What the second law of thermodynamics has to do with Saint Augustine, landscape art, and graphic novels.

Time is the most fundamental common denominator between our existence and that of everything else, it’s the yardstick by which we measure nearly every aspect of our lives, directly or indirectly, yet its nature remains one of the greatest mysteries of science. Last year, we devoured BBC’s excellent What Is Time? and today we turn to seven essential books that explore the grand question on a deeper, more multidimensional level, spanning everything from quantum physics to philosophy to art.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF TIME

It comes as no surprise to start with A Brief History of Time — legendary theoretical physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking’s 1988 masterpiece, which is commonly considered the most important book in popular science ever published and one of our 10 essential primers on (almost) everything. In it, Hawking attempted to answer one of humanity’s most fundamental questions — where did the universe come from? — and tackled the complex subject of cosmology through a multitude of angles, including the Big Bang theory, black holes, high mathematics, the nature of time, gravity and much more, blending the rigor of a brilliant scientist with the eloquent ease of a masterful storyteller to invite even the non-expert reader to consider the universe in an entirely new way. (Eight years later, a fantastic illustrated edition offered a revised, updated and expanded version of the book.)

With a foreword by none other than Carl Sagan, the book remains a fundamental sensemaking mechanism for understanding the cosmos, our place in it, how we got there, and where we might be going.

Perhaps most powerful of all is the human hope and scientific vision of Hawking’s ending:

If we find [a unified theory], it would be the ultimate triumph — for then we would know the mind of God.”

FROM ETERNITY TO HERE

In From Eternity to Here: The Quest for the Ultimate Theory of Time, CalTech theoretical physicist Sean Carroll — who might just be one of the most compelling popular science writers of our time — straddles the arrow of time and rides it through an ebbing cross-disciplinary landscape of insight, inquiry and intense interest in its origin, nature and ultimate purpose. From entropy and the second law of thermodynamics to the Big Bang theory and the origins of the universe to quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity, Carroll weaves a lucid, enthusiastic, illuminating and refreshingly accessible story of the universe, and our place in it, at the intersection of cosmology, theoretical physics, information theory and philosophy, tied together by the profound quest for understanding the purpose and meaning of our lives.

This book is about the nature of time, the beginning o the universe, and the underlying structure of physical reality. We’re not thinking small here. The questions we’re tackling are ancient and honorable ones: Where did time and space come from? Is the universe we see all there is, or are there other ‘universes’ beyond what we can observe? How is the future different from the past?” ~ Sean Carroll

Sample Carroll’s entertaining and enlightening storytelling with his excellent talk from TEDxCaltech.

Full review here.

TIME

Our experience and understanding of time need not be confined to science. Time chronicles the extraordinary work of British artist Andy Goldsworthy, who for the past three decades has been defying the Western art tradition of creating work that outlasts the artist’s lifetime by instead creating exquisite temporal sculptures out of leaves, twigs, petals, ice, sand, feathers, water, stone, and other fragments of nature. These ephemeral, lyrical miracles, spanning Canada, Mexico, Japan, Scotland, and Holland, are left open to the forces of time and change, and are captured here in 500 magnificent photographs, most of which taken by Goldsworthy himself, alongside thoughtful meditations on the vision for and mutation of each piece.

Movement, change, light growth and decay are the lifeblood of nature, the energies that I try to tap through my work. I need the shock of touch, the resistance of place, materials and weather, the earth as my source. I want to get under the surface. When I work with a leaf, rock, stick, it is not just that material itself, it is an opening into the processes of life within and around it. When I leave it, these processes continue.

[…]

My approach to photograph is kept simple, almost routine. All work, good and bad, is documented. I use standard film, a standard lens and no filters. Each work grows, strays, decays—integral parts of a cycle which the photograph shows at its height, marking the moment when the work is most alive. There is an intensity about a work at its peak that I hope is expresses in the image. Process and decay are implicit.” ~ Andy Goldsworthy

Goldsworthy was the subject of the excellent 2001 Scottish-German documentary Rivers & Tides: Working with Time — here’s a short excerpt for a taste:

BLACK HOLES AND TIME WARPS

Despite a title that reads like a sensationalistic Huffington Post linkbait headline, Black Holes and Time Warps: Einstein’s Outrageous Legacy by CalTech theoretical physicist Kip Thorne is the most ambitious account of spacetime from Einstein to Hawking since Hawking himself. (Who actually penned the excellent foreword to the volume.) Originally published in 1994, the book offers an articulately illustrated journey into the fundamental ethos of astrophysics — Einstein’s theory of relativity — and how mankind arrived at what we assume to be the most accurate model of physical reality. Intertwined with these triumphs of science are the implicit controversies and contradictions that bedeviled the process — Einstein, for instance, didn’t believe that stars could collapse under their own gravity and curve the space around them so much as to cut themselves off from the rest of the universe, but a number of other physicists eventually proved these black holes were in fact an inevitable consequence of his theory.

