The natural laws of the universe
Subtitle: understanding fundamental constants
By: Jean-Philippe Uzan and 0Bénédicte Leclercq
Contributors: Leclercq, Bénédicte
Series: Springer-Praxis books in popular astronomy; Springer-Praxis books in popular astronomy
Publisher: Springer; Published in association with Praxis Pub.; Published in association with Praxis
Published: 2008
Place of publication: Berlin; New York; Chichester, UK
Language: eng
Number of pages: 135
ISBN-13: 9780387734545
Subjects: Physical laws; Physical constants; Philosophy; Physics; History
Other titles: Understanding fundamental constants
Work titles: De l'importance d'être une constante
Description: Constants, such as the gravitational constant and the speed of light, are present in all the laws of physics, yet recent observations have cast doubt on one of them. This book examines constants, the role they play in the laws of physics, and whether indeed constants can be verified. The authors provide an overview of the history of the ideas of physics, evoking major discoveries from Galileo and Newton to Planck and Einstein and raising questions provoked by ever more current accurate observations. They investigate the solidity of the foundations of physics and discuss the implications of the discovery of the non-constancy of a constant. From the laboratory to the depths of space, this highly instructive survey explores the paths of gravitation, general relativity and new theories such as that of superstrings. It even goes beyond the subject of constants to explain and discuss many ideas in physics, encountering along the way, for example, such exciting details as the discovery of a natural nuclear reactor at Oklo in Gabon--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. [127]-128) and index.

Translated from the French.
Table of contents: title: Foundations : universality in physics; title: Fundamental constants : pillars of the edifice; title: Planning the edifice : structure of theories; title: Proportions : dimensionless parameters; title: Atoms under close examination; title: A constant in the clouds; title: What if they did vary? : gravity waits in the wings; title: Strings attached : towards multiple universes.