Gravity is now so universally accepted, it seems almost impossible to believe that for millennia, the force remained unknown. Yet it wasn’t until a few brilliant minds—standing on the shoulders of the giants before them—began asking the right questions that we could explain why we don’t float off the ground, why planets remain in orbit, and why time travel remains even a distant possibility. Interspersing history with science to support STEM learning, this exciting volume chronicles the evolution of our understanding of gravity by tracing the lives and experiments of the individuals instrumental in advancing gravitational physics.

Gravity is now so universally accepted, it seems almost impossible to believe that for millennia, the force remained unknown. Yet it wasn’t until a few brilliant minds—standing on the shoulders of the giants before them—began asking the right questions that we could explain why we don’t float off the ground, why planets remain in orbit, and why time travel remains even a distant possibility. Interspersing history with science to support STEM learning, this exciting volume chronicles the evolution of our understanding of gravity by tracing the lives and experiments of the individuals instrumental in advancing gravitational physics.

A fascinating account, written in real time, of the unfolding of a scientific discovery: the first detection of gravitational waves.

Why the force that keeps our feet on the ground holds the key to understanding the nature of time and the origin of the universe. Gravity is the weakest force in the everyday world yet it is the strongest force in the universe. It was the first force to be recognized and described yet it is the least understood. It is a "force" that keeps your feet on the ground yet no such force actually exists. Gravity, to steal the words of Winston Churchill, is "a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma." And penetrating that enigma promises to answer the biggest questions in science: what is space? What is time? What is the universe? And where did it all come from? Award-winning writer Marcus Chown takes us on an unforgettable journey from the recognition of the "force" of gravity in 1666 to the discovery of gravitational waves in 2015. And, as we stand on the brink of a seismic revolution in our worldview, he brings us up to speed on the greatest challenge ever to confront physics.

Can the quantum theory of fields and Einstein's general theory of relativity be united in a single quantum theory of gravity? Can quantum and cosmos ever be combined? Two world-famous physicists debate the issue in this work, based on a series of lectures and a final debate held at the University of Cambridge. 75 line drawings.

"Of the four fundamental forces of nature, gravity might be the least understood and yet the one with which we are most intimate. From the months each of us spent suspended in the womb anticipating birth to the moments when we wait for sleep to transport us to other realities, we are always aware of gravity. In On Gravity, physicist A. Zee combines profound depth with incisive accessibility to take us on an original and compelling tour of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Inspired by Einstein's audacious suggestion that spacetime could ripple, Zee begins with the stunning discovery of gravity waves. He goes on to explain how gravity can be understood in comparison to other classical field theories, presents the idea of curved spacetime and the action principle, and explores cutting-edge topics, including black holes and Hawking radiation. Zee travels as far as the theory reaches, leaving us with tantalizing hints of the utterly unknown, from the intransigence of quantum gravity to the mysteries of dark matter and energy. Concise and precise, and infused with Zee's signature warmth and freshness of style, On Gravity opens a unique pathway to comprehending relativity and gaining deep insight into gravity, spacetime, and the workings of the universe"--Publisher's website.

This book describes an exciting, but unfinished scientific adventure story. It tells of the epic struggle by scientists to wrest the secrets from nature of how to control the force of electromagnetism and how to control aerodynamic forces. Control of the force of gravity has yet to be achieved. Analogies suggest where a breakthrough might be made. Greenglow & the search for gravity control follows the attempts mankind has made over the years to understand gravity as well as looking at more recent experiments to control it. The book is written by an engineer, who worked in the aerospace industry, and who persuaded BAE Systems to sponsor Project Greenglow, a small research programme aimed at investigating some ideas for controlling gravity. Based on analogies in nature, the book provides a road map for scientists, engineers and the general public who want to know more about gravity and our search to control it. Discovering nature’s secrets is an exciting, but unfinished story – there is much we still don’t know. The book describes the quest by scientists to gain control of gravity and electromagnetism, the two long-range forces of nature. Faraday discovered the secret of electromagnetic control. Newton began the search for gravity control, later continued by Einstein, but it eluded them. One day the secret will be discovered either by careful experimentation or, as is often the case, by stumbling across it by chance. In the future it is expected that gravity control will underpin a new method of propulsion and this book concludes with a look at some possible forms. Greenglow is a fascinating read for any aerospace engineers, physicists, experimental research scientists, science journalists, science historians, futurologists, UFO enthusiasts, Star Trekkies and general public interested in the breakthrough in understanding of how to control gravity.