Black Bodies and Quantum Cats

Jennifer Ouellette skillfully blends science and popular culture to shed vibrant new light upon some of the most revolutionary scientific inventions in the history of mankind. Addams Family Values illustrate Newton’s laws, Back to the Future demonstrates the finer points of special relativity, and Jeannette Winterson’s novel Gut Symmetries provides an elegant metaphorical framework for string theory. By combining colourful historical details with literature, art,and music, this book proves that physics is not arcane or even very scary, but is instead an exciting and profoundly human endeavour—and a fundamental part of our everyday world.