Space, time, gravitation

An historical survey of our ideas about space, time and gravitation* In three chapters, the authors consider how space and time were perceived from ancient times to the present (as marked by the publication of Einstein’s theory of relativity), how they are now perceived, and finally how this field of mathematics and physics might develop in the future.

Although there are many presentations of our current understanding of this subject on the market, the topics covered in the second chapter of the book are not those usually examined. However, the main difference between this and other popularizations is the third chapter, in which the authors try get to grips with subjects such as cosmological singularities, generalizations of Einstein’s gravitational theory, the quantization of gravitational fields, and the dimensionality of space-time.

Written for students and professionals specializing in physics or related sciences.