Reviews (5)

Mostly Spellbinding.
This is a very well written, well explained, well researched story of the WMAP probe that is providing us with precision measurements of the Cosmic Microwave Background. The author presents the story in a classic timeline, starting before Penzias and Wilson, proceding through COBE, and climaxing with the WMAP results. The author focuses on the people and events, more than the science; but does not neglect the science either. We learn about the personalities, rivalries, friendships, and feuds of the people involved. We also learn about the science of the big bang, and the importance of the miniscule fluctiations in the CMB.

I found some of the pages to be a little dry; but nothing that caused me to yawn or skim. Overall the book moves along at a good pace, and it fun to read.

I was just a little annoyed by the author's minor tendency to sensationalize. For example, he started the book with a flash-forward to the end where one of the investigators (Dave Spergel) is poring over his data in trepidation about making a "shocking claim". We don't find out what this shocking claim is until the end of the book, where we find out that, in fact, the flash-forward was to a period when Spergel was speculating about the results based on data that was not fully analyzed.

Anyway, it's a fun read and certainly worth the time and money. It's good to know facts like the universe is 13.7 billion years old, that the hubble constant is 71km/s/mpc, and that the first stars turned on about two hundred million years after the big bang.

Do you see what I hear?
Michael Lemonick's 'Echo of the Big Bang' is a very interesting text that weaves some of the recent history and personality of science into one of the more interesting astrophysical discoveries of modern times.

The last chapter of the book is the one that those readers looking for the 'science' will want to read most, for it contains the summary of the findings of the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), launched in 2001. The probe collected data for over a year, looking for the signature of the Big Bang - the background radiation in the universe (Cosmic Microwave Background radiation, or CMB) that was variously discovered and misinterpreted until the 1960s. The probe's findings could be summaries in five key numbers:

1) the universe is 13.7 billion years old
2) Ordinary atoms make up 4.4 percent of the universe
3) Dark matter makes up a surprising 23 percent of matter in the universe
4) The Hubble constant (the rate of expansion per distance) is 71 kilometers per second per megaparsec (in other words, the further out, the fast the expansion)
5) Stars began 'turning on' in the universe 200 million years after the start, much earlier than expected

Okay, so these are fairly simple observations. What do they mean and why are they important?

Lemonick's book takes a longer view toward astrophysical cosmology (as opposed to the more philsophical and theological kinds) - this is a relatively new branch of one of the oldest sciences. Astronomy has been important since the earliest days of literate humanity, and possibly even precedes literacy - charting the stars for theological/religious/superstitious reasons as well as practical reasons (seasons, time keeping) have always been important. However, it has only been since the Enlightenment that major attention has been given to analysing the different components of the sky, and while broad-based interest in the constitution of the universe has been present in philosophical an intellectual history, it has only been since the twentieth century that science has taken on the task of explaining the large-scale structure of the universe. This has led to many fascinating turns, many of which have played out in the popular press, like the astronomic struggle between the Steady State theory and the Big Bang theory.

Lemonick recounts the various near-miss discoveries of the CMB radiation, particularly the various Bell Lab accounts, the various mis-diagnoses from observational astronomers around the world, and finally efforts from ground-based and satellite/above-atmosphere observations to lead to the inescapable conclusion that, whatever it was, there was something out there creating fairly general and stable readings on various instrumentation.

The greater part of the text deals with the formation of the latest mission, which led to the discoveries listed above. Detailing the planning, the formation of the team of researchers, the budgetary issues, the set-backs due to changing NASA priorities and fortunes, and the personality quirks and conflicts that inevitably arise in projects, this is a fascinating glimpse of the human side of the scientific enterprise. The formation of how scientists even decide what to look for and how to look for it is interesting in and of itself; sometimes the scientific process doesn't seem so, well, scientific. How could it be, being run by scientists who are first human beings?

Lemonick also shows some of the aftermath of the discoveries (still a bit new at the time of the writing of this text, or of this review) - he references John Horgan's assertion that all the important discoveries of science have been made; I cannot help but think here of similar statements being made at the end of the nineteenth century, when active speculation about closing patent offices existed as 'everything that can be invented already has been'; history has a sense of irony in that it was a patent clerk (Einstein) who would prove this to be an example of classical physic's hubris. But Lemonick explains the emphasis in astronomy is already shifting; more headlines are made from discovering possible planets around neighbouring stars than grand theoretical constructs or larger-scale explanations. Where science really goes next, in the next decade, is a mystery; much more so is the direction for the next century and beyond.

almost
Don't be put off by the size and modest production of of this book. This is extrememly well written. There is an honest attempt here to communicate as clearly as possible to the general public. Yes, given the quality of the writing there should have been more diagrams and more money spent in promoting it, but this book is still much better than anything Hawking has written for the general public and certainly much better than Smoot's ...effort on COBE. But it is too short and I wish the author had spent more time on the history of earlier attempts to measure the CMB. I think he was afraid of boring his audience, but I think a little more technical and scientific detail, maybe even a few equations, might have made things clearer. Also towards the end the author introduces ekpyrotic universes without much clarity and he is not very clear on the actual nature of the "acoustic" peaks except to say that they were expected to be seen if the universe was finite and curved...which it apparently is not. Excellent general discussion of the engineering problems involved in actually trying to build something. No book is perfect but if you are interested in the WMAP this is well worth buying. There are several other experiment going up in the future....a European MAP, an infrared background radiation scanner, as well as a series of polarization mappers and gravitational wave detectors. I hope the author stays on this beat because in my opinion he is one of the best science writers for the general public that I have read.

An interesting topic
Readable account of cosmology and the role of the cosmic background microwave radiation. The book is weakened by containing several undocumented statements that the author (a journalist, not a scientist) couldn't possible know from his own experience. For example:

Henrietta Leavitt's "...study was ignored, in part because the researcher was a woman and thus unqualified to be a "real" scientist." (Lemonick's quotes around 'real')(p. 22).

"...observational astronomers don't tend to spend much time studying up on theoretical physics." (p. 38).

