The Art of Physics

Can physics change your life? It already has.

"What does complex system theory teach us about getting fired? How does the study of subatomic particles help us predict elections? In his insightful and entertaining new book, Zahaan Bharmal applies lessons from physics to identify elegant explanations for our messy world."—Cal Newport, New York Times bestselling author of Slow Productivity and Deep Work

In The Art of Physics, Zahaan Bharmal explains eight ideas from physics that have transformed his view of everyday life and will do the same for you.

Far from being abstract, he argues, physics can help us answer very human questions, questions like: Why are some relationships unstable, while others last a lifetime? Why does inequality persist? And why do we all make so many irrational decisions?

Drawing on quantum mechanics, thermodynamics, chaos and complexity theory, materials science and more, The Art of Physics reveals the hidden, surprising, and sometimes beautiful ways in which physics can help us to make sense of an unpredictable world. Ultimately, it shows how by embracing the paradoxes and uncertainty at the core of physics, we can unlock a deeper understanding of ourselves and our universe.

Zahaan Bharmal read physics at the University of Oxford. His early career was spent as a policy adviser and speech writer on Whitehall and at the World Bank, where he worked on a range of domestic and international policy issues. In 2005, he won a Fulbright scholarship to Stanford University where he earned an MBA. Since graduating, he has worked for Google, based in London and Silicon Valley and is currently senior director of strategy. Outside work, Zahaan writes about science for the Guardian and has won NASA’s Exceptional Public Achievement Medal for services to science communication. He is a trustee of the National Autistic Society and lives in Yorkshire with his wife and two young sons.