This book is full of much speculation and doubtful "facts" that are supposed, somehow, to be linked. I find it less convincing than most other reviewers.
The book starts with a series of "Wow!" events that are implied (without evidence), to be connected. Included are: the end of the cold war, increased numbers of earthquakes, climate change, new viruses, increases in the number of alien sightings and crop circles, and unspecified "studies" and "evidence" that someone other than the Egyptians built the pyramids. And get this:
"Probable evidence from within our own space program, indicating that technologically advanced societies have existed on at least one other planet within our own solar system..."
Actually, the evidence from the space program is that there were no other technologically advanced societies in our solar system. Talk to NASA.
It is easy to see how this book would impress people with no background in science. For example, on page 11, under the heading "The nature of stillness: Zero Point", there are two paragraphs describing the basics of absolute zero: zero degrees Kelvin / minus 273.15 degrees Celsius. This is all good if pedestrian science, although it might appear extraordinary to someone unfamiliar with it.
Anyway, Braden draws incorrect conclusions from it. He states:
"The point at which temperatures reach absolute zero... is referred to as Zero Point."
Actually, zero Kelvin is called absolute zero not zero point. (Or even Zero Point.) Of course Braden has to call it Zero Point because that is the title of his book. A non-existent connection is then made, as Braden morphs seamlessly with no logic or justification to:
"Earth is experiencing early stages of the events that will provide the experience of Zero Point..."
and three more paragraphs of similar unsubstantiated twaddle, these being the theories his book has been written to espouse. The scientific explanation of absolute zero may blind the unscientific reader, who may not notice that "Zero Point" has absolutely no connection to absolute zero. (Absolutely zero connection, in fact.) Even if Braden's theories are 100% correct, there is still no connection between them and absolute zero. It seems intellectually dishonest.
Even more astonishing is the next section, where Braden talks about the Earth's declining magnetic field, and its flips from north to south. Apparently, the Earth's magnetic flip occurs when the Earth spins in the opposite direction to the current one. See page 47:
"The sun will rise and set from opposite directions relative to its present cycle"
The proof is in The Bible, specifically Joshua 10:13:
"The sun stayed in the midst of heaven, and did not hasten to go down for about a whole day."
So the Earth stopped spinning for a day, and then (presumably), started spinning in the opposite direction, and the proof is in The Bible. Complete nonsense, of course. And Braden is even wrong when he says that the magnetic field is declining. The National Geophysical Data Center states that the Earth's magnetic field is:
"actually higher than it has been for most of the last 50,000 years"
But that's just scientists quoting facts.
You might as well give up reading the book at this point, but two additional specific bits are worth mentioning.
First is an explanation of Fibonacci numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21...), which are:
"a very special series of numbers - literally codes for fundamental aspects of life on Earth."
Literally codes? Literally? LOL. Without any attempt to justify this ridiculous statement he moves straight to his conclusions. But the statement is incorrect, and so the conclusions he draws are also incorrect.
Secondly, get this on page 62:
"Only 10% of the human brain is utilized, and only 10% of the mass of the universe can be accounted for. Is it by chance that these percentages correlate so closely? Possibly not."
LOL again. Possibly not? No, just possibly. Firstly, Braden does not justify that these two are connected. He just says "possibly not", and the reader may not notice that there is no connection. Secondly, the "only 10% of the human brain is utilized" is a total myth, and the "10% mass of the universe" figure is incorrect. Not that this matters to Braden. (Well, possibly not.)
The rest of the book includes a Cook's Tour of the usual crank subjects, including the pyramids of Egypt (built by aliens), crop circles (a secret message) and the Shroud of Turin (genuine, although it was known to be a fake in the 14th century when it first appeared). And Jesus ("the Universal Reference Being") makes several appearances.
Hey, these are incredible phenomena, don't you think? Jeez, they're all connected! (Not.)
The only thing I like about this book is its title, Zero Point - which is exactly how many I give it out of five.
