E=Mc2 : A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation

“This argument is amusing and seductive, but for all I know, the Lord may be laughing over it and leading me down the garden path.” – Albert Einstein in a letter to a friend

When E=mc2 was born in 1905 Albert Einstein was unsure of what he had accomplished. In fact, he had done nothing less than open the door to the inner structure of the universe. In this brilliant and accessible book, David Bodanis illuminates one of science’s most complex concepts. Ranging widely from Exit signs in theatres to the future fate of the earth, and presenting colourful portraits of the scientists behind the discoveries, Bodanis delivers a scintillating account of the real meaning of E=mc2.

David Bodanis is the author of six books, including the bestselling The Secret House. He teaches mathematical physics at Oxford and lives in London.

Preface

Part 1 • Birth
Bern Patent Office, 1905

Part 2 • Ancestors of E=mc2
E is for Energy
=
m Is for mass
c Is for celeritas
2

Part 3 • The Early Years
Einstein and the Equation
Into the Atom
Quiet in the Midday Snow

Part 4 • Adulthood
Germany's Turn
Norway
American's Turn
8:16 AM — Over Japan

Part 5 • Till the End of Time
The Fires of the Sun
Creating the Earth
A Brahmin Lifts His Eyes Unto the Sky

Epilogue: What Else Einstein Did
Appendix: Follow-Up of Other Key Participants
Notes
Guide to Further Reading
Acknowledgments
Index