Physics for Future Presidents: The Science Behind the Headlines Reprint Edition

Although there are a few graphs and diagrams and a lot of numbers and units, I think this book is accessible to any reader with a citizen's interest in energy, terrorism, nuclear weapons and nuclear power (not the same!), and climate change. You don't have to consider yourself a future president to want and really need to understand this stuff - all elected officials and voters should have this level of familiarity with the science (and often engineering) behind these important issues. And it's really not that hard to follow - it's very readable.There are no equations here (OK, a few in the notes if you're interested), and the "physics" comes mainly in the approach, breaking problems down into essentials to which basic concepts like energy conservation and efficiency can be applied. A lot can be accomplished simply by converting energy and other quantities in different situations into common units (Muller uses mainly common US units rather than metric units that physicists use in their real work).It is true that Muller does not completely remove his own opinions in favor of "pure science" - but this is a book for general readers, not a text book (he also has a text book version for his course at UC Berkeley). And the issues are real-world issues, not abstract physics problems. But for the most part he is combining basic science with logic and common sense, and if you learn to do this yourself, and remember some of the conversions and rules of thumb he discusses, you will be better able judge for yourself whether some claim about energy or terrorism really makes sense, and have a better calibration of risks and opportunities in this complex world.P.S. I was a physics major and have a masters in optics, but I also do educational outreach programs, so I'm really viewing this more from the perspective of an educator and citizen than as a science-educated person. And I personally learned a lot. Also note that one review from 2007 really applies to Dr. Muller's textbook, not this new general interest book.

After reading this book, I have to say that it was pretty informative. I am not a scientist, but it was completely understandable, and didn't go overboard on chalk-board explanations.While I am sure I am not politically on the same side as the author - which means I did not agree with some of his conclusions - he at least acknowledged they were his opinions and did realize there are differing views. For the most part, I didn't see any political spin in the book, which was refreshing.To that end, it is a useful book when I get into discussion with my politically opposite friends, as this book was written by one of "them", and he debunks a lot of the drivel you hear these days from that side.All in all, not a bad book.

The title of this excellent book is a little misleading in that the subject matter would be of interest to anyone concerned with current events in the USA, or any part of the world. Professor Muller defuses common misconceptions about events reported in the media, and on future events that may seem mysterious or even threatening to our nation. He does this with logical explanations, and uses just enough math to give dimensions to any particular problem area, without overwhelming the reader. For those interested in the math behind the physics, Professor Muller includes technical details in a section at the end of the book, but it isn't necessary to understand these details to appreciate what the text is saying.In discussing energy, the book answers questions about September 11, 2001, and why we are still taking off our shoes at airports. Muller diffuses the myth that any high-schooler could build a nuclear weapon using information obtained on the Internet, and answers questions about possible future terrorist attacks, the physics involved, and what to take seriously.We are all concerned with energy sources and usage in the US and worldwide. This book gives comparisons of energy consumption, sources and costs. for instance, can we go entirely solar? Will we run out of oil, and if so what are the alternatives? Are electric cars a solution for transportation energy usage? Read this book and become informed.Professor Muller gives an excellent account of nuclear weapon designs, radio activity as naturally occuring, and that caused by man. Did you ever wonder how carbon dating works? About getting cancer from XRays etc? Did you ever wonder how satellites stay in orbit, and how satellites and the Space Shuttle are designed and deployed? Dr. Muller explains these things in straight forward terms.Last but not least, Professor Muller tackles the thorny issue of global warming and gives us a qualitative framework so we can be informed. If nothing else, the reader will become acquainted with the myriad aspects of this problem. Rest assured, this book's message involves the physics of current events, but leaves issue politics to the polititians. This book is a must read for every concerned citizen, not just future presidents. You will not be disappointed that you spent some time with this book to grasp a better basic understanding of our world.

Its clear that the "for future presidents" means "for those wanting to understand the complex world we live in". And it does that, gives you the basic understanding needed to be able to read the papers and feel you can judge for yourself the leaders decisions on issues that are technical but not only techincal.so, the contents are excellent but the writing is also pleasant. I read it in 36 hours pretty much without a stop.and two final commentsa) I never took the time to write a review in Amazon, in spite of the fact that I bought tens of books in this web site, so, this means how much I enjoyed the bookb) I wrote for my friends a text whose title is "21 books one should not miss". Well, this one is one of themA must.

I like the way it explains that physics and politics are related

Leí una edición de hace más de una década, por lo que se me hizo interesante validar los análisis de aquel entonces y compararlos con los avances hasta el presente 2019. Es por más interesante realizar esta comparación: revisar las fuentes, los análisis, y mejorar el entendimiento de diversas tecnologías, así como su impacto en la sociedad, en el medio ambiente y el pronóstico a futuro.

I'm buying copies of this book for elected officials I work with, read it and I think it is a wonderful learning tool

Good start to refresh physics basics that were taught in high school; Focus on the practical applications and not the theory.

Very disappointing and annoying that many figures in my e-book are missing. I believe that the prospective reader should be informed about this before the book is purchased. Moreover it is unfair to sell the book at its full price although some significant contents (figures and graphs) are not delivered. If I had known it I wouldn't had bought the e-book (still I recommend to read it in hard-cover/paper-back).