I apologize for not contributing much in the way of substance myself with my first thread, however, I searched for a similar thread and could not find it. So, to my query.

I am educated in the sciences (BS Biology) and have spent the past ten years as a chemist of some form or another (mostly organics, but biochemistry now). All that said, I have a good foundation in the sciences and even remember a bit from my college physics class. Unfortunately I was too busy then thinking about beer and girls to wrap my head around how utterly important physics is. I used to give the "root of all science" title to chemistry, thinking that chemistry was the description of nature at its most reduced. While all I thought of physics was that it was a tool to figure out why things moved in a certain direction and how many newtons it takes to move a box up an incline! Youthful naivety at its best

Moving on, I have recently become very interested in physics, quantum mechanics, astrophysics and cosmology. It is my belief that our current theories are inadequate in explaining and predicting what can and does happen around us. So I want to explore what is known, what is well explained and what observations are not in agreement with theory. I thought about starting this journey by going through some free online courses (there are a few full courses available from some esteemed universities). But, I do not feel like this would be the best use of time, since I would imagine they will be heavily pushing currently accepted mainstream theories and ideas as much closer to fact than maybe ought to be. In other words, it is my feeling that such a resource would not spend the time I would like on reasons why the theories don't work, and instead sort of sidestep those issues. What I want is a resource that delves into both worlds, showing both instances of a given theory working quite well and instances in which it falls flat. As well as presenting alternative theories that may explain some of the things unexplainable by current science.

I really have no idea where to start, but want to get off the internet for awhile and into books. When I search and research this stuff online the info comes in tight little packets, is rarely expanded upon and is also pockmarked with some outlandish claims and disinformation. I am hoping that some of you may have ventured this path in the past and have some suggestions on where to go from here. I realize that what I am looking for will not be contained within one book, but several, and will take some synthesis on my part...but that is the idea!

cheers

Brian greene's the elegant universe was a good read . Talks about classical physics quantum and string theroy

Originally posted by UdonNiedtuno
I have recently become very interested in physics, quantum mechanics, astrophysics and cosmology. It is my belief that our current theories are inadequate in explaining and predicting what can and does happen around us. So I want to explore what is known, what is well explained and what observations are not in agreement with theory. I thought about starting this journey by going through some free online courses (there are a few full courses available from some esteemed universities). But, I do not feel like this would be the best use of time, since I would imagine they will be heavily pushing currently accepted mainstream theories and ideas as much closer to fact than maybe ought to be.

One must certainly question your logic in the quoted statements:

"It is my belief that our current theories are inadequate..." when by your own admission, you don't have a good understanding of current theories. If you don't have a solid understanding of the current theories and the evidence supporting them, on what basis do you have a belief that they are inadequate? If you are thinking of all the unsolved problems in physics, this does clearly demonstrate that our knowledge of physics is quote incomplete. However this is a different matter than saying our current theories are inadequate. Many existing theories make extremely accurate predictions so they at least have that much going for them.

My recommendation would be to first learn what the current theories are, and what the evidence is that supports them...then re-assess your belief about their adequacy.

Someone suggested studying Nassim Haramein. He makes a big deal out of the unsolved problems in physics. The problem you will find when you get into alternate theories such as his is, he can't solve the unsolved problems in physics weither, and what's worse, when you look for evidence to support his alternate theory, there is far less evidence than there is evidence in support of mainstream theories, and in fact evidence contradicts his theories and he seems to ignore that except to say that someday he will publish an explanation about this.