Reality Is Not What It Seems
The Journey to Quantum Gravity
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wish list failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $29.64
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Roy McMillan
About this listen
From the New York Times best-selling author of Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, The Order of Time, and Helgoland, a closer look at the mind-bending nature of the Universe.
What are the elementary ingredients of the world? Do time and space exist? And what exactly is reality? Theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli has spent his life exploring these questions. He tells us how our understanding of reality has changed over the centuries and how physicists think about the structure of the Universe today.
In elegant and accessible prose, Rovelli takes us on a wondrous journey from Democritus to Albert Einstein, from Michael Faraday to gravitational waves, and from classical physics to his own work in quantum gravity. As he shows us how the idea of reality has evolved over time, Rovelli offers deeper explanations of the theories he introduced so concisely in Seven Brief Lessons on Physics.
This audiobook culminates in a lucid overview of quantum gravity, the field of research that explores the quantum nature of space and time, seeking to unify quantum mechanics, and general relativity. Rovelli invites us to imagine a marvelous world where space breaks up into tiny grains, time disappears at the smallest scales, and black holes are waiting to explode - a vast universe still largely undiscovered.
©2017 Carlo Rovelli (P)2017 Penguin AudioYou may also enjoy...
-
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Carlo Rovelli
- Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This playful, entertaining, and mind-bending introduction to modern physics briskly explains Einstein's general relativity, quantum mechanics, elementary particles, gravity, black holes, the complex architecture of the Universe, and the role humans play in this weird and wonderful world. Carlo Rovelli, a renowned theoretical physicist, is a delightfully poetic and philosophical scientific guide. He takes us to the frontiers of our knowledge: To the most minute reaches of the fabric of space, back to the origins of the cosmos, and into the workings of our minds.
-
-
Beautiful text, terrible to listen to
- By Jenna on 2019-04-05
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
Einstein's Unfinished Revolution
- The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum
- Written by: Lee Smolin
- Narrated by: Katharine Lee McEwan
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A daring new vision of quantum theory from one of the leading minds of contemporary physics. In Einstein's Unfinished Revolution, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin provocatively argues that the problems that have bedeviled quantum physics since its inception are unsolved and unsolvable, for the simple reason that the theory is incomplete.
-
-
Fantastic, interesting, inspiring.
- By Anonymous User on 2019-07-09
Written by: Lee Smolin
-
Memories, Dreams, Reflections
- Written by: C.G. Jung
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1957, four years before his death, Carl Gustav Jung, psychiatrist and psychologist, began writing his life story. But what started as an exercise in autobiography soon morphed into an altogether more profound undertaking. The result is an absorbing piece of self-analysis: a frank statement of faith, philosophy, and principles from one of the great explorers of the human mind.
-
-
Strange, tedious at times, but captivating in parts and overall worthwhile
- By Anonymous User on 2019-11-03
Written by: C.G. Jung
-
Space Oddities
- The Mysterious Anomalies Challenging Our Understanding of the Universe
- Written by: Harry Cliff
- Narrated by: Harry Cliff
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Something strange is going on in the cosmos. Scientists are uncovering a catalogue of weird phenomena that simply can’t be explained by our long-established theories of the universe. After decades of fruitless searching, could we finally be catching glimpses of a profound new view of our physical world? Or are we being fooled by cruel tricks of the data? In Space Oddities, Harry Cliff, a physicist who does cutting-edge work on the Large Hadron Collider, provides a riveting look at the universe’s most confounding puzzles.
-
-
This was great!!!!
- By Amazon Customer on 2025-01-26
Written by: Harry Cliff
-
Helgoland
- Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli, Erica Segre - translator, Simon Carnell - translator
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the world's most renowned theoretical physicists, Carlo Rovelli has entranced millions of readers with his singular perspective on the cosmos. In Helgoland, he examines the enduring enigma of quantum theory. The quantum world Rovelli describes is as beautiful as it is unnerving. Helgoland is a treeless island in the North Sea where the 23-year-old Werner Heisenberg made the crucial breakthrough for the creation of quantum mechanics, setting off a century of scientific revolution.
-
-
An interesting presentation, but missed my expectations
- By Andrew on 2023-09-08
Written by: Carlo Rovelli, and others
-
The Order of Time
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Benedict Cumberbatch
- Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In lyric, accessible prose, Carlo Rovelli invites us to consider questions about the nature of time that continue to puzzle physicists and philosophers alike. For most listeners, this is unfamiliar terrain. We all experience time, but the more scientists learn about it, the more mysterious it appears. We think of it as uniform and universal, moving steadily from past to future, measured by clocks. Rovelli tears down these assumptions one by one, revealing a strange universe where, at the most fundamental level, time disappears.
