Astronomy, space and time Books

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Book SynopsisTaking readers into the remarkable world of cosmology, Hooper describes many of the extraordinary and perplexing questions that scientists are asking about the origin and nature of the world.Trade Review"Beginning with Carl Sagan’s Cosmos in 1980, Big Bang books have become a genre that curious readers should check out every few years to keep up with breakthroughs (gravity waves being the latest). They can’t go wrong with Hooper’s. A lucid account that is neither dumbed down nor overly difficult." * Kirkus, starred review *"I found myself getting wonderfully lost in this book, and swapping my usual pre-bedtime read for this. This is not something that has ever happened to me before with a popular science book!. . . I love that the book does not shy away from controversial or tough concepts. . . . This is essential reading for any cosmology enthusiast."---Dr. Laura Nuttall, BBC Sky at Night"[At the Edge of Time]’s enthusiasm for its subject is contagious. From Einstein’s theories and Edwin Hubble’s discoveries to the Large Hadron Collider, the text presents scientific advancement as an exciting odyssey—if one that is, for the time being, often characterized by questions, to be answered at a future date to the satisfaction of all."---Rebecca Foster, Foreword Reviews"[An] informed introduction to 'the mysteries of our universe’s first seconds'."---Andrew Robinson, Nature"Hooper takes the reader on a tour of our collective ignorance about the early universe. . . . Science is a messy endeavor, with dead ends and false alarms and backtracking; that can still be an interesting story, and this book succeeds in explaining both what we do know about the universe’s origins and what remains unknown."---Jeff Foust, The Space Review"Scientists know precious little about what happened when the universe got its start: many cosmologists think space and time underwent an extremely rapid expansion called inflation, yet this theory raises as many questions as it answers. . . . Hooper takes readers on a mind-bending expedition through these questions and shows how they all connect to the beginning."---Clara Moskowitz, Scientific American"If you're mystified and curious about the mysteries of the Universe, including dark matter, dark energy, and cosmic inflation, and want a unique take on all of these puzzles with a peek behind how science-in-action works, you won't want to miss this book."---Ethan Siegel, Forbes"Hooper's writing style has an almost palpable sense of excitement, which creates an incredibly engaging read as we travel back in time."---Matthew Hodgson, Astronomy Now"This is definitely a book that will leave you musing on what might be the next big cosmological discovery."---Deb Farkas, California Classroom Science"I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. . . . [At the Edge of Time is] a brief but comprehensive account of the general development of current cosmological knowledge, written by an enthusiastic expert in the field and easy for the layman to follow."---Colin Cooke, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of BBC Science Focus Magazine's Best Books of 2020""A nice little book for those who have some knowledge of the subject."---Laura Nuttall, BBC Sky at Night Magazine"This ranks alongside Steven Weinberg’s The First Three Minutes as the best book on cosmology I have read. A compact treasure-trove of cosmic insights to be read, mulled over, and read again."---Marcus Chown, BBC Science Focus Magazine"[An] enthusiastic and approachable survey of the state of cosmology today. . . . It’s got to be the best, most up-to-date, “little” introduction to cosmology."---David Appell, Physics World"Books like this one help to perform a valuable role in making these discoveries accessible and understandable to a wider audience."---Simon Cocking, Irish Tech News"It’s no small feat, trying to describe the Universe in 152 pages. But the very aptly named Little Book of Cosmology takes this task head-on, by stripping the narrative down to its bare essentials." * Nature Astronomy *"[The Little Book of Cosmology] provides a good high-level overview of our current knowledge of cosmology, without warping spacetime or a bookshelf."---Jeff Foust, The Space Review

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Book SynopsisJohn A. Read fell in love with astronomy after viewing Saturn in a small telescope. In 2016, he became a full-time author, vlogger, student, and dad. In 2020, he was the recipient of the Simon Newcomb Award for science communication from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada. He is the host of the YouTube channel Learn to Stargaze, and is earning his masters degree in space systems engineering at Johns Hopkins University.

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Book SynopsisUsing the power of the sun, moon, stars, and planets, this unique, illustrated guide is filled with engaging exercises that deepen your knowledge of the solar system, help you take necessary pauses every day, and foster a renewed sense of presence in the universe.Thousands of years ago, when we humans lived together in communal caves, we told stories about the stars. When we later took to the seas, we used stellar positions to navigate and pinpoint our place in the world. When we eventually stopped migrating and settled on land, we relied on the constellations and the Sun to plant and sustain crops. Yet today, we modern humans have lost this deep connection to the cosmos that was once central to our daily lives.Astronomical Mindfulness helps us reconnect to the solar system once more, guiding us through the fundamental ways in which our planet moves through the solar system and how these motions determine our perception of time and place. Offering a concise yet in-depth look at the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars, it teaches us to observe and understand the elements comprising the celestial sphere—deepening our lives and helping us become more informed, engaged, and mindful every day.The best part: you don’t need to climb a mountain, visit an observatory, or even own a telescope. From an apartment rooftop to a city park, from your backyard to the window by your desk, the skies are accessible to everyone. Astronomical Mindfulness is a unique tool for personal growth essential to coping in our modern world, enabling us to be more present, more connected, and more relaxed simply by looking up toward the stars.

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Book SynopsisAbout our authors Jeffrey Bennett, a recipient of the American Institute of Physics Science Communication Award, holds a B.A. in biophysics (UC San Diego) and an M.S. and Ph.D. in astrophysics (University of Colorado). He specializes in science and math education and has taught at every level from preschool through graduate school. Career highlights include serving 2 years as a visiting senior scientist at NASA headquarters, where he developed programs to build stronger links between research and education, proposing and helping to develop the Voyage scale model solar system on the National Mall (Washington, DC) and developing the free app Totality by Big Kid Science to help people learn about total solar eclipses. He is the lead author oftextbooks in astronomy, astrobiology, mathematics, and statistics and of critically acclaimed books for the public including Beyond UFOs (Princeton University Press), Math for Life (Bid Kid Science), What Is Relativity? (CTable of ContentsBrief Contents A Modern View of the Universe Understanding the Sky Changes in Our Perspective Origin of the Solar System Terrestrial Worlds The Outer Solar System Planets Around Other Stars The Sun and Other Stars Stellar Lives The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard Galaxies Galaxy Distances and Hubble's Law The Birth of the Universe Dark Matter and Dark Energy Life in the Universe

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsThe Cosmic Perspective, 9th Edition is available in 3 versions: The Cosmic Perspective includes all chapters: CH 1-24 and S1-S4 The Cosmic Perspective: Solar System (ISBN: 9780134990774) includes CH1-14, S1, and CH24 The Cosmic Perspective: Stars and Galaxies (ISBN: 9780134990781) includes CH1-6, S1-S4, CH14-24 PART I. DEVELOPING PERSPECTIVE 1. A Modern View of the Universe 2. Discovering the Universe For Yourself 3. The Science of Astronomy S1. Celestial Timekeeping and Navigation PART II. KEY CONCEPTS FOR ASTRONOMY 4. Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity 5. Light and Matter: Reading Messages from the Cosmos 6. Telescopes: Portals of Discovery PART III. LEARNING FROM OTHER WORLDS 7. Our Planetary System 8. Formation of the Solar System 9. Planetary Geology: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds 10. Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds 11. Jovian Planet Systems 12. Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts 13. Other Planetary Systems: the New Science of Distant Worlds PART IV. A DEEPER LOOK AT NATURE S2. Space and Time S3. Spacetime and Gravity S4. Building Blocks of the Universe PART V. STARS 14. Our Star 15. Surveying the Stars 16. Star Birth 17. Star Stuff 18. The Bizarre. Stellar Graveyard PART VI. GALAXIES AND BEYOND 19. Our Galaxy 20. Galaxies and the Foundation of Modern Cosmology 21. Galaxy Evolution 22. The Birth of the Universe 23. Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe PART VII. LIFE ON EARTH AND BEYOND 24. Life in the Universe Appendixes Glossary Credits Index

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Book SynopsisON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS tells a compelling story, using original papers from Einstein, Copernicus, Galilei, Kepler and Newton. Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking explains how these works changed the course of science, ushering astronomy and physics out of the Middle Ages and into the modern world.Table of ContentsNicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543): his life and work; "On the Revolution of Heavenly Spheres. Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) - his life and work; "Dialogues Concerning Two Sciences". Johannes Kepler (1571-1630): his life and work; "Harmony of the World" book five. Sir Isaac Newton (1643-1727): his life and work; "Principia". Albert Einstein (1879-1955): his life and work; selections from "The Principle of Relativity".

