Einstein's Fridge: How the Difference Between Hot and Cold Explains the Universe
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- Create Date：2021-04-30 10:52:02
- Update Date：2025-09-07
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- Author：Paul Sen
- ISBN：1501181300
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Summary
An entertaining， eye-opening account of the extraordinary team of innovators who discovered the laws of thermodynamics essential to understanding the world today—from refrigeration and jet engines to calorie counting and global warming—for fans of How We Got to Now and A Short History of Nearly Everything。
Einstein’s Fridge tells the incredible epic story of the scientists who， over two centuries， harnessed the power of heat and ice and formulated a theory essential to comprehending our universe。 Thermodynamics—the branch of physics that deals with energy and entropy—is the least known and yet most consequential of all the sciences。 It governs everything from the behavior of living cells to the black hole at the center of our galaxy。 Not only that， but thermodynamics explains why we must eat and breathe， how lights turn on， the limits of computing， and how the universe will end。
The brilliant people who decoded its laws came from every branch of the sciences; they were engineers， physicists， chemists， biologists， cosmologists， and mathematicians。 From French military engineer and physicist Sadi Carnot to Lord Kelvin， James Joule， Albert Einstein， Emmy Noether， Alan Turing， and Stephen Hawking， author Paul Sen introduces us to all of the players who passed the baton of scientific progress through time and across nations。 Incredibly driven and idealistic， these brave pioneers performed groundbreaking work often in the face of torment and tragedy。 Their discoveries helped create the modern world and transformed every branch of science， from biology to cosmology。
Einstein’s Fridge brings to life one of the most important scientific revolutions of all time and captures the thrill of discovery and the power of scientific progress to shape the course of history。
Einstein’s Fridge tells the incredible epic story of the scientists who， over two centuries， harnessed the power of heat and ice and formulated a theory essential to comprehending our universe。 Thermodynamics—the branch of physics that deals with energy and entropy—is the least known and yet most consequential of all the sciences。 It governs everything from the behavior of living cells to the black hole at the center of our galaxy。 Not only that， but thermodynamics explains why we must eat and breathe， how lights turn on， the limits of computing， and how the universe will end。
The brilliant people who decoded its laws came from every branch of the sciences; they were engineers， physicists， chemists， biologists， cosmologists， and mathematicians。 From French military engineer and physicist Sadi Carnot to Lord Kelvin， James Joule， Albert Einstein， Emmy Noether， Alan Turing， and Stephen Hawking， author Paul Sen introduces us to all of the players who passed the baton of scientific progress through time and across nations。 Incredibly driven and idealistic， these brave pioneers performed groundbreaking work often in the face of torment and tragedy。 Their discoveries helped create the modern world and transformed every branch of science， from biology to cosmology。
Einstein’s Fridge brings to life one of the most important scientific revolutions of all time and captures the thrill of discovery and the power of scientific progress to shape the course of history。
Reviews
Drtaxsacto
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This book is supposed to be a discussion of Thermodynamics。 In the end it is more。 Sen presents an entertaining history of science which goes beyond the bounds of "explaining the difference between hot and cold explains the universe。" The book has a very good section on information science including sections on Claude Shannon and Alan Turing。I will admit I have never been much interested in the origin or ending of the universe。 But my brother recommended the book to me。 I've read something about This book is supposed to be a discussion of Thermodynamics。 In the end it is more。 Sen presents an entertaining history of science which goes beyond the bounds of "explaining the difference between hot and cold explains the universe。" The book has a very good section on information science including sections on Claude Shannon and Alan Turing。I will admit I have never been much interested in the origin or ending of the universe。 But my brother recommended the book to me。 I've read something about the theories （including the discussions of entropy here） but it is just not a subject that holds my attention。 The horizon of both the creation of the universe and its end are a bit remote for me。 In addition， I am a skeptic of any idea that is not subject to reversibility。 If entropy is indeed the direction of the universe then how did the Big Bang happen？ But again the logic here is not important。 That's fine， I know a lot of people who aren't interested in thinking about the effects of changes in the tax code。Sen has an ability to combine clarity in the discussion of the theory with insights about each of the bright people who came up with the ideas。 His basic description of the elements that went into Shannon's understanding of information theory were especially interesting for me。 。。。more
