The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter in Science and Inquiry

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The Second Kind of Impossible: The Extraordinary Quest for a New Form of Matter

Paul J. Steinhardt

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Feb 14, 2021 Charlene rated it it was amazing

Shelves: general-science, constructs, geology, space, physics, history, technology

The title of this book is a nod to Richard Feynman, one of Steinhardt's advisors and idols, who would exclaim, "impossible!" when he found聽a problem improbable but interesting. Far from boring, Steinhardt himself detailed his thought journey and physical journey that resulted in his聽co-discovery of quasicrystals. First and foremost, Steinhardt wanted his reader to understand why structure determines function, which is pretty essential to understand any aspect of science. To that end, he included The title of this book is a nod to Richard Feynman, one of Steinhardt's advisors and idols, who would exclaim, "impossible!" when he found聽a problem improbable but interesting. Far from boring, Steinhardt himself detailed his thought journey and physical journey that resulted in his聽co-discovery of quasicrystals. First and foremost, Steinhardt wanted his reader to understand why structure determines function, which is pretty essential to understand any aspect of science. To that end, he included some of the best examples of how different substances can be made from the same exact material but result in very different real world expressions. Such as a hard, clear diamond, when carbon-carbon bonds develop under one pressure, or a soft, easily breakable graphite that allows you to leave pencil marks on a paper. This section of the book kept reminding me of biochem and the lessons I learned about how atoms form聽specific shapes inside the cell that are truly watertight, and how important that is in allowing the cell to remain active. I remember how that particular lecture just blew my mind and changed the way I thought about life in general. I also remember learning about how proteins聽denature when exposed to heat, and to this day, whenever I cook an egg, I cannot help but remember that lecture, in basic bio, as well. Steinhardt's section on shape determines function was聽 not as mindblowing, but it was still great. There was a nice section聽on Penrose in this part of the book as well.聽

Then, since it is not just enough to know about how temperature and pressure affect the development of elements, Steinhardt took the reader through what now seems like a given: why quasicrystals had to have developed in outer space聽and could not have developed on our planet, because the temps and pressure are not severe enough to produce such structures. Steinhardt recounted his travels to Russia -- including being scammed!-- in search of what had been only theoretical quasicrystals up to that point, but now could be found in nature. I cannot imagine what it must have felt like to know there was a specimen, which specifically proved you were not insane when you suggested there could be a kind of matter that the majority of your peers said was 'impossible,' and to be part of uncovering how that specimen was made, and more importantly, *where* that specimen was made.聽

The blurb for the book says, "The underlying science is important, simple, and beautiful鈥攁nd Steinhardt鈥檚 firsthand account is 鈥減acked with discovery, disappointment, exhilaration, and persistence...This book is a front-row seat to history as it is made鈥� (Nature)." I feel like that captures the importance of this book.聽 ...more

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Dec 19, 2023 Rusty rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science, history, prose, audiobook, non-fiction

A few times in your life, if you鈥檙e lucky, you鈥檒l finish a book and think, 鈥淲hat the hell did I just read?鈥�

Well, lucky for me, that this one just one of those books. Mostly it鈥檚 about the quest for the discovery of a new state of matter. What kind of matter? What unusual properties does it have? I have no idea. But it turns out the author discovered it. But again, never explained to me that the hell that means.

Or, if he did, I didn鈥檛 get it. I did see that after discovering such super (but not ...more

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