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Book SynopsisNothing seems more real than time passing. We experience life as a succession of moments. But just as some of us see God as eternal, so physicists understand the truths of mathematics and the laws of nature as constant, transcending time. These laws dictate how the future will evolve: there is no freedom, no uncertainty about the future at all. Yet, argues Lee Smolin, this denial of time is holding back both physics, and our understanding of the universe. We need a major revolution in scientific thought: one that embraces the reality of time and places it at the centre of our thinking. Time, he concludes, is not an illusion: indeed, it is the best clue that we have to fundamental reality. Time Reborn explains how the true nature of time impacts on us, our world, and our universe.Trade ReviewOne of the most original living theorists ... He challenges not only Einstein's relativity, but also the very notion of natural laws as immutable truths * Economist *Brilliant and persuasive -- Ray Monk * Guardian *Provocative and stimulating ... Smolin reconceives the universe -- Christopher Potter * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewModern physics has found its poet. A captivating, fascinating, profoundly beautiful book. . . Rovelli is a wonderfully humane, gentle and witty guide for he is as much philosopher and poet as he is a scientist -- John Banville * Irish Times *Wonderful. . . Time is something we think we know about instinctively; here he shows how profoundly strange it really is -- Philip Pullman * Guardian *Full of staggering revelations... I could (and will) read and think about such things again and again until they begin to sink in -- Maggie Nelson * New York Times *This book has been a kind of bible for me. When life feels strange, Rovelli's books remind me that there is beauty in the strangeness. The Order of Time is one of those books that I will always go back to -- Johny PittsExtraordinary. . . you should read it -- Nick Hornby * Believer *Brings the most difficult ideas alive in clear, appealing language. It is as close as I've come to a physics lesson that almost suggests the meaning of life -- Rory StewartMeet the new Stephen Hawking. . . I've never seen special relativity explained so well, never visualised it less fuzzily, never felt such a jolt of shock at what it implies -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A dizzying, poetic work in which I found myself abandoning everything I thought I knew about time -- Charlotte Higgins * Guardian *Enlightening... gives poetic voice to the common human experience of moving through time, while simultaneously leaving the reader much more equipped to understand how exactly that happens. . . A resounding affirmation of the humanity behind science * Time magazine, Best Nonfiction Books of the 2010s *I consider Carlo Rovelli to be a poet as much as a physicist. . . Everybody should read this book -- Es DevlinA joy to read. . . Rovelli writes easily, vividly and brilliantly - he is as at ease with Beethoven as he is with Boltzmann's constant, and verses by Horace launch each chapter, one of which ends with a couplet from the Grateful Dead. . . A delight -- Tim Radford * Guardian *A deep - and remarkably readable - dive into the fundamental nature of time. . . written with enough charm and poetry to engage the imagination of anyone who reads it -- Clive Cookson * Financial Times *Anyone with the least interest in the science of the physical world will be by turns astonished, baffled and thrilled by what Rovelli has to say about the true nature of time, which has little in common with our everyday conception of it -- John Banville * Guardian *Highly original. . . The heart and humanity of the book, its poetry and its gentle tone raise it to the level and style of such great scientist-writers as Lewis Thomas and Rachel Carson -- Alan Lightman * New York Times Book Review *Rovelli is one of our great scientific explicators. . . Not since Stephen Hawking's A Brief History of Time has there been so genial an integration of physics and philosophy -- Ian Thomson * Observer *Physics' literary superstar makes us rethink time. . . The Order of Time will surely establish Rovelli among the pantheon of great scientist-communicators -- Philip Ball * New Scientist *An elegantly concise primer makes theoretical physics intelligible. . . stunningly written -- Tom Whipple * The Times *A masterly writer. . . In this little gem of a book, Mr. Rovelli demolishes our common-sense notion of time. . . an ambitious book that illuminates a thorny question and succeeds in being a pleasurable read -- Priyamvada Natarajan * Wall Street Journal *Carlo Rovelli has achieved almost prophetic status -- Julian Baggini * Prospect *The physicist transforming how we see the universe * Financial Times *With the publication of his million-selling Seven Brief Lessons on Physics, Carlo Rovelli took his place with Stephen Hawking and Richard Feynman as one of the great popularisers of modern theoretical physics -- Sam Leith * Spectator *The most fun physicist to be with -- as well as the greatest explainer of physics -- Bryan Appleyard * Sunday Times *

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Chapter 1: From Tomahawks to Telescopes Chapter 2: Rising Stars Chapter 3: The Rocketeers Chapter 4: Foreign Intelligence Across the Rhine Chapter 5: Lights in the Night Sky Chapter 6: Genius Blooms Chapter 7: The People's Observatory Chapter 8: Opportunity Knocks - Doors Open Wide Chapter 9: Inventing Modern Optical Sciences Chapter 10: Power for the People Donald E. Osborn Chapter 11: A View to National Security Chapter 12: In Space at Last Chapter 13: Slowly Fades the Supernova Appendix 1: List of Acronyms and Abbreviations Appendix 2: Literature by Aden and Marjorie Meinel Appendix 3: Select publications of Edison Pettit, Hannah Steele Pettit, and Helen Pettit Knaflich References Index

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Book SynopsisThis is an account of the history of the development of Euclidean, non-Euclidean and relativistic ideas of the shape of the universe. The material, which has been revised and updated for this edition, includes a chapter on the Arabic contribution to mathematical history.Trade ReviewReviews of this edition 'a very readable book that is stimulating and thought provoking.' New ScientistFrom reviews of the first edition `Jeremy Gray has provided a superb exposition which tells a good story.' Mathematics Teaching'This promises to become a classic text for those interested in considering changing mathematical perceptions of space. Gray's book is a pleasure to read.' Historia Mathematica`An admirable exposition for well-educated laymen of the evolution of geometrical thought from before Euclid to black holes.' American Mathematical MonthlyTable of ContentsPART I: Early geometry; Euclidean geometry and the parallel postulate; Investigations by Islamic mathematicians. PART II: Saccheri and his Western Predecessors; J H Lambert's work; Legendre's work; Gauss' contribution; Trigonometry; the first new geometries; the discoveries of Lobachevskii and Bolyai; Curves and surfaces; Riemann on the foundations of geometry; Beltrami's ideas; New models and old arguments; Resume. PART III: Non-Euclidean mechanics; The question of absolute space; Space, time and space-time; Paradoxes of special relativity; Gravitation and non-Euclidean geometry; Speculations; Some last thoughts.

