by João Magueijo, Arrow Books. Paperback ISBN 0099428083, £8.99.
Cosmologist João Magueijo certainly believes in rocking the boat. This is his first book, but he is happy to propose theories that challenge the fundamentals of physics. He also challenges the institution of science itself – so much so, that a long-time collaborator had to point out that a reference letter for a PhD student was not an appropriate forum for insulting the establishment.
So what is Magueijo’s theory? Simply, that the speed of light, one of the fundamental constants in our model of the universe, may not be as constant as we have assumed. Working through explanations of relativity and modern cosmology – often featuring a cow called Cornelia – he introduces the science of his Variable Speed of Light (VSL) theories, but it is the personal element that makes the book unusual. Here, Magueijo really brings us two books: one is popular science, and the other is about the day-to-day process of science, a human drama full of dreams, allegiances and betrayals. This section is likely to surprise members of the public as much as it makes scientists chuckle (or grimace) in sympathy with the story Magueijo has to tell.
In an unusual display of emotion, Magueijo attacks everything from the management of his university (which he suggests blowing up for the good of science) to journal reviewers (whose reports, he claims, often contain only 1% science). He avoids sounding bitter only because he compliments the same groups he criticises, remarking that his university has “perhaps the best scientific environment in the world”, despite his views on how it is run.
The book ends on an uncertain note, its VSL theories widely discussed but as yet unproven. Magueijo is not precious about his creation, or worried about humiliation if he is proved wrong. He believes that trying out new ideas is crucial to science. This aside, it is Magueijo’s unsanitized portrayal of science that will surprise and entertain his readers.
