Why Does E=mc2?: (And Why Should We Care?) [Hardcover]

#5 on the paperback non-fiction list for the London Daily Telegraph, 6/26/10

Stephen Fry
“I can think of no one, Stephen Hawking included, who more perfectly combines authority, knowledge, passion, clarity and powers of elucidation than Brian Cox. If you really want to know how Big Science works and why it matters to each of us in the smallest way then be entertained by this dazzlingly enthusiastic man. Can someone this charming really be a professor?”

New Scientist, 6/24/09
“To get at the origins of E=mc2, the poster-child for Einsteins’s special theory of relativity, [Cox and Forshaw] must delve into deep principles of science and wield a good deal of mathematics. They do it well…They have blazed a clear trail into forbidding territory, from the mathematical structure of space-time all the way to atom bombs, astrophysics and the origin of mass.”

The Huffington Post, 7/8/09
“An account of relativity physics accessible to a wide range of various publics. If you're not a physicist (or not yet a physicist) and you want to understand what Einstein and relativity theory are all about, you would do well to read this book. The writing is clear, sparkling in places, and totally without vanity. Relativity theory, Einstein's supreme gift to us, is at the heart of the way science currently looks at physical reality, and anyone with an adventurous mind should be intrigued by what two smart physicists say about it in plain language…[A] delightful little book.”

Sacramento Book Review, 7/13/09
“It’s always fun when brilliant minds take on complex questions, particularly when said brilliant minds are happy to share their conclusions with readers, in reader-friendly and fascinating books such as Why Does E=mc2?...There is a great deal of knowledge and quite competent explanation throughout the book, which should serve as a dream come true for anyone who ever loved science, or wanted to learn more about it without having to go back to school. Come to this read with an open mind and a desire to learn, and you will come away with a treasure trove of knowledge."

Boston Globe, 7/19/09
“A mild-mannered, digressive, mostly math-free walk-through of the world’s most famous equation…[It] remind[s] us that Einstein’s equation is not some esoteric idea best pondered by scientific supermen, but a profound insight that continues to change lives…Cox and Forshaw’s enthusiasm for their material is plain…You will find them accommodating escorts.”

Infodad.com, 7/30/09
“Despite their formidable accomplishments and obviously outstanding intellects [Cox and Forshaw] are willing—and able—to unravel some Einsteinian thinking for the benefit of mere mortals. Why Does E=mc2? is a joy to read in part because of its juxtaposition of breeziness with complexity…Reading it is an intellectually exhilarating experience.”

Publishers Weekly online, 8/3/09
“Cox and Forshaw offer lay readers a fascinating account of modern scientists' view of the world, and how it got that way…Though the basics are covered in detail, there's plenty here for science buffs to ponder.”

SeedMagazine.com, “Seed Picks”, August 2009
“To move beyond a cursory understanding of Einstein’s iconic equation, put yourself in the adept hands of physicists and science educators Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw. Using clear language and a few clearly explained equations, they demystify physics’ most counterintuitive claims.”

Discovery.com, 7/31/09
“As Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw prove in this wonderful 264 page exploration of physics, Einstein's equation describes an elegant and succinct view of our universe, a view that is captured excellently in the text…Something of a page turner…It's the enthusiasm for physics in Why Does E=mc2? that is key, reinvigorating relativity and presenting it in a modern and entertaining light…A great read…By the time you reach the last page, you realize just how beautifully complex, yet elegant, our universe really is.”

Bookslut.com, August 2009
“[Cox and Forshaw] bend over backwards to reassure math-challenged readers…This is not only a painstakingly accessible explanation of spacetime, mass, particles, gravity, and a whole bunch of things that are just plain not simple. It's also an explanation, for non-scientists, of what physicists do, and why they want to do it.”

Bookviews blog, August 2009
“The authors provide a definition that anyone can understand and then apply it to some exciting science taking place right now…Read this book and I guarantee that it will make you the smartest person in the room!”

Flavorwire.com, 8/17/09
“Makes some of science’s most famous tenets easily accessible—even for those who barely passed sophomore chemistry…Crisp, engaging prose.”

GearDiary.com, 8/11/09
“Read this book if you are interested in your universe and if you have ever stared at a starry sky and wondered how the twinkling stars you were looking at sent their twinkle billions of years ago at the speed of light…A concise, captivating, passionate, and well written explanation of Einstein’s Mass Energy Equivalence.”