Excellent writing on a fascinating subject
The main theme of this book is the cosmic microwave background radiation (CMB). In the first half of the book, the author discusses early predictions of the existence of CMB, its eventual discovery and interpretation as well as attempts at measuring its structure, in particular, the cosmic background explorer (COBE) mission. The second half of the book concentrates on the microwave anisotropy probe (MAP) project which also attempts to measure the CMB structure but with much greater resolution that COBE. The human aspects of the story are also well covered, clearly indicating that scientists, too, are indeed very human. The science and technology is explained probably as well as can be explained in a book of this size for a general audience; however, I feel that a big plus would have been the inclusion of a few extra diagrams to complement the text by more clearly illustrating how one can come to all the presented conclusions about the universe by simply looking at the MAP results. But despite this minor shortcoming, I feel that the book still deserves 5 stars since it is exciting and well-written, and gives the reader a sense of what it's like to be involved in cutting edge science. It is definitely worth the read - I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Book Description

Bohm discusses with a group of people from various backgrounds his thoughts concerning mind, matter, meaning, the implicate order and a host of other subjects. ... Read more

Book Description

This upper-division textbook describes the composition and evolution of material objects in the universe. The survey begins with a discussion of terrestrial materials and ends with the composition of quasars and distant galaxies. There are two main themes: chemical processes responsible for the abundances we observe, and nuclear processes in which the chemical elements originate. The author presents a total pedagogic synthesis of the subject, building on the basic information in the first chapters to lead into a fuller explanation of the composition of the planets and stellar and primordial nucleosynthesis. The later chapters treat the analytical methods of stellar and nebular spectra, and move on to the composition of stars and galaxies. The book is fully referenced and includes problem sets for the student. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best science book I have ever bought!
I'll be brief. This is a book written by an astronomer who developed an interest in geology. It explains all about how astronomy, physics, chemistry and geology interact and why there should be interdisciplinaryaction on these subjects. If you are an astronomer with only a rudimentaryunderstanding of geology and want to know how data from meteorites etcaffect your work - it's superb. Likewise, if you are a chemist or ageologist and want to know about the relevence of your work in spacestudies - take a look. It's also remarkably cheap for a science book - sobuy it now. ... Read more

Book Description

Theory of Orbits treats celestial mechanics as well as stellar dynamics from the common point of view of orbit theory, making use of concepts and techniques from modern geometric mechanics. It starts with elementary Newtonian mechanics and ends with the dynamics of chaotic motion. The two volumes are meant for students in astronomy and physics alike. Prerequisite is a physicist's knowledge of calculus and differential geometry. ... Read more

Book Description

This textbook treats Celestial Mechanics as well as Stellar Dynamics from the common point of view of orbit theory making use of the concepts and techniques from modern geometric mechanics. It starts with elementary Newtonian Mechanics and ends with the dynamics of chaotic motions. The book is meant for students in astronomy and physics alike. Prerequisite is a physicist's knowledge of calculus and differential geometry. Volume 1 begins with classical mechanics and a thorough treatment of the 2-body problem, including regularization, followed by an introduction to the N-body problem with particular attention given to the virial theorem. Then the authors discuss all important non-perturbative aspects of the 3-body problem. A final chapter deals with integrability of Hamilton-Jacobi-systems. ... Read more

Book Description

With this newly revised 8th edition of FOUNDATIONS OF ASTRONOMY, Mike Seeds' goal is to help students use astronomy to understand science and use science to understand what we are. Fascinating and engaging, this text illustrates the scientific method and guides students to these fundamental questions: "What are we?" and "How do we know?"In discussing the interplay between evidence and hypothesis, Seeds provides not just facts, but a conceptual framework for understanding the logic of science. The book vividly conveys his love of astronomy, and illustrates how students can comprehend their place in the universe by grasping a small set of physical laws. Crafting a story about astronomy, Mike shows students how to ask questions to gradually puzzle out the beautiful secrets of the physical world. Mathematics is incorporated into the text (and in separate sections for easy reference), but the book's arguments do not depend on mathematical reasoning, keeping even math-averse students engaged. The revision addresses new developments in astrophysics and cosmology, plus the latest discoveries, from Mars' buried water to proto-galaxies at the limits of the observable universe.This edition is now fully integrated with a FREE, brand-new student tutorial system. AceAstronomy is Web-based, assessment-driven, contains book-specific activities, and is completely flexible, creating a personalized learning plan based on quiz results to help each student focus on key concepts to be mastered. This superior system gives students fun, interactive learning opportunities and a greater chance for success. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the 2nd edition of a highly successful title on this fascinating and complex subject. Concentrating primarily on the theory behind the origin and the evolution of the universe, and where appropriate relating it to observation, the new features of the this addition include:

• An overall introduction to the book

• Two new chapters: Gravitational Lensing and Gravitational Waves

• Each part has a collection of exercises with solutions to numerical parts at the end of the book

• Contains a table of physical constants

• The addition of a consolidated bibilography

Reviews (1)

A very good introduction to cosmology
Professor Coles' book on cosmology in the VSI series is a very good introduction to the subject. If you search for a first book on the subject, that's it (although you can also choose Stephen Hawking's Brief History of Time and the contents of these two books could complement with each other)! It provides an overview of the key concepts of cosmology in non-technical language while preserving room for deeper thought and exploration for those who are not satisfied with an introduction.

In my opinion, Chapter 2 provides the best simplified exposition of Einstein's relativity and here and there the book shows very clear exposition of the Hubble's law with kept-to-minimum mathematical presentation which is comprehensible by the general reader without relevant training at all.

Although it may be my own problem, I cannot quite get hold of the key concept of the Friedmann models. The models are first presented in Chapter 3 but they are often quoted in later chapters. Reading them all together, I fail to make a coherent understanding on the models. ... Read more

Book Description

To many people, the main question about extraterrestrial life is whether it exists. But to the scientific community, that question has already been answered: it does, and within our solar system. The new science of astrobiology is already being practiced at NASA's Astrobiology Institute and the University of Washington's new Department of Astrobiology.