Penni
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This is supposed to be a layman's book on thermodynamics。 Unfortunately， 5 chapters in， it's a book。 It's about a scientist。 Some thermodynamics so far， but all of it ploddingly boring。The key to getting a layperson's book right is to be engaging。 This is supposed to be a layman's book on thermodynamics。 Unfortunately， 5 chapters in， it's a book。 It's about a scientist。 Some thermodynamics so far， but all of it ploddingly boring。The key to getting a layperson's book right is to be engaging。 。。。more
Todd
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This book is only tangentially about the patent for a refrigerator that Einstein and Leo Szilard created。 It’s a popular treatment that is best described as a biography of thermodynamics。 Thermo may not have the appeal of other “big picture” popular science topics like the big bang and artificial intelligence， but it’s the foundation upon which all of science and technology stands。 Paul Sen’s treatment of thermo’s history and importance is well worth your time。
Luis Brudna
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Um longo percurso de Carnot até os buracos negros。 O livro é quase todo focado na história da termodinâmica （energia）。Algumas （poucas） partes foram um tanto massantes。
BlackOxford
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Three Cheers For ThinkingAccording to Sen， scientists are great guys （almost exclusively guys） and the unrecognised heroes of history （as opposed to politicians and other notables）。 They have revealed to us the truth about the universe and how it works。 Their prophecies should be heeded。 So his book is a sort of modern hagiography of the secular saints of that field which he believes is the most enduring and useful of all the sciences， namely thermodynamics。 Of interest to me however are the imp Three Cheers For ThinkingAccording to Sen， scientists are great guys （almost exclusively guys） and the unrecognised heroes of history （as opposed to politicians and other notables）。 They have revealed to us the truth about the universe and how it works。 Their prophecies should be heeded。 So his book is a sort of modern hagiography of the secular saints of that field which he believes is the most enduring and useful of all the sciences， namely thermodynamics。 Of interest to me however are the implications of Sean’s intellectual biographies for the philosophy of science。A great deal of practical progress has been made by being wrong。 For example， one of Sean’s heroes is Nicolas Carnot， the man he considers the founder of thermodynamics。 Like Newton’s theory of gravity， which is conceptually incorrect but useful in sending astronauts to the moon; and Michael Faraday’s theory of electricity， which was equally wrong， but allowed the extensive development of electric motor technology， Carnot’s theory of heat is actually incoherent。 Yet his ideas form the basis for an entire science。I think it’s important to recognise that these people were not just a bit wrong in their thinking so that a little tinkering with their ideas could correct their errors。 They were fundamentally in error。 Carnot’s ‘caloric’ theory of heat turned out to be nonsense。 It was replaced by an entirely different conceptual description， which in turn gave way to yet further fundamental changes in thermodynamic theory。 The fact that each wave of theory produced greater practical results masks the uncontested fact fact that all previous thinking was shown to be wrong in its essentials。 Not just wrong in details， or wrong in the level of specificity or conceptual expression。 They were completely misguided。At least they were misguided in terms of subsequent scientific developments。 Each epoch of development represented a decisive conceptual break， a discontinuity， with the past。 The theories of Josiah Gibbs and Pierre Duhem， for example share almost nothing with that of Carnot。 It is the case that they allow much more to be accomplished。 Pragmatist philosophers would like us to believe therefore that later theories are closer to the truth of more congruent with reality than previous theories。 This despite the fact that every previous conceptual expression has a view of reality that is contrary to latest thinking。In other words， what constitutes reality is constantly changing in science。 Reality is whatever we think of as reality lately。 We know that this reality will not be the one that survives the next conceptual revolution。 There is nothing else against which to measure our conceptions except the next set of conceptions， which will always claim authority because they produce more results。 But aside from that， they have no claim at all to a better description of reality， much less the truth of those descriptions。Sen makes his intention in re-telling the story of the development of thermodynamics clear。 “This book is an argument that the history of science is the history that matters，” he says。 I think he’s right。 But what I find incomprehensible about the book is that he also thinks that history matters because of great minds。 