Here are a few interesting titles which demonstrate just how facinating the reading of physics can become.
From black holes to time warps : Einstein's outrageous legacy by 
Hyperspace by
Are there other dimensions beyond our own? Is time travel possible? Can we change the past? Are there gateways to parallel universes? All of us have pondered such questions, but there was a time when scientists dismissed these notions as outlandish speculations. Not any more. Today, they arethe focus of the most intense scientific activity in recent memory. In Hyperspace, Michio Kaku, author of the widely acclaimed Beyond Einstein and a leading theoretical physicist, offers the first book-length tour of the most exciting (and perhaps most bizarre) work in modern physics, work whichincludes research on the tenth dimension, time warps, black holes, and multiple universes.The theory of hyperspace (or higher dimensional space)--and its newest wrinkle, superstring theory--stand at the center of this revolution, with adherents in every major research laboratory in the world, including several Nobel laureates. Beginning where Hawking's Brief History of Time left off,Kaku paints a vivid portrayal of the breakthroughs now rocking the physics establishment. Why all the excitement? As the author points out, for over half a century, scientists have puzzled over why the basic forces of the cosmos--gravity, electromagnetism, and the strong and weak nuclearforces--require markedly different mathematical descriptions. But if we see these forces as vibrations in a higher dimensional space, their field equations suddenly fit together like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle, perfectly snug, in an elegant, astonishingly simple form. This may thus be our leadingcandidate for the Theory of Everything. If so, it would be the crowning achievement of 2,000 years of scientific investigation into matter and its forces. Already, the theory has inspired several thousand research papers, and has been the focus of over 200 international conferences.Michio Kaku is one of the leading pioneers in superstring theory and has been at the forefront of this revolution in modern physics. With Hyperspace, he has produced a book for general readers which conveys the vitality of the field and the excitement as scientists grapple with the meaning ofspace and time. It is an exhilarating look at physics today and an eye-opening glimpse into the ultimate nature of the universe.
The Elegant Universe by
Now with a new preface (not in any other edition) that will review the enormous public reception of the relatively obscure string theory—made possible by this book and an increased number of adherents amongst physicists—The Elegant Universe "sets a standard that will be hard to beat" (New York Times Book Review). Brian Greene, one of the world's leading string theorists, peels away the layers of mystery surrounding string theory to reveal a universe that consists of eleven dimensions, where the fabric of space tears and repairs itself, and all matter—from the smallest quarks to the most gargantuan supernovas—is generated by the vibrations of microscopically tiny loops of energy. Today physicists and mathematicians throughout the world are feverishly working on one of the most ambitious theories ever proposed: superstring theory. String theory, as it is often called, is the key to the Unified Field Theory that eluded Einstein for more than thirty years. Finally, the century-old antagonism between the large and the small-General Relativity and Quantum Theory-is resolved. String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe, from the frantic dancing of subatomic quarks to the majestic swirling of heavenly galaxies, are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy, a billionth of a billionth the size of an atom. In this brilliantly articulated and refreshingly clear book, Greene relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind twentieth-century physics' search for a theory of everything. Through the masterful use of metaphor and analogy, The Elegant Universe makes some of the most sophisticated concepts ever contemplated viscerally accessible and thoroughly entertaining, bringing us closer than ever to understanding how the universe works.
Physics books are located in the 530s according to the Dewey Decimal System. In Myrin Library, that places them on the third floor, near the elevator. Books are categorized roughly according to subject, separating titles into areas of astronomy, relativity, gravity, atoms, math, and even biographies of famous physicists such as Albert Einstein and Neils Bohr.
Physics books may range from study guides complete with exercises, to eloquent generalizations of elaborate theories for the everyday reader to understand. These books may serve as an invaluable aid to labs, independent studies, or simply catching up on complicated material. In many cases they will prove useful, enlightening, and even fun to read, whether it's for class or during a physics student's down time.
Knowing a book's call number is always helpful and can cut down the time searching for it on a shelf. The Myrin Library catalog, which can be accessed from the main library website, can quickly find books by title, author, or subject, and provides the call number for swiftly locating a desired title.
Whether it's a detailed scientific paper, or the latest news in Discover Magazine, the Myrin Library periodicals collection features a vast array of scientific literature, journalism, and research. Print periodicals are located in the library basement on the movable shelves. Electronic periodicals are accessed through the library catalog. One can either do a keyword or subject search in the main catalog to find relevant articles, or search in our journal list to locate the holdings of specific journals.
As with journal articles, any books you require which Myrin Library does not posses can be ordered via Interlibrary Loan. By visiting the ILL website you can input the title, author, and other information of the book you are seeking, and a nearby library will send it to Ursinus on your behalf.
You will receive an email when your Interlibrary loan has arrived and is ready to be picked up at the circulation desk.
