ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Reviews → Book Reviews

Book Review: ‘Time in Powers of Ten’

Time in Powers of Ten is one of those books suitable for everyone - from teenagers to accomplished scientists.

Mihai AndreibyMihai Andrei
October 23, 2014
in Book Reviews
A A
If you buy something that we link, we may earn a commission. See our product review guidelines and affiliate disclaimer.
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

time-in-powers-of-ten-book-review

“Time in Powers of Ten”
By Gerard ‘t Hooft (Author), Stefan Vandoren (Author) 
World Scientific Publishing Company, 380pp | Buy on Amazon

Time in Powers of Ten is one of those books suitable for everyone – from teenagers to accomplished scientists. There’s something to learn for everyone, and even if you somehow know everything that’s in the book, the text is so pleasant and the illustrations are so rich and well suited that you’ll definitely enjoying reading through it.

The book invites us to take a walk through time – leaping across powers of ten. It starts with a second, and describes what phenomena take place at that time scale. It them grows the time frame more and more, It passes through years, centuries, slowly moving towards geological periods and even astronomical periods, ultimately reaching a period longer than the age of the universe – something which barely has any meaning at all. But the book isn’t about time, it’s about what happens during time. We get to see who invented time measuring devices, what the Earth looked like millions of years ago, how stars are born, how the universe was born, and how come we know all this. It presents things from many different fields, from biology and history to geology and astronomy, the text is varied, informative, and easy to read through. The pictures are really great as well.

After you get to the biggest conceivable time frames, the book does a 180 – it goes straight back to the smallest time frame – the Plank time. The transition is actually surprisingly smooth, because astronomical processes are tightly connected to quantum mechanics and sub-atomic particles. The time period grows and grows, until, after several powers of ten, it reaches the second again.

I assume the biggest challenge of the book was how to decide what phenomena and processes to include – because naturally, you can’t talk about everything that happens. I have to say, the choice was quite inspired; it was varied enough to avoid boredom and unilateralism, and coherent enough to be easy to read through.

All in all, I really like the concept of this book, and I enjoyed reading it. I actually read the entire book in one go, which rarely happens to me. I wouldn’t say it’s a must have, but it’s definitely a welcome addition to any library, no matter who you are and where you’re from.

RelatedPosts

Climate of North American cities in 2080 will tend to resemble those of today hundreds of miles south
Scientists jump-start consciousness in brains of monkeys
After a 300% surge in global cases, WHO and UNICEF directors say we’re facing a ‘measles crisis’
Low-carb diets may be cutting years off your life, new study says

ShareTweetShare
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Dr. Andrei Mihai is a geophysicist and founder of ZME Science. He has a Ph.D. in geophysics and archaeology and has completed courses from prestigious universities (with programs ranging from climate and astronomy to chemistry and geology). He is passionate about making research more accessible to everyone and communicating news and features to a broad audience.

Related Posts

Health

Your gut has a secret weapon against ‘forever chemicals’: microbes

byMihai Andrei
8 hours ago
News

High IQ People Are Strikingly Better at Forecasting the Future

byTibi Puiu
8 hours ago
Health

Newborns Feel Pain Long Before They Can Understand It

byTudor Tarita
9 hours ago
News

Cheese Before Bed Might Actually Be Giving You Nightmares

byTudor Tarita
9 hours ago

Recent news

Your gut has a secret weapon against ‘forever chemicals’: microbes

July 3, 2025

High IQ People Are Strikingly Better at Forecasting the Future

July 3, 2025

Newborns Feel Pain Long Before They Can Understand It

July 3, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.