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Book SynopsisProving to be both varied and fascinating, moons are far more common than planets in our Solar System. Our own Moon has had a profound influence on Earth, not only through tidal effects, but even on the behaviour of some marine animals. Many remarkable things have been discovered about the moons of the giant outer planets from Voyager, Galileo, Cassini, and other spacecraft. Scientists have glimpsed volcanic activity on Io, found oceans of water on Titan, and captured photos of icy geysers bursting from Enceladus. It looks likely that microbial life beyond the Earth may be discovered on a moon rather than a planet.In this Very Short Introduction David Rothery introduces the reader to the moons of our Solar System, beginning with the early discoveries of Galileo and others, describing their variety of mostly mythological names, and the early use of Jupiter''s moons to establish position at sea and to estimate the speed of light. Rothery discusses the structure, formation, and influence Trade Reviewan excellent introduction to Moons in a genuinely pocket-sized book that won't break the bank. * Astronomy Now *delightful * Lewis Dartnell, BBC Sky at Night *A highly readable and informative book. * Network Reviews *This small, densely packed paperback is a fantastic starting point for those interested in learning more about the 190 or so moons found within our solar system. Not merely a book of tables and facts about these celestial bodies, Moons covers the rich history of exploration and discovery along with the ideas that were shaped and moulded by astronomers across the ages. * Geoscientist *Table of Contents1. The discovery and significance of moons ; 2. The Moon ; 3. The Moon's influence on us ; 4. The moons of giant planets ; 5. Giant planet regular satellites in close up ; 6. The moons of Mars - captured asteroids ; 7. Moons of small bodies ; 8. Moons in other planetary systems: exomoons ; Further Reading ; Index

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Book SynopsisThe tide is the greatest synchronised movement of matter on our planet. Every drop of seawater takes part in tidal motion, driven by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun. At the coast, we see the tide as a twice-daily rise and fall of sea level that moves the edge of the sea up and down a beach or cliff-face. In some places, the tide is small but at others it can rise in a few hours by the height of a three storey building; it then has to be treated with great respect by those who live and work by the sea. In this Very Short Introduction David George Bowers and Emyr Martyn Roberts explore what we know about the tides. Blending clear explanations of well known tidal phenomena with recent insights in the deep ocean and coastal seas, Bowers and Roberts use examples from around the world, to tell the story of the tide, considering its nature and causes, its observation and prediction, and unusual tides and their relevance. They explore why tides have attracted the attention of some of the world''s greatest scientists, from the initial challenge of explaining why there are two tides a day when the moon and sun pass overhead just once; a problem that was solved by Isaac Newton. In the 19th century, scientists unravelled the rhythms of the tide; good tidal predictions in the form of tide tables were then possible. The predictions were made on beautiful tide predicting machines constructed of brass and mahogany, some of which can still be seen in maritime museums. In the 20th century, the importance of tides as mixers of sea water became evident. As Bowers and Roberts explore, tidal mixing of the ocean is essential for maintaining its deep circulation, a key part of the climate-control system of our planet. In inshore waters, tidal mixing enhances biological productivity, influences sea temperature and turbidity and creates dramatic features such as maelstroms and tidal bores. In the 21st century, space probes are examining the effects of tidal processes on the moons of Jupiter and Saturn and the possibility of tidally-heated liquid oceans with their own ecosystems. Looking to the cutting edge of tidal research, Bowers and Roberts also consider how we can study the role of the tide in the geological and biological evolution of our own planet with innovative computer models. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThis is an interesting and well written book that provides an invaluable introduction to all things tidal ... This is most certainly a book I would recommend to any oceanography students, or indeed physical geography students keen to get an understanding of tides and their importance in marine, coastal and estuarine environments. * Robert A. Francis, Progress in Physical Geography *Table of Contents1: Watching the tide 2: Making tides 3: Measurement and prediciton 4: The tide in shelf seas 5: Tidal bores 6: Tides and the Earth 7: Tidal mixing 8: New frontiers Further Reading index

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Book SynopsisThe Cosmic Mystery Tour takes us on a lightning tour of the mysteries of the universe enlivened by brief stories of the colourful characters who created modern science. It explores hot topics in physics and astronomy, including the recent discovery of gravitational waves; the quest for the origin of dark matter; the study of the supermassive black hole at the centre of the galaxy; the ongoing search for Earth-like exoplanets; the search for signals from extraterrestrials; and the development of technologies to send spacecraft to the stars.The first part of the book explores the laws that govern the universe. Physics is a spiritual quest to find deep meaning in the cosmos. Its goal is to provide a concise, but accurate description of the world that accounts for all the amazing features that it contains. The second part takes a look at the history of the cosmos, studies its geography and explores some of its architectural highlights such as red giants, white dwarfs, neutron stars and the ultimate cosmic mysteries-supermassive black holes. The last part considers the possibility that life might exist elsewhere in the universe, and explores the cosmos from the outer fringes of science fiction to the ongoing search for alien civilizations.Trade ReviewAmbitious in scope and easy to read, this book is a small guide to that largest of subjects ... the many pictures are not just the usual beautiful scientific images from NASA and ESA that we've come to expect in popular science, but include relevant artistic and cultural references ... Mee is an experienced science communicator and this shows in his confident and engaging tone ... enjoyable, fast-paced account... It would be ideal for anyone wanting to know more about the underlying physics of the pretty pictures we see in the media. * Pippa Goldschmidt, BBC Sky at Night *... high-quality, small-format hardback ... The Cosmic Mystery Touris aimed at beginners looking for an easy-to-read introduction to the modern view of the Universe. It's an engaging read and provides a good springboard to further investigation of any topic that captures the reader's imagination. For those of us with a more rigorous academic background in physics, it is still an entertaining diversion for a couple of hours. * Astronomy Now *An accessible introduction to all things cosmos... * Maren Ostergard, Booklist *The book does an admirable job of following the developments and groundwork of classical physics through the latest in quantum physics and recent discoveries including gravity waves in a very comprehensible way using excellent diagrams and images. * Amateur Astronomy Magazine *Mee has a knack for introducing the reader to some of the colourful characters... His explanations are spot on, just enough to make sense of key discoveries without ever becoming overwhelming. There are also lots of colourful images photos of scientists, concept art and even movie stills that help break up the text. * Katrina Kramer, Chemistry World *Every so often a book comes along that attempts to introduce the universe to a reader in as short a context as possible. Some work, others don't. The Cosmic Mystery Tour does ... In a very small, readable format, with way over a hundred illustrations, most of which are in color, the author has given us a handy, portable collection of the cosmos. And, the reader doesnt have to read from cover to cover: Anywhere you open it up, and start to read, you will be fascinated with the study of our universe - past, present, and future. * Francine Jackson, theskyscrapers.org *Nicholas Mee, in his brilliant The Cosmic Mystery Tour: A High-Speed Journey through Space & Time, offers a chapter-by-short-chapter assemblage of the theories, discoveries, and general relativity-type great leaps of inspiration that account for the impressive amount of knowledge we have about the universe... Refreshingly comprehensible, for the subject matter, this project is a delight. * Matt Sutherland, Foreword Reviews *Packed with a wealth of scientific snippets. * David C. Barber, Contemporary Physics *Table of ContentsPart 1: The Laws of The Cosmos1: The Path to Immortality2: The Rosetta Stone and Quantum Waves3: We're Having a Field Day!4: Cosmic Ripples5: Lovely LISA6: Animated Atom Boy7: Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star8: Forces of the World Unite!9: Most of the Universe is Missing!Part II: The History, Geography and Architecture of the Cosmos10: From Genesis to Revelation!11: The Battle for the Cosmos12: Alchemical Furnaces of the Cosmos13: Diamonds in the Sky14: From the Leviathan to the Behemoth15: The Crab and the Jellyfish16: The Ultimate Heavy Metal Space Rock17: Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster18: Cosmic Spacequakes19: Doctor Atomic and the Black Hole20: Supermassive Black HolesPart III: The Biology of the Cosmos21: The Gorgon's Head!22: Raise Your Glasses to the Skies!23: Life, But Not as We Know It!24: To Boldly Go...25: Somewhere Over the Rainbow26: Where is Everybody?