What clearly matters， according to his account， is not the individual minds， great or not， but the historical community of scientists and engineers within which a continuous conversation about ‘heat’ has taken place。 The fact that the topic had no fixed meaning within this conversation is it’s most remarkable feature。Thermodynamics has obviously given us power。 But this power is the result of talking， not a better understanding of the universe。 Arguably， given the paradoxes and inconsistencies of modern physics， our conception of the real is as primitive as that of the early Greek philosophers。 Yet， Sen is keen to quote Einstein who said of thermodynamics， “It is the only physical theory of universal content， which I am convinced… will never be overthrown。” Perhaps， but doesn’t Einstein sound more than a bit like Lord Kelvin in his late 19th century pronouncement that Newtonian physics had almost completed a final description of the universe？ Regarding the Pragmatist objection that we now can do much more than we have ever done before because of our scientific knowledge: all one can say is that all the results aren’t in yet。 As Sen says， “The story of thermodynamics is not only one about how humans acquire scientific knowledge， it is also about how that knowledge is shaped by and， in turn， shapes society。” He shows how scientific knowledge is achieved haphazardly， and that knowledge effects society with at least as much randomness。 Yet he professes no sense of humility much less awe about our condition of fundamental ignorance。 We actually have no idea what future science will reveal。 But we do know based on experience that it too will remain ignorant of whatever is ‘there。’So success is whatever passes for success。 And people like Sen are there as boosters and cheerleaders。 His account of scientists and their breakthroughs is at times fascinating。 But his assessment of what all this thought means， I find simply banal。 It is only vaguely interesting that Einstein designed a safer refrigerator。 There are so much more important things to say about science and scientists， don’t you think？ 。。。more
Floyd
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Paul Sen has created a fascinating book discussing the history of physics from the mid-19th century to the present as he takes the reader on a journey through the development of the field of thermodynamics。During our journey we meet men and women who shaped this new field of study。 Some of those we meet are well-known （e。g。 James Watt）， some are well-known for their contributions in other fields （e。g。 Alan Turing）， and some are more obscure （e。g。 Emmy Noether）。 Regardless of their reputation， ea Paul Sen has created a fascinating book discussing the history of physics from the mid-19th century to the present as he takes the reader on a journey through the development of the field of thermodynamics。During our journey we meet men and women who shaped this new field of study。 Some of those we meet are well-known （e。g。 James Watt）， some are well-known for their contributions in other fields （e。g。 Alan Turing）， and some are more obscure （e。g。 Emmy Noether）。 Regardless of their reputation， each contributed significantly to the body of knowledge we now know as thermodynamics。Focusing on the people， the book is not a mathematical monograph， but uses a series of thought experiments to help his readers understand the growth of this subfield of physics。 It was interesting how new ideas grew upon each other and， occasionally， folded back on an earlier researcher to again further the world’s understanding of the relationship between heat and cold。 The book will be appreciated by anyone with a basic high school or college freshman physics course under their belt。Two notes found in the Epilogue of the book help the reader understand the author's intention of writing this work:At its heart， this book is a celebration that between 1850 and today the science of heat has played a vital role in promoting the greatest improvement in the human condition in our species’ entire history。 -----------------------------------The main obstacle to dealing with climate change isn’t scientific。 Instead， it’s political and emotional。 While some refuse to accept that the problem exists， others refuse to accept the solutions。 That brings me back to why I wanted to write this book。 Now， more than ever， it’s important that all of us have a basic grasp of the science of heat， so that we can make sensible and informed decisions about how best to ensure progress while preserving or improving living conditions fo fellow humans without ruining the environment。 Should we commit to nuclear energy？ Should we drive electric cars？ How much tax should we pay on petrol， and how much should we subsidize wind farms？ We will be in no position to answer these vitally important questions unless we have a basic understanding of the laws of thermodynamics。Weaving together Carnot’s basic understanding of heat， Turing's application of information theory and embryology， and Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity， as well as the work of many others， I give the book five stars。_____________This review is based on a free electronic copy provided by the publisher for the purpose of creating this review。 The opinions are mine alone。 。。。more
Paperclippe
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