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SPACE-TIME: the Final Frontier!!! +++++ This contents of this second book, by Dr. Brian Greene, can be determined from its title and subtitle. To locate an event in the cosmos (or in the sky), you have to determine its three coordinates in "space" and know the "time" of the event. Thus space and time are woven together to form the "fabric" of the cosmos known as space-time. Greene goes on to describe the arrangement or "texture" of this woven fabric. The author explains more about his book: "In this book, we follow three hundred years of...scientific investigation seeking answers, or at least glimpses of answers, to...basic but deep questions about the nature of the universe." One of the key questions seeking to be answered is one that is "as encompassing as it is elusive: What is reality?" The first paragraph of this review indicates that there are at least four parts to this book (the titles of each part are not necessarily the ones used in this book): PART 1: Space (4 chapters) Space is the three-dimensional, continuous expanse extending in all directions and containing all matter. The first chapter of this part is an excellent one that summarizes the entire sixteen chapters of this book. The remaining chapters of this part attempt to answer such questions as follows: (1) Is space a human abstraction or a physical entity? (2) What does it mean to be separate in an extremely tiny universe? PART 2: Time (3 chapters) Time is the means by which intervals between sequential events are measured. This part attempts to answer the following questions: (1) Does time flow? (2) Does time have only one direction? This part concludes with insights into time's nature. PART 3: Space-time & Cosmology (4 chapters) Space-time is a union of space and time originally emerging from Einstein's Special Relativity (which states that the laws of science should be the same for all freely moving observers, no matter what their speed). It can be viewed (as alluded to above) as the "fabric" out of which the universe is fashioned; it is the arena within which the events of the universe take place. Alternatively it can be viewed as the four-dimensional space whose points are events. Cosmology is the study of the universe as a whole. This part (my favorite part) deals with such topics as the evolution of the cosmos, heat, nothingness, and the arrow of time (direction in which time seems to point-from past to future). This part also attempts to answer the following question: During the Big Bang, what exactly banged? (The Big Bang is the current accepted theory of the universe's creation.) PART 4: A Possible Alternative Texture of Space-time: String Theory and the Universe (2 chapters) Parts (1, 2, and 3) above assumed the texture of space-time was composed of zero-dimensional particles (electrons, quarks, etc.). However, the first chapter of this part considers the possibility that it is composed of one-dimensional filaments called strings. For those who have read Greene's "The Elegant Universe," this first chapter can be quickly skimmed or even skipped. I was going to skip the second chapter of this part thinking it was a rehash of "The Elegant Universe." I decided not too. It turns out that this is the most interesting chapter in the entire book! It deals with speculations on space and time in M-Theory. (M-Theory is a theory that unites the five known string theories into one framework.) Don't miss this fascinating chapter! There is a fifth and last part to this book that's more imaginative and speculative: PART 5: Rethinking Space-time (3 chapters) This part deals with the following: (1) Experiments with space-time (2) Travel through space-time (3) Prospects for space-time. Even though this book is "intended primarily for the general reader" with little or no science background, I feel it would be helpful to have some basic background in physics. You will find only one equation in this book: Einstein's famous equation. Instead of mathematical details, the book relies on metaphors, analogies, stories, and excellent, informative illustrations. Another feature of this book is that when the reader reaches difficult sections, Greene warns the reader ahead of time. He provides the option of either skipping or skimming those difficult sections and only reading a brief summary of those difficult sections. (I chose, the majority of the time, the option of skipping difficult sections and reading their summaries.) This book is definitely not a rehash of Greene's "The Elegant Universe!" It's true that initial chapters cover the necessary but standard background found in "The Elegant Universe" but subsequent chapters cover a wide range of topics designed to bring readers up to date "on a number of the most tantalizing and debated advances" found in this area of science. Finally, there is a very useful glossary of scientific terms at the end of this book. This provides a succinct review of the major terms found throughout the book. In conclusion, this book can be summed up by the following equation: (SPACE + TIME = SPACETIME). To learn the cutting edge science behind the terms in this equation, you have to read this exciting book!! (first published 2004; preface; 16 chapters; main narrative of 500 pages; almost 150 illustrations; extensive notes; glossary; suggestions for further reading; index) +++++