Physics, once known as "natural philosophy," is the most basic science, explaining the world we live in, from the largest scale down to the very, very,
very
smallest, and our understanding of it has changed over many centuries. In
Black Bodies and Quantum Cats
, science writer Jennifer Ouellette traces key developments in the field, setting descriptions of the fundamentals of physics in their historical context as well as against a broad cultural backdrop. Newton’s laws are illustrated via the film
Addams Family Values
, while
Back to the Future
demonstrates the finer points of special relativity. Poe’s "The Purloined Letter" serves to illuminate the mysterious nature of neutrinos, and Jeanette Winterson’s novel
Gut Symmetries
provides an elegant metaphorical framework for string theory. An enchanting and edifying read,
shows that physics is not an arcane field of study but a profoundly human endeavor—and a fundamental part of our everyday world.