John Gribbin
Author of In Search Of Schrodinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality
About the Author
John R. Gribbin (born 19 March 1946) is a British science writer, an astrophysicist, and a visiting fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. The topical range of his prolific writings include quantum physics, human evolution, climate change, global warming, the origins of the universe, and show more biographies of famous scientists. He also writes science fiction. In 1984, Gribbin published In Search of Schrödinger's Cat: Quantum Physics and Reality, the book that he is best known for, which continues to sell well even after years of publication. At the 2009 World Conference of Science Journalists, the Association of British Science Writers presented Gribbin with their Lifetime Achievement award. (Bowker Author Biography) John Gribbin, visiting fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. He is married to Mary Grivvin, also a science writer. (Publisher Provided) show less
Series
Works by John Gribbin
Schrodinger's Kittens and the Search for Reality: Solving the Quantum Mysteries (1995) 955 copies, 4 reviews
The Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors (2003) 827 copies, 9 reviews
The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality (1991) 408 copies, 2 reviews
The Fellowship: Gilbert, Bacon, Harvey, Wren, Newton, and the Story of a Scentific Revolution (2005) 272 copies, 5 reviews
In Search of the Multiverse: Parallel Worlds, Hidden Dimensions, and the Ultimate Quest for the Frontiers of Reality (2009) 195 copies, 7 reviews
In the Beginning: After Cobe and Before the Big Bang (In the Beginning (Bay Back Books)) (1994) 176 copies, 1 review
The Omega Point: The Search for the Missing Mass and the Ultimate Fate of the Universe (Bantam New Age Books) (1988) 124 copies
13.8: The Quest to Find the True Age of the Universe and the Theory of Everything (2015) 122 copies, 3 reviews
Six Impossible Things: The ‘Quanta of Solace’ and the Mysteries of the Subatomic World (2019) 119 copies, 4 reviews
Fitzroy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast (2003) 107 copies, 1 review
On the Origin of Evolution: Tracing ‘Darwin’s Dangerous Idea’ from Aristotle to DNA (2020) 40 copies
The Stuff of the Universe: Dark Matter, Mankind and the Coincidences of Cosmology (1990) 26 copies, 1 review
Seven Pillars of Science: The Incredible Lightness of Ice, and Other Scientific Surprises (2020) 25 copies, 1 review
Eight Improbable Possibilities: The Mystery of the Moon, and Other Implausible Scientific Truths (2021) 18 copies
In Search of Superstrings: Symmetry, Membranes and the Theory of Everything (2007) 18 copies, 1 review
Nine Musings on Time: Science Fiction, Science Fact, and the Truth About Time Travel (2022) 16 copies
Ten Tantalising Truths: Why the Sky is Blue, and other Big Answers to Simple Questions (2023) 7 copies
Reunião 2.º Vol. 2 copies
Reunião 1.º Vol. 2 copies
الحياة السرية للشمس 2 copies
Complete Short Fiction 2 copies
The Future of Life 1 copy
Unbegotten Child 1 copy
John Gribbin 1 copy
El libro del clima Vol I 1 copy
Planet Earth: An Audio Guide 1 copy
Τά μυστήρια τοῦ χρόνου 1 copy
Τα μυστήρια του χώρου 1 copy
A idade do gelo 1 copy
Coklu Evrenler 1 copy
Fisika Modern 1 copy
Big Bang-Aren Bila (i) 1 copy
Associated Works
Stepping Through the Stargate: Science, Archaeology and the Military in Stargate SG1 (2004) — Contributor — 104 copies, 1 review
3 Minute Stephen Hawking (His life, theories, and influence in 3 minute particles) (2012) — Foreword — 67 copies, 2 reviews
3-minute Einstein: Digesting His Life, Theories, and Influence in 3-minute Morsels (2011) — Foreword — 65 copies, 1 review
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVII, No. 2 (February 1977) (1977) — Contributor — 33 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVIII, No. 2 (February 1978) (1978) — Contributor — 26 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVI, No. 3 (March 1976) (1976) — Contributor — 26 copies, 1 review
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. CVI, No. 13 (Mid-December 1986) (1986) — Author, some editions — 19 copies
'The man who proved Einstein was wrong', New Scientist, 24 November 1990 (1990) — Contributor — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Gribbin, John
- Legal name
- Gribbin, John R.
