今日の物理学はどのように確立されたのでしょうか。物理学者はどのような学問を修めどのように物事を捉え、私たちが恩恵を受けている技術にどう貢献しているのでしょうか。古代ギリシアの自然哲学的考え方から、現代量子力学、宇宙論、デジタルエレクトロニクスやエネルギー生産、そして理論物理学から応用物理まで概説します。素粒子、重力波、材料科学分野などでの最近の成果にも触れるほか、研究室の外の世界、すなわち物理学が社会や文化に及ぼす影響や、宇宙における人類の展望まで、幅広いトピックを網羅します。
　　

• Covers all areas of physics, from quantum mechanics to energy production
• Explores how experiment and theory are involved in the doing of physics, and recent results such as the discovery of gravitational waves
• Discusses the applications of physics in society, technology, and medicine
• Analyses how physics works, including who funds it, how physicists are trained, and how they think

     
Physics, the fundamental science of matter and energy, encompasses all levels of nature from the subatomic to the cosmic, and underlies much of the technology around us. Understanding the physics of our universe is an essential aspect of humanity's quest to understand our environment and our place within it. Doing physics enables us to explore the interaction between environment and human society, and can help us to work towards the future sustainability of the planet.
   
This Very Short Introduction provides an overview of how this pervasive science came to be and how it works: who funds it, how physicists are trained and how they think, and how physics supports the technology we all use. Sidney Perkowitz presents the theories and outcomes of pure and applied physics from ideas of the Greek natural philosophers to modern quantum mechanics, cosmology, digital electronics and energy production. Considering its most consequential experiments, including recent results in elementary particles, gravitational waves and materials science, he also discusses outside the lab, the effects of physics on society, culture, and humanity's vision of its place in the universe.