Mankind is a child of the cosmos. The
atoms in our bodies originate in the
interiors of other stars, and we cannot
regard our existence separately from the
evolution of the universe. Without the Big
Bang and the formation of galaxies,
planets and organic molecules, we simply
would not have happened. In this
fascinating book, science journalist
Govert Schilling takes the reader on a
whirlwind journey through time. He
describes the evolution of the cosmos,
from the beginning of space and time
fourteen billion years ago, to the
creation of the Earth and mankind. The
book ends with a glance into the distant
future of the universe, because the here
and now are only fleeting moments in its
biography. A combination of compelling
text and breathtaking photographs provide
an impressive vision of the place of man
in the cosmos.
How did Albert Einstein come up with
the theories that changed the way we look
at the world? By thinking in pictures.
Michio Kaku -- leading theoretical
physicist (a cofounder of string theory)
and best-selling science storyteller --
shows how Einstein used seemingly simple
images to lead a revolution in science.
Thinking about a man falling led to the
general theory of relativity -- giving us
black holes and the Big Bang. Einstein's
failure to come up with a theory that
would unify relativity and quantum
mechanics stemmed from his lacking an apt
image. Even in failure, however,
Einstein's late insights have led to new
avenues of research as well as to the
revitalization of the quest for a "Theory
of Everything." With originality and
expertise, Kaku uncovers the surprising
beauty that lies at the heart of
Einstein's cosmos.
The authors have also undertaken to
enlighten us by providing the historical
context of the quest to understand our
universe. They have even addressed the
issues of Creationism versus Science,
showing us that there is really no
conflict involved. This and much more are
logically presented in The Simple
Universe, even such startling concepts as
multiple universes, all in a way that
anyone can understand. If you have an
interest in understanding the universe,
The Simple Universe is a good place to
start because it takes a complex subject
and makes it completely
understandable.
Celestial
Treasury: From the Music of the Spheres to
the Conquest of Space
Cambridge University Press presents an
English edition of Marc
Lachièze-Rey and Jean Pierre
Luminet's gorgeous Celestial Treasury.
This big book collects historical
documents, drawings, maps, and photographs
-- everything from painted Greek vases to
computer simulations -- to offer a
timeline of our understanding of the
cosmos. Some of the pages are breathtaking
foldouts, while sidebar topics are printed
on small insert pages. The quality of
production, accuracy of science and
history, and sheer beauty of Celestial
Treasury will make it a favorite book.
Rare Earth:
Why Complex Life Is Uncommon in the
Universe
Paleontologist Peter Ward and
astronomer Donald Brownlee think all of us
should feel lucky. Their rare Earth
hypothesis predicts that while simple,
microbial life will be very widespread in
the universe, complex animal or plant life
will be extremely rare. Ward and Brownlee
admit that "It is very difficult to do
statistics with an N of 1. But in our
defense, we have staked out a position
rarely articulated but increasingly
accepted by many astrobiologists."
Just Six
Numbers: The Deep Forces that Shape the
Universe
Britain's Royal Astronomer, Sir Martin
Rees, examines the half-dozen messy
mathematical bits that make everything in
the universe fit together. "Just Six
Numbers" is a look back at the formulas
that made everything happen.
The Elegant
Universe: Superstrings, Hidden Dimensions,
and the Quest for the Ultimate
Theory