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Book SynopsisWhat is time? What does it mean for time to pass? Is it possible to travel in time? What is the difference between the past and future? Until the work of Newton, these questions were purely topics of philosophical speculation. Since then we''ve learned a great deal about time, and its study has moved from a subject of philosophical reflection to instead became part of the subject matter of physics. This Very Short Introduction introduces readers to the current physical understanding of the direction of time, from the Second Law of Thermodynamics to the emergence of complexity and life. Jenann Ismael charts the line of development in physical theory from Newton, via Einstein''s Theory of Relativity, to the current day. Einstein''s innovations led to a vision of time very different from the familiar time of everyday sense. In this new vision, time is one of the dimensions in which the universe is extended alongside the spatial dimensions. The universe appears as a static block of events, in which there is no more a difference between past and future than there is between east and west. Discussing the controversy and philosophical confusion which surrounded the reception of this new vision, Ismael also covers the contemporary mixture of statistical mechanics, cognitive science, and phenomenology that point the way to reconciling the familiar time of everyday sense with the vision of time presented in Einstein''s theories. Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Table of ContentsIntroduction 1: History up through Newton 2: From space and time to space-time: the era of Einstein 3: Philosophical implications of the relativistic conception of time 4: The direction of time 5: The time of human experience 6: The big picture and new horizons Further Reading Index

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Book Synopsis''fascinating''Brian CoxThis is the story of citizen science. Where once astronomers sat at the controls of giant telescopes in remote locations, praying for clear skies, now they have no need to budge from their desks, as data arrives in their inbox. And what they receive is overwhelming; projects now being built provide more data in a few nights than in the whole of humanity''s history of observing the Universe. It''s not just astronomy either--dealing with this deluge of data is the major challenge for scientists at CERN, and for biologists who use automated cameras to spy on animals in their natural habitats. Artificial intelligence is one part of the solution--but will it spell the end of human involvement in scientific discovery?No, argues Chris Lintott. We humans still have unique capabilities to bring to bear--our curiosity, our capacity for wonder, and, most importantly, our capacity for surprise. It seems that humans and computers working together do better than computers can on their own. But with so much scientific data, you need a lot of scientists--a crowd, in fact. Lintott found such a crowd in the Zooniverse, the web-based project that allows hundreds of thousands of enthusiastic volunteers to contribute to science.In this book, Lintott describes the exciting discoveries that people all over the world have made, from galaxies to pulsars, exoplanets to moons, and from penguin behaviour to old ship''s logs. This approach builds on a long history of so-called ''citizen science'', given new power by fast internet and distributed data. Discovery is no longer the remit only of scientists in specialist labs or academics in ivory towers. It''s something we can all take part in. As Lintott shows, it''s a wonderful way to engage with science, yielding new insights daily. You, too, can help explore the Universe in your lunch hour.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition Lintott is a great storyteller with a knack for witty anecdotes. Once you start reading, his book is hard to put away. * BBC Sky at Night *Lintott deftly interweaves personal experience and more philosophical ruminations on public participation in science. * Michael West, Nature *The Crowd and the Cosmos has a very conversational style... Not only does Lintott cover citizen science initiatives, but he captures, in an easy-to-understand manner, a number of cutting-edge astronomical research topics... Who knows what is waiting to be discovered in the numerous collected data sets available on the Zooniverse? Thanks to this book, perhaps I will contribute in a small way to the next big discovery. * Matthew Hodgson, Astronomy Now *With a light-handed touch, a passion that shines through, and fun footnotes to make the reader chuckle, the author uncovers the bafflingly-infinite properties of the universe and people and penguins too. * OX Magazine *...very readable, entertaining and informative... Well worth a read. * Martin Richmond-Hardy, OASI Newsletter *The Crowd & the Cosmos is a reminder that the Internet has also given rise to networks of positive accomplishment and that human intuition can still exceed algorithms and artificial intelligence. * Shepherd Express *The Crowd and the Cosmos is a superbly written insight into the unique and powerful contribution enthusiasts from all walks of life can make to scientific knowledge. It is also a fascinating and much-needed description of how we acquire reliable knowledge about nature, from the search for planets and perhaps civilizations around distant stars to observations of penguins in the Antarctic and what they can teach us about the impact we are having on our own world. * Brian Cox *Chris Lintott is a modest genius. He has quietly revolutionised modern astronomy (and a few other branches of science) by using digital platforms to involve the public. Anyone who wants to contribute some of their spare time is invited, through Chris's Zooniverse projects, to participate in real science. Literally millions have taken up the invitation. This is a beautifully readable book, which tells the story of the Zooniverse and much more. Chris is delightfully anecdotal, inclusive and witty, yet never shirks in-depth explanations of the cutting-edge science he's delivering to us, almost before we realise it - this is the New Age of Science for All! * Brian May *The Crowd and the Cosmos gives an authentic flavour of astronomical research and its appeal. But it's especially significant because it offers a first-hand account of how Chris Lintott conceived and led the 'Zooniverse' project, thereby enabling huge numbers to participate in significant research, and even make important discoveries. His pioneering initiative has spawned similar programmes in naval history, conservation and other subjectstriggering a benign social revolution in scholarship and education. * Martin Rees *[A] highly readable book. * David Lorimer, Paradigm Explorer *[Lintott] reflects with passion and curiosity on the detective work needed to explain the mysteries of the Universe. * Lea Shanley, Science Magazine *Table of ContentsPreface 1: Finding planets 2: How science is done 3: The crowd and the cosmos 4: No new ideas 5: Into the Zooniverse 6: Too many penguins 7: Things that go bang in the night 8: Serendipity 9: Humans versus computers Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisNicolaus Copernicus (1473-1543) is a pivotal figure in the birth of modern science, the astronomer who stopped the sun and set the earth in motion. Born in Poland, educated at Cracow and then in Italy, he served all of his adult life as a church administrator. His vision of a sun-centered universe, shocking to many and unbelievable to most, turned out to be the essential blueprint for a physical understanding of celestial motions, thereby triggering what is commonly called the Copernican revolution. A first edition of his world-changing treatise, De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium, has most recently been auctioned for more than $2 million.In this book, leading historian of science Owen Gingerich sets Copernicus in the context of a rapidly changing world, where the recent invention of printing with moveable type not only made sources more readily available to him, but also fueled Martin''s Luther''s transformation of the religious landscape. In an era of geographical exploration and discovery, new ideas were replacing time-honored concepts about the extent of inhabited continents. Gingerich reveals Copernicus'' heliocentric revolution as an aesthetic achievement not dictated by observational proofs, but another new way of looking at the ancient cosmos.Deftly combining astronomy and history, this Very Short Introduction offers a fascinating portray of the man who launched the modern vision of the universe. Out of Gingerich''s engaging biography emerges the image of a scientist, intellectual, patriot, and reformer, who lived in an era when political as well as religious beliefs were shifting.Trade ReviewThis short book is superb. * Ian Welland, Astronomy Now *A superb contribution to the series. * John Henry, Annals of Science *A very strong introduction to Copernicus - an introduction whose unexpected elements make it surprising and enjoyable to read. * Christopher M. Graney, Metascience Review *An easy read, with a great deal to teach us all about both science and history. In all, a most enjoyable book. * Juan A. Añel, Contemporary Physics *Gingerich is clearly a fan of Copernicus and this superb little book will make you a fan too. * David W. Hughes, The Observatory *In eight short chapters that carefully combine biographical and conceptual elements, Gingerich gives readers the benefit of his unparalleled knowledge of Copernicus and his work. * Michel-Pierre Lerner, Journal for the History of Astronomy *Table of ContentsList of illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue 1. Copernicus, the young scholar 2. The architecture of the heavens 3. Copernicus's vision 4. Canon days and the Little Commentary 5. Competing with Ptolemy 6. Rheticus 7. De revolutionibus 8. The book nobody read Appendix 1: Copernicus's alternative to the equant Appendix 2: De revolutionibus as a recipe book for planetary positions References Further reading Index