From the pioneering work of the scientists who shaped the field, including Einstein himself, to modern-day mind-benders like black hole mechanics, Thorne covers an extraordinary range of disciplines and subject matter, managing to make it all absorbing and intelligible without dumbing down or compromising the spirit of science.

The theory of black holes was developed before there was any indication from observations that they actually existed. I do not know any other example in science where such a great exploration was made solely on the basis of thought. It shows the remarkable power and depth of Einstein’s theory.” ~ Kip Thorne

INTRODUCING TIME: A GRAPHIC GUIDE

We’ve previously explored 10 masterpieces of graphic nonfiction and just last week swooned over this graphic novel biography of iconic physicist Richard Feynman, so it’s only fitting we explored time from within the genre. Granted, philosophy professor Craig Callender’s Time: A Graphic Guide isn’t exactly a graphic novel, but it does borrow from the genre’s signature visual storytelling to explore the history of time with a fascinating philosopher’s lens, from Augustine’s contention that there is no time to Newton’s fluid time to the static time of Einstein to the contemporary theory that there is no time in quantum gravity, coming full circle. Callender covers a wide range of facets — clocks, psychological time, entropy, spacetime curvature, the Big Bang, Gödel, endocrinology, and just about everything in between — to deliver a sum total of illumination that will leave you with newfound awe for the intersection of philosophy and science.

THE TIME PARADOX

Stanford social psychologist Philip Zimbardo is best-known as the mastermind of the infamous 1971 Stanford Prison Experiment, which revealed one of the most gruesome glimpses of human nature in the history of social science. (Zimbardo recently launched The Heroic Imagination Project in an effort to use what psychology knows about good and evil to harness the human potential for good.) In The Time Paradox: The New Psychology of Time That Will Change Your Life, Zimbardo brings his social psychologist’s lens to the phenomenon of time to explore its importance in our lives, why we systematically devalue it, and how to enlist insights from psychology and behavioral science to optimize our relationship with time. He segments people into past-, present-, and future-oriented based on our time-perspectives, and offers insights into how each type experiences the four central paradoxes of time he identifies.

Sample the book with this charmingly so-bad-it’s-good trailer:

Our ability to reconstruct the past, to interpret the present, and to construct the future gives us the power to be happy.” ~ Philip Zimbardo

THE THIEF OF TIME

The Thief of Time: Philosophical Essays on Procrastination, originally featured in our 5 cross-disciplinary perspectives on procrastination, is an absorbing anthology featuring essays by a wide range of scholars and writers spanning the entire spectrum of theoretical and empirical.

Procrastination is familiar and interesting but also puzzling. Although it is generally perceived as harmful and irrational, recent studies suggest that most of us procrastinate occasionally and many of us procrastinate persistently. Not even saints are immune. Saint Augustine records in his Confessions how, after years of sexual hedonism, he vowed to return to Christianity and prayed for chastity and continence — ‘only not yet.’ Although he ‘abhorred’ his current way of living and ‘earnestly’ wanted to change his course, he kept deferring any change until ‘tomorrow.’” ~ Chrisoula Andreou & Mark D. White

From the morality of it (is procrastination a vice?) to its possible antidotes (what are the best coping strategies?), the book is an essential piece of psychosocial insight. That is, if you get around to reading it.

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Throughout the ages, man has tried to better understand our closest celestial neighbor through myths and science. Our knowledge of the moon has changed over and over again as we learn more and more about the crater-covered satellite. And research is still changing what we believe.

Earlier this month, a report was released, showing that the moon may be 200 million years younger than researchers previously believed, dating at about 4.36 billion years old. This information came from the detailed inspection of a moon rock that was brought back to Earth by the Apollo 16 astronauts back in 1972. The discovery only applies if the moon was in fact created when a Mars-sized rock crashed into the still molten Earth and shot debris into orbit around us. Since this is the current theory most scientists believe, it means that either the collision occurred much later than they thought, or that the moon was created some other way entirely.

