The Ambidextrous Universe
Cover of the first edition
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| Author | Martin Gardner |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | John Mackey |
| Cover artist | Germano Facetti |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Subject | Symmetry, Scientific, Mathematics |
| Publisher | Penguin Books |
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Publication date
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1964 |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 276 (1st edition) 401 (3rd edition) |
| ISBN | |
| OCLC | 57373717 |
| 539.7/2 22 | |
| LC Class | QC793.3.S9 G37 2005 |
The Ambidextrous Universe is a popular science book by Martin Gardner, covering aspects of symmetry and asymmetry in human culture, science and the wider universe.
Originally published in 1964, it underwent revisions in 1969, 1979, 1990 and 2005 (the last two are known as the "Third, revised edition"). Originally titled The Ambidextrous Universe: Mirror Asymmetry and Time-Reversed Worlds, subsequent editions are known as The New Ambidextrous Universe: Symmetry and Asymmetry from Mirror Reflections to Superstrings.
The book begins with the subject of mirror reflection, and from there passes through symmetry in geometry, poetry, art, music, galaxies, suns, planets and living organisms. It then moves down into the molecular scale and looks at how symmetry and asymmetry have evolved from the beginning of life on Earth. There is a chapter on carbon and its versatility and on chirality in biochemistry. Chapter 18 (and subsequent chapters) deals with a conundrum called the Ozma Problem (see below). The second half of the book concerns various aspects of atomic and subatomic physics and how they relate to mirror asymmetry and the related concepts of chirality, antimatter, magnetic and electrical polarity, parity, charge and spin. Time invariance (and reversal) is discussed. Implications for particle physics, theoretical physics and cosmology are covered and brought up to date (in later editions of the book) with regard to GUTs, TOEs, superstring theory and M-theory.
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