Life Everywhere is the first book to lay out what the new science of astrobiology is all about. It asks the fascinating questions researchers in astrobiology are asking themselves: What is life? How does it originate? How often does life survive once it arises? How does evolution work? And what determines whether complex or intelligent life will emerge from more primitive forms? Informed by interviews with most of the top people in this nascent field, this book introduces readers to one of the most important scientific developments of the next century. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

Superb!
This is the best book on the subject I've come across. It certainly lives up to the billing given by James Kasting, of Penn State Astrobiology Center, on the cover: "A lucid and surprisingly accurate introduction to the field of astrobiology and a thoughtful response to the Rare Earth hypothesis." Chapter 6 pretty well demolishes Rare Earth and exposes its surprising creationist roots. Elsewhere, Darling explains when and where we might expect to find extraterrestrial life, what methods we'll use to detect it, the missions and projects planned over the next 10-20 years, the latest on the controversies surrounding Mars, the Martian meteorites, Europa, organic matter in space, and extrasolar planets, and the principles that might govern life wherever it appears. He manages to cram a huge amount of information and ideas into a small space and yet it's so well explained you never get lost in the detail. It's hard to believe that the "reader" who gave the book only two stars actually read it at all. I can see how it might not be popular with those who want to cling to the belief that the Earth and humans are somehow special. But the fact is this is first-class science in a first-class package.

Must read... but beware...
I would definitely recommend to buy and read this book, but beware... this book is very thought provocing! I have had a Christian (Catholic) education and although I have always been very interested in exact sciences, I never read a book before that challenges you to reconsider so fundamentally the origin of life. I bought this book from Amazon.com ZShops and even now, 6 weeks later, it is not yet completely finished because I needed time after every chapter to let sink down the information.

This book very clearly explains what astrobiology is about and gives you lots of ideas to think about.
One minor point : the writing style is not always very fluent.
Overall a really good book and a must have !

I welcome other people that want to discuss the content of this book with me : send me an e-mail !

"Politically Correct"
This is one of eight books on Astrobiology which were rushed out after the publication of Joseph's revolutionary and ground breaking text, in May of 2000. Like the other seven competing volumes, this text differs from Joseph's, in that it strictly holds to the "party" line, as approved by the United States government, and repeats, without any critical analysis, mainstream scientific dogma. Now, don't get me wrong. Although he avoids mentioning Joseph's book--which clearly triggered the writing of his own--Darling does an otherwise good job of provding a "politically correct" overview of the status quo. If you are interested in the views held by mainstream, government funded scientists, this is the book for you.

a great introduction to a fascinating subject
Darling is a reader-friendly writer who introduces the subject of astrobiology with enthusiasm and clarity. He provides and excellent background of the work that led to this topic as a specialty in its own right, and charts the territories in which future developments are sure to occur. Darling is honest and sincere in his writing, which distinguishes him from certain other writers in the field who seek religious objectives by way of scientific sounding language. Darling's work is erudite and objective...and easy to read. Good work!!

Very Good
A good introduction to astrobiology and very informative. ... Read more

Book Description

A Walk through the Heavens is a beautiful and easy-to-use guide to the constellations of the northern hemisphere. By following the unique simplified maps, readers will be able to easily find and identify the constellations and the stars within them. Ancient myths and legends of the sky are retold, adding to the mystery of the stars. Written for the complete beginner, this practical guide introduces the patterns of the starry skies in a memorable way. No equipment is needed, apart from normal sight and clear skies. Milton D. Heifetz is a clinical professor of neurosurgery at the University of Southern California and visiting professor at Harvard Medical School. This is his first astronomy book. Wil Tirion is the author of numerous sky guides, including The Cambridge Guide to Stars and Planets (1997), The Cambridge Star Atlas (1996), and The Monthly Sky Guide (Cambridge, 2003).Previous Edition Hb (1998): 00-521-62513-0 ... Read more

Reviews (6)

A Great Learning Guide
One of the best, if not the best, book I have found to easily teach you the night sky and how to find and identify the Constellations. I highly recommend this book for anyone that wants to learn the night sky easily and complete. A++++

Confusing Constellation Relationships - Good Basic Astronomy
Those who consider this a really good beginners' book must not have seen Hans Rey's classic "Find the Constellations" or "The Stars: A New Way to See Them".
The latter book was "new" generations ago when my now grown children marveled at the heavens using our heavily worn hard copy of "The Stars" with Rey, and is now collecting grubby fingerprints from the frequent use by my grandchildren in our original and several paperback copies.
Part 2 of the Heifetz/Tirion book uses a labored method of originating and extending lines all over the sky from "Star n" of Asterism "m" through several other hard to define positions of far removed stars and further on to numbered or named stars in destination constellations for its "Walk Through the Heavens".
Too complicated for the purpose for beginners.
One could spend all night trying to imagine these lines in the sky while a few minutes with either of the Rey books would have the beginner naming and knowing half a dozen constellations and then star hopping to others.
Parts 1, 3 and 4 save the book. Part 3, the section on Legends of the Heavens, Milky Way, etc. is very good. Part 4, sort of a Misc. chapter has a small collection of good viewing information.
The book is a good buy, but the Rey books are a lot better for learning the constellations for any age group, and only slightly more expensive.
The Time-Life Skywatching/Advanced Skywatching volumes for a few more bucks are a little more advanced but orders of magnitude better for beginning teenagers, adults or advanced elementary schoolers and provide a lot more bang for your buck.

An Excellent Primer to the Constellations
This book makes finding constellations in the Northern Hemisphere(the author has a similar book for the Southern Hemisphere)an interesting and successful endeavor. It is not just for youngsters, but for anyone with an interest in learning how to find constellations and the names of the major stars. The diagrams illustrate the relationships between stars and constellations in simple drawings that make it like an easy-to-read roadmap. It builds from the pointer stars of the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) to all the constellations and how to find them. Instead of frustration and doubt you'll feel the exhilaration of discovery.

Besides the stars and their relationships to each other, there is also a "Legends of the Heavens" section that tells the myths and stories of the major constellations. They are fascinating and not limited to children. This book can open up the heavens for anyone who wonders about the stars. It can lay a foundation by simplifying the sky. Once these basics are learned, the universe and hobby of astronomy can be pursued to whatever depth you want. This book is a MUST for anyone wanting to be successful in satisfying their curiosity about the locations of constellations and their relationships to each other.

This book will lead you to the stars...
...Or at least, it will help you to identify them.