- Birthdate
- 1946-03-19
- Gender
- male
- Education
- University of Sussex (BSc|physics|1966|MSc|astronomy|1967)
University of Cambridge (Ph.D|astrophysics|1971) - Occupations
- physicist
science writer
astronomer
astrophysicist
journalist
science fiction writer - Organizations
- University of Sussex
New Scientist
Nature - Awards and honors
- Royal Society of Literature (Fellow, 1999)
Association of British Science Writers Lifetime Achievement award (2009) - Agent
- David Higham Associates
- Relationships
- Gribbin, Mary (wife)
- Short biography
- Wiki:
John Gribbin graduated with his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Sussex in 1966. Gribbin then earned his master of science (M.Sc.) degree in astronomy in 1967, also from the Univ. of Sussex, and he earned his Ph.D. in astrophysics from the University of Cambridge (1971). As a science writer, he has worked for the science journal Nature, and the magazine New Scientist and has written for The Times, The Guardian and the Independent as well as their Sunday counterparts and BBC radio.He is best known for his book In Search of Schrödinger's Cat (1984). - Nationality
- UK
- Birthplace
- Maidstone, Kent, England, UK
- Associated Place (for map)
- England, UK
Members
Discussions
Reading A Briefer History of Time by Stephen Hawking & More in Journey In Books (Saturday 4:02pm)
Anisha’s Nonfiction Challenge 2026 in Journey In Books (June 15)
Reviews
Sometimes a book serves as a time capsule, capturing the anxieties and scientific debates of its era. The Jupiter Effect is one such book. The revised 1976 edition builds on the original 1974 prediction: a rare planetary alignment in March 1982 would supposedly unleash catastrophic events on Earth, from massive earthquakes to extreme weather. Gribbin and Plagemann hypothesized that the gravitational pull of the aligned planets could disrupt Earth’s rotation and trigger disasters, with the show more San Andreas Fault often identified as ground zero.
Unlike sensationalist works of pure pseudoscience, The Jupiter Effect was rooted in real scientific ideas, particularly astrophysics and geophysics. John Gribbin was an astrophysicist and editor for Nature, one of the leading scientific journals, and Stephen Plagemann completed his doctoral work under the eminent astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle. Both likely believed their hypothesis warranted serious attention, though its flaws quickly became apparent.
The book’s bold claims were met with intense scrutiny from the scientific community. Critics called it “pure astrology in disguise.” The underlying premise—that planetary alignments could exert enough gravitational force to affect tectonic plates—was ultimately shown to be negligible. Even Gribbin and Plagemann acknowledged the flaws in their theory, publishing The Jupiter Effect Reconsidered in 1982, where they revised their stance and cited the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens as evidence of their ideas, though this too failed to convince most scientists.
Adding to the intrigue is the book’s preface by Isaac Asimov. In his signature style, Asimov provided a compelling history of earthquakes and their devastation but stopped short of endorsing the authors’ predictions. His inclusion lent credibility and captured the public’s imagination, even as the scientific community remained skeptical.
I purchased this book not for its scientific merit but for nostalgia. Reading it transported me back to the early 1980s, when these ideas were the talk of my high school astronomy club. My most vivid memory is attending a star show at the Hansen Planetarium in Salt Lake City shortly before the planetary alignment. The show mirrored the book’s narrative, detailing the alignment and its supposed consequences, but ultimately debunked the hypothesis. It walked audiences through the science, showing why the dire predictions were overblown. I left with a greater appreciation for planetary mechanics—and a chuckle at humanity’s tendency to leap to doomsday scenarios.
