Reviews

Physics on the Fringe: Smoke Rings, Circlons, and Alternative Theories of Everything by Margaret Wertheim

cloramagone's review

challenging informative inspiring reflective

5.0

-somewhere between pop science, philosophy of science, and history of science. i argue the fringe theoretical physics theories contained herein should be considered science fiction to a degree.
-this book obliterated my worldview and opened not only my 3rd eye, but also the 4th and 5th ones.
-i love reading about theoretical physics and cosmology but i've always been alienated by the fact that i can never fully understand them without at least a phd in topology or quantum physics. the author makes a really good point: to the average person, a science crackpot's alternative physics theories on spring-shaped atoms is functionally no different from stephen hawking's theoretical physics theories on black holes.
-lots of excellent philosophical musings on the philosophy of science. specifically:
- 1) is science a field that advances through linear progression towards a greater truth, or is it more nonlinear and creative like art?; and 
- 2) should science and modern physics experiments be kept only to a small group of very well-educated "elite", or should science be democratized so that any person with a theory to test can be allowed to conduct the experiment and to receive peer feedback?
-along with great summaries of current physics theories and alternative physics theories, the author offers a tasteful selection of summaries of superseded science theories, including my favorite, the vortex atom theory.

mjb2022's review

3.0

There were several good points the pros and cons of being an outsider to the field of physics.The author pointed out the reasons why most "outsider" physicist ideas and theories are rejected by the "insider" physicists. I especially enjoyed reading about Jim Carter and his experiments to test his theories. He did have a lot of creative ideas, give credit for that. His only problem was his unwillingness to read up on the history of physics and what was done in the past and what actually might need more researching and testing. It is a waste of time and energy to try to refute established theories that most insider scientist regards as scientific "truths". It is also interesting to note the author comments about artists and writers having credentials and that trend will continue which also is resulting in the explosions of artist and writers who are outside the mainstreams as is happening with the physics community. If one wants to pursue physics as a hobby I think they should at least read up on the subjects their interested in first and then learn to do the mathematics. There are used college textbooks at all levels that one could buy and study on their own. I think a lot more could be accomplished in the field if both groups of insiders and outsiders could design programs, and projects that would contribute to the advancement of the sciences rather than be the exclusive elite of one group over the other. Another idea would be to have an "insider" physicist become a mentor for those individuals who are genuinely interested in doing physic that would be useful to the scientific community. For the most part the book is a helpful understanding the difference between the two groups. Something to think more about.

rivqa's review

4.0

I'll be reviewing this for COSMOS.

valdelane's review

4.0

On one channel this is a charming story about one "outsider's" earnest, lifelong struggle to make a rational, approachable relationship with the universe. On another channel it's about anyone's right to make another theory and question the establishment when it has gone off into the weeds. After all, modern "insider" string theory is every bit as bizarre and untestable as any "outsider" physics. On yet another channel there is an aesthetic, philosophical, sometimes even visceral pleasure in observing _anyone_ find their way to the next level, where ever they perceive that to be.