Some of these egg heads can get a bit dry (Brief History of Time) but Kaku is interesting, exciting (you can hear it in his voice like a little kid... he loves what he does like the croc hunter guy did) and always moving from topic to topic never sitting on one thing so long that you ever get bored.

A very good read that goes from fundamentals to modern science in a pithy, concise and fun manner!

I'm not much for reviews, but I really enjoyed this book. In a crude nutshell, if you're into sci-fi i.e. time travel, star wars, or just curious about what might be possible in terms of physics/quantum theory, this book will leave you wanting more. The first couple of chapters were kind of difficult to follow(mainly because of a lot of the scientific terms. But no worries, it'll get easier and flow much faster.

If you're a fan of history channel's "The Universe" this is definitely a book for you.

What do Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagan, Isaac Asimov, Lawrence Krauss, Clifford Pickover, Brian Greene, Douglas Hofstadter and Michio Kaku have in common? Aside from being respected physicists, scientists, mathematicians and theoreticians, they also have the uncanny ability to write at a level that we mere mortals can understand. Happily this allows our workaday world of common non-scientists to participate in at least a rudimentary understanding of the esoteric mysteries of the universe that are fascinating in the extreme and so bizarre as to outstrip the most obtuse imaginings of fiction writers.

Michio Kaku takes us on a grand tour of the modern world of physics by grouping topics that either were or are still considered impossible into three large classes - first, those items that don't appear to violate the currently known laws of science and having been considered as impossibilities in times past are either now realities or are verging on reality as technology and experimentation makes progress with such blinding speed; second, items that also don't appear to break the rules as we know them but await the development of technology that is likely centuries or millennia beyond whatever skills we might even envisage at this point in history; and, finally, those things that our current knowledge of scientific law would suggest are genuinely impossible.

Kaku treats the eager science loving reader with a generous and formidable list of topics - force fields, telekinesis and ESP, faster-than-light travel, time travel, parallel universes, perpetual motion, telepathy, phaser weaponry, precognition, antimatter, negative matter, hyperspace travel, extraterrestrials and much more. His writing style is at once down to earth, scientifically correct without being either esoteric or condescending, and even witty and humorous as he regales us with amusing tales of the correspondence between science and the astonishingly prescient writers of the science fiction genre. As you might well imagine, the brilliant writers and creators of the Star Trek series come up in Kaku's discussion on more than one occasion.

Brilliant, informative and entertaining! Highly recommended. But Class III impossibilities being forever impossible? If I learned anything from this book, I don't think I'll ever say "never" again. Who knows? Stay tuned!

Paul Weiss

LIke all of Dr. Kaku's books, this volume pushes the envelope of oiur current scientific understanding. This is where reality meets science fiction of the believable variety. And is written in a manner that does not require advanced degrees in physics. A must for the adventurous of mind.

Michio Kaku has a strong literary record as a Sagan-like popularizer of the deepest science, with a true concern for the knowledge of the masses. Kaku's previous books (especially "Hyperspace") are imminently readable treasures for the physics enthusiast who doesn't hold multiple PhD's. But unfortunately, this latest book is not very well written and mostly recycles material that has been presented better elsewhere. Here Kaku builds mostly from fanciful science fiction gadgets and processes like time travel, wormholes, telepathy, and even perpetual motion machines. Many of these amazing things might just be possible in the future - either the near future or the extremely far future - and Kaku delivers on the laws of physics that would have to be conquered (or even altered) for some of these "impossibilities" to see the light of day.

But the book is awkwardly paced, with Kaku often going off on tangents into obscure areas of academia that I suspect need a popular author to drum up funding, such as research into gravitational waves or the construction of immense super-colliders. And after drifting into such esoteric realms, Kaku tends to return abruptly to pop sci-fi gadgets and quick pronouncements on whether or not they're possible. One perplexing example is a wide detour into the bizarre realm of tachyons that derails an initially straightforward chapter on precognition. Kaku's pop culture coverage is also fractured and arbitrary, at least as presented here, which can be seen in the chapters on extraterrestrials/UFOs and robots. Another problem is an inconsistent attitude toward the possibility of new discoveries about the laws of the universe. On several occasions Kaku points out incorrect pronouncements on this matter from old closed-minded scientists, but can't always avoid making the same mistake himself when speaking of present-day breakthroughs.