Though its predictions didn’t come to pass, The Jupiter Effect remains a fascinating piece of scientific history. It highlights how bold, speculative ideas can capture the public imagination—even when the science doesn’t hold up. Today, it serves as a reminder of the importance of critical thinking and skepticism, particularly when bold claims about natural disasters arise. show less
Unlike sensationalist works of pure pseudoscience, The Jupiter Effect was rooted in real scientific ideas, particularly astrophysics and geophysics. John Gribbin was an astrophysicist and editor for Nature, one of the leading scientific journals, and Stephen Plagemann completed his doctoral work under the eminent astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle. Both likely believed their hypothesis warranted serious attention, though its flaws quickly became apparent.
The book’s bold claims were met with intense scrutiny from the scientific community. Critics called it “pure astrology in disguise.” The underlying premise—that planetary alignments could exert enough gravitational force to affect tectonic plates—was ultimately shown to be negligible. Even Gribbin and Plagemann acknowledged the flaws in their theory, publishing The Jupiter Effect Reconsidered in 1982, where they revised their stance and cited the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens as evidence of their ideas, though this too failed to convince most scientists.
Adding to the intrigue is the book’s preface by Isaac Asimov. In his signature style, Asimov provided a compelling history of earthquakes and their devastation but stopped short of endorsing the authors’ predictions. His inclusion lent credibility and captured the public’s imagination, even as the scientific community remained skeptical.
I purchased this book not for its scientific merit but for nostalgia. Reading it transported me back to the early 1980s, when these ideas were the talk of my high school astronomy club. My most vivid memory is attending a star show at the Hansen Planetarium in Salt Lake City shortly before the planetary alignment. The show mirrored the book’s narrative, detailing the alignment and its supposed consequences, but ultimately debunked the hypothesis. It walked audiences through the science, showing why the dire predictions were overblown. I left with a greater appreciation for planetary mechanics—and a chuckle at humanity’s tendency to leap to doomsday scenarios.
Though its predictions didn’t come to pass, The Jupiter Effect remains a fascinating piece of scientific history. It highlights how bold, speculative ideas can capture the public imagination—even when the science doesn’t hold up. Today, it serves as a reminder of the importance of critical thinking and skepticism, particularly when bold claims about natural disasters arise. show less
This book proceeds very deliberately in making a case concentrically for a series of coincidences as the explanation for humanity's uniqueness within the Milky Way. Concentric because Gribbin starts from the largest physical unit - the Milky Way galaxy - then narrowing his argument chapter by chapter to end with the tectonics of Earth and the consequent climate changes forced upon the hominids. *He makes no claims outside the bounds of the Milky Way.
He immediately stands the usual arguments show more for intelligent life on their heads - the Sun is by no means ordinary, nor is the Solar System, nor is Earth. The same statistics that proponents of the existence of extra-terrestrial intelligence use are employed against that same proposition. So, there are a LOT of numbers in this book. As a non-scientist I probably did not appropriately appreciate them, but the narrative was clear enough that I understood the argument - and was convinced by it.
Previously, I thought extra-terrestrial intelligence more likely than not. Now the author has convinced me that, in his oft-quoted concluding sentence, "we are alone, and we had better get used to the idea." (But that conclusion is fine by me. I think any aliens are as likely to be hostile as friendly.) show less
He immediately stands the usual arguments show more for intelligent life on their heads - the Sun is by no means ordinary, nor is the Solar System, nor is Earth. The same statistics that proponents of the existence of extra-terrestrial intelligence use are employed against that same proposition. So, there are a LOT of numbers in this book. As a non-scientist I probably did not appropriately appreciate them, but the narrative was clear enough that I understood the argument - and was convinced by it.