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Book SynopsisEvery atom of our bodies has been part of a star. Our very own star, the Sun, is crucial to the development and sustainability of life on Earth. This Very Short Introduction presents a modern, authoritative examination of how stars live, producing all the chemical elements beyond helium, and how they die, sometimes spectacularly, to end as remnants such as black holes.Andrew King shows how understanding the stars is key to understanding the galaxies they inhabit, and thus the history of our entire Universe, as well as the existence of planets like our own. King presents a fascinating exploration of the science of stars, from the mechanisms that allow stars to form and the processes that allow them to shine, as well as the results of their inevitable death. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expeTrade ReviewPart of the extensive Very Short Introduction series, this volume by Andrew King provides an engaging overview of the science of stars. This pocket-sized book is an enjoyable read. * Dawn E. Leslie, Contemporary Physics *Table of ContentsPREFACE; FURTHER READING

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Book SynopsisThe untold story of Newton's private papers, hidden for centuries, sold for a pittance and then painstakingly reconstructed to reveal a man altogether stranger and more complicated than the genius of legend.Trade ReviewThis fascinating book traces thehistory of Newton's papers...The author gives some fascinating background...It is a captivating story. * Paradigm Explorer, David Lorimer, Programme DirectorScientific and Medical NetworkEditor, Paradigm Explorer *Not only is the book a valuable contribution to the history of Newton's work, but it is a most enjoyable read with elements of a good detective story * J. S. Rowlinson, Science Progress *Sarah Dry tells a riveting, beautifully written story * Times Higher Education *Dry's fine writing and scholarship make this book a useful resource and a good read * Robyn Arianrhod, Times Higher Education *compelling * Stuart Kelly, Scotland on Sunday *Engaging book * Economist *Dry is to be congratulated for furnishing us with a fresh and readable chronicle of the tortuous route that Newtons manuscript took to being made public. * Nature *By identifying the roles of a host of collectors in securing various parts of the collection, Dry does full justice to a fascinating story; it sheds bright light on the range and development of this most brilliant - and most elusive - of minds. Pure joy. * Graham Farmelo, Times Higher Education *Drawing on existing scholarship, it is a story well worth sharing with anyone interested in Newton and how we have, over three hundred years, come to know him and shaped his legacy. Sarah Dry has a colorful and intriguing cast of characters on which to draw, who represent a surprisingly varied set of motives for engaging with Newton's life and literary remains. * Rebekah Higgitt, H-Albion *Table of ContentsPreface ; I. 1727-1822 ; 1. The last conflagration ; 2. Sincere search ; 3. To gratify men's curiosities ; II. 1822-1872 ; 4 Deranged studies ; 5. Lighting the fire ; 6. Marginal notation ; 7. Any scrap ; 8. Monsters of perfection ; III. 1872-1888 ; 9. Proudest boast ; 10. A hiatus in the history ; 11. Examine, classify, divide ; IV. 1888-1936 ; 12. Human documents ; 13. Hundreds of feet of mellow calf ; 14. Four shillings ; 15. Pioneers of science ; 16. L9,000 ; 17. A very substantial collection ; 18. Arab's antiquities ; 19. Last of the magicians ; V. 1936-the present ; 20. Founding of a discipline ; 21. We know nothing of Newton here ; 22. Newtonian industry ; 23. Newton's paper trail ; 24. Unity and flux ; 25. Ultimate value

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Book SynopsisUsing no math beyond high school algebra, the authors lay out an approachable explanation of Einstein's special relativity, then move through the fundamental differences between traveling forward and backward in time and the surprising theoretical connection between going back in time and traveling faster than the speed of light.Trade Review"Marvelously accessible." (Chicago Tribune) "Relying only minimally on technical jargon and formulas, the authors open to view the exciting conceptual prospects for designing a time machine capable of slipping backward through the centuries and of riding faster-than-light warp bubbles through the cosmos.... Armchair scientists share the thrill of peeking into the universe's deepest secrets. Penetrating science illuminates humankind's most audacious dreams." (Booklist)"

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Book SynopsisSpanish cosmographers were charged with turning their observations of the New World into a body of knowledge that could be used for governing. The author shows that this knowledge had considerable strategic, defensive, and monetary value that royal scientists were charged with safeguarding from foreign and internal enemies.Trade Review"Maria M. Portuondo's interpretation places Spain within larger European patterns, including inquiries into the role of empire in the development of the Scientific Revolution. Secret Science makes substantial contributions to the history of early modern science and of early modern Spain." (Jorge Canizares-Esguerra, University of Texas, Austin)"

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Book SynopsisImperial expansion necessitated changes in the way scientific knowledge was gathered. This book shows how this cosmographic knowledge had considerable strategic, defensive, and monetary value that royal scientists were charged with safeguarding from foreign and internal enemies.