Granted, this is still a mostly interesting book, but Kaku is not entirely successful in combining cutting-edge knowledge with often cheesy or outdated science fiction fantasies. This leads to some awkward writing and pacing that are not up to Kaku's usual standards. [~doomsdayer520~]

A brilliant insight to the possible, and what seems impossible, of future technologies. A must read for both novice and technical readers of physics literature.

This Book is a great begginer guide into the sate of the human race now and what we can achieve in the future.

Michio Kaku's "Physics Of The Impossible" is an eye-opening look into the possibilities that future technologies could hold for the human race. Kaku rates such things as force fields, phasers, time travel and other as either a Level I, II or III posibility, with a level III being the most unreachable. Using a layman's vocabulary and great comparisons he adequately describes the science and technology for those without benefit of a PhD in physics.

I did find Kaku a bit redundant in areas, possibly because I had just previously read his superb book "Hyperspace," which covers some of the same material.

Overall, Kaku did an excellent job of bringing science to the masses and I found myself constantly in awe at the possibilities that future technologies might hold. I'm sure a scientist would say that this is a bit basic but for the majority of people who read this without a foundation in science it logically and cohesively brings these far reaching concepts to its target audience. Michio Kaku has taken the mantle of Carl Sagan and is one of the best science writers today.

In Physics of the Impossible, author and physicist Michio Kaku reviews "a scientific exploration into the world of phasers, force fields, teleportation, and time travel" (the subtitle).

He also discusses faster than light travel, perpetual motion machines, parallel universes, UFOs, precognition, and psychokinesis. In other words, Kaku covers a wide range of topics, from cutting edge theoretical physics (parallel universes) to patently silly "stunts" (psychokinesis).

The organizing theme of the book is the amazing things humans can do, or will probably be able to do, as described in science fiction films and books. We have Star War's planet-busting Death Star and phasers, Harry Potter's invisibility cloak, and more. Kaku explores whether there is science to back up these technologies in the near or far future. In some cases, he believes they will become reality, and in others, he is more skeptical. Regardless, he discusses the physics behind the future success or failure of his selected topics.

All in all, I found it an interesting book, but there were some sections or passages that irritated me. For example, he stated that "spoon-bending" is fake (I think), but he puts psychokinesis into a "class 1 impossibility" (impossible today but does not violate the laws of physics). However, as he discusses signals from the brain which can operate a thought-driven machine, he seems to skip discussing spoon-bending. I really don't see how his arguments of physics lead to the molecules of a spoon rearranging themselves.

Another issue was the strange comment in the chapter on parallel universes:

"Throughout history going back to almost all ancient societies, people have believed in other planes of existence, the homes of the gods or ghosts. The Church believes in heaven, hell, and purgatory. The Buddhists have Nirvana and different states of consciousness. And the Hindus have thousands of planes of existence" (p. 230).

Excuse me... "The Church"? This is a strange comment in a non-theistic book. Which church? Catholic? Latter Day Saint?

And when Kaku talked about planet-busters, I was hoping he was going to discuss kinetic weapons, not just "death rays". Our solar system has some experience with nature-inspired collisions.

Interesting, but relatively shallow. I expected more in this book.

Will something that is impossible now eventually become possible? In order to answer this question, the author has divided various potentially outrageous ideas into three levels of impossibility, based on current and expected future technological capabilities and the known laws of physics: Class I impossibilities, occupying over 60% of the book, Class II impossibilities and Class III impossibilities. The higher the class level, the more impossible (or farther in the future) the possible realization of the idea is perceived to be. In progressing along these classes, the author goes from practical nuts-and-bolts solutions to various problems that may be possible in a matter of decades to centuries (Type I), to dreams whose realizations may never happen according current very abstract ideas that are at the very forefront of scientific thinking and thus very far removed from our everyday experience (Type III). The writing style is clear, friendly, authoritative and quite engaging. The book contains no diagrams whatsoever. In most cases, they are not really essential because of the author's excellent ability to express complex ideas into clearly understandable prose. However, in a few cases, diagrams would have been quite welcome. Technical terms are clearly explained as they occur so that anyone could read this book and learn a great deal from it. However, science buffs would probably appreciate it the most.