I have always been interested on space. However, I have never taken a single astronomy class, and there is a huge difference between knowing about astronomical objects and identifying them on the sky. I had seen some maps, but they were overwhelming.

This book changed it all. It starts with identifying one constellation, and from there it takes you to many stars. It is a very useful first step.

A great companion book for this one is "Secrets of the Night Sky". As I told in my review of that one, "A Walkthrough" will show you how to locate stuff. "Secrets" will let you know what you are watching.

Excellent beginning skywatcher's book!
Very good introduction to visual stargazing, and a required orientation to the night sky. I used to recommend the Rey book first for beginner's, but after reading this one, I'd have to give it the nod, although the candor and increased detail in the Rey book make it worth owning as well. My only gripe with this book is the liberty taken with presentation of the constellation legends, where the author felt that he needed to "remove violence" from the stories! A little arrogant, I thought... ... Read more

Book Description

Are we on the verge of solving the riddle of creation using Einstein's "greatest blunder"?

In a work that is at once lucid, exhilarating and profound, renowned mathematician Dr. Amir Aczel, critically acclaimed author of Fermat's Last Theorem, takes us into the heart of science's greatest mystery. In January 1998, astronomers found evidence that the cosmos is expanding at an ever-increasing rate. The way we perceive the universe was changed forever. The most compelling theory cosmologists could find to explain this phenomenon was Einstein's cosmological constant, a theory he conceived--and rejected---over eighty years ago.

Drawing on newly discovered letters of Einstein--many translated here for the first time--years of research, and interviews with prominent mathematicians, cosmologists, physicists, and astronomers, Aczel takes us on a fascinating journey into "the strange geometry of space-time," and into the mind of a genius. Here the unthinkable becomes real: an infinite, ever-expanding, ever-accelerating universe whose only absolute is the speed of light. Awesome in scope, thrilling in detail, God's Equation is storytelling at its finest.
... Read more

Reviews (31)

A good read...
Aczel, whose book about Fermat's last theorem was an enjoyable romp through the history of mathematics, now turns his attention to Einstein's theory of general relativity and its implications for cosmology. Based on his work with some historians who are taking a fresh look at Einstein's life and work through recently discovered notebooks and correspondence (Renn, Stachel, et.al), Aczel is able to reveal some previously unknown factoids about the 20th century's greatest scientist. For example, a previously unknown notebook from about 1912 reveals that Einstein had produced his field equation for gravitation nearly 3 years earlier than its final publication in 1915. Apparently Einstein was not convinced of the accuracy of this equation, for he abandoned it, only to rederive it 3 years later with apparently no recollection that he'd been there before. Aczel also spends some effort refuting the popular myth that Einstein was no good at mathematics. He was a superb mathematician, says Aczel, and largely self-taught, which speaks to his agile intellect and intuitive sense for fruitful areas of research.

Unlike any other biographies of Einstein or expositions of relativity that I've read, Aczel takes a "mathematician's eye view" of general relativity, and spends considerable time tracing the development of the geometry of curved space through Gauss, Reimann, and several other lessor known contributors. He also reveals, which I had not known previously, that Einstein kept up an ongoing correspondence with the legendary British mathematician David Hilbert, and that Hilbert published some work of his own based on early copies of Einstein's field equations. This incident has apparently been fodder for considerable historiagraphical debate, and was only recently settled that there was no plagarism or other funny business occurring on the part of either man.

God's Equation is not all Einstein, however. Aczel also introduces us to many of the nagging questions in modern cosmology, and astronomers' attempts to reconcile the recently discovered accelerating expansion of the universe with current theories. Astronomer Saul Perlmutter is central to the story's recent developments, whose supernova observing program lent considerable weight to the accelerating expansion scenario. Taking center stage for this discussion is the resurrection of the cosmological constant, Einstein's famous "blunder," which Aczel argues, has never really left cosmology. As modern astronomers have looked further and further into the universe and back in time, the cosmological constant seems more and more necessary to some theorists, as a repulsive force to counteract the attractive force of gravity (which is itself a brute simplification, since anybody familiar with general relativity knows that gravity is not a force at all, but rather a result of curved spacetime).

Overall, I do recommend this book, though I'm frustrated that Aczel didn't do much more with this opportunity. This book could have easily been twice as long. I get the sense that he was hurried to get it to print for some reason, passing over stories that begged for further clarification (more, for instance, on the eclipse expeditions so central to providing proof for general relativity, and less on the roots of World War I, which delayed the expeditions). All in all, it's an excellent addition to the existing material on Einstein's life and work, and a teaser for more detail on what's really going on in modern cosmology (in the last two or three years, particularly). It makes me hunger for some publications based on Renn and Stachel's work on Einstein. I found a few typographical errors (in a discussion about the effect of Minkowski's lectures on Einstein while at the ETH, he gives a date for Minkowski's birth four years after Einstein published his paper on special relativity).

A great story
This is one of the best popular books I have read about cosmology. What I liked in the book is that it does not try to dazzle the reader with exotic and complicated words. It describes in plain words how Einstein's idea of the "cosmological constant" developed over the years. When it was introduced it looked like a good idea, but was clearly marginal to the interests of current science; later, Einstein himself thought that it was a big blunder; now, almost a century later, the cosmological constant has become a key problem, which links the study of the origin of the Universe with the study of the ultimate building blocks of matter. Aczel's book tells this fantastic story.

After reading it I realized that that the book's title is very proper: it is the story of the search of God. But this is not the God of the common religions: it is Einstein's God, the Mind who wrote the ultimate equation. No title could better describe Einstein's motivation.

While telling this story, Aczel describes the life of Einstein and his times: I read many things about Einstein that I did not know. In conclusion, it is a book worth reading.

Good Explanation of a Mind Boggling Theory
A meandering book that undertakes to explain the one recently observed fact that the universe appears to be expanding with increasing speed, with the historical fact that one of the results of Einstein's cosmology formulas predicted this expansion of the Universe. Einstein thought he was mistaken and corrected the formulas. The author does an admirable job keeping the subject interesting . The reader is exposed to the history of the experiments to prove Einstein's theory along with a large amount of anecdotal and biographical material of the main characters involved. No math is really discussed in this book, just the conclusions of mathematical formulas. I think the author included a little too much extraneous background. The reader should be prepared for an onslaught of material that makes one wonder if the author is begging for material to fill the pages.That point aside, I consider this author still one of the best at explaining science to the layman. On a par with Isaac Assimov in that respect.