-
-
More like this please
- By Jihane Mriouah on 2019-04-19
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Carlo Rovelli
- Length: 1 hr and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This playful, entertaining, and mind-bending introduction to modern physics briskly explains Einstein's general relativity, quantum mechanics, elementary particles, gravity, black holes, the complex architecture of the Universe, and the role humans play in this weird and wonderful world. Carlo Rovelli, a renowned theoretical physicist, is a delightfully poetic and philosophical scientific guide. He takes us to the frontiers of our knowledge: To the most minute reaches of the fabric of space, back to the origins of the cosmos, and into the workings of our minds.
-
-
Beautiful text, terrible to listen to
- By Jenna on 2019-04-05
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
Einstein's Unfinished Revolution
- The Search for What Lies Beyond the Quantum
- Written by: Lee Smolin
- Narrated by: Katharine Lee McEwan
- Length: 10 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A daring new vision of quantum theory from one of the leading minds of contemporary physics. In Einstein's Unfinished Revolution, theoretical physicist Lee Smolin provocatively argues that the problems that have bedeviled quantum physics since its inception are unsolved and unsolvable, for the simple reason that the theory is incomplete.
-
-
Fantastic, interesting, inspiring.
- By Anonymous User on 2019-07-09
Written by: Lee Smolin
-
Memories, Dreams, Reflections
- Written by: C.G. Jung
- Narrated by: James Cameron Stewart
- Length: 16 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 1957, four years before his death, Carl Gustav Jung, psychiatrist and psychologist, began writing his life story. But what started as an exercise in autobiography soon morphed into an altogether more profound undertaking. The result is an absorbing piece of self-analysis: a frank statement of faith, philosophy, and principles from one of the great explorers of the human mind.
-
-
Strange, tedious at times, but captivating in parts and overall worthwhile
- By Anonymous User on 2019-11-03
Written by: C.G. Jung
-
Space Oddities
- The Mysterious Anomalies Challenging Our Understanding of the Universe
- Written by: Harry Cliff
- Narrated by: Harry Cliff
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Something strange is going on in the cosmos. Scientists are uncovering a catalogue of weird phenomena that simply can’t be explained by our long-established theories of the universe. After decades of fruitless searching, could we finally be catching glimpses of a profound new view of our physical world? Or are we being fooled by cruel tricks of the data? In Space Oddities, Harry Cliff, a physicist who does cutting-edge work on the Large Hadron Collider, provides a riveting look at the universe’s most confounding puzzles.
-
-
This was great!!!!
- By Amazon Customer on 2025-01-26
Written by: Harry Cliff
-
Helgoland
- Making Sense of the Quantum Revolution
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli, Erica Segre - translator, Simon Carnell - translator
- Narrated by: David Rintoul
- Length: 4 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the world's most renowned theoretical physicists, Carlo Rovelli has entranced millions of readers with his singular perspective on the cosmos. In Helgoland, he examines the enduring enigma of quantum theory. The quantum world Rovelli describes is as beautiful as it is unnerving. Helgoland is a treeless island in the North Sea where the 23-year-old Werner Heisenberg made the crucial breakthrough for the creation of quantum mechanics, setting off a century of scientific revolution.
-
-
An interesting presentation, but missed my expectations
- By Andrew on 2023-09-08
Written by: Carlo Rovelli, and others
-
The Order of Time
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Benedict Cumberbatch
- Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In lyric, accessible prose, Carlo Rovelli invites us to consider questions about the nature of time that continue to puzzle physicists and philosophers alike. For most listeners, this is unfamiliar terrain. We all experience time, but the more scientists learn about it, the more mysterious it appears. We think of it as uniform and universal, moving steadily from past to future, measured by clocks. Rovelli tears down these assumptions one by one, revealing a strange universe where, at the most fundamental level, time disappears.
-
-
More like this please
- By Jihane Mriouah on 2019-04-19
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
Is Earth Exceptional?
- The Quest for Cosmic Life
- Written by: Mario Livio PhD, Jack Szostak PhD
- Narrated by: Graham Winton
- Length: 10 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
For a long time, scientists have wondered how life has emerged from inanimate chemistry, and whether Earth is the only place where it exists. Charles Darwin speculated about life on Earth beginning in a warm little pond. Some of his contemporaries believed that life existed on Mars. It once seemed inevitable that the truth would be known by now. It is not. For more than a century, the origins and extent of life have remained shrouded in mystery. But, as Mario Livio and Jack Szostak reveal in Is Earth Exceptional?, the veil is finally lifting.
