Physics explained in The Order of Time

Hard sciences often have the reputation of being inaccessible and hard to understand, but that’s not always the case. With a good approach and an engaging writing style, even physics can be appreciated and understood by everyone. If you’re interested in learning more about the theory of relativity, the space-time continuum, loop quantum gravity, and much, much more, Carlo Rovelli’s 2017 book The Order of Time will introduce you to all relevant topics and set you on the right course towards the most fascinating mysteries of our universe.

An overview of The Order of Time

The Order of Time (ISBN 9780241292525) is a work of popular science by the Italian theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli. In his book, Rovelli dives right into the nature of time and its relationship with space, exploring some of the crucial questions of modern science and engaging in dialogue with other researchers to provide the reader with a comprehensive view of the current state of scholarship in the field of quantum physics and physics of time.

The book is divided into three sections, each dealing with one aspect of quantum mechanics and a different mystery of time. Rovelli moves from the very nature of time as a fourth dimension and ends with his own theories on it, proposing the flow of time is, in the end, an illusion arising from our inability to observe all microscopic events carried out in the world.

Theory of relativity

Our understanding of time, and much of modern physics, is built on Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity and responses to it. The theory was revolutionary, changing theoretical physics virtually overnight.

The theory relies on two key points: the speed of light is the same for all observers, and the observers moving at the same speed should be subject to the same laws of physics.

The theory also accounts for gravity. According to Einstein, gravity is not merely a force but a curve in space-time caused by mass or energy. Einstein’s theory was crucial in explaining some of the greatest mysteries plaguing modern physics, such as the bending of light and black holes.

Space-time

Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and pretty much all modern physicists agree that space and time are intrinsically linked and, thus, cannot be studied separately. Space-time is, essentially, a framework that includes the three dimensions we inhabit plus time, to which everything is subject.

Loop quantum gravity

Quantum theory is infamously complex, often seeming more philosophical than scientific. One aspect of it, loop quantum gravity, is a theoretical framework in which general relativity and quantum mechanics converge, the space-time continuum being composed of spin networks, an extremely fine fabric of which the universe is woven.

Thermodynamics

As you can probably guess by the very term, thermodynamics are a physics branch dealing with heat and energy, as well as their relation with entropy, energy, radiation, etc. The field owes a lot to Newton and his work on heat and energy flow, and it is essential for understanding energy transfer that serves as a basis for everything from the movement of celestial bodies to some functionality of some of the everyday things we use, such as cars.

A brief history of The Order of Time

Naturally, no science book worth anything is an island. In other words, science is a dialogue. Rovelli’s book is a product of centuries of research, theory, and debate going as far as Ancient Greece and Rome, that is, to authors such as Anaximander, Lucretius, Euclid, Saint Augustine, and others.

It was only at the dawn of the 20th century that we started thinking about physics the way we are accustomed to today, not only in regards to the direction of time but also cosmology and gravity. Rovelli’s book, and the book of any new scientist, is thus both a continuation and an addition to a long series of attempts to understand Earth, our galaxy, and our universe.

Physicists mentioned in The Order of Time

Since science is a dialogue, The Order of Time is replete with references to other physicists’ work. From the get-go, Rovelli engages with Ludwig Boltzmann’s theories on entropy, eventually moving on the John Wheeler and Bryce DeWitt’s work on quantum gravity conducted in the ‘60s. Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Maxwell, and Dirac likewise make an appearance.

Books similar to The Order of Time

If you’ve already read The Order of Time and are looking for more popular science, you might enjoy some other books by the same author, for example, Reality Is Not What It Seems: The Journey to Quantum Gravity and Seven Brief Lessons on Physics. Other culturally significant works in the same vein include Stephen Hawking’s The Grand Design and A Brief History of Time, as well as Brian Greene’s The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos: Space, Time, and the Texture of Reality.

An overall review of The Order of Time

The Order of Time is one of the rare pop science books that manage to achieve what they set out to d —to make thought-provoking topics accessible and understandable for everyone. This Wall Street Journal, The Sunday Times, and The Guardian bestseller covers a wide range of scientific topics and answers philosophical questions such as “Why do we experience time the way we do?” in not only a straightforward but also erudite, poetic way, imprinting all the fascinating information on the reader’s mind forever.

The Order of Time audiobook

Like Rovelli’s previous title, Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time was originally published in Italian. It came out in 2017, and the English translation, done by Erica Segre and Simon Carnell, was published a year later, with even an illustrated hardcover edition being published by Riverhead Books. The audiobook came out the same year, narrated by none other than Benedict Cumberbatch.

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