Relatively speaking . . .
For fans of "Connections-style" history of science, this is a great read. It does an especially good job of chronicling the interplay between math and physics, and how general relativity could not be developed until the appropriate mathematical constructs were available. Using the cosmological constant as the common thread in exploring how general relativity has shaped our understanding of the evolution of the universe lets Aczel pull everything together in a most satisfying way. There are some weak points, however. Sprinkling a few equations in the text does nothing to clarify his explanations and gives a simplistic view of the real mathematics involved, and his inclusion of irrelevant biographical details of minor players is a bit exasperating. Nonetheless, most readers will find this time well spent.

An Accessible Introduction to Complex Physics
In "God's Equation", Amir Aczel explores the recent history of cosmology and physics, interwoven with a biography of Albert Einstein. Despite the fact that he is discussing complex ideas and topics, Aczel manages to explain concepts in an easy-to-understand fashion.

Perhaps the most enjoyable part of the book was the biography of Einstein infused in the chapters. Einstein was an amazing scientist and a fascinating person, and Aczel reveals his life in an interesting way. The reader also learns of the great work of a number of scientific/mathematical genuises of the past- such as Euclid, Planck, and Reimann. Their discoveries, like Einstein's are explained to the reader in a surprisingly accessible way.

The most interesting conclusion of this book is that the universe is expanding, and will expand forever. This seems counterintuitive, for it implies a universe that began a finite time ago and will never re-contract. This is perhaps one of the most important discoveries of all time.

Overall, "God's Equation" is a highly accessible and highly recommended book. It is a fast read, and one that won't be regretted. ... Read more

Book Description

The man celebrated as "the Christopher Columbus of Mars" brings us to the very brink of human exploration.

Using nuts-and-bolts engineering and a unique grasp of human history, Robert Zubrin takes us to the not-very-distant future, when our global society will branch out into the universe. From the current-day prospect of lunar bases and Mars settlements to the outer reaches of other galaxies, Zubrin delivers the most important and forward-looking work on space and the true possibilities of human exploration since Carl Sagan's Cosmos.

Sagan himself said of Zubrin's humans-to-Mars plan, "Bob Zubrin really, nearly alone, changed our thinking on this issue." With Entering Space, he takes us further, into the prospect of human expansion to the outer planets of our own solar system--and beyond.

"An exhilarating and informative ride." --The San Diego Union-Tribune

"Robert Zubrin is a true engineering genius like the heroic engineers of the past." --Frederick Turner, American Enterprise ... Read more

Reviews (36)

Zubrin gets out of his depth
Zubrin writes well, and the technology parts are well described and a good read. However, the overall book is quite negative towards anything that is not Mars related, or in the distant future.

Section 1 is mainly an exercise in bashing NASA and the large space contractors. Perhaps some of this is justified, but it comes across as sour grapes. Zubrin then takes aim at O'Niell's High Frontier ideas. However, he is factually incorrect in much of what he says, and loses his credibility at this point.

Section 2 is mainly about Mars. Zubrin is excellent on the technical aspects of Mars Direct. However, when he moves on to Mars colonisation, most of his ideas are based on parallels with the colonisation of North America. Here Zubrin is out of his depth, as the engineering is left behind and he enters into sociology and politics.

Section 3 is far future stuff, and much of the engineering discussion is useful. There are some ideas which are "interesting". For example, because it is theoretically possible for bacteria to travel in space, Zubrin assumes that is what happened. He then goes on to show that the reason that Earth has not been colonised by higher beings is that advanced civilisations self destruct after a while, despite these civilisations spanning many thousands of light years.

Overall, good on the engineering, and some interesting stories about how NASA can't make anything work. However, for most of the book, Zubrin is either out of his depth, or trying to discredit ideas that might be competitors to Mars Direct. It's worth reading, but keep an air of scepticism.

....And comes the revolution
Two detractionist notions have been posed since the dawn of spaceflight as to why travel to other planets, and indeed, the great stars that lay beyond--were the stuff of science fiction. A)That such ideas were either impossible or impractical and B)That there is no real reason to go into space when we have problems here on earth.

Robert Zubrin simultaneously destroys both excuses in Entering Space.

In a literary style that is both eloquent yet simple, straight hard science yet common sense, Robert Zubrin lays out an explanation for why the atrophied space program is the way it is, and from there goes on to paint a practical and awe inspiring vision of what humanity could be, and why we should.

Pages are filled with highly detailed tables, diagrams, and equations...yet what he writes is put so easy-to-understand, that you can skip over them entirely. The plan for a space faring civilization is laid out in three steps(Type 1: Planetary, Type 2: Interplanetary, and Type 3: Interstellar). And it cannot be overstated that this is perhaps the most perfect book ever written on the subject, and anyone from astronomers to scientists, to car mechanics will all understand and be inspired by Entering Space.

It can be said that Robert Zubrin is no less than a modern day Wherner Von Braun...although I wouldn't want to give undo credit to Von braun :-)

A touch preachy, speculative and stodgy
Robert Zubrin is obviously dissatisfied with the state of affairs with NASA. He complains about the lack of funding for certain programs and the lack of direction from the top brass. He makes his point but he should have cut it short.

The author seems to overlook potential pitfalls in his ideas. On using nuclear fusion for propulsion, Zubrin states that exhaust speed could reach 5 percent lightspeed, therefore Alpha Centauri could be reached in 86 years. This assumes that extra time for acceleration is negligible. For acceleration time to be negligible, the power involved would be well beyond what current research in fusion power suggests is reasonable. This oversight makes be doubt the feasibility of his much wilder proposals.

I appreciate technical details but Zubrin uses a pedantic style of writing more suitable for a textbook than a leisurely read. Zubrin's previous work, The Case for Mars, was never so tedious.

However, Zubrin does a good job on explaining many principles and concepts that would be of great interest to the space enthusiast--mainly on how to best exploit the solar system's resources while achieving inspirational goals for humanity. He also gives a concise overview of the debate on extraterrestrial intelligence an their detection.

