In 1976 ontstond het idee,in het kader van de Vereniging voor Sterrenkunde,een onderzoek te beginnen van het ufofenomeen,omde vele wilde verhalen die hierover werden gepubliceerd,op hun betrouwbaarheid te controleren.Het oorspronkelijke doel,het…
First formulated in the early years of the 20th century, Einstein's theories of relativity overturned long-held concepts of space and time. They provided a radically new way of looking at the physical world and explanations for many questions…
This is a textbook that derives the fundamental theories of physics from symmetry. It starts by introducing, in a completely self-contained way, all mathematical tools needed to use symmetry ideas in physics. Thereafter, these tools are put into…
Why does one theory "succeed" while another, possibly clearer interpretation, fails? By exploring two observationally equivalent yet conceptually incompatible views of quantum mechanics, James T. Cushing shows how historical contingency can be…
By the year 1900, most of physics seemed to be encompassed in the two great theories of Newtonian mechanics and Maxwell's theory of electromagnetism. Unfortunately, there were inconsistencies between the two theories that seemed irreconcilable.…
This text presents a survey of the physical sciences—physics, chemistry, astronomy, meteorology, and geology—for non-science majors. Topics are treated both descriptively and quantitatively, providing flexibility for instructors who wish to emphasize…
James Trefil's popular physics primer chronicles the evolution of atomic theory through the discoveries of such subatomic particles as the quark, the meson, the lepton, and more. An accessible guide for the general reader that reveals the mystery and…
Chaotic phenomena flourish in nature. They often originate in systems whose components are governed by simple laws, but whose overall behaviour is very complex. This text aims to give an elementary introduction to the theory of chaotic systems and to…
Zwarte gaten zijn donker, de naam zegt het al. Als ze botsen, is daar niets van te zien. Toch komt bij een botsing van zwarte gaten de grootste kracht vrij die mogelijk is in dit heelal. Einstein voorspelde, precies een eeuw geleden, dat je zou…
Wat Bas Haring voor de evolutietheorie heeft gedaan, doet Jean-Paul Keulen voor de deeltjesfysica. Kranten en nieuwswebsites plaatsen vaak berichten over de nieuwste bevindingen in de deeltjesfysica. Maar na het lezen van een dergelijk artikel zullen…