Decoding Reality by Vlatko Vedral
For a physicist, all the world's information. The Universe and its workings are the ebb and flow of information. We are all transient patterns of information, passing on the recipe for our basic forms to future generations using a four-letter digital code called DNA. In this engaging and mind-stretching account, Vlatko Vedral considers some of the deepest questions about the Universe and considers the implications of interpreting it in terms of information. He explains the nature of information, the idea of entropy, and the roots of this thinking in thermodynamics. He describes the bizarre effects of quantum behaviour - effects such as 'entanglement', which Einstein called 'spooky action at a distance' and explores cutting edge work on the harnessing quantum effects in hyperfast quantum computers, and how recent evidence suggests that the weirdness of the quantum world, once thought limited to the tiniest scales, may reach into the macro world. Vedral finishes by considering the answer to the ultimate question: where did all of the information in the Universe come from? The answers he considers are exhilarating, drawing upon the work of distinguished physicist John Wheeler. The ideas challenge our concept of the nature of particles, of time, of determinism, and of reality itself.
Well written and engaging, the book provides a constant flow of new ideasScience The author evinces great enthusiasm and curiosity throughout. Steven Poole, The Guardian By turns irreverent, erudite and funny, 'Decoding Reality' is...a ripping good read. Seth Lloyd, New Scientist A wide-ranging and intriguing picture of how quantum mechanics constructs the world. Seth Lloyd, New Scientist Excellent, thought-provoking book. BBC Focus Magazine, Marcus Chown ADVANCE PRAISE: An engaging, non-technical exploration of what the new theory of quantum information and computation tells us about life, the universe, and everything. David Deutsch, author of The Fabric of Reality ADVANCE PRAISE: Let Vedral guide you skilfully through the wonderland of modern physics - where nothing is as it seems. This is the finest treatment I have read of the weird interplay of quantum reality, information and probability. Paul Davies, author of The Eerie Silence and The Goldilocks Enigma
Vlatko Vedral earned a PhD for his work on the 'Quantum Information Theory of Entanglement' at Imperial College London, where he studied undergraduate theoretical physics. Vedral has been a Professor of Quantum Information Science at Oxford since June 2009. He has had a number of visiting professorships at various foreign institutions throughout his career. He has produced two textbooks and has published over 130 research papers. He's done numerous radio and television interviews, as well as writing for popular science magazines and major daily newspapers.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780199237692 |
| ISBN 10 | 0199237697 |
| Title | Decoding Reality |
| Author | Vlatko Vedral |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Hardback |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press |
| Year published | 2010-02-25 |
| Number of pages | 240 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |