Hyperspace —— A Scientific Odyssey through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the Tenth Dimension

I’ve read a few of Michio Kaku’s books and I’ve really enjoyed them, which is why I decided to read this somewhat “older” book. Dr. Kaku is an excellent popularizer with a lucid and down to earth writing style and he has a modest and open minded way of approaching a subject. As the book is a little bit outdated at this point and because I have a couple of objections I rated it four stars, but it is a very “mind opening” book that I strongly recommend. The book takes us on a journey through the discovery-history of higher dimensions and the quest to unify the laws of physics. It introduces us to Riemannian geometry and explains how forces can be viewed as consequences of geometry in higher dimensions (Hyperspace) a concept that was later used in the General Theory of Relativity, Kaluza-Klein theory as well superstring theory. The laws of physics become more unified, simpler and more beautiful if you add a few dimensions. He convincingly makes the case that you can discover the secrets of the Universe by peering into Hyperspace. The book also discusses topics such as the history of modern physics, relativity, quantum physics, the standard model, GUTs, super gravity, black holes, the big bang, parallel universes, etc. Towards the end of the book he is discussing the fate of the Universe and the fate of human civilization, and the threats we face from the potential of nuclear war, global warming, and possible collisions with asteroids. The book does not go into depth on any of the multiple topics discussed. It is not that kind of a book. However, on some minor topics I found it to be misleading, particularly on the topics of parallel universes and “Schrödinger’s cat”. For example, he states on page 261 “To Schrödinger, the idea of thinking about cats that are neither dead nor alive was the height of absurdity, yet nevertheless the experimental confirmation of quantum mechanics forces us to this conclusion.” The last part is simply incorrect. This is an interpretation issue, not an experimental issue, and it is sorted out in different ways by more modern interpretations of quantum physics such as the ensemble interpretation and the relational interpretation of quantum physics, or via "decoherence". As for me, when I as a young student taking classes in Quantum Physics at the end of the 1980’s I adopted what was essentially a pre-cursor to the relational interpretation because of what I noticed when I tried to perform Galileo transforms on quantum wave functions. There’s no real contradiction and there are no multiple worlds (universes) needed to explain this. I’ve seen other popularizers confuse people the same way, and I think it just turns people off. Anyway, other than the above minor complaint, I think this was a very enjoyable and interesting book that I am very glad that I’ve read.

This dude was hyped about 12 years ago. This book was just him reminiscing about doing math with colleagues. The only part that was worthwhile was his experience with the Koi fish.

Even though this 360 page soft cover volume (Hyperspace: A scientific odyssey through parallel universes, time warps and the 10th dimension by Michio Kaku) is a little dated being published in 1995; nevertheless, it is still a fascinating and very informative read. First off, you should know that this is an academic written text focusing on the subject of mathematics and physics. It contains numerous illustrations explaining the various cosmological models etc. This book is organized into four parts. Part one, entering the fifth dimension covers worlds beyond space and time, mathematicians and mystics, and the man who saw the fourth dimension. Part two, unification in ten dimensions deals with Quantum heresy, Einstein’s revenge, superstrings, signals from the tenth dimension and before creation. Part three, wormholes: gateways to another universe explore black holes and parallel universes, to build a time machine, and colliding universes. The final section, masters of hyperspace, focuses on beyond the future, the fate of the universe and a conclusion. There is also a list of references and suggested reading at the end of the book. In conclusion, if you are interested with the history and development of modern physics and cosmology as it relates to our modern world this book is for you. Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Tactical Principles of the most effective Combative Systems).

It is hard to criticize much of the work which is conversational and lucid. And yet, there are substantial problems here. The author, a respected major scientist, is far from neutral here and is rather dismissive of the fact that there is no available method by which to prove the String Theory which he devotes a good part of the book to defending. It is true that the presumed 10 dimension model supports many different areas within Physics. Yet, consistency in giving the correct answer is insufficient to prove a theory. Newton's Laws worked well until Maxwell and later Einstein questioned the Principia's absolute standing. The Universe of Ptolmey in most ways, or the Geometry of Euclid were absolutes of their time. With few easy contenders, String Theory is definitely worthwhile, but the author has not chosen to show any scruples about it. Whether from the standpoint of increasing the interst of a segment of readers or not, the author also choses to digress to references to Star Trek and other Science Fiction a bit more than this reviewer feels to have been relevant. Some of the references may be seen as useful and others verge on fantasy, if not crossing well beyond the boundary. Scenarios of differing types of cultures, from our present 0 to I, II or III seem generally a bit optimistic in speculative nature at the least. The Earth and Universe might be doomed. Perhaps this is even in the purview of Physics, but projected escape measures would seem to reflect poor editing on top of some manic flight of fancy. At one point a human culture is perhaps to move through a wormhole to a fresh Universe. [I am sure that we can mess up the Universe there much less than we have here!] What I cannot fathom is whether we can transfer enough animal and plant matter with us to make some feasible ecology. What is it that we are to eat? What is it that we are to do for fabrics, for pets, for handling wastes. Perhaps as a type II or Type III civilization we have passed the need for pets or clothing or provision of Oxygen. Perhaps we can use the energy of a local Black hole emissions or some other astral energy, but what of petrochemicals for clothing materials (synthetics) or plastics. Are we to assume that culture can survive on a few Billion 'ready to eat' meals that have been brought along, if we have no ability to grow sufficient crops or herds of animals? Are we to live long as cannibals instead? And are we as such an advanced culture to thrive as a single species? Transporting a Biome to a different planet or Universe would entail logistics that have not really been addressed with any thought here or elsewhere and discussion of such fancies is so far 'over the top' as to have produced a cackle or two from me in the reading of this book.

