Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines by Richard A. Muller (PDF)

Description

A San Francisco Chronicle BestsellerWe live in complicated, dangerous times. Present and future presidents need to know if North Korea’s nascent nuclear capability is a genuine threat to the West, if biochemical weapons are likely to be developed by terrorists, if there are viable alternatives to fossil fuels that should be nurtured and supported by the government, if private companies should be allowed to lead the way on space exploration, and what the actual facts are about the worsening threats from climate change. This is “must-have” information for all presidents―and citizens―of the twenty-first century.Winner of the 2009 Northern California Book Award for General Nonfiction. 73 figures and illustrations

User’s Reviews

Editorial Reviews: Review “A marvelously readable and level-headed explanation of basic science and how it relates to the issues.” ― John Tierney, New York Times”A triumph.” ― Steve Weinberg, Boston Globe”An outstanding example of public communication of science.” ― Kenneth R. Foster, Science About the Author Richard A. Muller is professor of physics at the University of California, Berkeley, and the best-selling author of Physics for Future Presidents. For his outstanding work in experimental cosmology, he was awarded a 1982 MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship, and also a share of the 2015 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics for the discovery of dark energy.

Reviews from Amazon users which were colected at the time this book was published on the website:

⭐The title of this excellent book is a little misleading in that the subject matter would be of interest to anyone concerned with current events in the USA, or any part of the world. Professor Muller defuses common misconceptions about events reported in the media, and on future events that may seem mysterious or even threatening to our nation. He does this with logical explanations, and uses just enough math to give dimensions to any particular problem area, without overwhelming the reader. For those interested in the math behind the physics, Professor Muller includes technical details in a section at the end of the book, but it isn’t necessary to understand these details to appreciate what the text is saying.In discussing energy, the book answers questions about September 11, 2001, and why we are still taking off our shoes at airports. Muller diffuses the myth that any high-schooler could build a nuclear weapon using information obtained on the Internet, and answers questions about possible future terrorist attacks, the physics involved, and what to take seriously.We are all concerned with energy sources and usage in the US and worldwide. This book gives comparisons of energy consumption, sources and costs. for instance, can we go entirely solar? Will we run out of oil, and if so what are the alternatives? Are electric cars a solution for transportation energy usage? Read this book and become informed.Professor Muller gives an excellent account of nuclear weapon designs, radio activity as naturally occuring, and that caused by man. Did you ever wonder how carbon dating works? About getting cancer from XRays etc? Did you ever wonder how satellites stay in orbit, and how satellites and the Space Shuttle are designed and deployed? Dr. Muller explains these things in straight forward terms.Last but not least, Professor Muller tackles the thorny issue of global warming and gives us a qualitative framework so we can be informed. If nothing else, the reader will become acquainted with the myriad aspects of this problem. Rest assured, this book’s message involves the physics of current events, but leaves issue politics to the polititians. This book is a must read for every concerned citizen, not just future presidents. You will not be disappointed that you spent some time with this book to grasp a better basic understanding of our world.

⭐Although there are a few graphs and diagrams and a lot of numbers and units, I think this book is accessible to any reader with a citizen’s interest in energy, terrorism, nuclear weapons and nuclear power (not the same!), and climate change. You don’t have to consider yourself a future president to want and really need to understand this stuff – all elected officials and voters should have this level of familiarity with the science (and often engineering) behind these important issues. And it’s really not that hard to follow – it’s very readable.There are no equations here (OK, a few in the notes if you’re interested), and the “physics” comes mainly in the approach, breaking problems down into essentials to which basic concepts like energy conservation and efficiency can be applied. A lot can be accomplished simply by converting energy and other quantities in different situations into common units (Muller uses mainly common US units rather than metric units that physicists use in their real work).It is true that Muller does not completely remove his own opinions in favor of “pure science” – but this is a book for general readers, not a text book (he also has a text book version for his course at UC Berkeley). And the issues are real-world issues, not abstract physics problems. But for the most part he is combining basic science with logic and common sense, and if you learn to do this yourself, and remember some of the conversions and rules of thumb he discusses, you will be better able judge for yourself whether some claim about energy or terrorism really makes sense, and have a better calibration of risks and opportunities in this complex world.P.S. I was a physics major and have a masters in optics, but I also do educational outreach programs, so I’m really viewing this more from the perspective of an educator and citizen than as a science-educated person. And I personally learned a lot. Also note that one review from 2007 really applies to Dr. Muller’s textbook, not this new general interest book.

⭐Awesome book! A lot of people who have received honorary “Internet politician” degrees should read this book several times. This book talks about some of the misconceptions on possible terrorist attacks (via nukes, bombs, etc), global warming, climate change, green energy, fossil fuels, etc. One example of something I learned is that the entire U.S can go 100% green energy and it STILL won’t change the fact that developing countries like China, India, and others that in will be growing in the near future will continue (or start) to use coal or other non-environmentally friendly fuel types b/c they are cheap. Therefore, what politicians (and advocates for ‘going green’) SHOULD be doing is trying to create cheaper sources of clean energy. According to Richard Muller’s research that would realistically mean nuclear energy which is also highly misunderstood due to a few horrible AVOIDABLE accidents that have happened in the past, but of course he covers this in detail in his book.I listened to this book rather than read it, so I like the fact the there weren’t many equations. The equations were there to tell the reader they’re there. It’s up to the reader to do the extra research if he/she is inclined. It was a great book to listen to (via Amazon’s Audible).

⭐I decided to buy this book after scanning through a copy of it in a Texan bookshop – whilst on a visit to my daughter – I have to admit that it was one of my better choices!Whilst I am more of a chemist than a physicist I still found the book fascinating – I don’t believe there was a single chapter that didn’t contain some surprising information of which I was previously unaware.Why would an astronaut experience weightlessness at a distance of 100 – 200 miles above the earth’s surface (here the earth’s gravitaion is still 90 – 95% of its value at ground level)? Why does it take 25 times more energy to get a satellite into orbit than to reach the height of its orbit? Is the melting of the permafrost in Alaska anything to do with the greenhouse effect and why would the greenhouse effect be expected to result in more rather than less ice in the Antarctic? Why can’t a nuclear reactor explode like a nuclear bomb (unless its a fast breeder type)? These are just some of the fascinating topics covered in this book.My only regret is that none of my immediate family or friends are the remotest bit interested in science let alone physics – so I would be wasting my time trying to persuade them to read this book!

⭐This book changed my perception of many controversial issues in our world. Information is presented in a simple, rigorous way without losing interest.I think the title could discourage some readers, but I think the book is clearly intended to be useful for any literate citizen. The energy chapter is, in my opinion, the best one.Many of frequent arguments with our friends, colleagues and the like could be settled with the information in this book.In my opinion it should be a ‘must’ for any voter in modern societies.

⭐This book gives a good overview of the scientific concepts behind many important, and high profile, topics. The book avoids unnecessary details, you don’t need to have studied physics to understand it and if you have studied science it won’t bore you. It makes a valid point that the world is increasingly reliant upon high technology, yet many people – including politicians and the media – don’t feel the need to understand it.This book isn’t just for future presidents, if everybody took the time to read this book the world would be a much better place! It encourages the reader to think about cause and consequence, rather than dismiss reason and rely on emotion.

⭐The book was dispatched promptly, arrived in good condition and is good value for content. Easily accessible and sprinkled with lots of interesting facts, it is a nice introduction to the conceptual side of physics without the requirement to know/ understand the underlying maths.

⭐Bought for my daughter – suggested reading on her course – she says it is terrific, really interesting, and that I should read it when she is finished with it – strongly recommended therefore.

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