Written by: Mario Livio PhD, and others
-
Chicago
- A Novel
- Written by: David Mamet
- Narrated by: Jim Frangione
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A big-shouldered, big-trouble thriller set in mobbed-up 1920s Chicago - a city where some people knew too much and where everyone should have known better - by the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of The Untouchables and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright of Glengarry Glen Ross. Mike Hodge - veteran of the Great War, big shot of the Chicago Tribune, medium fry - probably shouldn't have fallen in love with Annie Walsh. Then again, maybe the man who killed Annie Walsh should have known better than to trifle with Mike Hodge.
Written by: David Mamet
-
White Holes
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Harry Lloyd
- Length: 2 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Let us journey, with beloved physicist Carlo Rovelli, into the heart of a black hole. We slip beyond its horizon and tumble down this crack in the universe. As we plunge, we see geometry fold. Time and space pull and stretch. And finally, at the black hole’s core, space and time dissolve, and a white hole is born. Rovelli has dedicated his career to uniting the time-warping ideas of general relativity and the perplexing uncertainties of quantum mechanics. In White Holes, he reveals the mind of a scientist at work.
-
-
Science Meets Art
- By Ashley on 2024-10-16
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
The History of Philosophy
- Written by: A. C. Grayling
- Narrated by: Neil Gardner
- Length: 28 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The story of philosophy is an epic tale, spanning civilizations and continents. It explores some of the most creative minds in history. But not since the long-popular classic by Bertrand Russell, A History of Western Philosophy, published in 1945, has there been a comprehensive and entertaining single-volume history of this great, intellectual, world-shaping journey.
-
-
Even-handed Treatment of the History of Philosophy
- By MEM on 2021-06-12
Written by: A. C. Grayling
-
Quantum Physics Made Me Do It
- A Simple Guide to the Fundamental Nature of Everything
- Written by: Jeremie Harris
- Narrated by: Jeremie Harris
- Length: 6 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Are human beings immortal? Are apples conscious? Do our legal systems make assumptions about free will that are just plain wrong? Of all the terrific books on quantum physics—from Stephen Hawking to Brian Greene—the questions they never seem to satisfy are the implications of the science. We know that quantum physics is real—our phones and computers wouldn’t work if the science wasn’t right. But what does it all mean?
-
-
The best one I have read to date
- By Awesome book for everyone who wants to understand how a human mind works and why on 2024-10-03
Written by: Jeremie Harris
-
Anaximander
- And the Birth of Science
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Roy McMillan
- Length: 5 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Over two millennia ago, the prescient insights of Anaximander paved the way for cosmology, physics, geography, meteorology, and biology, setting in motion a new way of seeing the world. His legacy includes the revolutionary ideas that the Earth floats in a void, that animals evolved, that the world can be understood in natural rather than supernatural terms, and that universal laws govern all phenomena. In this elegant work, the renowned theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli brings to light the importance of Anaximander’s overlooked influence on modern science
-
-
anaximanders legacy
- By Jesse Bongfeldt on 2024-02-22
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
There Are Places in the World Where Rules Are Less Important than Kindness
- And Other Thoughts on Physics, Philosophy and the World
- Written by: Carlo Rovelli
- Narrated by: Landon Woodson
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
One of the world’s most prominent physicists and fearless free spirit, Carlo Rovelli is also a masterful storyteller. His bestselling books have introduced millions of readers and listeners to the wonders of modern physics and his singular perspective on the cosmos. This new collection of essays reveals a curious intellect always on the move. Rovelli invites us on an accessible and enlightening voyage through science, literature, philosophy, and politics.
Written by: Carlo Rovelli
-
Marcus Aurelius
- The Stoic Emperor
- Written by: Donald J. Robertson
- Narrated by: Donald J. Robertson
- Length: 6 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This novel biography brings Marcus Aurelius (121-180 CE) to life for a new generation by exploring the emperor’s fascinating psychological journey. Donald J. Robertson examines Marcus’s relationships with key figures in his life, such as his mother, Domitia Lucilla, and the emperor Hadrian, as well as his Stoic tutors. He draws extensively on Marcus’s own Meditations and correspondence, and he examines the emperor’s actions as detailed in the Augustan History and other ancient texts.