I do recommend this book for space enthusiasts, but they should take it with a grain of salt.

Check the numbers!
I have only read the first seven chapters of this book so far, but I feel compelled to point out some errors of information. Zubrin attacks any idea that doesn't go to Mars directly without proper research. A few hours of web searching have shown that his pessimistic numbers about solar power and lunar agriculture are not up to par. Zubrin is a rocket engineer, and so he thinks only in terms of rockets. So far in my reading I haven't seen anything about light sails or his own magnetic sail idea (for an interesting breakthrough on magsails, run a web search for M2P2). Zubrin really, really wants to go to Mars right now, and so he tries to discredit any colonization ideas that don't accomplish that objective. Personally, I don't know why we would go to all of the trouble to escape one gravity well only to go and crawl down another one.

On the good side, the initial chapters have educated me on the reasons why space travel is so expensive, and I am looking forward to the chapters about colonizing the outer solar system. The book is very well written, with a comfortable level of technical detail, and even its negative aspects have caused me to learn much more than I expected to get out of this book when I purchased it. Absolutely worth the money, but I can only give it four stars becasue of Zubrin's unreasonable treatment of other people's ideas.

Truly thought-provoking
Some of Zubrin's ideas are rather wacky (like the prospect of humans somehow firing up a brown dwarf into a full-fledged star), but for the most part, this book is thought provoking and raises numerous good reasons for mankind to launch itself into space. His argument that we will stagnate if we remain solely on earth is quite convincing, as is his theorizing that our galaxy teems with other civilizations. For the most part, you can skip Zubrin's equations and tables and still enjoy the book.

What really shines through is his passion about humanity's potential. We could do so much, he argues, if we could just get beyond the petty fighting that bogs us down on earth. After reading this book, I'm absolutely convinced that Zubrin is on the right track. He may be an engineer, but his real strength is the ability to transmit clearly and simply the reasons why we can't shut the door to the universe. I haven't read a better book about space exploration since Carl Sagan's Cosmos and Pale Blue Dot. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Not all astronomers are totally thrilled with the Hubble Space Telescope. "That's not data, it's pictures," they complain. But what pictures: never has the universe seemed so gorgeous, powerful, diverse: in a word, magnificent.Only part of the pictures in Ken Croswell's Magnificent Universe are from the Hubble, but all cleave to the same high standard.Whether of Mars, a supernova, or galaxies in collision, they are beautiful. The paper in the book is glossy black, which is ideal for bringing out colors and details in the photographs, each of which covers an entire very large page. The white-on-black text is less special, meant more for browsing than for learning.It's rather a pity, because Croswell's other books (The Alchemy of the Heavens and Planet Quest) are written in a style both witty and informative.

The only astronomy coffee-table book that can begin to compare to this one for beauty is Full Moon. The black-and-white photos in the latter have a stark loveliness with something of the chill of space; the pictures in Magnificent Universe are colorful and even exciting, giving the reader sheer, sensual pleasure along with their sense of wonder. --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Fascinating jaw-dropping photographs
This is THE astronomy book for the coffee table. The photos are truly awe-inspiring and will have house guests thinking about getting into astronomy! For amateur astronomers, this book makes for great cloudy-night browsing. All photographs have brief but well-written captions explaining what you're looking at. The gorgeous colors and large format pages allow for great dramatic impact.

It is an expensive book. However, it is (to my knowledge) the best of its kind. Admittedly, I went through it a couple times and now it just sits on my bookshelf! But it's always fun to show it to other people. I think every amateur astronomer would want a book like this to let the imagination run free once in a while. The various galaxies pictured in the book seem so close and detailed that it's easy to start dreaming of journeying there in a spaceship. We forget how incredibly far off these behemoth "island universes" are.

Indescribably spectacular
I first saw this book in the souvenir shop at the Hayden Planetarium in New York and I absolutely had to have it. This is an astounding compilation of stunning photographs of our universe. It is a coffee table book, about 11" x 14" so the photographs are very large with incredible detail. The book is broken down into four sections with each one more inclusive. The first section is on the planets. It includes amazingly detailed photos of all the planets as well as comets and meteors with detailed descriptions of each planet.

The second section is about the stars. There are splendid pictures of nebulae that are more fantastic than the most spectacular fireworks display you could ever imagine. There is an interesting discussion of the birth of stars, how they differ and how long they last. There are also photographs of the remnants of supernovas as well as double stars and star clusters. The third section is on galaxies. Again, we have breathtaking photography of various galaxies, including fascinating and informative descriptions about the birth and evolution of galaxies. The last section is on the universe. This is more descriptive than illustrative and discusses the Big Bang and the evolution of the universe as it expanded, cooled and formed galaxies.

In addition to the sections mentioned above, there is also an interesting appendix filled with tables of information on planets, stars and galaxies including their distance, discovery dates and vital statistics.

This awesome book is educational, inspirational and beautiful beyond words. It is perfect for students, lovers of astronomy or anyone else who appreciates the lovely wonders of nature.

Ditto
I'll echo the thoughts of the other reviewers. Great picture book for the coffee table. I slightly preferred the pictures in Malin's Invisible Universe, but I bought this one for one basic reason: it's smaller in size and actually fits on our coffee table! Unlike Malin, it also has pictures of the planets. You won't go wrong with this or Malin, but I'd buy Malin's first if I had a bigger table, mainly because his pictures of several star fields are just glorious. "What a mighty God we serve!"

The Magnificent Universe is Simply Magnificent
One of the most enjoyable books I have ever read or seen. Perhaps it is one of the most beautiful books ever published. The book is a must buy if you like astronomy and is also a good way to inspire children into the wonders of the Cosmos.