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Book SynopsisA revealing look at the parallel mythologies behind the colonization of Earth and spaceand a bold vision for a more equitable, responsible future both on and beyond our planet. As environmental, political, and public health crises multiply on Earth, we are also at the dawn of a new space race in which governments team up with celebrity billionaires to exploit the cosmos for human gain. The best-known of these pioneers are selling different visions of the future: while Elon Musk and SpaceX seek to establish a human presence on Mars, Jeff Bezos and Blue Origin work toward moving millions of earthlings into rotating near-Earth habitats. Despite these distinctions, these two billionaires share a core utopian project: the salvation of humanity through the exploitation of space. In Astrotopia, philosopher of science and religion Mary-Jane Rubenstein pulls back the curtain on the not-so-new myths these space barons are peddling, like growth without limit, energy without guilt, and salTrade Review"A gung-ho approach to speed would violate the considerations of space ecology promoted by Rubenstein in Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race. Rubenstein, while expertly dismantling some overblown claims of companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin, proposes a gentler mode of space exploration that refuses to rehearse the violent history of colonialism on earth. In a way her vision recalls Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock’s Prime Directive: to avoid interference with other life forms. The original Star Trek series began in 1966, only months after the death of Sergei Korolev. Perhaps it still has something to teach us." -- Steven Poole * Wall Street Journal *"The vision is to mine the lunar surface for rocket fuel that can then propel us all the way to Mars—and beyond, as humanity takes its self-appointed place in the stars. Rubenstein told me that vision makes her want to throw up. . . . Rubenstein argues that today’s corporate space race—helmed by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and others who propose to 'save' humanity from a dying planet—is actually rehashing old Christian themes that go all the way back to the fifteenth century, when European Christians colonized the Americas. Remember how Donald Trump described the Artemis mission and eventual settlement of the moon and Mars? He called it 'America’s manifest destiny in the stars.' But as Rubenstein points out, not everyone thinks it’s the moon’s destiny to be strip-mined, or Mars’s destiny to be settled by human colonists. In fact, some believe these celestial bodies should have fundamental rights of their own." -- Sigal Samuel * Vox *"That techno-utopian agenda, which too frequently anchors public discussion of extraterrestrial exploration, was critiqued last year in Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, by Mary-Jane Rubenstein, professor of religion and science at Wesleyan University in Connecticut. She notes the quasi-religious fervor of ‘astrosavior’ Musk and his devotees: the planet is doomed, cries its richest man, who promises salvation elsewhere for the faithful. His is not the only voice that matters. What about the Navajo Nation, who regard other worlds as sacred? We should not be sacrificing a space Greta to social media trolls to argue the toss; we need governments brave enough to make new rules in space that respect and benefit us all.” * Financial Times *"Rubenstein succeeds in highlighting both the debate over whether future space exploration and exploitation should be led by government or entrepreneurial entities and the manner in which neoliberal, private-sector emphases have come to dominate the thinking of a particular segment of the pro-space community. Her criticisms of this phenomenon—part of a growing body of literature in environmental studies, Afrofuturism, and anticolonialism investigations—are on point.” -- Roger D. Launius * Science *“In the cold war, space exploration’s wonders served a race between political systems. Today, argues religion and science scholar Rubenstein, they are subject to commercial rivalry, notably between billionaires Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, who are littering space and advocating it as a refuge from Earth’s destruction. She argues that we must eschew such myopic, colonialist ‘astrotopia,’ and listen instead to a sort of ‘pantheistic mysticism’—valuing and learning from the cosmic environment—scorned by past imperialists.” -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *"If you find this state of affairs depressing—if your fascination with the Moon, Mars and other wonders of our solar system is increasingly tempered by concerns that a small but powerful group of people seems hell-bent on mucking them up—then you should run, not walk, to your nearest bookseller for a copy of Astrotopia. . . . It offers a concise but stinging critique of the current 'New Space' era, giving succour to space fans everywhere who are, in Rubenstein’s words, 'sick over the decimation of this planet and horrified that this planet isn’t enough for the decimators.' . . . When I review a book, I like to mark important passages and pithy phrases with sticky notes. By the time I finished Astrotopia, my copy had more paper flags than a Jubilee street party. I hope this review illustrates why this was so, and why Rubenstein’s arguments deserve the widest possible hearing among people who dream of exploring space without exploiting it." -- Margaret Harris * Physics World *“A version of spaceflight's story that isn't told often enough.” -- Meghan Bartels, News Reporter * Scientific American, "55 Books Scientific American Recommends in 2023" *"Rubenstein is not only brilliant at putting together and analyzing ideas; she’s also a lively (and quite accessible) writer." * Christian Century *"Rubenstein is not against utopianism, but she argues that Silicon Valley techno-utopianism is fraudulent, using the rhetoric of science and reason to disguise the fact that its promises are actually unscientific and unrealistic. Instead, she advocates that we get our ideas for a beautiful human future from a diverse array of other sources, from feminist science fiction to indigenous thinkers. Rubenstein offers us a starting point for thinking about how we might forge a path for our species that is egalitarian and humane." * Current Affairs *"Rubenstein takes apart the mindset that wants to establish outposts on the moon, mine water and metals, and colonise Mars. . . . Should we study and explore space? Yes, but not if science means heedless exploitation, argues the book. Ethical exploration would avoid damage and violence and prioritise knowledge over profit. It would keep earth’s own needs first, like using technology to better track weather and disaster, or deploying billionaire surpluses on this planet before remaking others. Otherwise, what we do to the earth, we will do outside earth." * Times of India *"I’m not a pantheist but the argument does carry some weight: our rationalistic relationship with the modern world has denied us of any real, meaningful connection with Mother Nature. We’re instead too focused on our divine destiny in the stars. But if we ruin the Moon or Mars or any other planet, then what is really the point of it all in the first place? . . . In the conclusion of Astrotopia, Rubenstein asserts the need for a pantheist revolution against the Western view of God as a single entity. Instead we should embrace God as being within everything. It’s a fundamental rewriting of our position in the cosmos, and a repositioning of the cosmos around us. A more spiritual approach to spacefaring might just allow us to avoid our earthly mistakes, and explore space ethically. And if we learn any lessons from our time here on Earth, it should not be ‘how space belongs to us, but how we belong to it.’ As Carl Sagan said, we are, each of us, made of star-stuff." -- James Tatam * Nature Astronomy *"Astrotopia makes a powerful argument that we are approaching space exploration with the same old imperial Christian mythology, making space merely a thing to be exploited." -- Hilary Lamb * Engineering and Technology *"Rubenstein's work is always delightfully readable and engagingly enlightening, but Astrotopia feels more immediate, because the message is both timely and urgent. A book of cultural criticism as well as consciousness raising, Astrotopia is meant to reach beyond the philosophers of religion and space historians to the interested layperson who needs to know how the world’s wealthiest people are 'rehashing' themes of Christian conquest to justify their manifest destiny in space. . . . Astrotopia is downright fun when it’s centered on the two focus-pulling, spotlight-stealing, grand-gesturing, dueling ringmasters themselves—Musk and Bezos—mostly because Rubenstein’s tone as she recounts the litanies of their outsized ideas is that of an exasperated Greek chorus." -- Catherine L. Newell * The Revealer *"Few books of late have given me such pause as Rubenstein’s thoughtful Astrotopia. Like many, I had considered space travel an untrammeled good (despite its origins in the destructive political rivalries of the Cold War and recent reliance on individual, stupidly-rich capitalists to move its development forward). Like many, I would love a Star Trek universe where humans peaceably coexist and thrive on hundreds of new worlds, the sins of the past behind us as we progress together in the noble spirit of exploration ever onward into bright futures. But what Rubenstein makes so clear is that today that kind of future utopia seems wholly unlikely. Without a severe imaginative reset, we may be doomed to repeat our imperialist and colonialist sins of the past, this time with the planet at stake." -- Jeremy Brett * Ancillary Review of Books *"Astrotopia presents an examination of the current state of space exploration juxtaposed with the history of previous periods of exploration—and exploitation—here on Earth. Rubenstein . . . brings a particularly interesting perspective to the subject in examining not only the histories themselves but the motivations concurrent with them. . . . What’s more, she caps her examination with the presentation of an alternative of how the future of space exploration might unfold if undertaken with appropriate reflection upon the past, and a reexamination of the motivations and methods for its continuance." -- Johannes E. Riutta * Well-read Naturalist *"A new book, Astrotopia, lays out in the most fascinating terms the ways in which things are very much going wrong up there beyond the wild blue yonder. . . . In the end, it’s not the Tesla in orbit that bothers. It’s this: 'When asked why he wants to "save" humanity by sending us to Mars rather than addressing injustice, poverty and climate change on Earth, Musk will often laugh and say, "F— Earth." Earth is done; Earth is history; Earth is so last eon.' . . . Sure, we can and should go joy-riding in our planetary neighborhood. But we still have a chance to save the most hospitable planet we know, Rubenstein writes. Let’s give it the old college try before saying F-it.” -- Larry Wilson * Orange County Register *"Why are American taxpayers giving billions in contracts to Elon Musk to send astronauts back to the Moon, and dangling a second contract for a lunar lander to Jeff Bezos, two of the world’s richest tech billionaires? For the answer to these questions, I strongly suggest you read Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race. . . . In highly entertaining prose, Rubenstein unpacks the absurdity of Musk and Bezos’s space ambitions while exploring the larger issue of how our national priorities for space continue to be guided by destructive myths instead of sustainable, peaceful ones." -- Micah L. Sifry * The Connector *"Astrotopia is superb and will fascinate anyone curious about the current space fervor." * Booklist *"Rubenstein lends fresh energy to a familiar debate about the value of space programs, dreams of mining the solar system, and colonizing the moon and Mars." * Kirkus Reviews *"A singular perspective on space technology, with unexpected comparisons to colonialism that will make readers think twice about the future of humanity on other planets." -- Jennifer Moore * Library Journal *"In Astrotopia, the philosopher Rubenstein argues that the twenty-first-century private space race being carried out by Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, and others has become a ‘mythological project’ analogous to the type of ‘imperial Christianity’ that was used by Europeans to colonize more than half the planet. Discussing the era of private competition in space, known as NewSpace, she argues that we need to act now to prevent it from being rapaciously exploited by capitalists. Yet perhaps the most provocative portion of the book looks toward the past: Rubenstein convincingly demonstrates that NASA and US politicians used Christian imperialist language to justify the Apollo missions. In other words, it’s no coincidence that the Apollo 8 crew read from the book of Genesis while orbiting the Moon on Christmas Eve 1968." * Physics Today *"In her book Astrotopia: The Dangerous Religion of the Corporate Space Race, religion professor Mary-Jane Rubenstein describes the pull of the cosmos as 'mythic.' And she’s right: there is something truly spiritual about our cosmos—it has a God-like ability to make you feel small. As Rubenstein beautifully writes, 'Innumerable suns warming scadzillions of planets, with oceans and dust storms and cloud microbes and who knows what else, all in constant motion through infinite space and time, and here you are, making a cheese sandwich, nowhere in particular.'" * New Voices *"This book critically analyzes the motivations of commercial space entities from the perspective of a professor of religion, science, and technology. The early commercial space flight endeavors described in the book are appropriately compared to the exploits of early colonialists who ventured into ‘unexplored’ lands in pursuit of resources and settlement opportunities. Rubenstein also provides convincing examples of how many of the ongoing commercial space activities are not fully evaluated for various ethical issues related to space operations, including the issues raised by the prospects of, e.g., space tourism, outer space settlement, and exploitation of planetary resources. The author unapologetically describes how the commercial space flight missions currently sensationalized in the news are reminiscent of the avaricious and contentious European colonization of territories outside continental Europe. She points out, moreover, that the benefits of these high-profile space flight activities are not inclusive to all and that policy makers have not fully considered the ownership of outer space territories and natural resources extracted from other planets. Ample references support the chapters. Highly recommended." * Choice *“A timely book that makes an important and well-argued point: that the new space race, indeed much like the old one, is driven largely by a combination of an instinct for capitalist exploitation and colonization coupled to a quasi-religious impulse drawing on some of the worst of the Judeo-Christian tradition. Astrotopia ought to stimulate some much-needed debate.” -- Philip Ball, author of "The Modern Myths: Adventures in the Machinery of the Popular Imagination"“One of the most philosophically sophisticated, mythically impactful, contemporarily relevant, and wickedly funny books I have read in a very long time. ‘Influential’ is a grotesque understatement. ‘Game-changing’ is more like it.” -- Jeffrey J. Kripal, author of "The Flip: Epiphanies of Mind and the Future of Knowledge"“The NewSpace era is marked by growing excitement and worry. The most significant issue moving forward is how to prevent destructive practices from crystallizing as the space endeavor grows. The first thing to do is to dispel the myth from the reality, and this book is one attempt to do that. For this field to advance, we need more critical perspectives that are forward-looking and suggest a pathway toward alternative hopeful and inclusive space futures.” -- Timiebi Aganaba, School for the Future of Innovation in Society, College of Global Futures, Arizona State University“This book is a must-read for anyone who believes that the space race is a romantic enterprise defining humanity’s destiny. Alas, as Rubenstein argues with wit and urgency, the space race is a reinvention of the worst colonialism has to offer, a mythologized narrative of exploitation and hubris poised to turn outer space into ‘another theater of greed and war.’” -- Marcelo Gleiser, Appleton Professor of Natural Philosophy, Dartmouth College, 2019 Templeton Prize Laureate“Astrotopia is an adventurous ride into outer space. Rubenstein masterfully places our desire to travel the cosmic seas within a historical and religious context, which is illuminating. Sublimely entertaining, Rubenstein brings levity to such a complex subject matter. To understand the future of the space industry, Astrotopia is a must-read.” -- Ingrid LaFleur, founder and director, The Afrofuture Strategies Institute“Astrotopia is a timely and lively read that helps us see the old myths behind NewSpace. Rubenstein exposes the religious and imperialistic roots of our outer-space plans, challenging us to rethink our motivations and justifications for our dreams of leaving Earth. Anyone who has ever asked why we are so intent on going to Mars and elsewhere, and especially those of us who consider ourselves space enthusiasts, should read this and ask whether we’re really satisfied with the futures being drawn up for us by astro-oligarchs or whether there may be other, and better, options.” -- David Grinspoon, coauthor of "Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto"Table of ContentsPreface Introduction: We Hold This Myth to Be Potential 1 Our Infinite Future in Infinite Space 2 Creation and Conquest 3 The American Promised Land 4 The Final Frontier 5 Whose Space Is It? 6 The Rights of Rocks 7 Other Spacetimes Conclusion: Revolt of the Pantheists Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisBlack holes and neutron stars are generally recognized as key components of many astrophysical systems. Based on a symposium held in honour of S. Chandrasekhar, these papers provide a comprehensive summary of progress made in the 1990s on the theory of black holes and relativistic stars.

