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A fascinating exploration of the science of the impossible—from death rays and force fields to invisibility cloaks—revealing to what extent such technologies might be achievable decades or millennia into the future.

One hundred years ago, scientists would have said that lasers, televisions, and the atomic bomb were beyond the realm of physical possibility. In Physics of the Impossible, the renowned physicist Michio Kaku explores to what extent the technologies and devices of science fiction that are deemed equally impossible today might well become commonplace in the future.

From teleportation to telekinesis, Kaku uses the world of science fiction to explore the fundamentals—and the limits—of the laws of physics as we know them today. He ranks the impossible technologies by categories—Class I, II, and III, depending on when they might be achieved, within the next century, millennia, or perhaps never. In a compelling and thought-provoking narrative, he explains:
· How the science of optics and electromagnetism may one day enable us to bend light around an object, like a stream flowing around a boulder, making the object invisible to observers “downstream”
· How ramjet rockets, laser sails, antimatter engines, and nanorockets may one day take us to the nearby stars
· How telepathy and psychokinesis, once considered pseudoscience, may one day be possible using advances in MRI, computers, superconductivity, and nanotechnology
· Why a time machine is apparently consistent with the known laws of quantum physics, although it would take an unbelievably advanced civilization to actually build one
Kaku uses his discussion of each technology as a jumping-off point to explain the science behind it. An extraordinary scientific adventure, Physics of the Impossible takes readers on an unforgettable, mesmerizing journey into the world of science that both enlightens and entertains.

Average Customer Rating:

new	Customer Rating:
this book is very interesting..in a few years we will thank kaku for formulating the 'impossible'

Inspiring and Enlightening

Customer Rating:

Dr. Kaku presents another outstanding book to expand our minds to endless possibilities. Why limit ourselves when we need, more than ever, to think out of the box, and ask the big "what if" questions. In my own writing, vis-i-vis, The Ninth Cube, I have tried to answer these questions, alot of them inspired from the work of Dr. Kaku. I throughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. Great job, Michio!

Great examples that make scientific terminology digestible

Customer Rating:

I have a very high respect for Mr. Kaku's work. The first book I read from him was 'Hyperspace' and became immediately his fan. 'Physics of the Impossible' is another exceptional work. Like Brian Greene's 'Fabric Of The Cosmos', the book is full of great examples, details that are easily visualized and exciting historical facts that make the scientific terminology digestible. Mr. Kaku helps the readers by smartly classifying the 'impossibilities' (such as time travel and teleportation) and gives estimates as to when these may become 'possible'. The book is very engaging and I highly recommend it.

Mickey Cuckoo does it again

Customer Rating:

More science fiction rubbish from Mickey. Page after page of references to past TV shows, movies, etc. After starting to read the book I switched to the 'browse mode' jumping chapters in order to find something educational and worthwhile. As my frustration grew, I remembered the Japanese custom in WWII of burying American prisoners up to their necks and then using their heads for polo practice. I imagined Mickey in such a situation and it gave me some relief. Finally, I shelved the book as not worth my time. Mickey reminds me of Carl Sagan who was so unsure of his Physics that he asked Feynman to review each of his books before publication in order to avoid an embarrassing humiliation.

Good Book	Customer Rating:
This is the first book that I have read by Michio Kaku and I am now a fan. I enjoyed the book and the way that the author explains things by linking them through science fiction. There were a few chapters where I expected more information or more detail. Overall an entertaining read.