Of course, since the dawn of time, children have looked up at the moon and fantasized about being able to pluck it from the sky if only they had ladder tall enough. That’s why I love this playful series of images by photographer Laurent Lavender showing people interacting with the moon in all kinds of ways. We’ve featured some of his images before and while they may not be the strongest illusions featured here, they are stunning photos that truly capture the childhood feeling of being able to reach out to the moon and turn it in to a new toy!

Check the below gallery for rest of the shots:

A few years ago, Alan Jaras told a science fiction story on Flickr, using images of crystals he'd photographed under a microscope. He called it MicroWorld. Here are a few of the breathtaking images and the incredible tale they tell.

The story is about explorers who land on the tiny world, whose laws of physics don't resemble anything they've experienced before. Oceans are solid; strange thrumming mountains slice the landscape; crystalline life forms are everywhere. Jaras tells the story of their exploration, and eventual discovery that the planet is suffering from atmospheric toxins that will be burned away by a nearby supernova. Yes, it's Golden Age stuff, and incredibly fun to read. You can read a few excerpts from Jaras' tale below, but I advise you to read the whole thing.

Read MicroWorld, via Flickr.

Abandoned
As they approached, the sound of the moving glacier grew fainter to be replaced by a quiet harmonious hum. From the distant viewpoint of the plateau the buildings had appeared to be small dwellings but now they could see them to be much larger. Roughly spherical in shape, as if built to withstand some tremendous pressure, they were arranged in a small group of about ten in number. The explorers moved closer and it soon became obvious to them that these structures had long been abandoned.

Large plates had been riveted over openings to keep 'something' out. Whether the defences were meant to repel an invading force or some pending cataclysmic event the travellers would never know.

This is a scanning electron micrograph of crystals of a complex sodium sulphate mixture forming from furnace gases. The largest 'sphere' is approx. 3 microns in diameter. The average human hair is about 50 microns in diameter.

From Above the Maze Looked Easy
Safely through the crystal mountains they gazed down on the gigantic maze. What was its purpose, to keep them out of the land which lay beyond or to keep others in? With some trepidation they began the long climb down.

Scanning Electron Micrograph of sodium sulphate recrystallized from methanol.

The Forest That Knew No Fractals
Having negotiated the maze,more by luck than by skill, our brave explorers continued in their quest. Where were the inhabitants? Are any surviving on this world where the laws of nature seemed no longer to apply? Many questions were still to be answered. The forest was their next barrier; trees with no branches , no leaves; as if stripped bare by some gigantic explosion. They pressed onward drawn by the strange light that beckoned.

Electron Micrograph (SEM) of fracture surface of silicon carbide fibre reinforced glass ceramic.

The coaster had lost its roll
Their journey through the forest had fortunately been uneventful and soon they looked down on a great plain. The remains, of what they could only imagine as a gigantic theme park, stretched out for miles. Their pulses began to race,was there a lost civilization to be found, or, like the apparent roller coaster, just a memory.

SEM micrograph of multi-layer surface coating on plastic. Shrunk , cracked, crazed and curling due to over-enthusiastic etch in plasma etcher.

The Causeway
They continued, carefully threading their way past the rock pools of gas. By now they had learnt to expect the unexpected on MicroWorld, but nothing prepared them for the sight that confronted them as the reached the end of the ocean. A shimmering interface plunged vertically downwards, the vast sea cut through and separated as if cleaved by some gigantic sword. They stood at the edge of the shore looking down at the immense pulsating wall and marvelled at the strange laws of physics that governed this world. The land too came to an abrupt end with no apparent way down while far below a crystal sea slowly heaved, creaking and groaning as each swell ground huge metallic lances against each other. They walked slowly along the cliff top desperately searching for a way forward.

Scanning Electron Microscope image of re-crystallized sodium carbonate.

Rivers of gas
The two gas layers began to mix and swirl but still seem to remain immiscible. In a strange psychedelic dance the green and purple layer of the sublimed 'snow' crystals spiralled with the pink creeping ground fog as it continued to rise and advance towards them from deep below.

Scanning Electron Micrograph of re-crystallized sodium carbonate. The width of the picture is about the diameter of the average human hair.

The Sky Began To Boil
Back in the relative safety of their craft they were once again surrounded by the familiarity of the control room. For a moment, as they sank into the long awaited comfort of the body-moulded seats, the groanings of the planet seemed somewhat distant and unreal. But there was little time to relax, the main wave of high energy particles from the supernova was almost upon them. Already large bubbles were forming in the sky above them as it started to boil. If they could survive this then the journey through the black hole back to their own galaxy should be relatively easy. Fingers danced over the control desk and the panel lights glowed to welcome them back; so far so good.

