Parallel Worlds (book)


Parallel Worlds: A Journey Through Creation, Higher Dimensions, and the Future of the Cosmos is a popular science book by Michio Kaku first published in 2004.

Contents

The book has twelve chapters arranged in three parts. Part I covers the Big Bang, the early development of the Universe, and how these topics relate to the Eternal Inflation Multiverse. Part II covers M-Theory and the Everett interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. It also discusses how future technology will enable the creation of wormholes. Part III discusses the Big Freeze and how a Hyperspace wormhole will enable civilization and life to escape to a younger Universe.

Theme

In Parallel Worlds, Kaku presents many of the leading theories in physics; from Newtonian physics to Relativity to Quantum Physics to String theory and even into the newest version of string theory, called M-theory. He makes available to the reader a comprehensive description of many of the more compelling theories in physics, including many interesting predictions each theory makes, what physicists, astronomers, and cosmologists are looking for now and what technology they are using in their search.

Reception

Scarlett Thomas writing for The Independent calls Parallel Worlds "absolutely impossible to put down." Mark Mortimer for Universe Today felt the book maintains a nice balance between detail and corollary while sometimes drifting to the philosophical side of things. Gerry Gilmore for The Guardian, however, mocks the notion of trying to escape the far off heat death of the universe, and Gilmore also inaccurately describes the background radiation of the Big Bang as "sound waves." The book was a finalist for the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-fiction in the UK.