Previously, I thought extra-terrestrial intelligence more likely than not. Now the author has convinced me that, in his oft-quoted concluding sentence, "we are alone, and we had better get used to the idea." (But that conclusion is fine by me. I think any aliens are as likely to be hostile as friendly.) show less
The question about this book is, "Is this the biography of James Lovelock, or of Gaia?"
For those who do not know, Gaia was the earth mother and had her name attached to Lovelock's hypothesis, now upgraded to a theory, that the geological planet, the plants and animals operate a feedback system keeping the weather conditions in check.
Lovelock, who is 94, at the time of this review, has worked tirelessly to bring credence to the concept. Scientists fought his ideas for some time. To me, a show more nonscientific type, they immediately appeared to be worthy of contemplation, so I took some time to search for reasons why the boffins should have taken so much convincing that it was worth perusal. I believe it is because it gets too close to admitting that there is a God. Interlinked systems are dangerously close to a creator. Lovelock is now careful to stress that each participant must see an advantage, there can be no altruism!
This book is only 227 pages so, it is astounding that, by the final page, one feels that one has read a full biography of Lovelock AND received a thorough background in Gaia theory. The book never preaches, it sets out the facts and leaves others to decide: just the sort of biography I like! This book comes highly recommended. show less
For those who do not know, Gaia was the earth mother and had her name attached to Lovelock's hypothesis, now upgraded to a theory, that the geological planet, the plants and animals operate a feedback system keeping the weather conditions in check.
Lovelock, who is 94, at the time of this review, has worked tirelessly to bring credence to the concept. Scientists fought his ideas for some time. To me, a show more nonscientific type, they immediately appeared to be worthy of contemplation, so I took some time to search for reasons why the boffins should have taken so much convincing that it was worth perusal. I believe it is because it gets too close to admitting that there is a God. Interlinked systems are dangerously close to a creator. Lovelock is now careful to stress that each participant must see an advantage, there can be no altruism!
This book is only 227 pages so, it is astounding that, by the final page, one feels that one has read a full biography of Lovelock AND received a thorough background in Gaia theory. The book never preaches, it sets out the facts and leaves others to decide: just the sort of biography I like! This book comes highly recommended. show less
Deep Simplicity is a popular science book about the theory of chaos. As always, John Gribbin presents the subject in a remarkably accessible way - the educated layperson will be able to tackle this book. However, it is not without drawbacks.
The book starts out with a concise history of mathematics relating to chaos. Gribbin begins with the Greeks and Galileo and moves onto Newton, and the issue of the three-body problem (where it is impossible to use Newton's laws of motion to generate analytical solutions to a situation in which there are three bodies of similar size affecting each other under gravity). He then talks about thermodynamics, and the concept of entropy and how this leads to an arrow of time. Gribbin also introduces an idea which he seems to be very fond of, that life is an example of using energy flow to reduce local entropy.
The next section introduces some of the mathematics behind chaos. Gribbin describes how the iterative approximation techniques used in finding solutions to can never be exactly accurate. The concept of phase space, where a single point completely describes a system using multiple dimensions, is used by Poincare to deal with the problem of the Solar System's stabilty. Gradually, Gribbin brings the reader to the realisation that some systems, such as the weather, while deterministic in principle, are very difficult to predict in practice because of the non-linearity of their progression. Simply, small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes. Indeed, the impossibility of knowing the precise positions or momenta of anything makes such precise prediction unachievable even in principle.
The idea of chaos as deterministic yet unpredictable order comes in the next section with the example of turbulence - a single parameter, the fluid speed, is changing, yet the flow changes from regular to turbulent to laminar. Additionally, the chaotic pattern appears to be fractally self-similar, like the Feigenbaum diagram describing species reproduction. Other fractals such as the Sierpinski gasket and the Cantor set are discussed, as well issues of fractal dimension. However, recognising that completely regular and completely random systems are uninteresting, Gribbin quickly ushers the reader onto the "edge of chaos, where complexity lives."