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Book SynopsisExciting new information on the origin and evolution of the universe, the birth of planets, life on our solar system's outer moons, runaway black holes, the first gravitational waves, an enigmatic interstellar visitor and more. Recent discoveries have spawned a host of questions about the universe that couldn't even be imagined a decade ago..

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Book SynopsisExplains how the Earth and the Moon are locked together in a co-dependent embrace, each affecting the other in ways that impact our lives. The reader will learn in comprehensible, jargon-free language about the Moon we see, its orbit, its creation and the differing geologic details of the Moon, some of which can be seen with the naked eye.

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Book SynopsisThis innovative book explores the role of evangelical religion in the conflict in Northern Ireland, including how it may contribute to a peaceful political transition. Ganiel offers an original perspective on the role of a 'strong' religion in conflict transformation, and the misunderstood role of evangelicalism in the process.Trade Review"This is a remarkable first book by an excellent young scholar. It recognizes the importance of religion to Northern Ireland's sectarian conflict, while not reducing it to a religious war. Above all, it sees religionas a site of reconciliation as much as contest. It is based on impressive empirical analysis that displaysthe qualities of her insider knowledge, deriving fromGaniel'sextensive period of fieldwork in the Northof Ireland and her own evangelical beliefs, but also her outsider status asa North American social scientist, which gives the volume enormous sensitivity as well as a sense of balance. Evangelicals are a key sector of Northern Irish Protestantism, perhaps the dominant theological position within the Reformed tradition there, and Ganiel documents the transitions that are occurring in evangelical identities in Northern Ireland. The arguments are optimistic for Northern Ireland's future and fully consistent with the country's latest political developments. Politics, theology and ethnographyelide in this volume in wonderfully fertile ways that make it a pleasure to read." - John D Brewer, Department of Sociology, University of Aberdeen "Ganiel presents the world of Northern Ireland's Evangelical communities in an engaging and convincing manner...The fact that Ganiel documents how these Evangelical communities transform in response to policies of the state underscores her larger critique of the modern secular vision of autonomous social spheres...Ganiel's book offers an important contribution to the theoretical categories in the anthropology of Evangelicism" - William Girard, Anthropology NewsTable of ContentsCivil Society, Religion and Conflict in Northern Ireland Religion in Transition Comparative Perspectives Evangelical Congregations and Identity Change Evangelicals and the Reframing of Political Projects

