The Art of Physics: How Science Explains Chaos, Contradictions, and the Unpredictability of Our Lives

By applying concepts from quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, cosmology, and other fields of physics, Oxford University physics graduate and now senior director of strategy at Google, Zahan Bharmal, shows how this science helps us understand the unpredictability of the Universe, interpret the results of sociological surveys, and come to terms with our own layoffs.

Why are some relationships fleeting while others last a lifetime? Why do we make irrational decisions? How does all this affect climate change? By combining stories from his own biography, facts about global processes, physical reasoning, and subtle humor, Bharmal explains the mechanics of social and other interactions in which each of us is involved. From the physics of communication with one’s own children to the application of chaos theory in predicting civilization catastrophes — this book helps find answers to key questions faced by every individual and all of humanity today.