund, Basic Books, 2023, $32.50

In this book, the mathematician Karl Sigmund delves into the relationship between philosophy and his own field. Chapters cover such topics as logic, infinity, limits, randomness, voting, language, fairness, and the social contract. Physicists may be interested in learning that many mathematicians also take a “shut up and calculate”–style attitude toward the foundations of their field. But as Sigmund notes, many compelling questions remain. For example, does the imaginary number i actually exist, or did we invent it? Could an alien civilization develop an alternate form of mathematics, or would they inevitably develop the same one we have? Sigmund’s witty tone inspires readers to delve into those questions and others. —rd

The Universal Timekeepers: Reconstructing History Atom by Atom, David J. Helfand, Columbia U. Press, 2023, $24.95

How can atoms, which are predominately empty space, be used to study human history as well as that of Earth, the solar system, and the universe itself? In The Universal Timekeepers, the physicist David Helfand discusses the discovery and structure of atoms, subatomic particles, nuclei, and molecules before moving on to how their radioactive decay has proved to be an accurate clock with which to explore the past. In his “tales of atomic detective work,” Helfand explains the diverse and wide-ranging applications of radioactive dating, including detecting art forgeries and investigating Earth’s paleoclimate, the death of the dinosaurs, evolution, the Sun’s birth, and the Big Bang. —cc

Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation: Why Physicists Are Studying Human Consciousness and AI to Unravel the Mysteries of the Universe, George Musser, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2023, $30.00

To develop a true theory of everything, physicists must understand the nature of human consciousness, argues the science writer George Musser in Putting Ourselves Back in the Equation. The book addresses what Musser defines as the “inside/outside problem”—namely, what happens when physical theories that represent the world from a third-person perspective conflict with the way we perceive the world from our first-person vantage point. After all, quantum mechanics implies that the very act of observation affects measurement. To solve the inside/outside problem, physicists are starting to delve into neuroscience and investigate artificial intelligence (AI). Based on interviews with physicists, neuroscientists, philosophers, and AI researchers, Musser’s book is engaging and provocative. —rd

The Allure of the Multiverse: Extra Dimensions, Other Worlds, and Parallel Universes, Paul Halpern, Basic Books, 2024, $30.00

Popularized in the public’s mind by numerous Marvel films, the concept of the multiverse is increasingly in vogue in physics as well. But if we live in a multiverse, asks the physicist and science writer Paul Halpern, how would we ever know? Moreover, if we can’t detect possible other universes, is it even worth our time to ponder their existence? Halpern suggests that it is. He describes how physicists frustrated by the lack of experimental evidence for physical postulates that aim to explain phenomena beyond the standard model, such as string theory and M-theory, are increasingly turning to multiverse theories. Whether or not you agree that the multiverse concept will prove fruitful, his book is a fascinating read. —rd

Her Space, Her Time: How Trailblazing Women Scientists Decoded the Hidden Universe, Shohini Ghose, MIT Press, 2023, $29.95

Over the past 150 years, women have made significant contributions to important scientific discoveries in a range of fields, including astronomy, space exploration, radioactivity, and subatomic photography. Those achievements, however, have often been downplayed or simply ignored. In Her Space, Her Time, the physicist Shohini Ghose tries to set the record straight by highlighting some of the most important women of the modern scientific age, providing biographical background and recognizing their innovative work. Interweaving those stories with anecdotes about her own childhood and educational and professional experiences over the past several decades, Ghose shows how much has—and hasn’t—changed for women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. —cc

Building the Apollo Capsules: An Engineer’s Memoir of the Moonshot Program and Its Debt to Hispanic Team Members, Jim De La Rosa, McFarland, 2023, $39.95 (paper)

In Building the Apollo Capsules, the aerospace engineer Jim De La Rosa provides an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at NASA’s Apollo program, which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969—one of the greatest achievements of the 20th century. Part history and part memoir, the book begins in 1964 when De La Rosa joined the team working on AFRM 009, the first major test of an Apollo spacecraft, and continues through 1969, when he left the Apollo program to work on the space shuttle. Throughout, he not only highlights the many engineers and technicians who contributed to the Apollo program but also pays particular tribute to his fellow Hispanic team members, who he believes have not received the recognition that they deserve. —cc