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Book SynopsisMars: A Journey of Discovery takes us through previously uncharted territory to experience the unravelling of the mysteries of Mars first-hand and as they happened. Table of ContentsA Flickering Orb of Red • Red Planet Empire • The Sprinter: Mariner 4, First to Mars • Mars is Not Red: Marsniks Fail and Mariners Soar • Wet and Wild: A Shocking View from Mariner 9 • Into the Unknown • The Magnificent Vikings • Pink Sky, Red Sand • Is It Life? • Plucky Pathfinder • Pathfinder Triumphant • From on High: Mars Global Surveyor • An Odyssey to the Great Galactic Ghoul • Express Lane: Mars Express • Follow the Water • Blueberries, Dust Devils and Other Martian Delights • Opportunity's Grand Trek • HD in Space: Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter • Empire of Ice: Mars Phoenix Lander • Seven Minutes of Terror: Mars Science Laboratory • We Found What We Came For • On to Mount Sharp • Yin and Yang: Maven and Mangalyaan • Next Steps: Insight and the Mars 2020 Rover: Russia's Turn: Europe's Exomars • NASA's Plan: Give Us (Another) 25 Years.

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewThis guide to star spotting is ideal if you want to know how to identify what you see in the sky. * The Week Junior *Table of Contents 1: Foreword 2: The Night Sky 1: Constellations 2: The celestial sphere 3: Star movement 4: Stargazing tips 3: Route 1: The Plough to Leo 1: The Plough 2: Ursa Major 3: Cigar Galaxy 4: Polaris 5: Ursa Minor 6: Boötes 7: Canes Venatici 8: Whirlpool Galaxy 9: Corona Borealis 10: Leo 11: Review route one 12: Find the constellations 4: Route 2: Orion to the Pleiades 1: Orion 2: Orion Nebula 3: Canis Major 4: Canis Minor 5: Winter Triangle 6: Gemini 7: Taurus 8: Crab Nebula 9: The Pleiades 10: Review route two 11: Find the constellations 5: Route 3: Cassiopeia to Aries 1: Cassiopeia 2: Cepheus 3: Perseus 4: Andromeda 5: Andromeda Galaxy 6: Pegasus 7: Stephan’s Quintet 8: Aries 9: Review route three 10: Find the constellations 6: Route 4: Cygnus to Serpens Caput 1: Cygnus 2: Lyra 3: Ring Nebula 4: Aquila 5: Summer Triangle 6: Ophiuchus 7: Serpens Cauda 8: Serpens Caput 9: Messier 5 10: Review route four 11: Find the constellations 7: Among the Stars 1: The Moon 2: The Milky Way 3: Planet spotting 4: Shooting stars 8: Glossary 9: Index 10: Acknowledgments

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Book SynopsisNew to Penguin Classics, the astonishing story of the Copernican Revolution, told through the words of the ground-breaking scientists who brought it aboutIn the late fifteenth century, it was believed that the earth stood motionless at the centre of a small, ordered cosmos. Just over two centuries later, everything had changed. Not only was the sun the centre of creation, but the entire practice of science had been revolutionised. This is the story of that astonishing transformation, told through the words of the astronomers and mathematicians at its heart. Bringing together excerpts from the works and letters of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Descartes, Newton and others for the first time, The Dawn of Modern Cosmology is the definitive record of one of the great turning points in human history.Edited with Translations, Notes and an Introduction by Aviva Rothman

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Book SynopsisA fascinating, ground-level backstage pass to the creation, launch, and reach of the James Webb Space Telescope.NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the world’s largest orbiting astronomy observatory, is now nearly a million miles from Earth, probing the first stars and galaxies, documenting the structure and evolution of the universe, and searching for signs of life in other solar systems. In a series of extraordinary photographs, Inside the Star Factory tells the story of the Webb Telescope from conception to launch—a marvel of ingenuity and engineering that entailed more than 100 million people hours over a span of thirty years.The project’s lead photographer Chris Gunn was there from the start, documenting the Webb’s tumultuous history—the behind-the-scenes details of its construction, from the cutting-edge technology required for an observatory operating at temperatures as low as –370°F, beyond reach for repair, to the human story of an engineering team pursuing an unprecedented goal under incomparable pressure. Derided as the “telescope that ate astronomy,” billions of dollars over budget, ten years over schedule, nearly canceled twice, Webb was simply too big to fail.Accompanied by science writer Christopher Wanjek’s overview of the Webb’s history and profiles of the scientists and engineers who built it, this exclusive illustrated guide shows readers the heady world of scientific discovery at the very limits of human knowledge—and the very beginning of space and time.

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Book SynopsisGalileo''s trial in 1633 before the Roman Inquisition is one of the most frequently mentioned topics in the history of science. Galileo''s encounter with the Catholic Church was not only a major turning point in the history of western culture; it is the paradigm case of the clash between the institutional authority of religion and the authority of scientific reason, a clash that has helped to define the modern era. Blackwell''s new contribution to the Galileo affair concerns the official theological position against Galileo. The centerpiece of his project is the treatise entitled Tractatus syllepticus, written by Melchior Inchofer, S.J., whose judgment of the orthodoxy of Galileo''s Dialogue had been requested earlier by the Holy Office and was then incorporated into the proceedings of the trial. At the time, Inchofer''s judgment against Galileo''s book was both detailed and harsh. That judgment formed the basis for Inchofer''s subsequent Tractatus, the fTrade Review“Though the conduct of Galileo's trial was probably less sinister than Blackwell has suggested, with these two defenses of the Church's condemnation of Copernicanism we have a new, intriguing glimpse behind the scenes.” —The Renaissance Quarterly"Blackwell exposes details of the infamous trial that are not universally known: Galileo's explanation in the first session that he did not know there was a warning against writing the book that brought him to the Inquisition, his premature admission of guilt in the second session, and the misreporting of court proceedings to the cardinal in terms that would resonate with them. . . . Recommended." —Choice“Richard Blackwell’s latest foray into scholarship on the Galileo affair contains detective history, careful scholarship, theological ruminations, and excellent translation work. The most tantalizing piece is chapter 1, titled ‘The Legal Case at Galileo’s Trial: Impasse and Perfidy,’ which pushes a thesis that involves plea bargains, mysterious saboteur(s), and a miscarriage of justice.” —The Sixteenth Century Journal“If the evidence does not support a plot in Galileo’s sense, Blackwell’s account provides a scenario for a spellbinding novel. The story leaves enough latitude for the reader to draw his own conclusions. Although scholars both acquit and condemn the Church, the underlying issue remains: what constitutes a demonstration?” — The Review of Metaphysics“There are many reasons why this 'Galileo affair' is uniquely important in modern history. One is that it is instructive for understanding the interaction between science and religion. Blackwell adds some nuances to the conflictualist thesis. . . . The main theme of Blackwell's book is that of exploring 'behind the scenes at Galileo's trial.'. . . This trial is one of the best-documented episodes emblematic of modernity . . . this book makes a valuable contribution and provides a model for this type of inquiry.” —Journal of Modern History“It was faith against reason, entrenched religious orthodoxy against radically new scientific fact. Richard J. Blackwell (St. Louis, emeritus) is an expert on philosophy but here he diligently presents the complex religious and scientific details of the matter within the historical context of Galileo’s time.” — Bibliotheque d’Humanisme et Renaissance

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