On a more technical note, on a couple of occasions the author has pointed out that when an electron and an antielectron (positron) meet, they annihilate producing "gamma rays at an energy of 1.02 million electron volts or more" (p. 184) and "annihilate one another and create a gamma ray" (p. 278). The first statement can be misleading while the second one is incorrect and is likely a misprint. When an electron and a positron meet in free space, they annihilate producing two gamma rays (not one) of energy 0.511 million electron volts each (or more, depending on their relative kinetic energies when they meet); the total gamma ray energy released being (at least) 1.02 million electron volts. Production of two gamma rays is essential to conserve momentum, i.e., total momentum before the collision must equal total momentum after the collision, which is impossible if only one annihilation gamma ray is produced.

Many parts of this book were interesting, but more taliored to the new physics reader. Mr. Kaku does not go into enough actual physics detail on many subjects. However, for an overview, this book is quite good.

I would recommend the author Brian Greene for a more detailed look at current physics theories.

Entertaining, easy reading, serious but delivered easily. A must for the science lover with an open mind.

My daughter loved the book. Seems the picture on the cover has images from "Dr. Who", one of her favorite programs. Just the book to interest and challenge the mind.

It is difficult to realize that a book about parallel universes, pyschic phenomenon, faster than the light travel, etc., could be humdrum boring - but this book proves it is possible to write a boring book about such topics. This was a superficial, half-hearted review of these topics written perhaps for the reader with absolutely no science knowledge. Very disappointing.

Kaku has proven himself as a physicist, author, and television personality who can take complex concepts and make them understandable.
Many negatives reviews of this book call it silly or fantastic. I wonder if they understand the precipice phyics and cosmology are standing on. Just in the last decade we have witnessed "fantastic" hypotheses become popular concepts by scientists: Dark energy, Dark matter, challenges to the Big Bang Theory, parallel universes, and multiverses are known to the layperson.

Healing the Rift

Perhaps these concepts all seem too outlandish to be true but recall that phyicists believe that a vacuum and space is full of "stuff" as declared by Nobel Laureate Robert B. Laughlin. So "impossible" is a metaphor for one of the hypotheses which is thinking outside the box like the concepts above were at one time. This brings up the question: how do these concepts fit with spiritual teaching? I believe that 21st century science is moving towards the spiritual and ancient spiritual teachings. Kaku and scores of leading scientists make the case. Healing the Rift: Merging Science and Spirituality

this book is very interesting..in a few years we will thank kaku for formulating the 'impossible'

this book is very interesting..in a few years we will thank kaku for formulating the 'impossible'

Dr. Kaku presents another outstanding book to expand our minds to endless possibilities. Why limit ourselves when we need, more than ever, to think out of the box, and ask the big "what if" questions. In my own writing, vis-i-vis, The Ninth Cube, I have tried to answer these questions, alot of them inspired from the work of Dr. Kaku. I throughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone. Great job, Michio!

I have a very high respect for Mr. Kaku's work. The first book I read from him was 'Hyperspace' and became immediately his fan. 'Physics of the Impossible' is another exceptional work. Like Brian Greene's 'Fabric Of The Cosmos', the book is full of great examples, details that are easily visualized and exciting historical facts that make the scientific terminology digestible.

Mr. Kaku helps the readers by smartly classifying the 'impossibilities' (such as time travel and teleportation) and gives estimates as to when these may become 'possible'. The book is very engaging and I highly recommend it.

More science fiction rubbish from Mickey. Page after page of references to past TV shows, movies, etc. After starting to read the book I switched to the 'browse mode' jumping chapters in order to find something educational and worthwhile. As my frustration grew, I remembered the Japanese custom in WWII of burying American prisoners up to their necks and then using their heads for polo practice. I imagined Mickey in such a situation and it gave me some relief. Finally, I shelved the book as not worth my time. Mickey reminds me of Carl Sagan who was so unsure of his Physics that he asked Feynman to review each of his books before publication in order to avoid an embarrassing humiliation.

