Knocking on Heaven's Door

Book excerpt: “[A] highly readable, accessible look at particle physics today and...a passionate defense and celebration of the scientific worldview” (Discovery News). One of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world and the bestselling author of Warped Passages, Lisa Randall is an expert in both particle physics (the study of the smallest objects we know of) and cosmology (the study of the largest). In this book, Randall takes us on an amazing tour through the latest developments in physics—including a new preface explaining the thrilling discovery of the Higgs boson—and the theoretical concepts underlying this work. Knocking on Heaven’s Door also explores the role of risk, creativity, uncertainty, beauty, and truth in scientific thinking. Through provocative conversations with leading figures in other fields, including chef David Chang, forecaster Nate Silver, and screenwriter Scott Derrickson, and through reflections on her own work, Randall makes an impassioned argument in defense of science. Praise for Knocking on Heaven’s Door “Randall is . . . one of the more original theorists at work in the profession today. . . . She gives a fine analysis of the affinity between scientific and artistic beauty, comparing the broken symmetries of a Richard Serra sculpture to those at the core of the Standard Model.” —New York Times Book Review, 100 Notable Books of 2011 “Written with dry wit and ice-cool clarity. . . . Knocking on Heaven’s Door is a book that anyone at all interested in science must read. This is surely the science book of the year.” —Sunday Times (London) “Valuable and engaging. . . . Randall’s generous cornucopia of ideas, her engaging style, and above all her deep excitement about physics make this a book that deserves a wide readership.” —American Scientist