Written in 1994, this book is over 330 pages long. It is one of Michio Kaku's more challenging works and a background in Maths or Physics (especially at degree level) would be extremely helpful in coming to grips with the complex theories in this book. Thankfully, Kaku has included numerous diagrams to help the reader grasp the difficult concepts whithin the book. Although personally I felt the book needed more mathematical equations to help illustrate and explain the theories. The topics covered include: String Theory, supergravity, GUT, Kaluza-Klein theory, the four elementary Forces, General Relativity, Special Relativity, space-time, black holes, wormholes, hyperspace, Quantum Mechanics, quantum gravity, parallel universes, time machines, Maxwell's EM equations, Euclidean geomtery, Riemann geometry and tensors. He also ponders the development of Type I-III civilizations, the fate of Humanity / our Sun / our galaxy and the Universe itself. He also explores the Big Bang and the moment in time before this momentus event. He also delves into the worlds of 2 dimensions, 4 dimesnions, 5 dimensions and ten dimensions. This book is enjoyable to read, although somewhat complex to grasp at times.

No formulas or quantum zoo. More holistic than reductionist. Focuses on the theme of higher dimensions and symmetry in the quest to generalise and unify the big and small bits of the universe. Also some fun speculation about the possibilities of time travel and escaping a dying universe. A deep thinker that cares about the philosophy of his science. Fantastic stuff.

If you're into maths or physics this is a must I'm a engineering student first year and I hate books I never read but a friend of mine said read it give it a try so I thought why not, the world's smartest people always say read books so does my dad, so I gave it a go and I am in love with this book I can't put it down bearing in mind I don't read because I hate reading, however this book is just amazing it's a must definitely. It makes you see the world at different perspectives and helps you understand higher dimensions and what uses they have and exactly how they work I am definitely going get more books like this when I finish reading the book.

Michio Kaku at his best. A modern physics classic.

Very nice

I’ve read a few of Michio Kaku’s books and I’ve really enjoyed them, which is why I decided to read this somewhat “older” book. Dr. Kaku is an excellent popularizer with a lucid and down to earth writing style and he has a modest and open minded way of approaching a subject. As the book is a little bit outdated at this point and because I have a couple of objections I rated it four stars, but it is a very “mind opening” book that I strongly recommend.The book takes us on a journey through the discovery-history of higher dimensions and the quest to unify the laws of physics. It introduces us to Riemannian geometry and explains how forces can be viewed as consequences of geometry in higher dimensions (Hyperspace) a concept that was later used in the General Theory of Relativity, Kaluza-Klein theory as well superstring theory. The laws of physics become more unified, simpler and more beautiful if you add a few dimensions. He convincingly makes the case that you can discover the secrets of the Universe by peering into Hyperspace. The book also discusses topics such as the history of modern physics, relativity, quantum physics, the standard model, GUTs, super gravity, black holes, the big bang, parallel universes, etc. Towards the end of the book he is discussing the fate of the Universe and the fate of human civilization, and the threats we face from the potential of nuclear war, global warming, and possible collisions with asteroids.The book does not go into depth on any of the multiple topics discussed. It is not that kind of a book. However, on some minor topics I found it to be misleading, particularly on the topics of parallel universes and “Schrödinger’s cat”. For example, he states on page 261 “To Schrödinger, the idea of thinking about cats that are neither dead nor alive was the height of absurdity, yet nevertheless the experimental confirmation of quantum mechanics forces us to this conclusion.” The last part is simply incorrect. This is an interpretation issue, not an experimental issue, and it is sorted out in different ways by more modern interpretations of quantum physics such as the ensemble interpretation and the relational interpretation of quantum physics, or via "decoherence". As for me, when I as a young student taking classes in Quantum Physics at the end of the 1980’s I adopted what was essentially a pre-cursor to the relational interpretation because of what I noticed when I tried to perform Galileo transforms on quantum wave functions. There’s no real contradiction and there are no multiple worlds (universes) needed to explain this. I’ve seen other popularizers confuse people the same way, and I think it just turns people off.Anyway, other than the above minor complaint, I think this was a very enjoyable and interesting book that I am very glad that I’ve read.