This is the first book that I have read by Michio Kaku and I am now a fan. I enjoyed the book and the way that the author explains things by linking them through science fiction. There were a few chapters where I expected more information or more detail. Overall an entertaining read.

Somewhat interesting for the average reader. However, truly educated guesswork, and not typical of Michio Kaku's ability of explaining difficult subject matter. I was disappointed in his many "Star Trek" examples, and it seems obvious this book was written for some unimportant spur of the moment personal itch. Although Mr. Kaku is a favorite author of mine, I really can't recommend this book.

Ok, I will admit it: I'm no Einstein; not even close. And while I am fascinated about the arcane science of quantum physics, I still get puzzled by concepts such as Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principal and all its implications. Michio Kaku does better than most in trying to explain such weird things to idiots like me (although I haven't checked out Physics for Dummies yet). And when as a physicist he applies what he knows to the various impossibilities he covers in his book, it seems clear that there is far more that we don't know. When he talks in the timeframe of centuries and millennia before we might be able to do some of these physically not impossible things, given how much we don't know, I am left wondering just how much theoretical physics in it's infancy really differs from religion (even magic) in defining epistemology.

I thought this a fun and exciting read given that it gives hope to a lot of us SF nerds that one day everything in Star Trek will come true. I would have liked to see some drawings to help better visualize some of the concepts, but for the most part I could follow his verbal explanations. I did feel that on some things in which Mr. Kaku was not a subject matter expert (mainly some of the paranormal stuff) he did not do justice to the scientific body of research out there on the subject, often resorting to the Amazing Randi and Skeptical Inquirer folks to back up claims of phenomenon disproved. Aside from that, it was a quick and enjoyable read.

So how long do we have to wait for Star Trek like teleporters, Back to the Future hover boards or giant Death Star like planet destroying lasers? How about Terminator type intelligent robots, reproducing nano-bots and trips to other star systems? Will we ever be able to go back in time or slip into an alternate universe? Michio Kaku combines popular science fiction and current theoretical physics to speculate on how, if and when we can expect to see these kinds of fantastic technologies. This book is a ton of fun. It's fascinating to read how future scientists might construct a working force field or a feasible starship. The author answers a few questions that I've long wondered about, for instance, how does one store anti-matter if it's annihilated the moment it comes into contact with matter.

This is exactly the kind of book that got me back into reading several years ago, a pop science book on the future of technology. It's an easy read with no mind numbing formulas or diagram, written for the total layman. I have read literally dozens of popular science books in the last decade and this is one of the better ones. The big problem with these kinds of books is that physics hasn't had a major new breakthrough since well before I was born and these books can get rather repetitive Sure there have been lots of minor advancements but the main problem of physics, the elusive Grand Unifying Theory remains unsolved.

One portion of the book that troubled me was a discussion on string theory as the most likely solution to the unification of relativity and the special model. Read `The Trouble with Physics' by Lee Smolin to see how shaky the foundation of string theory really is. Michio writes, `one major criticism of string theory is that it is untestable'. Actually the much bigger problem is that it's unfalsifiable which puts it dangerously close to pseudoscience. Another criticism he mentions is that by putting string theory at such a high priority in physics other avenues of thinking are squeezed out. To this Michio just smiles accepting this as a natural occurrence in research but I would argue that this kind of attitude may be one of the reasons physics has been practically paralyzed for decades.

The author writes that, "The coming years of physics could be the most exciting of all, as we explore the universe with a new generation of particle accelerators, space based gravity detectors and new technologies" My suspicion is that the coming years of physics will generally be exciting only particle physicists and astronomers not the general public. Books like `The Physics of Impossible' are enjoyable to read but if you peruse one every couple of years you can probably keep up with advancements in the latest massive science experiments and particle discoveries.

Very well written and explains physics in non-mathematical terms and in a most entertaining manner.

Most books that attempt to explain advanced topics in physics to laymen are worthy of the most profound contempt since, at best, they give only the illusion of understanding, which is worse than no understanding at all. Kaku reaches a new low in this genre with his latest effort - a tiresome, rambling, disconnected, childishly written discourse that has all the qualities of a last minute job. The only thing the reader learns is just how well informed Kaku is on current science fiction novels, films and television. To paraphrase him, writing a worse book would be a Class I impossibility.

