Book
Mr. Tompkins in paperback
Mr. Tompkins in paperback by George Gamow has been mentioned in 3 episodes across 1 podcast (1 episode recommends it and 2 episodes discuss it), through . Most frequently brought up by Neil deGrasse Tyson (3 episodes) on StarTalk Radio (3 episodes).
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Now that being said, there's a book series called Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland written by a physicist, George Gamow, a mid-20th-century physicist; brilliant!
Neil deGrasse Tyson · StarTalk Radio · Dec 2024 Listen at 10:41 Why people recommend it
Mr. Tompkins in Paperback is a classic science popularization book by physicist George Gamow that uses whimsical, imaginative storytelling to explain complex physics concepts like quantum mechanics and relativity by altering everyday physical constants. On StarTalk Radio, host Neil deGrasse Tyson enthusiastically recommended the work during an end-of-year listener Q and A episode titled Confronting Neil With Our Burning Questions Again. Tyson praised the mid-twentieth-century physicist as a brilliant author, highlighting the enduring charm of the Tompkins series in making advanced scientific principles accessible to the general public. Tyson returned to the subject on multiple other occasions, including a live recording at New York Comic Con alongside fellow physicist Brian Greene. During that conversation, Tyson and Greene analyzed the clever premise of the book, noting how Gamow altered foundational physical constants to create surreal alternate universes where everyday citizens could directly experience bizarre relativistic and quantum effects. In an episode titled Science in Pop Fiction, Tyson again underscored Gamow's literary legacy, identifying him as the creative mind behind the celebrated Tompkins series. Across these podcast episodes, the hosts consistently celebrated Gamow's pioneering contributions to science communication, illustrating how imaginative fiction can successfully bridge the gap between rigorous academic physics and public curiosity.
Every mention
Neil deGrasse Tyson Now that being said, there's a book series called Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland written by a physicist, George… 3
“Now that being said, there's a book series called Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland written by a physicist, George Gamow, a mid-20th-century physicist; brilliant!”
“Where he changed the values of the constants. - Oh you mean "Mr. Tompkins Wonderland." - Yeah, "Mr. Tompkins Wonderland."”
“Written by George Gamow. So George Gamow wrote a series--”
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“I'm reminded of the charming illustrated book series by George Gamow, Mr. Tompkins in Wonderland, or something, and what he would do is—he's a business, famous business is mid-20th century. Okay, lived only just died only 20 years ago or so, but he, yeah, George Gamow, he was one of the original predictors of the temperature of the universe. Yeah,”