-
-
Another classic from Donald Robertson
- By Mitchell Medak on 2024-02-15
Written by: Donald J. Robertson
-
On the Origin of Species
- Written by: Charles Darwin
- Narrated by: Peter Wickham
- Length: 21 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Perhaps the most influential science book ever written, On the Origin of Species has continued to fascinate for more than a century after its initial publication. Its controversial theory that populations evolve and adapt through a process known as natural selection led to heated scientific, philosophical, and religious debate, revolutionizing every discipline in its wake. With its clear, concise, and surprisingly enjoyable prose, On the Origin of Species is both captivating and edifying.
-
-
Really good
- By Matheus on 2023-06-05
Written by: Charles Darwin
-
Labyrinths
- Selected Stories & Other Writings
- Written by: Jorge Luis Borges
- Narrated by: Dominic Keating
- Length: 10 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The groundbreaking trans-genre work of Argentinian writer Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) has been insinuating itself into the structure, stance, and very breath of world literature for well over half a century. Multi-layered, self-referential, elusive, and allusive writing is now frequently labelled Borgesian.
Written by: Jorge Luis Borges
-
Scotland
- A History from Earliest Times
- Written by: Alistair Moffat
- Narrated by: Ruth Urquhart
- Length: 23 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Covering the Ice Age to the recent Scottish Referendum, the acclaimed historian and author explores the history of the Scottish nation. Focusing on key moments such as the Battle of Bannockburn and the Jacobite risings, Moffat also features other episodes in history that are perhaps less well documented. From prehistoric timber halls to inventions and literature, Moffat's epic explores the drama of battle, change, loss, and innovation interspersed with the lives of ordinary Scottish folk, the men and women who defined a nation.
-
-
Good history of Scotland
- By Adam D Patterson on 2023-12-15
Written by: Alistair Moffat
-
Endless Forms
- The Secret World of Wasps
- Written by: Seirian Sumner
- Narrated by: Sumner Seirian
- Length: 12 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Everyone worries about the collapse of bee populations. But what about wasps? Deemed the gangsters of the insect world, wasps are winged assassins with formidable stings. Conduits of Biblical punishment, provokers of fear and loathing, inspiration for horror movies: wasps are perhaps the most maligned insect on our planet. But do wasps deserve this reputation? Endless Forms opens our eyes to the highly complex and diverse world of wasps.
-
-
Super interesting
- By Kristen on 2023-11-06
Written by: Seirian Sumner
What the critics say
“The man who makes physics sexy...the scientist they’re calling the next Stephen Hawking.” (The Times Magazine)
“[Reality Is Not What It Seems] is simultaneously aimed at the curious layperson while also useful to the modern scientist.... Rovelli lets us nibble or gorge ourselves, depending on our appetites, on several scrumptious equations. He doesn’t expect everyone to be a master of the equations or even possess much mathematical acumen, but the equations serve as appetizers for those inclined to get their fill, so to speak.” (Raleigh News & Observer)
“[Reality Is Not What It Seems] is simultaneously aimed at the curious layperson while also useful to the modern scientist.... Rovelli lets us nibble or gorge ourselves, depending on our appetites, on several scrumptious equations. He doesn’t expect everyone to be a master of the equations or even possess much mathematical acumen, but the equations serve as appetizers for those inclined to get their fill, so to speak.” (Raleigh News & Observer)
What listeners say about Reality Is Not What It Seems
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tessa Hayman
- 2021-04-27
Bringing Quantum Physics to the Layman Beautifully
If you don’t know anything about physics or the universe, this is the perfect place to start! What a beautiful mind opening book. Be patient while reading and take your time to get the most out of this amazing book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Travis
- 2023-01-24
Excellent content
Thought provoking science taught in a way that can be understood by a normal person. Narrator is excellent. Highly recommend.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 2018-07-20
Amazing!!!
probably the easiest to understand book on quantum physics that I've seen. The history of scientific discovery in physics is laid out in a straightforward and clear manner. excellent work!!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
4 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- jason027
- 2019-03-01
Very enjoyable and left me wanting more
As the title suggests, this is more about the journey to Quantum physics, than about Quantum gravity itself. Luckily, Carlo is a fantastic story teller, and has a way of making sense of things that were previously a little blurry for me. Only complaint is that I personally was hoping for a little deeper dive into the theory of quantum gravity itself. It wrapped up before I was ready for it to.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- KR
- 2018-11-25
Loved it!
Beautifully written! The narrator was fantastic, he brought so much energy and really made the content engaging.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
3 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 2021-03-31
Absolutely immaculate voice performance!
This book is fascinating and approachable. Told with eloquence and coherence, it presents an extremely complicated subject in an ‘average reader’ friendly way. The voiceover artist reading this book is nothing short of spectacular. His voice is a combination of perfect clarity in storytelling, and sounds like a warm hug feels.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!