Again, the lesson is clear. If you want to understand physics, you have to do the work. That means learning some solid mathematics before you start designing warp drives and time machines.

I have never read a book about physics so I didn't know what to expect! I feel I got a bit of an education and had a lot of fun reading it. Thanks

As always, Amazon is the place to find exactly what I need. thanks
This is a great book for my neighbor, Bob

As he did in "Visions," "Hyperspace," and "Beyond Einstein," Professor Michio Kaku has again penned a gem. Eminently readable, and as always packed full of related facts, this logically guided but wide-eyed romp across the terrain of the impossible, near-impossible and the far-fetched impossible, contains a veritable boutique of novel and leading-edge ideas.

But that is not all. He also explains the history and the science involved and why they will work in the short, medium, or long term, or not at all.

The book is conveniently divided into three equally impressive sections: Section one deals with what the author calls class I impossibilities. These include technologies that are impossible today, but since they do not violate any of the known laws of physics, could become possible in the short term. Included in this family are teleportation, antimatter engines, certain forms of telepathy, psychokinesis, and invisibility.

Section II deals with Class II Impossibilities. This section deals with technologies that sit at the very edge of what we know: things such as time machines, and time travel, including through wormholes. Finally, Section III deals with Class III or long-term impossibilities. In this group are technologies that DO violate the known laws of physics, and thus would require fundamental shifts in our understanding of physics for them to become possible. Included in this group are precognition and perpetual motion machines.

What is most striking about the guarded speculation and related tales in the book is how relative impossibility really is, and how so many of the technologies thought to be impossible in the past have actually not only become "possible," but exists as useful conveniences today.

Professor Kaku, in addition to being a superb Scientist, is also a good storyteller. This a deliciously fine intellectual feast and quick read. Five Stars.

The book is easy reading for a person not heavily involved with science. It is informative and makes you want to think about events and discoveries yet to come.

A very good book for the physics enthusiast - especially the unique approach the author brings to the table. The author takes a good look at various phenomenon in science fiction such as 'Force fields', 'Invisibility', 'Teleportation', 'Time Travel', 'Perpetual motion machines' and so on and classifies them into Classes of 1 to 3. Class 1 impossibilities are those that are impossible today but do not violate the known laws of physics and may be realized within this century, Class 2 are those that may be realized in millions (!) of years; and Class 3 (surprisingly very few) that violate the known laws of physics and may never be realized in this universe.

An easy to read book with many references to popular science fiction books as well as TV shows and movies, it enables the reader to put in perspective many of the science fiction concepts that we often hear about. Numerous scientists and authors have also been interviewed by the author and their feedback brought into the book. However I would have liked to see more of the author's views on Ray Kurzweil predictions on spiritual machines and humanity overcoming death.

The author's science projects at school will invoke an inferiority complex in most of us :) but does give an idea of what precocious children can achieve in the school system of the United States. In spite of the good research that went into the book, I noticed a minor error which will titillate Indian readers. In page 44 of the book, the Hindu God Shiva is mentioned as a goddess.

I would recommend this book to readers interested in Physics and Science fiction.

Very good book for inquiring minds. Dr. Kaku is a genius and does a great job of making this book easy enough to understand but not too simplistic. Nice balance for those who have a curiosity about such things but not a background in physics.

Seldom do pop-sci books grab my attention such that I wouldn't find it easy to even the danged book down to eat or visit the bathroom. And yes, Michio Kaku managed to keep the jargon and complexity to a minimum so that even an aging would-be-mathematician like myself could follow his stream of thought easily ... and enjoy every minute of it.

His classification of "impossibilities" alone was well worth the cost of the book--bought as "New." He allowed a tiny bit of his own bias in support of there being no life after death to seep into the early narrative (not intrusive, however), but his catalog of physical and cosmological "impossibilities" went far beyond what I ever believed could be put into under 400 pages--which he did superbly. This book is a "keeper" and I would recommmend buying it in hardcover.

