Quanta and Fields; The Biggest Ideas in the Universe

A New York Times Bestseller

Quanta and Fields, the second book in Sean Carroll’s acclaimed The Biggest Ideas in the Universe series, takes readers on a deep dive into the fundamental nature of reality.

Carroll offers a groundbreaking approach to making physics accessible—not just through analogies, but by demonstrating how physicists truly think. With clear explanations and step-by-step mathematical reasoning, he unveils the core principles of quantum field theory, the framework that describes the universe at its most fundamental level.

Beginning with the foundations of quantum mechanics, Carroll explores concepts like measurement, entanglement, and the nature of fields. He demystifies why matter is solid, the existence of antimatter, the size of atoms, and the astonishing accuracy of quantum field theory’s predictions. Essential ideas such as spin, symmetry, Feynman diagrams, and the Higgs mechanism are explained with clarity, going beyond simple anecdotes to real understanding.

From Newton to Einstein and beyond, Quanta and Fields reveals the astonishing truths that redefine our perception of the universe.