Atom Land
A Guided Tour through the Strange (and Impossibly Small) World of Particle Physics

Name: Atom Land
Brand: Blackstone Audiobooks
Availability: InStock
Author: Jon Butterworth
ISBN: 9781538515334

Author: Jon Butterworth

Narrator: Wayne Forester

Unabridged: 6 hr 35 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

Published: 04/03/2018

Categories: Nonfiction, Science, Physics

Synopsis

Atom Land brings the impossibly small world of particle physics to life, taking listeners on a guided journey through the subatomic world. Listeners will sail the subatomic seas in search of electron ports, boson continents, and hadron islands. The sea itself is the quantum field, complete with quantum waves. Beware dark energy and extra dimensions, embodied by fantastical sea creatures prowling the far edges of the known world.Your tour guide through this whimsical—and highly instructive— world is Jon Butterworth, leading physicist at CERN (the epicenter of today’s greatest findings in physics). Over a series of journeys, he shows how everything fits together, and how a grasp of particle physics is key to unlocking a deeper understanding of many of the most profound mysteries—and science’s possible answers—in the known universe.

About Jon Butterworth

Jon Butterworth, author of Most Wanted Particle, among other books, is one of the leading physicists on the Large Hadron Collider and is head of physics and astronomy at University College London. He writes the popular Life and Physics blog for the Guardian and has written articles for a range of publications, including the Guardian and New Scientist.

About Wayne Forester

Wayne Forester is an actor and voice-over artist known for his work on Captain Scarlet, Timesplitters: Future Perfect, Renaissance, and The Fimbles. He is a keen private pilot and in his spare time he enjoys flying light aircraft, his preferred mode of transport. He lives in London with his wife Béatrice and their daughter Amélie.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Kara on April 04, 2018

Ben is still split on this one, folks. Atom Land: A Guided Tour Through the Strange (And Impossibly Small) World of Particle Physics tries to teach us about … well, particle physics. Specifically, Jon Butterworth takes us on a tour of the different particles in the Standard Model of physics, explain......more

Goodreads review by Jim on October 31, 2017

I am obliged to The Experiment (independent publisher) for providing me an Advance Reader Copy of the American edition through NetGalley. This is a wonderful book. I quickly grew tired of the travel metaphor that Prof. Butterworth uses, but shed that imagined weariness when he got into weak forces an......more

Goodreads review by Jonathan on February 18, 2021

I won't pretend to understand all of the concepts put forth in this book. However, the author did an amazing job of utilizing narrative and analogies to make this book accessible to those of us who are interested in physics but that don't have the necessary toolset to understand what is going on in......more

Goodreads review by David on March 12, 2022

This is a surprisingly difficult book, although one of the best of its kind. The author construes the whole realm of quantum physics as a gigantic map (Atom Land) through which we travel as we learn the concepts of quantum mechanics and particle physics. Now, considering the complexity of the materi......more

Goodreads review by Rohit on February 26, 2019

I'm giving this book four stars, but I think this is more or less a must-read for laymen interested in learning more about particle physics. The author does a good job of explaining what he's talking about, especially when he strays from the simile of his map. This is the major failing of this book -......more

Quotes

“Wayne Forester narrates in a perfectly appropriate affable style that sounds more like friendly storytelling than scientific explanation. His pace is steady, giving the listener a bit of time to process the information. The text includes only a few equations, and they do not intrude often enough to spoil the listening experience…[A] solidly clear presentation of the quantum world.” AudioFile

“An amusing journey through the obscure world of particle physics…illuminates the murkiest of concepts.” Scientific American

“[A] bracing voyage into particle physics, captained by experimental physicist Jon Butterworth…Sea legs achieved, you’re ready for wilder shores, such as the Dirac—Milne universe.” Nature

“Butterworth describes with clarity, humor, and enthusiasm the lie of the land at the ultimate frontier. You will not find a better tour guide.” Times Higher Education (London)

“Take a tour through the subatomic world with a leading physicist at CERN as he explains the electron ports, boson continents, and hadron islands you see along the way.” New York Times Book Review

“A charming, informative overview…Make[s] learning about this field almost effortless.” Library Journal (starred review)

“Butterworth expertly handles even the thorniest theories and will satisfy world-weary scientists and amateur physics aficionados alike.” Publishers Weekly

Awards

Amazon Best Book of the Month
Audible Pick

Atom Land A Guided Tour through the Strange (and Impossibly Small) World of Particle Physics