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
The Scientists: A History of Science Told Through the Lives of Its Greatest Inventors (2003) 722 copies
The Matter Myth: Dramatic Discoveries That Challenge Our Understanding of Physical Reality (1991) 377 copies
The Fellowship: Gilbert, Bacon, Harvey, Wren, Newton, and the Story of a Scentific Revolution (2005) 260 copies
In the Beginning: After Cobe and Before the Big Bang (In the Beginning (Bay Back Books)) (1994) 148 copies
The Omega Point: The Search for the Missing Mass and the Ultimate Fate of the Universe (Bantam New Age Books) (1987) 115 copies
Fitzroy: The Remarkable Story of Darwin's Captain and the Invention of the Weather Forecast (2003) 94 copies
Six Impossible Things: The ‘Quanta of Solace’ and the Mysteries of the Subatomic World (2019) 81 copies
On the Origin of Evolution: Tracing ‘Darwin’s Dangerous Idea’ from Aristotle to DNA (2020) 29 copies
Eight Improbable Possibilities: The Mystery of the Moon, and Other Implausible Scientific Truths (2021) 9 copies
Nine Musings on Time: Science Fiction, Science Fact, and the Truth About Time Travel (2022) 7 copies
Reunião 1.º Vol. 2 copies
Reunião 2.º Vol. 2 copies
Other Edens [short fiction] 1 copy
The Future of Life 1 copy
Unbegotten Child 1 copy
John Gribbin 1 copy
Fisika Modern 1 copy
Associated Works
Stepping Through the Stargate: Science, Archaeology and the Military in Stargate SG1 (2004) — Contributor — 102 copies
3 Minute Stephen Hawking (His life, theories, and influence in 3 minute particles) (2012) — Foreword — 58 copies
3-minute Einstein: Digesting His Life, Theories, and Influence in 3-minute Morsels (2011) — Foreword — 57 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVII, No. 2 (February 1977) (1977) — Contributor — 29 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. XCVIII, No. 2 (February 1978) (1978) — Contributor — 26 copies
Analog Science Fiction/Science Fact: Vol. CVI, No. 13 (Mid-December 1986) (1986) — Author, some editions — 18 copies
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Canonical name
- Gribbin, John
- Legal name
- Gribbin, John R.
- Birthdate
- 1946-03-19
- Gender
- male
- Nationality
- UK
- Country (for map)
- England, UK
- Birthplace
- Maidstone, Kent, United Kingdom
- Places of residence
- England, UK
- Education
- University of Sussex (BS|physics|1966|MS|astronomy|1967)
University of Cambridge (PhD|astrophysics|1971) - Occupations
- physicist
science writer
astronomer
journalist
science fiction writer - Relationships
- Gribbin, Mary (wife)
- Organizations
- University of Sussex
Royal Society of Literature - 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).
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Statistics
- Works
- 168
- Also by
- 14
- Members
- 14,313
- Popularity
- #1,608
- Rating
- 3.7
- Reviews
- 179
- ISBNs
- 693
- Languages
- 21
- Favorited
- 10
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.… (more)