author : Don Lincoln

This is the course guidebook that accompanies the 24 lecture “Great Course” of the same name. It is essentially an abbreviated transcript of each lecture, a few pictures, and some related reading. (I watched the lectures, which is what I am reviewing here, and am using the book simply as an aide-memoire.)

When physicists say A Theory of Everything, they mean a theory of the four fundamental forces (strong, weak, electromagnetic, gravity) and the fundamental particles and fields (the discovered ones that make up the Standard Model, and some hypothesised ones needed to explain gravity, dark matter, dark energy, inflation, etc.) As the subtitle suggests, we don't yet have such a theory. Lincoln explains how far we have come, the still open questions, and what might be the future of such a theory.

This started off a little wobbly, but once Lincoln got into his stride it turned into an excellent course. He not only covers the what, but the how, and, most importantly, the why, of various advances, theories, and experiments. What are the various particles? How do quantum mechanics and special relativity fit together? How have forces been unified? How do dark matter and dark energy fit into the picture? Why is symmetry important? Why is gravity a problem? There is a lot of mind-bending material here, with the weak force looking very peculiar indeed, and all set out very clearly, and with some wry humour.