Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos

I've read most, if not all, of the recent series of published books on this particularly interesting and complicated subject, and this is the one. The most understandable of them all. Clearly written with the non professional in mind. Michio Kaku presents all the information of what isn't the most easily understood of subjects in a fashion which allows for an enjoyable reading experience of the ever changing and sometimes reinvented theory that comes tantalizingly close to the much sought after Holy Grail Theory of Everything. (wow, wasn't that a long sentence.)

Michio Kaku presents the world of physics and cosmology in a way that casual science fans can appreciate. The primary theme of this book is the ultimate fate of the universe and whether intelligent life will be able to escape its fate. The most interesting theory he proposes is that intelligent beings will be able to escape a dying universe by traveling to a parallel universe which is at a younger stage. When you read this, you'll be really surprised to see that the world of physics is almost alien to the world of common sense. To give an example, string theory proposes that all matter in the universe is nothing but the vibration of strings or cosmic music. I really recommend this for those who would like to get some insight into the world of physics and cosmology, but don't want to burn too many brain cells with the mathematics of the field.

I've read half a dozen books attempting to explain the essentials of cosmology, the big bang, quantum mechanics, string theory, dark energy, and other facinating, but horrendously difficult, concepts. Kaku does better at helping my feeble mind understand the origin, the composition, and the ultimate fate of the universe than any other author I have encountered. Moreover, this book is up-to-date -- published in 2005 -- and given recent developments in theory any book over about 5 years old will be a bit behind the times.

In Chapter One, Kaku summarizes in simplified form what he will discuss in the rest of the book -- and lo-and-behold I could understand it! He then gives a brief history of cosmology and delves into the development of cosmological thought. I stumbled through a lot of the material, but his writing and examples, often drawn from science fiction, were interesting, although not always comprehensible to me.

The most unique part of the book was his speculation that a near infinite number of different universes may exist in different dimensions and that someday, a billion or so years hence, we may learn to pass from one to another. In fact, as he points out, it may become necessary for the survival of the human race when our old star begins to burn out. Confirmed atheists may be offended by his frequent references to what sounds a lot like "God." His speculations on the nature of future civilizations, the possibilities of time travel, and man's search for the "theory of everything" were fascinating.

For the general reader who wants to take a tour of our universe -- its largest and smallest elements -- this is an excellent introduction.

Smallchief

There may come a time when you are at a bookstore and you see Parallel Worlds by Michio Kaku on the shelf. Will you buy it? Yes and no. In one set of universes you do, in another you don't. If you think you might be in one of that first set of realities, you will likely be reading a book that is entertaining and informative, though by no means perfect.

Parallel Worlds is divided into three general parts which move from solid facts to pure speculation. In the first section of the book, we get a good overview of the history of cosmology and see how the Big Bang theory developed and why it is firmly established as the best explanation of how the universe developed. The second section moves into the more theoretical realm of stings and branes; while these theories offer a good mathematical basis for the structure of matter, they have yet to be proven through observation (primarily because such observations are beyond our current technological abilities). The final part of the book deals with the possibilities of alternate universes, time travel, wormhole travel and the future development of civilization.

The first two parts are clearly written and make sense of often complex subjects. Cosmology and quantum mechanics explain the structure of things on completely different levels. With cosmology (and astronomy), we look at the super-large: star systems, galaxies, etc. and the theories of relativity. With quantum mechanics, we are in the subatomic realm. Usually, the two areas are completely separate so the theories don't conflict, but in extreme circumstances, they converge and problems develop. These circumstances include black holes and most significantly, the Big Bang itself. To deal with these conflicts, new theories have been developed, notably string theory. This is a theory that is (to say the least) rather complicated and often requires some very esoteric mathematics, but Kaku does a reasonable job at making it understandable.

The third section, more than anything shows, that Kaku has a not-so-secret desire to be a science fiction writer. His affection for the genre is obvious (based on his references to books and movies), and this section is often so speculative as to be borderline fiction itself. That is not necessarily bad, but it is a departure from earlier text.

I actually think the best readership for this book would be aspiring science fiction writers. For such an audience, Kaku provides a scientifically valid (if still unproven) set of ideas about parallel worlds and other concepts that can be used as a foundation for all sorts of stories. For others who have read similar books in the past (such as Brian Greene's The Elegant Universe or Timothy Ferris's The Whole Shebang), this book doesn't offer much that is new, but rather just presents familiar material in a simpler manner. If you haven't read those other books, however, this is a good introduction to this still-developing area of science.

Serious, scientific, up-to-date, well-written, well-priced, easy-to-read, humorous at times, great writing style for a scientist. Worthy of your time, bookshelf space and money. Kaku digs in very deep without getting tiring or confusing. Highly highly recommended.