Physics of the Impossible

I just started reading a book called "Physics of the Impossible" by Dr. Michio Kaku. If you watch a lot of science shows like Discovery Channel or Nova. You may have seen him before. He is a theoretical physicist, best-selling author and co-founder of string field theory.

I only read a couple of pages so far but the ideas are fascinating. He basically divides the impossibles into three categories. Class I, Class II and Class III impossibilities.

Class I impossibilities are technologies that are impossible today but that do not violate the known laws of physics. They may be possible in this century or the next in modified form. These includes teleportation, antimatter engines, certain forms of telepathy, psychokinesis and invisibility.

Class II impossibilities are technologies that sit on the very edge of our understanding of the physical world. If they are possible at all, they might be realized on a scale of a million years in the future. They include time machines, hyperspace travel, and travel through wormholes.

Class III impossibilities are technologies that violate the known laws of physics. As per the book, there are surprisingly few such impossible technologies. If they turn out to be possible, it would represent a fundamental shift in our understanding of physics. These include perpetual motion machines and precognition.

I have skimmed the book and it does not include any mathematical equations which makes it easy to read and understand. The language is not very hard and any sci-fi enthusiast would easily understand it.

I have found a lot of theoretical physicist who writes books that are for public consumption and not for university use has learned to explain things in a language the common man can understand. I could be wrong, but I think Stephen Hawking was the first one to do this with his book "A Brief History of Time".

It might be weird to some, but I find books like these to be fascinating and relaxing to read. More in line with reading a Dan Brown or Robert Ludlum novel. Exciting, not much brain work needed and just fun.

Here's a video of his interview about the book.