Geometry and topology have been a fascination in physics since the start of the 20th century. A leading example is Einstein's geometrical theory of gravity. At the beginning of the 1970s, topological ideas entered areas of condensed matter physics. These advances were driven by new seminal ideas resolving a serious contradiction between experiment and the standard interpretation of a rigorous mathematical theorem which led to the study of new exotic topological phases of matter. Topological defect driven phase transitions in thin, two dimensional films of superfluids, superconductors and crystals have provided great insight into the mechanism governing these topological phases present in those physical systems. Moreover, many of these topological properties remain 'protected' against disorder and topological distortion perturbations. An example of possible applications of such robustness to perturbations is in the search for encoding information in quantum computers, potentially providing the platform for fault-tolerant quantum computations.In the past four decades, the discovery of topological phases engendered great interest in condensed matter physics. It also attracted the attention of researchers working on quantum information, quantum materials and simulations, high energy physics and string theory. This unique volume contains articles written by some of the most prominent names in the field, including Nobel Laureate John Michael Kosterlitz and Professor Jorge V Jose. They originate from talks and discussions by leading experts at a recent workshop. They review previous works as well as addressing contemporary developments in the most pressing and important issues on various aspects of topological phases and topological phase transitions.

Are you ready for one heckuva ride? Those who have read The Da Vinci Code know that Dan Brown has led his readers on a wild, improbable, and thrilling adventure. He wants you to question what you've been told all these years. And sure-that's half the fun Here's the other half. The Da Vinci Code Adventure doesn't merely talk about The Da Vinci Code and its themes. It directly tackles Dan Brown's text, taking both fans and casual readers well into the next leg of Brown's compelling and fascinating theological exploration-and this is what Brown is really after. He wants us to question the text of his own novel, too. Let author and pastor Mike Gunn be your guide through both The Da Vinci Code itself and the dizzying maze of Scripture, contemporary scholarship, philosophy, historical documents, Church tradition, and faith-oriented films that tell the rest of this intriguing story. Mike and his team of investigators, HollywoodJesus.com editors Greg and Jenn Wright, analyze Dan Brown's text a handful of chapters at a time, closely examining his portrayal of Opus Dei, the Priory of Sion, the Knights Templar, the Masons, Hieros Gamos, the sacred feminine, and the Council of Nicaea, among other topics. The structure of these investigations is inspired directly by the text of The Da Vinci Code, closely following the outline of Brown's narrative. Fact and legend are weighed side by side. Truth hangs in the balance. Along the way, your guides present a broad perspective on how films have portrayed Jesus, the mysteries of the Christian faith, and the quest for the Holy Grail-everything from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade to Mel Gibson's Passion, from The Last Temptation of Christ to The OmegaCode, and much much more.