Human Body II (Britannica Illustrated Science Library) Book

Read this exerpt from chapter five with me.

"In 1958, Jonathan Osterman (Ph.D in atomic physicts, Princeton University) began his postdoctoral research position at the Gila Flats Research Facility in the Arazona desert. There he participated in experiments probing the nature of the "intrinsic field."

The author of this book, Mr. James Kakalios goes on to explain that "Without the electromagnetic, strong, or weak forces, there is nothing to hold atoms or nuclei together, and all mater would rapidly and violently be torn apart. Unfortunately for Dr. Osterman, just such a fate befell him"

At this point I, as a reader, got really exited.

"when he was accidentally locked in the intrinsic field chamber during one such test run in 1959. Osterman, along with concrete block no. 15, which was the intended target of the day's intrinsic field removal experiment, was completely dematerialized"

No, freaking way!!!!!

"Through a process that remains poorly understood to this day, Osterman was able to re-create himself, atom by atom"

Wait, what??!!

"to become the superpowered being known as Dr. Manhattan."

HE'S A COMIC BOOK CHARACTER!??! YOU MORON I HATE YOU!!

Yup, that was the most exiting part of the book for me.

The title is misleading, perhaps there is no way to explain quantum mechanics without math but it is stupid to make a claim and then reveal it as false in the first chapter. There IS math in this book. And it's pretty importiant to understand math if you want to know what the author is talking about. In the beginning of chapter 5, as well as the rest of the book, the author just kind of assumes you understand what he's talking about. And that makes this book difficult to understand.

The book kind of assumes your not ignorant about the world of comic book heroes...or physics.

Because I am a curious person, I have looked up information about things like the Schrodinger equation before. I was able to scrape by...but barely! I still don't have it all figured out.

I'd say this book was entertaining, but unless you have some previous knowledge of physics don't even bother.