Physics of the Impossible Reviewed
Michio Kaku Investigates Science Fiction Ideas That Just Might Work
Jan 19, 2009
Physics of the Impossible (Published by Doubleday, Copyright 2008 by Michio Kaku, ISBN:978-0-385-52069-0) is likely Dr. Michio Kaku's most entertaining book to date. Taking concepts once relegated by physicists to the realm of science fiction and showing how new (and sometimes old) scientific principles might well allow for fanciful notions such as invisibility and faster than light travel in the real world.
Levels of Impossibility
To help readers get a handle on just how possible the impossible might be, Kaku divides the concept of impossibility into three categories:
- Class I Impossibilities are those things that we see in science fiction that are impossible today but could likely be realized within the next century of so.
- Class II Impossibilities are those achievements that are not within our reach any time within the next millennium but could be possible at some time in the distant future.
- Class III Impossibilities are concepts that would require a fundamental shift in the laws of physics as they are currently understood and are thus thought to be simply beyond any hope of achieving, ever. There are surprisingly few Class III Impossibilities.
Not Today
Class I Impossibilities are actually not impossible at all, merely very difficult, expensive or both. That isn't to say that Kaku is suggesting that a machine to turn consumers invisible will be available at Wal-Mart any time soon, but that the principles involved in creating such a machine don't violate any laws of physics and the technology is likely something that humanity will find a way to create sometime in the Twenty-First Century.
Physics of the Impossible lists ten Class I Impossibilities and Kaku explains how each of these once incredible ideas is now within humanity's grasp, at least in some form. There are fully twice as many Class I's as there are Class II's and III's combined, which leaves the reader with the distinct impression that life on the planet Earth will look distinctly different in the Twenty-Second Century.
Class I Impossibilities include such concepts as:
- Teleportation
- Force Fields
- Star Ships
Not Tomorrow
Class II Impossibilities approach the impossible and are so far beyond our current understanding and abilities as to be impossible in a practical sense. Still, Class II's don't actually violate any laws of physics and as such are not beyond any hope of being realized. Some day, perhaps several hundred or several million years hence, humanity might well achieve what Kaku terms Class II Impossibilities.
Class II Impossibilities include:
- Faster than Light Travel
- Time Travel
- Contact with Parallel Universes
Not Ever
Class III Impossibilities are ideas that are, at least as the laws of physics are currently understood, simply impossible. Without some new way to circumvent the way the universe works, no amount of money, time or engineering can bring these concepts off the drawing board and into reality. Surprisingly there are only two Class III's: Perpetual Motion Machines and Precognition.
Uniquely Qualified
Dr. Kaku is among the leading lights in the field of theoretical physics. He is the Henry Semat Professor of Theoretical Physics at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He also hosts a nationally syndicated radio program and appears regularly on television. His other books include Hyperspace, Parallel Worlds and Beyond Einstein. As a cofounder of string field theory, he is not only a science writer and broadcaster, but a significant contributor to the field.
Entertaining and Enlightening
Readers will find Physics of the Impossible challenging, engaging and surprising. Dr. Kaku applies his unique perspective and insight to a list of possibilities that will one day change the face of humanity. Much of the actual physics involved in the concepts is beyond the grasp of most people, but Kaku manages to explain it all in a concise and readable way, giving the public a glimpse into a future that is more like science fiction than most people would guess.
To support the book, Dr. Kaku has signed a deal with The Science Channel to produce a 10-Part series based on the book. For more information, visit Dr. Michio Kaku's website.
 |
