Cosmology and the universe Books

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Book SynopsisWhat is life? Where did it come from? How can understanding the origins of life on Earth help us understand the origins of the universe, and vice versa? This book addresses the beginning of things - of the universe, matter, stars, and planetary systems, and finally, of life itself.Trade Review[Lurquin] treats competing theories with an even hand and skillfully weaves together topics in cosmology, genetics and biology... thought-provoking. Publishers Weekly For readers with an interest in the astronomical and physical sciences and the origination of life. -- B. F. Northeastern NaturalistTable of ContentsFoundations of the Universe Building a Universe Life as It Is Today Prebiotic Earth: First Organic Compounds and First Informational Molecules Life on Its Way Has Life Originated Elsewhere and Will It End?

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Book SynopsisExplaining discoveries and a range of advanced ideas and theories, this book provides a creative and coherent synthesis of scientific thinking on the universe's beginnings. It takes us on a tour of the seven ages of the cosmos, from the formless era of radiation through the origins of human culture.Trade ReviewHis writing is clear and his overview will both educate and entertain the average reader. Publishers Weekly Greatly appealing for exuding the scientific spirit that asks not merely what things exist but why they exist. Booklist In clear prose, Chaisson simplifies complex subjects. -- Gary Budzak Columbus Dispatch A vivid picture... Even the most knowledgeable of readers can learn... This is one epic I can recommend without hesitation. -- Bill Barlow Astronomy Now A thoroughly enjoyable read, and I recommend it highly. Science Books and Film A current and coherent exploration of ideas. Northeastern NaturalistTable of ContentsPreface Prologue: Cosmological Overview 1. Particle Epoch: Simplicity Fleeting 2. Galactic Epoch: Hierarchy of Structures 3. Stellar Epoch: Forges for Elements 4. Planetary Epoch: Habitats for Life 5. Chemical Epoch: Matter Plus Energy 6. Biological Epoch: Complexity Sustained 7. Cultural Epoch: Intelligence to Technology Epilogue: A Whole New Era Further Reading Glossary Index

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Book SynopsisThis 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 Table of ContentsPreface. Introduction. PART 1: COSMOLOGICAL MODELS. First Principles. The Friedmann Models. Alternative Cosmologies. Observational Properties of the Universe. PART 2: THE HOT BIG BANG MODEL. Thermal History of the Hot Big Bang Model. The Very Early Universe. Phase Transitions and Inflation. The Lepton Era. The Plasma Era. PART 3: THEORY OF STRUCTURE FORMATION. Introduction to Jeans Theory. Gravitational Instability of Baryonic Matter. Non-Baryonic Matter. Cosmological Perturbations. Non-Linear Evolution. Models of Structure Formation PART 4: OBSERVATIONAL TESTS. Statistics of Galaxy Clustering. The Cosmic Microwave Background. Peculiar Motions of Galaxies. Gravitational Lensing. The High-Redshift Universe. A Forward Look. Appendices References. Index.