I was sorely disappointed in the lack of research into the evidence of telepathy and UFOs for your book, Physics of the Impossible. In it he dedicates only one paragraph to the 23 years of U.S. government research and use of psychic phenomena. Tens of books by qualified scientists and researchers were dismissed by you by simply referencing the "AIR" report and "critics." This is hardly an evaluation of the evidence. I recommend Mind At Large: IEEE Symposia on the Nature of Extrasensory Perception edited by Hal Puthoff, Russel Targ et al. available through Amazon if there is any doubt.

In dismissing the UFO phenomena, he cites the French COMETA report wherein they say that for 58% of the sightings they "were unable to follow up on." What he doesn't want to say directly is that they could not be identified, hence unidentified, the "U" in UFO. More than half were then in fact unidentified flying objects.

He wants "hard physical evidence," but wants to ignore the abundant film, photograph and reliable witness evidence. Do you think the military is going to give you access to the material evidence from Aurora, Roswell, Corona, Kecksburg or numerous other crashes. Maybe Werner Van Braun or Edward Teller got to see these materials, but Michio or I would not.

I recommend you the book Disclosure: Military and Government Witnesses Reveal the Greatest Secrets of Modern History, by Steven M. Greer, M.D. also available through Amazon.

In his book he sounds like one of those "scientists" that would have shunned Nikolai Tesla or Albert Einstein since their theories were certainly not "compatible with current thinking in physics." This is where he puts himself in a box. He writes whole books about the speculative string theory, but does not recognize evidence right under your his nose that there are observable forces of nature and technologies that to even the modern man, seem like magic.

I look forward to your new book wherein he analyzes the evidence and its potential extradimensionality, and attempts to explain how it physically works.

Non technical treatment of physics concepts as they relate to science fiction themes. Michio Kaku is an engaging writer who can discuss the science authoritatively with our boring you.

Kaku presents the daunting advanced concepts of physics to readers in an enjoyable journey through the possibilities of force fields, ray guns, Star Wars force abilities (through psychokinesis), time travel, and much more. The greatest strength of this book is the presentation of recent breakthroughs such as the seemingly invisible "metamaterials" that disappear under a specific frequency of light, or the series of breakthroughs that can be achieved with the possible discovery of room-temperature superconductors. Kaku is an appealing master storyteller (as seen in his appearances on The Universe series on the History Channel) and Physics of the Impossible is a wonderful book offering much food for thought.

I found this book to be not only an exploration of the fringes of science, but also a discussion of some of the subtleties of quantum theory from the point of view of a "string theorist";quite interesting.

this book is awesome, this will open your mind. I'm not done reading it yet but I have a problem of putting it down. Its a got to read book.

michio kaku has again brought his knowledge and excitement about science to a broader readership. in this book michio takes us through scientific research and speculation on scientific issues and questions of our times...and for many generations to come. a stimulating, exciting, challenging read...michio,thank you once again.

I haven't had the time to read more then a few pages, but what I have read is very intresting, I'm beginning to think theirs a wormhole somewhere in my backyard now. I WISH!

Great book. For the most part it was understandable and enjoyable. There still were some places that I was lost but considering the topic I was happy.

I love this book....it's fascinating and a basic "must have" for every science fiction fan and techno-geek out there. Broken into good chapters covering various hypothetical technologies (FTL travel, time travel, teleportation, etc.) none are too long, but the author covers the basics, how it would work, and why they may or may not be possible and, if possible, when they might come to pass.

Highly recommended!

Michio Kaku carries persons, without a keen knowledge of physics into the real problems that have been solved and that probably will be solved in that realm of science. He has the ability to communicate down to the lowest level and tell me the reader just what Stephen Hawking is thinking and how it just may be possible.

Kaku provides a series of explanations into how various science fiction dreams could become true. Kaku divides "Physics of the Impossible" into three sections:

1)Technologies impossible today that do not violate known laws of physics. Thus, they might be possible this century, or perhaps the next. They include teleportation, antimatter engines, some forms of telepathy, psychokinesis, and invisibility.

2)Technologies at the edge of our understanding of the physical world. If possible at all, they might be realized millions of years in the future. They include time machines, hyperspace travel, and travel through wormholes.