A macro shot of internal bubbles in a hand-made glass bowl.

• Link (via Hacked Gadgets)

It works like this: if you use Flickr, go to the sixth page of your photostream and pick the sixth picture there, then post it to your blog.

Here’s mine:

This was taken while having dim sum for breakfast, the morning of my brother’s wedding on July 7, 2007. That’s my brother on the left.

Some people might be offended or upset by these images but this isn’t my intentions I just want it to be thought provoking and enlightening, and for people to talk about the past and to never forget, because we need to learn from past events other wise we will keep repeating history.

Update: linked to original source

• Link (via Thomas Hawk’s Digital Connection)
• Link to original source

• Link
• There is also a Qtpfsgui Flickr group where you can find example images and the tone mapping parameters that were used.

Related:

• HDR photos with the GIMP
• Modern HDR photography, a how-to or Saturday morning relaxation

By taking a shorter exposure or closing the aperture, the camera will underexpose. This means that the dark parts of the scene will silhouette and the light parts will be recorded well. Taking a longer exposure or opening the aperture, the camera will overexpose, meaning the light parts of the scene will wash out to white, but the shadows of the scene (that were black in the underexposed photo) will come out well. Composite HDR refers to a range of techniques to take the best parts of both of these photos and combine them in a photo that captures more of the range of light levels in the scene.

• Link
• Once you understand the basics, you can use the exposure-blend GIMP plugin to automate the process. (Use this version for GIMP 2.3 and later).
• For some examples of good HDR images, check out the TTHDR (True Tone High Dynamic Range) group, or the Quality HDR group, on Flickr

Related:

• Modern HDR photography, a how-to or Saturday morning relaxation

• Link (via Strobist)

The good thing about this hack is that you load it off your of memory card every time you turn your camera on (in some cases you can also enable auto-loading) so the original firmware of the camera is not touched, making this a fairly safe hack.

Q. What does the HDK firmware do?

A. After loading of HDK firmware you can get the following functionality:

• Shooting in RAW
• Live histogram (RGB, blended, luminance and for each RGB channel)
• Zebra mode (blinking highlights and shadows)
• DOF-calculator
• Battery indicator
• Scripts execution (exposure/focus/… bracketing, intervalometer and more)
• File browser
• Text reader
• Calendar
• Some fun tools and games

• CHDK FAQ
• Shooting to RAW with Canon PowerShot (DIGIC II – based only)
• (via hack a day)

PhotoWipe is a revolutionary image processing tool that magically removes unwanted objects from your photos. Just paint over them in black, and click go! Uncovers hidden details in your photos. Sit back and watch as cage bars disappear from the zoo, and your old girlfriend or boyfriend fades away. It removes wrinkles, or it can remove entire facial features.

• Link (via Freewaregenius)

• Link
• Thomas Hawk’s photos on Flickr
• Thomas Hawk’s photos on Zooomr
• I’d also recommend checking out Thomas’ blog.

Note: you need to pass a Genuine Windows Validation check to access the download.

• Link (via Lifehacker)

It’s a little easier to see the images of the camera lens in this photo. Look at the three Cantor sets formed by the number of reflections of the camera lens on the three spheres. Math in action!

• Link
• Photoset on flickr

• Sydney Matrix locations set on Flickr (via Digg)

During the early days of atomic bomb experiments in the 1940s, nuclear weapons scientists had some difficulty studying the growth of nuclear fireballs in test detonations. These fireballs expanded so rapidly that even the best cameras of that time were unable to capture anything more than a blurry, over-exposed frame for the first several seconds of the explosion.

Before long a professor of electrical engineering from MIT named Harold Eugene “Doc” Edgerton invented the rapatronic camera, a device capable of capturing images from the fleeting instant directly following a nuclear explosion. These single-use cameras were able to snap a photo one ten-millionth of a second after detonation from about seven miles away, with an exposure time of as little as ten nanoseconds. At that instant, a typical fireball had already reached about 100 feet in diameter, with temperatures three times hotter than the surface of the sun.

• Link

• Link (via reddit)

Today’s digital cameras match or slightly exceed the performance of silver halide film. Computer graphics has achieved the goal of photorealism. Now the goal is to go beyond simply matching paper and silver halide – to create display technologies which can present any visual stimuli our eyes are capable of seeing.

One area of rapid development is in dynamic range. A new crop of technologies using High Dynamic Range imaging (HDR or HDRI) aim to extend the dynamic range of digital imaging technologies way beyond traditional media.

• Link (via reddit)