Cover Image: August 2004 Scientific American Magazine See Inside

Questions That Plague Physics: A Conversation with Lawrence M. Krauss [Preview]

Lawrence M. Krauss speaks about unfinished business















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LAWRENCE M. KRAUSS

LAWRENCE M. KRAUSS is a man of many opinions. One is that string theory has failed to shed light on the nature of dark energy. Image: MARK JENKINSON

Chair of the physics department at Case Western Reserve University, Lawrence M. Krauss is famed in the research community for his prescient suggestion that a still mysterious entity called dark energy might be the key to understanding the beginnings of the universe. He is also an outspoken social critic and in February was among 60 prominent scientists who signed a letter entitled "Restoring Scientific Integrity in Policymaking," complaining of the Bush administration's misuse of science. The public, though, might know him best as an op-ed writer and author of books with mass appeal. His 1995 work, The Physics of Star Trek, became a best-seller, translated into 15 languages. He is now finishing his seventh popular title, Hiding in the Mirror: The Mysterious Allure of Extra Dimensions, which he describes as "an exploration of our long-standing literary, artistic and scientific love affair with the idea that there are hidden universes out there." Krauss recently discussed his many scientific and social passions with writer Claudia Dreifus.

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN: What are the top questions bedeviling physicists today?


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  1. 1. John_Toradze 04:24 PM 7/3/08

    I remember reading the physics of Star Trek, and wondering how he could have left out some of the more outre research that is being funded on faster than light travel and ZPF.

    Liked the books though. :-)

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  2. 2. debu 11:04 PM 4/11/10

    I would advise physics researchers to sit together after the LHC collision results recently conducted and analyse our various cosmological findings in line with the presently followed theories of Einstein and quantum mechanics. Are we properly understanding the rate of expansion of our universe for the last ,let us say , ten billion years. If it is accelerating at faster rate for the last five billion years and before five billion years it was decelerating phase , then are we talking about cyclic universe on opposite entropy path and one reaching tends to zero entropy causing the bounce for new cycle in which we are presently living. Here I see my Balloon inside balloon theory and ether-gravity-dark energy theory of gravitoethertons published in ASTRONOMY.NET in year 2002 and links available in --durgadas datta facebook --is good enough to explain our twin cyclic universes of matter and antimatter on opposite entropy path. Please read my theories and comments may be sent to my mail address durgadas.ddatta@gmail.com

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