The rest of the book appears to be satisfying some of the author's own interests, however. He takes many aspects of living development, including abiogenesis, Gaia systems, predator-prey relationships and more and tries to recognise chaotic patterns in them all. He notes that any such system that incoporates feedback will generate chaotic behaviour, but often there seems to be little gained from understanding that the behaviour is chaotic - for example, the idea that Ice Ages are chaotic fluctuations in a punctuated equilibrium appears to be difficult to test!
Gribbin succeeds in conveying the history and principles of chaos in his first sections, as well as their relevance to many areas of science - especially the complexities of life. However, unlike some of his other books on quantum physics, among others, I feel like this topic is one that is best dealt with in greater detail than can be used in a popular science book. Gribbin uses examples well to illustrate the points, but without understanding derivations it is hard to avoid feeling like much of the book is assumed. Additionally, it is possible to see how the book has been structured in hindsight, but while reading I felt disorientated as he jumps from one area to another. Again, understanding more about the principles behind chaos would have remedied this somewhat. An interesting read, but not as engaging as I might have hoped. show less
The book starts out with a concise history of mathematics relating to chaos. Gribbin begins with the Greeks and Galileo and moves onto Newton, and the issue of the three-body problem (where it is impossible to use Newton's laws of motion to generate
The next section introduces some of the mathematics behind chaos. Gribbin describes how the iterative approximation techniques used in finding solutions to can never be exactly accurate. The concept of phase space, where a single point completely describes a system using multiple dimensions, is used by Poincare to deal with the problem of the Solar System's stabilty. Gradually, Gribbin brings the reader to the realisation that some systems, such as the weather, while deterministic in principle, are very difficult to predict in practice because of the non-linearity of their progression. Simply, small changes in initial conditions can lead to vastly different outcomes. Indeed, the impossibility of knowing the precise positions or momenta of anything makes such precise prediction unachievable even in principle.
The idea of chaos as deterministic yet unpredictable order comes in the next section with the example of turbulence - a single parameter, the fluid speed, is changing, yet the flow changes from regular to turbulent to laminar. Additionally, the chaotic pattern appears to be fractally self-similar, like the Feigenbaum diagram describing species reproduction. Other fractals such as the Sierpinski gasket and the Cantor set are discussed, as well issues of fractal dimension. However, recognising that completely regular and completely random systems are uninteresting, Gribbin quickly ushers the reader onto the "edge of chaos, where complexity lives."
The rest of the book appears to be satisfying some of the author's own interests, however. He takes many aspects of living development, including abiogenesis, Gaia systems, predator-prey relationships and more and tries to recognise chaotic patterns in them all. He notes that any such system that incoporates feedback will generate chaotic behaviour, but often there seems to be little gained from understanding that the behaviour is chaotic - for example, the idea that Ice Ages are chaotic fluctuations in a punctuated equilibrium appears to be difficult to test!
Gribbin succeeds in conveying the history and principles of chaos in his first sections, as well as their relevance to many areas of science - especially the complexities of life. However, unlike some of his other books on quantum physics, among others, I feel like this topic is one that is best dealt with in greater detail than can be used in a popular science book. Gribbin uses examples well to illustrate the points, but without understanding derivations it is hard to avoid feeling like much of the book is assumed. Additionally, it is possible to see how the book has been structured in hindsight, but while reading I felt disorientated as he jumps from one area to another. Again, understanding more about the principles behind chaos would have remedied this somewhat. An interesting read, but not as engaging as I might have hoped. show less
Lists
Want To Read (1)
BusinessBooks (1)
Awards
Six Impossible Things: The ‘Quanta of Solace’ and the Mysteries of the Subatomic World (Shortlist – General – 2019)
In Search of the Multiverse: Parallel Worlds, Hidden Dimensions, and the Ultimate Quest for the Frontiers of Reality (Longlist – General – 2010)
You May Also Like
Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 179
- Also by
- 14
- Members
- 15,865
- Popularity
- #1,429
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 198
- ISBNs
- 712
- Languages
- 21
- Favorited
- 11