Internet Review of Books, September
“Written for an intelligent lay person who has an interest in the sciences. If you have taken high-school algebra, you have enough mathematics to follow the discussions…‘The universe is much richer than our everyday experiences would have us believe,’ Cox and Forshaw write, and their book amply demonstrates their assertion.” 

American Scholor, Autum issue
“Cox and Forshaw skillfully combine biography with a narrative of discovery, employing some of Einstein’s own thought experiments…I expected Cox and Forshaw to lament the current gaps in physics…But they are optimists tempered by hard doses of reality."

Physics World, August issue
“Pairs the enthusiasm of newcomers with the knowledge of experts…Cox and Forshaw have aimed their tour of gravity, mass and quantum weirdness squarely at the math-shy general public. Readers in this category should benefit from plenty of helpful and mostly non-mathematical explanations…With CERN’s Large Hadron Collider due to restart this autumn, the authors’ timing is impeccable…A useful reminder of how profoundly strange physics can appear to the novice.”

SciTech Book News, September issue
“Accessible to general readers…[Cox and Forshaw] offer lay readers an explanation of Einstein's theory and how it underpins our understanding of the workings of the universe—answering questions such as what energy and mass are, what light is and why stars shine, why nuclear power is more efficient than coal or oil—providing readers with an opportunity to explore their own notions of space and time.”

CoolHunting.com, “Back to School Essentials”, 8/28“By exploring each part of Albert Einstein’s famous equation, two physicists ultimately explain the theory of relativity.” (Science News, 10/24/09)
“Takes a riveting look at how Einstein’s famous theory of relativity relates to our modern world. Clear and concise, the entertaining book sheds light on the world of physics for the layman, effectively allowing even the most science-challenged audience to understand the complexities of the subject.”

Magill Book Review, October 2009
“Using minimal mathematics, the authors present an intriguing, accessible description of Albert Einstein’s special theory of relativity, how space-time relationships work, and why it is important in the modern world…Teaches readers who are not familiar with physics some complicated topics in a rather simple, straightforward, entertaining manner…Rewards of increased knowledge and insights as to how the universe works will be reaped from this book for all those who have any interest in physics and its many applications to everyday life.”

Charleston Post and Courier SC, 10/11
“A fun romp with science...The often amusing lecture by British physicists Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw is written in plain language and full of fun examples.”

Science News, 10/24/09
“By exploring each part of Albert Einstein’s famous equation, two physicists ultimately explain the theory of relativity.”

Discover magazine’s Bad Astronomy blog
“Excellent.”

ScienceforPeople.com
“Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw have summoned up the audacity to write a book on relativity for lay people. Although this has been attempted before, it has rarely been done so well…Cox and Forshaw know their stuff…[They make] the science sound fresh and fun…The book quickly and painlessly explains why E=mc2…This book is a wonderful introduction into the wild world of stretchy time, warped space and unbelievable energies…Give this book a shot.”

MSNBC.com’s Cosmic Log blog, 11/24/09
“The restart of the world’s biggest particle smasher, the Large Hadron Collider, should spark interest in recently published books that delve into the big picture surrounding subatomic physics, such as Why Does E=mc2?”

Manchester Evening News, 3/6/10
“Delivering cutting edge 21st century physics in a digestible form and publi...

The most accessible, entertaining, and enlightening explanation of the best-known physics equation in the world, as rendered by two of today’s leading scientists.

Professor Brian Cox and Professor Jeff Forshaw go on a journey to the frontier of 21st century science to consider the real meaning behind the iconic sequence of symbols that make up Einstein’s most famous equation, E=mc2. Breaking down the symbols themselves, they pose a series of questions: What is energy? What is mass? What has the speed of light got to do with energy and mass? In answering these questions, they take us to the site of one of the largest scientific experiments ever conducted. Lying beneath the city of Geneva, straddling the Franco-Swiss boarder, is a 27 km particle accelerator, known as the Large Hadron Collider. Using this gigantic machine—which can recreate conditions in the early Universe fractions of a second after the Big Bang—Cox and Forshaw will describe the current theory behind the origin of mass.

Alongside questions of energy and mass, they will consider the third, and perhaps, most intriguing element of the equation: 'c' - or the speed of light. Why is it that the speed of light is the exchange rate? Answering this question is at the heart of the investigation as the authors demonstrate how, in order to truly understand why E=mc2, we first must understand why we must move forward in time and not backwards and how objects in our 3-dimensional world actually move in 4-dimensional space-time. In other words, how the very fabric of our world is constructed. A collaboration between two of the youngest professors in the UK, Why Does E=mc2? promises to be one of the most exciting and accessible explanations of the theory of relativity in recent years.