Physics and Astronomy
I've had a keen interest in Physics and Astronomy primarily as a hobbyist.
I like to keep a very open mind regarding possibilities in the universe.
Reading Material:
The Inflationary Universe by Alan H. Guth.
An enjoyable text introducing all of Guth's concepts of inflation.
Written for the advanced lay person and very enjoyable.
The Elegant Universe by Brian Greene
An excellent review of String
Theory and the physics of the universe. Page 50. Great insight,
quoting Greene:
"That is, the speed of its
motion through time slows down. Here's the leap: Einstein proclaimed all
objects in the universe are traveling at one fixed speed -- that of
light".
You'll have to read more, to me
this was a revelation.
Three Roads to Quantum Gravity by Lee
Smolin
One of the few simple formula's in
the book stunned me. Please see page 82. When one accelerates
through empty space it is as if out the blue you are surrounded by a
"hot" gas. Quoting Smolin:
"This effect implies that
there is a kind of addendum to Einstein's famous equivalence principle.
According to Einstein, a constantly accelerating observer should be in a
situation just like an observer sitting on the surface of a planet.
Unruh told us that this is true only if the planet has been heated to a
temperature that is proportional to the acceleration. ......"