It's not often that a good general interest book on cosmology or particle physics arrives on the scene. In this case "good" means easy to read, interesting, entertaining and informative. According to this definition, Visions of the Multiverse by Dr. Steve Manly is certainly good.
Manly is a physicist involved in high-energy experiments at various accelerator labs around the world. He currently teaches at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York.
From Basic to Crazy
A reader familiar with the basic ideas of particles, waves, electromagnetism, gravity, general relativity and quantum mechanics might be tempted to skim or skip entirely the first few chapters of this book. A full-blown physicist can safely do that. But, for the rest of the mortal population that would be a mistake.
Manly has a way with words and a knack for explanation that makes physics both fascinating and understandable. Although you may already "get" the fundamentals, give Manly a chance to surprise with a clever analogy or insightful diagram. You might just pick up something new or understand basic physics a little better for the effort.
It takes awhile before any actual mulitiverses appear (except for a short overview at the beginning) and it will certainly help to understand (at least partially) the hows and whys of their different manifestations if the introductory material is given a chance. From there, things get weird pretty fast. Weird, but really, really interesting.
Which (if any) Multiverse is Real?
Manly's skill as a science writer, which is close to on par with Brian Greene's, really comes into its own in the later chapters of the book. Here is where the different multiverse theories that have been proposed in the world of big-time physics get some page time. Without the use of a single equation (wouldn't want to kill book sales that way!) Manly does an admirable job of providing both the historical context and current thought on ten or so different multiverses.
So, exactly what kids of possible multiverses are there? Frequently referencing the work of Max Tegmark (whose taxonomy of multiverses is given in an appendix), Manly classifies multiverses on relative scales based in how closely they are aligned with one of two scientific frameworks--quantum or cosmological--and a general category called "other" which contains faith-based or non-scientific concepts.
Whether you believe that Heaven and Hell are real places that exist on alternate planes, or that we are living in the 10-dimensional world of the string theorists, there's a multiverse here to interest just about everyone. For those inclined to delve deeper, the text includes unobtrusive references linked to notes and further reading listed in a bibliography.
Wisely, Manly does not attempt to either prove or disprove any particular multiverse. He simply does his best to lay out the reasoning behind and scientific basis for each one while keeping his opinion mostly to himself. In some cases, Manly lets the proponents and naysayers of a particular doctrine speak for themselves.
Readers will have to decide for themselves if our familiar universe of three spacial dimensions plus time is the only one that actually exists. It is clear that quite a few scientists think that the existence of multiverses is an idea well worth considering.
Sources
- Visions of the Multiverse; Steve Manly; Career Press; Pompton Plains, NJ: 2011
Philip McIntosh - The author holds a B.Sc. in Botany and Chemistry and an M.A in Biology and he has thirty + years of experience in science and industry.
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