One cannot help but read and look at this book and wonder at the magnificence of the universe in which we live. Five Stars! Jeff Scott

Magnificent Book!
With this book, Ken Croswell opens to the reader the beauty of our universe with his unique prose coupled with the best pictures from leading observatories around the world. From the cover itself you will experience an unforgettable journey through the heavens, with splendid vistas and splendid lectures that will give you a taste of the cosmos on a "majestic scale". First, you will encounter "The Planets", "one by one as they race around the sun". Then, "The Stars","colorful gems that make the heavens sparkle". Farther away, "The Galaxies", "specking space the way flowers dot a spring garden". and then, "The Universe" opening up with "cosmology's first observation: the dark night sky". Poetic and visually amazing, the book also contains colorful tables for data lovers and a small glossary for quick reference as well as an index for further reading. In short, a magnificent book! ... Read more

Book Description

In a landmark work of science two distinguished scientists offer a vivid narrative describing the second half of the life of our planet
Planet Earth is middle-aged. Science has worked hard to piece together the story of the evolution of our world up to this point, but only recently have we developed the understanding and the tools to describe the entire life cycle of a planet-of our planet.
Peter Ward and Don Brownlee, a geologist and an astronomer respectively, are in the vanguard of the new field of astrobiology. Combining their knowledge of how the critical sustaining systems of our planet evolve through time with their understanding of how stars and solar systems grow and change throughout their own life cycles, the authors tell the story of the second half of Earth's life. The process of planetary evolution will essentially reverse itself; life as we know it will subside until only the simplest forms remain.Eventually, they too will disappear. The oceans will evaporate, the atmosphere will degrade, and, as the sun slowly expands, Earth itself will eventually meet a fiery end.
In this masterful melding of groundbreaking research and captivating, eloquent science writing, Ward and Brownlee provide a comprehensive portrait of Earth's life cycle that allows us to understand and appreciate how the planet sustains itself today, and offers us a glimpse of our place in the cosmic order.
... Read more

Reviews (15)

Very Interesting!
I tend to judge non-fiction by what I learn. "The Life and Death of Planet Earth" tells the story about the un-glamorous end of our planet by analyzing the past. The book did this magnificently. In short, I learned a lot.

In some respects, the book is depressing. I wanted to imagine that we are part of the beginning. The book illustrates that perhaps we are closer to the end. I put myself in the next ice age, which could arrive any time, according to the authors, and in the inferno of the distant future. Of course, I won't be there, but the descriptions of these future times made them easy to visualize. By piecing together accepted scientific principles and knowledge, the story of the future of planet Earth is convincing. The only question is what impact we, humans, will have; probably small.

I have recommended this to all my friends. I find myself pulling little tidbits from the book and beginning conversations with "Did you know that....?" "The Life and Death of Planet Earth" is just packed with interesting science. For those that have not read "Rare Earth", this book stands by itself, so it is not necessary to read the predecessor first.

When things get bleak . . .
It takes a certain amount of fortitude to confront your own doom. Ward and Brownlee, having acutely described life's beginnings in "Rare Earth", here portray the mechanisms of its end. With the course of life's evolution revealed in the work of many researchers, depicting the finale has rarely been attempted. Recent studies of the past have given the authors the tools for forecasting the future. They use the history of the planet to suggest the "tape of life" will be rerun - backwards. Changing conditions will reduce the options life has to continue surviving. As a swelling sun and dehydrating Earth limit choices, life will revert to simpler, hardier forms. At some point, although far in the future, life's opportunities will end. A bleak barren world will likely be consumed by Sol's energetic transformation into a red giant star. A lifeless planet will either skirt the circumference of that swollen star or be consumed in its fires.

Although a fiery conclusion is the ultimate finale, there are many intermediate steps along the path. Ice, which has covered our planet many times in the past, is shown here as one of the major signs of the impending finish. Seas withdraw from coastlines and habitat zones shrink dramatically. Weather patterns undergo massive changes from what we experience. The authors use "time transport" techniques to enable you to envision the impact of these drastic variations. You visit future scenarios where plant life's extinction has taken herbivores with it. Grasses exist for a bit, but it's too desolate for complex grazers to enjoy them. Harsh winds scream across those savannahs, dehydrating the soil until the grasses, too, finally expire. These conditions, Ward and Brownlee contend, have likely already begun. The peak of plant diversity may already be behind us. Animal extinctions, accelerated by our presence, must surely follow.

What of humanity, then? Raised with the ideal that we are evolution's "purpose", we believe we can overcome nature's greatest challenges. It's clear that even our esteemed technology must fall short of coping with an overheating Sun. The authors, who have dealt with extinctions in the past, deal ambiguously with the logic of human continuation to a distant future. While most species survive for a few million years, they suggest we will still be present when vast changes begin. They weigh the issues of our possible escape from the doomed planet in terms of will, available resources, advanced technologies and likely havens. All come up somehow short. A bleak prospect indeed.

The authors' expressive style captures your attention throughout. Not an academic study, yet still a serious assessment, this book will keep your attention throughout. With the new science of astrobiology as their foundation, little of their narrative is idle speculation. They write with authority, yet present their theme as a drama. Actors come and go, struggle to maintain their roles, but succumb in tragic circumstances. Referring to this book as compelling reading is almost damning with faint praise. While the scenarios are projected billions of years in the future, we can initiate many of the processes through carelessness.

Incorporating many ideas and research information in a mere 200 pages is a major accomplishment. Ward and Brownlee, with their wide knowledge and almost florid style have produced a fine work. As a summary of geology, astrophysics, evolutionary biology and atmospheric sciences, this is a unique and admirable synthesis. If there is anything to fault, it is the strong reliance on the resources used in their previous collaboration - a minor flaw in such a comprehensive study. [stephen a. haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Mind Numbing
While a potentially interesting topic, the authors bored me. The consistantly repeat themselves. I don't know how many times I was told we know the furture because our authors have studied the past! The science was burdened with pseudo-short stories of past and future Earths which often turned out to be directly related to our authors. I felt the actual scientific content here presented could have been presented in a quarter of the pages much more clearly. After reading it in two nights I am left with a feeling of a mind numbed through repeated mental bludgeoning.

Oversimplified to appeal to a Peg Bundy.
I was disappointed. They sometimes oversimplify to the point of being wrong. They butcher the C02 cycle to explain why plants will go extinct...I couldn't finish it. Save your money.
I donated my copy to the library and suggested they put it in the childrens section. You will get more out of renewing your Scientific American subscription.