3)Technologies violating known laws of physics. These include perpetual motion machines and precognition.

Finally, Kaku reminds us that many "impossibilities" in physics have been incorrectly fore-casted before - even by eminent physicists, including Nobel laureates. Thus, today's impossibilities may become tomorrow's reality.

I must admit to being surprised at how well Professor Kaku wrote this book in a way that even a high school student would be able to comprehend. I recomemd this book to anyone that has an intrest in science, not just physics! i can say one thing for sure: I will be buying more of his books in the future.

Great book and very fast delivery by Amazon.
Furthermore this book is a must for every Star Trek fan as per my opinion.

Mr Kaku should contact atomic physicist Prof. Dr. Harald Lesch which is doing the same research but in Germany. Maybe the outcome is a new bestseller.

I've been a big fan of Dr. Kaku since I first saw him on The Science Channel years ago, but this is the first book of his I've read.

In "The Physics of the Impossible," Michio Kaku explores the very subjects that fuels the imagination of those who love science fiction because of the possibilities it raises. Is Time Travel possible? What about Phasers, Force Fields, Teleportation, and Light Sabers? Could one really build a Death Star?

One of the great things about Dr. Kaku's approach is that he does not talk down to the lay person, but he writes just as he speaks, with a simple eloquence that makes these complex concepts accessible to the non-Physicist mind. And it is always clear just how much passion Dr. Kaku has for his work, and he easily passes that on to his audience through his words.

Another great thing about this book is that it's not only an education on the concepts of such things as String Theory and so much more, it's also an exploration of the history behind moderm Physics, dating back to the days of Isaac Newton and beyond. I learned so much about the triumphs, and even more surprising, the tragedies befalling many of the pioneers of modern science merely because they were people with concepts far ahead of their times.

I have to say that if you are a young physicist in the making, an older person who is simply fascinated in the subject of Science, a Science Fiction writer looking for deeper understanding of these subjects to inspire you in your writing, or just someone wanting to get better insight into the mysteries behind the nature of the universe, then this is definitely the book for you.

- Gregory Bernard Banks, author, reader, reviewer

I found this book highly entertaining and thought-provoking. Extrapolating from current knowledge is, as Kaku admits, a tricky proposition. Yet he does a creditable job, succeeding largely through his approach: selecting venerable science fiction technologies - invisibility, force fields, ray guns, etc. - as end points to work towards by surveying appropriate cutting edge scientific disciplines. Through this literary device Kaku is able to offer the general reader a very good snapshot of scientific research circa 2008.

Science fiction fans will be edified by the very real possibilities produced from this imaginative genre, a genre that has inspired many a scientist over the years. Kaku is one of the most effective popularizers of science around, and if this take on scientific research attracts new interest to the field, just maybe the war against science will not be so easily won after all.

I can't believe all the rave reviews of this book, which encouraged me to buy it. How disappointing it turned out to be. To me, it is a tired rehash of ground that Kaku and others have covered thoroughly before, and his knowledge of science fiction is nowhere near as great as he thinks it is. Time he retired.

Being a Dr Kaku fan and enjoying nothing better than to listen to him on late-night radio or read his books, this book did not disappoint. I plan to purchase another copy for my son.

I own and have read all of his general science books and this one continues a impressive track record. I rated this book a four instead of five because I felt it wasn't quite as good as his other general science books. I do have an issue with some of the reviews that critique this book after only 30 minutes of skimming -- that is a vast injustice. Some reviews also critique it because they have seen attempts at explaining the physics of Star Wars/Star Trek elsewhere. I have not read those other attempts but believe this book would be ideal to use in a discussion group of teenage or older students to excite and motivate them for further studies -- maybe they would imitiate Dr Kaku himself and build cloud chambers and colliders for science fairs while in high school. Some of his topics always cause a stir of interest like inter-stellar travel, multi-verse universe, quantum physics, time travel and the like.

I like the way, Dr Kaku divides the various perceived impossibilities into three classes and discusses the revelant science and scientists involved. His writing style is easy to follow and the way he describes/explains things makes him a Carl Sagan-type spokesman for this time. You can not go wrong with buying this book and reading it -- don't skim or you will be only cheating yourself.