Steven Weinberg - Nobel Prize in Physics, 1979 (20 books)
STEVEN WEINBERG (1933–2021) was an American theoretical physicist who is widely considered to be among the preeminent physicists of his time. He shared the 1979 Nobel Prize in Physics with Sheldon Glashow and Abdus Salam for their work in formulating the electroweak theory, which explains the unity of electromagnetism with the weak nuclear force. It became a foundation of the standard model of particle physics, the theory that describes all known fundamental particles and forces in the universe.
After completing his PhD at Princeton in 1957, Weinberg did research in a variety of topics of particle physics, such as the high energy behavior of quantum field theory, symmetry breaking, pion scattering, infrared photons and quantum gravity. His work on "effective field theories" redefined the focus of work in quantum field theory and influenced attempts to find a viable quantum theory of gravity. He was a founder of the concept of "chiral perturbation theory" as a mathematical approach to understanding aspects of the strong nuclear force.
In addition to his ground-breaking research, Weinberg is known for a series of highly praised textbooks on various aspects of physics, combining exceptional physical insight with a gift for clear exposition. When his landmark GRAVITATION AND COSMOLOGY (1972) first appeared, high-energy particle physics and cosmology were regarded as distinct subjects, with different cultures and communities. After Weinberg knocked down the barriers, a new generation prospered in the border zone. THE QUANTUM THEORY OF FIELDS (3 vols., 1995) is often regarded as the leading book in the field. Another major strand in Weinberg’s work was physical cosmology. FOUNDATIONS OF MODERN PHYSICS (2021) describes the foundations of modern physics in their historical context and with some new derivations, introducing topics ranging from early applications of atomic theory through thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, transport theory, special relativity, quantum mechanics, nuclear physics, and quantum field theory.
Weinberg also wrote prolifically about science in popular books and publications such as the New York Review of Books and other leading periodicals. He was passionate about the history of science and communicating science to the public. His first popular book — THE FIRST THREE MINUTES: A MODERN VIEW OF THE ORIGIN OF THE UNIVERSE (1977) — became an instant classic and proved profoundly influential for both the general public and professional researchers. In DREAMS OF A FINAL THEORY (1992), Weinberg eloquently expounded on the notion of "beauty" in physics, stressing that it’s not a capricious aesthetic judgement, but a reflection of the incredible rigidity of physical laws and the ever greater sense of inevitability associated with the way they explain the world. In his later years he became an authoritative historian of science, his gravitas and wisdom making him a respected commentator on scientific policy as well as social issues.
Weinberg won numerous academic honors and awards throughout his career, including the 1991 National Medal of Science, the Heinemann Prize in Mathematical Physics, and the 2020 Breakthrough Prize. He was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, Britain's Royal Society, the American Philosophical Society, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
In addition to 230 papers (all PDF), the following books are in ePUB and/or PDF as indicated:
* Cosmology (Oxford, 2008) – PDF * Discovery of Subatomic Particles [revised edn] (Cambridge, 2003) – PDF * Dreams of a Final Theory (Vintage, 1994) – ePUB * Elementary Particles & the Laws of Physics (Cambridge, 1987) – ePUB+PDF * Facing Up: Science and Its Cultural Adversaries (Harvard, 2001) – PDF * The First Three Minutes (Flamingo, 1983) – PDF * Foundations of Modern Physics (Cambridge, 2021) – ePUB + PDF * Glory and Terror: The Growing Nuclear Danger (NYRB, 2004) – PDF * Gravitation and Cosmology (Wiley, 1972) – PDF * Lake Views: This World and the Universe (Harvard, 2009) – ePUB * Lectures on Astrophysics (Cambridge, 2020) – ePUB + PDF * Lectures on Quantum Mechanics, 2e (Cambridge, 2015) – ePUB + PDF * Quantum Theory of Fields, Vol. 1: Foundations (Cambridge, 2005) – ePUB + PDF * Quantum Theory of Fields, Vol. 2: Modern Applications (Cambridge, 2005) – ePUB + PDF * Quantum Theory of Fields, Vol. 3: Supersymmetry (Cambridge, 2005) – ePUB + PDF * Third Thoughts (Harvard, 2018) – ePUB + PDF * To Explain the World: The Discovery of Modern Science (HarperCollins, 2015) – ePUB
== EDITOR ==
* Dark Matter in the Universe, 2e (World Scientific, 2004) – PDF * Physics in Higher Dimensions (World Scientific, 1986) – PDF * Statistical Mechanics of Membranes & Surfaces, 2e (World Scientific, 2004) – PDF
