Puzzles to Unravel the Universe

Beneath all of the complex and formidable mathematical structures that formulate physical laws rest simple but deep nuggets of truth. It is these simple truths, and not the complicated technical details, that scientists strive for when uncovering the laws of nature. Fortunately, these core ideas can often be illustrated with simple mathematical puzzles. These puzzles are so simplified that one can tackle them and appreciate their meaning without using any complicated math. This book aims to take the reader on a journey to unravel the laws of the universe through fun puzzles. This book includes over a hundred puzzles and their solutions, along with discussion about how they relate to deep ideas in physics and math. Examples are drawn from classical physics, such as Newton's laws and Einstein's theory of relativity, as well as from modern physics, including black holes and string theory. This book is designed for the general public, and it does not require extensive background in mathematics or physics--just a sense of curiosity! About the Author: Cumrun Vafa is the Hollis Professor of Mathematicks and Natural Philosophy in the Physics Department at Harvard University, where he has been teaching and researching theoretical physics since 1985. Professor Vafa is world-renowned for his groundbreaking work in string theory. He is one of the founders of the duality revolution in string theory, which has reshaped our understanding of the fundamental laws of the universe. Professor Vafa has received numerous prizes and recognitions for his work on theoretical physics, including the 2017 Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics and the 2008 Dirac Medal from the ICTP.