Even though this 360 page soft cover volume (Hyperspace: A scientific odyssey through parallel universes, time warps and the 10th dimension by Michio Kaku) is a little dated being published in 1995; nevertheless, it is still a fascinating and very informative read. First off, you should know that this is an academic written text focusing on the subject of mathematics and physics. It contains numerous illustrations explaining the various cosmological models etc.This book is organized into four parts. Part one, entering the fifth dimension covers worlds beyond space and time, mathematicians and mystics, and the man who saw the fourth dimension. Part two, unification in ten dimensions deals with Quantum heresy, Einstein’s revenge, superstrings, signals from the tenth dimension and before creation. Part three, wormholes: gateways to another universe explore black holes and parallel universes, to build a time machine, and colliding universes. The final section, masters of hyperspace, focuses on beyond the future, the fate of the universe and a conclusion. There is also a list of references and suggested reading at the end of the book.In conclusion, if you are interested with the history and development of modern physics and cosmology as it relates to our modern world this book is for you.Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Tactical Principles of the most effective Combative Systems).

It is hard to criticize much of the work which is conversational and lucid.And yet, there are substantial problems here.The author, a respected major scientist, is far from neutral here and is rather dismissive of the fact that there is no available method by which to prove the String Theory which he devotes a good part of the book to defending. It is true that the presumed 10 dimension model supports many different areas within Physics. Yet, consistency in giving the correct answer is insufficient to prove a theory. Newton's Laws worked well until Maxwell and later Einstein questioned the Principia's absolute standing. The Universe of Ptolmey in most ways, or the Geometry of Euclid were absolutes of their time. With few easy contenders, String Theory is definitely worthwhile, but the author has not chosen to show any scruples about it.Whether from the standpoint of increasing the interst of a segment of readers or not, the author also choses to digress to references to Star Trek and other Science Fiction a bit more than this reviewer feels to have been relevant. Some of the references may be seen as useful and others verge on fantasy, if not crossing well beyond the boundary.Scenarios of differing types of cultures, from our present 0 to I, II or III seem generally a bit optimistic in speculative nature at the least. The Earth and Universe might be doomed. Perhaps this is even in the purview of Physics, but projected escape measures would seem to reflect poor editing on top of some manic flight of fancy. At one point a human culture is perhaps to move through a wormhole to a fresh Universe.[I am sure that we can mess up the Universe there much less than we have here!]What I cannot fathom is whether we can transfer enough animal and plant matter with us to make some feasible ecology. What is it that we are to eat? What is it that we are to do for fabrics, for pets, for handling wastes. Perhaps as a type II or Type III civilization we have passed the need for pets or clothing or provision of Oxygen. Perhaps we can use the energy of a local Black hole emissions or some other astral energy, but what of petrochemicals for clothing materials (synthetics) or plastics. Are we to assume that culture can survive on a few Billion 'ready to eat' meals that have been brought along, if we have no ability to grow sufficient crops or herds of animals? Are we to live long as cannibals instead? And are we as such an advanced culture to thrive as a single species? Transporting a Biome to a different planet or Universe would entail logistics that have not really been addressed with any thought here or elsewhere and discussion of such fancies is so far 'over the top' as to have produced a cackle or two from me in the reading of this book.

Written in 1994, this book is over 330 pages long. It is one of Michio Kaku's more challenging works and a background in Maths or Physics (especially at degree level) would be extremely helpful in coming to grips with the complex theories in this book. Thankfully, Kaku has included numerous diagrams to help the reader grasp the difficult concepts whithin the book. Although personally I felt the book needed more mathematical equations to help illustrate and explain the theories.The topics covered include: String Theory, supergravity, GUT, Kaluza-Klein theory, the four elementary Forces, General Relativity, Special Relativity, space-time, black holes, wormholes, hyperspace, Quantum Mechanics, quantum gravity, parallel universes, time machines, Maxwell's EM equations, Euclidean geomtery, Riemann geometry and tensors.He also ponders the development of Type I-III civilizations, the fate of Humanity / our Sun / our galaxy and the Universe itself. He also explores the Big Bang and the moment in time before this momentus event. He also delves into the worlds of 2 dimensions, 4 dimesnions, 5 dimensions and ten dimensions.This book is enjoyable to read, although somewhat complex to grasp at times.

No formulas or quantum zoo. More holistic than reductionist. Focuses on the theme of higher dimensions and symmetry in the quest to generalise and unify the big and small bits of the universe. Also some fun speculation about the possibilities of time travel and escaping a dying universe. A deep thinker that cares about the philosophy of his science. Fantastic stuff.

I understood this book was used but didnt realise just how worn it was my mistake