Readable, enjoyable, made me think
Maybe enjoyable is a strange word to use when the book's subject is the end of all life and of our pretty blue planet but the book was easy to read as it charted its way to the hypothetical end. The author mixed information with description and I was drawn in as a spectator through the narrative as the earth was formed and became habitable.

Chapter by chapter the earth came to resemble the planet I know, then continued to change until I saw the final bleak lifeless landscape waiting to be vaporized by the Sun's final burnout.

The subject, coined astrobiology, is the study of a planet's life cycle, from birth to death, the conditions each stage offers and the kind of life it is likely to support. The duration of the phase of planetary life supportive of human-type life is a relatively short part of the whole, and may be already on the decline. But that is geologic time, our great grandchildren are unlikely to be affected.

The author's freely offer that this is a baby science and the theories are likely to be challenged and overturned as it becomes recognized. I found it a fast read that drew me into the story like a detective novel, I couldn't wait to find out what happened next.

Maybe not a great book but a good one I feel was worth the time. ... Read more

Book Description

Are there really laws of nature out there still waiting to be discovered? Or are they simply illusions?

The Universe that Discovered Itself is a re-titled and wholly revised edition of The World Within the World, John Barrow's extraordinary study of how we view the universe. Ranging from long-ago societies up to tomorrow, and from the magical notions of primitive cultures up to the latest ideas about chaos, black holes, inflation, and superstrings, this book traces the development of our concept of what the laws of nature are and how we might come to know them. Entertaining and inspiring, it is a journey to the edge of space and time--and in Barrow we have the ideal guide and companion. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

An account of New physics
In this small but chubby book author gives an account of history of Physics and goes into new Physics. Starts with greeks and he hates Philosophers, passes through classical Mechanics into Quantum physics with short stories of about the paradoxes and philosophical implications of Quantum Physics and into Cosmology. Half of the book with introduction and other half with Cosmological concepts. A lot of concepts are covered.
Particle Physics, Quantum Vacuum, Black Holes, Anthropologic Principles.Author has a good way of explaining things.
I enjoyed reading it.

The author that discovered himself
Judging from my own experience of reading such serious science books, it may be important to gain readers' attention by some measures like nice design, adequate amount of book, and easy vocabularies. At my first glance through this small and thick book, the contents seem to be too much for readers to concentrate. As a whole, this must be one of Barrow's magnificent books. Especially, the subtiles with the quotations of the famous persons are very impressive. This book also leads me to more deeply understand what made me confusing in terms of some new cencepts. I hope his another version of simpler edition will come to public sooner or later.

The Universe that discovered itself: Why this name?
I do not understand why this book deserves a diferent name other than "The World within the World", being just a second edition with minor changes. I bought the book via internet, but if I had had the opportunity to revise it in a bookstore, surely I would not buy it. Two sections has been eliminated from the original, and five has been added (twenty pages or so) in this new version. If you realize that the book contains over a hundred sections,you will be convinced that the changes are too few to justify another title. The new sections are: The second string revolution; Questions abot the superfuture; Time travel; The outer limit; Cosmology, stars and the life. The contents of these sections are included in others of the (excellents) books written by Barrow. For example, the section Time Travel is contained in the section "Time Travel: is the universe safe for historians?" from the book "Impossibility: The Limits of Science and the Science of Limits" (Oxford U. P. 1998). Summarizing, if you never read "The world within the world" (Oxford U. P., 1998), you now have a good opportunity to enjoy it in its update version; otherwise, it is preferable to purchase "Pi in the Sky", "Impossibility" or anyone of the tantalizing publications from this great writer.I rate this book with five stars, the same stars corresponding to "The world...", because is the same wonderful book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

"An excellent presentation of fundamental astronomy."
Discovering the Universe is an excellent presentation of fundamental astronomy facts and principles. A major book for amateur astronomers.

William Kaufmann III writes in a clear and concise style, making complex data and theories understandable to the layperson. No sophisticated math or physics backgrounds are required. Yet, he treats complex topics, such as Stellar Evolution, the Origin of the Solar System, etc. in a comprehensive manner. This book will serve as a lasting reference book for your library.

A CD-ROM is included which contains the entire text of the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Develops the concepts of quantum theory for the solid state from basics to a level beyond broader texts in a single sourcebook. Appropriate prior knowledge is assumed - and it applies that knowledge to build an understanding of three topics, namely semiconductors, magnetism and superconductivity. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

good intro
A nice and tidy volume to learn, refer and teach. It can be used along with John Davies' book on Low dimensional semiconductors. Only some very necessary ideas are given exposure here. For more in depth learning one should check other books. But for advanced undergarduates this is a recommendable volume. ... Read more

Book Description

New to our On the Shoulders of Giants series, this groundbreaking work of astronomy proposed a heliocentric universe in which planets orbited the sun-daring to challenge the Ptolemaic ideal of the earth as the center of the universe. This essay by Copernicus (1473-1543), revolutionized the way we look at the earth's placement in the universe, and paved the way for many great scientists, including Galileo and Isaac Newton, whose theories stemmed from this model. Featuring a biography of Copernicus and an accessible, enlightening introduction, both written by the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres provides a fascinating look at the theories which shaped our modern understanding of astronomy and physics.

Black-and-white illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

What A Joy As Well As A Work of Art
Never before did I know a man could explain the heliocentric universe as well in this book. Of Course, Copernicus explained it centuries before my birth. But, it seems so foolish to believe the geocentric view, and I'm Catholic. Read "Dialogues" by Galileo to get the full picture of what these two men said, it it truly fascinating. ... Read more

Book Description

This textbook is a general introduction to the dynamics of astrophysical fluids for students with a knowledge of basic physics at the undergraduate level.No previous knowledge of fluid dynamics or astrophysics is required because the author develops all new concepts in context.The first four chapters cover classical fluids, relativistic fluids, photon fluids and plasma fluids, with many cosmic examples being included.The remaining six chapters deal with astrophysical applications: stars, stellar systems, astrophysical plasmas, cosmological applications, and large scale structure of the universe. Astrophysical fluid dynamics is a promising branch of astronomy, with wide applicability. This textbook considers the role of plasma and magnetism in planets, stars, galaxies, the interplanetary, interstellar and intergalactic media, as well as the universe at large. ... Read more