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Book SynopsisIf existing models of the structure of the universe are correct, then 85 percent of the cosmos comprises a substance called dark matter. Yet no direct evidence of dark matter exists. Award-winning science journalist Govert Schilling details the quest to detect dark matter and how the search has helped us to understand the universe we inhabit.Trade ReviewAn impressively comprehensive bird’s-eye view of a research topic that is both many decades established and yet still at the very cutting edge of astronomy and physics. Along the course of this whirlwind tour, we catch glimpses of the lives and motivations of many of the key thinkers and builders who have defined the dark matter problem, as well as those who hope, sooner or later, to solve it. -- Katie Mack * Wall Street Journal *The book is both an advertisement for the thrill of scientific discovery and the visionaries who pursue the big questions simply because they are there. Schilling has craftily combined his lucid and accessible descriptions of science with the personal story of those unlocking the finer details of the missing mass mystery. The result is enthralling…A captivating scientific thriller. Future generations will no doubt be grateful for this fascinating contemporary account. * BBC Sky at Night *Schilling takes readers on a journey through the stories of a veritable army of physicists from around the globe as they have sought to understand the dark matter and dark energy that appear to make up 95% of our Universe. -- Catherine Heymans * Science *Fascinating…A thorough and sometimes troubling account of the hunt for dark matter…Schilling is an expert guide not only to dark matter and the equally baffling dark energy, which gets a good outing here, but to particle physics and cosmology…You will come away with a very good understanding of how the universe works. Well, our universe, anyway. -- Michael Brooks * New Scientist *Takes the reader on a vivid and entertaining journey through the history of the search for dark matter…Through interviews with personalities on both sides of historical controversies, the book is a colorful account of science in action, and is thoughtfully balanced to be engaging for a general audience as well as detailed enough to satisfy readers with a more technical background. -- Morgan Hollis * Nature Astronomy *A non-technical, historical, personal, up-to-date, correct, balanced, well-written, and well-researched book. -- Phillip Helbig * The Observatory *Expertly explains what we’ve learned about dark matter, and what we have yet to learn. -- Jeff Foust * Space Review *Curious, indefatigable, and a fine writer, Schilling clearly relays the work of astrophysicists…An entertaining account of a scientific quest that has failed—so far. * Kirkus Reviews *Fascinating history…Schilling convincingly argues that even without proof of its existence, dark matter has increased people’s understanding of the world—the search for it has led to greater knowledge of galaxies, gravity, and the big bang, among other phenomena. It makes for a solid introduction to an elusive topic. * Publishers Weekly *Govert Schilling has written a riveting narrative that brings you up to date on the research into astronomy's most long-standing and frustrating mystery: What is the universe's main ingredient? Thoroughly researched and highly enjoyable. -- Marcia Bartusiak, author of The Day We Found the UniverseFrom a revered science writer, a clear, wide-ranging account of one of the deepest and most fascinating mysteries in astronomy. -- Martin Rees, coauthor of The End of AstronautsA genuine page-turner. Schilling masterfully tells the stories of some of the greatest—and quirkiest—minds ever to probe the cosmos. -- Rick Fienberg, Senior Advisor to the Executive Officer, American Astronomical SocietyWith this book, Schilling offers us a clear and entertaining update on the quest to understand the nature of dark matter. The way he tells this story beautifully captures the sense of mystery that those of us working in this field experience every day. -- Dan Hooper, author of At the Edge of TimeA lively book by a skilled science journalist on an important topic in cosmology: the dark matter. -- Robert Kirshner, Clowes Research Professor of Science, Harvard UniversityGovert Schilling brings his longtime experience of writing about astronomy and its history to this exciting volume. Newcomers to the field will find much to learn in these pages, and experts much to discuss. -- Virginia Trimble, former president, Division of Galaxies and the Universe, International Astronomical Union

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Book SynopsisOffering a fresh take on what brought the world and us into being, Roy Gould helps us see the universe as the master of its own creation, not tethered to a singular event but burgeoning as new space and energy stream into existence. He explores whether life itself rather than a mere cosmic afterthought may be written into the basic laws of nature.Trade ReviewAn engaging book that clearly explains many fundamental concepts in cosmology, astrophysics, biology and chemistry, and is a must-have for all avid popular science fans. * Astronomy Now *There are details throughout Universe in Creation that highlight fascinating and mysterious coherences in the fabric of existence. * PopMatters *Gould…proposes a fascinating thesis about life’s emergence in this eloquent debut… His thought-provoking closing arguments highlight three observations of life: ‘that it is extremely robust across billions of years, that it is extremely diverse across millions of species, and that it is ubiquitous across the planet’s many environments.’ …Readers will appreciate Gould’s erudition and his new way of looking at the universe. * Publishers Weekly *Gould writes the deepest scientific thoughts with the ease of a skilled raconteur…[His] book is filled to overflowing with fascinating, imaginative detail…It is cosmology at its most intricate and explanation at its simplest. A wonderful book. * Queensland Reviewers Collective *The universe could not have dreamt up a better press agent for its story than Roy Gould. From what connects katydids and elephants, through the natural evolution of RNAs, to exoplanets and the Mandelbrot set—the author’s sense of wonder at what is around us is absolutely infectious. Gould’s explanation of how order is naturally created by using disorder at all scales is the best I have seen, making sense of purposefulness without purpose. A joyous romp through a cosmos full of wonders, and changing still! -- Roald Hoffmann, chemist and writerExciting, original, and extremely well written, Universe in Creation offers a philosophically novel perspective on the nature of the universe. -- Avi Loeb, Harvard UniversityWhen we wonder where we came from, or ponder the meaning of our lives, our thoughts might go back to childhood. In his search for meaning, Roy Gould rewinds further to where everything began: the birth of the cosmos. He is the universe’s joyful biographer, recognizing that its story and ours are intertwined, and that one of the most extraordinary things about the universe is that it created beings that can observe and appreciate it. Universe in Creation asks whether or not the universe’s creation of stars, galaxies, living cells, and human beings reveals an unfolding plan. It is a delightful, spirited, and brilliant inquiry. -- Molly Bentley, Executive Producer, Big Picture ScienceA fascinating synthesis…Gould artfully describes various…highlights in universal history, like the formation of stars and planets. Many of these moments are majestic. -- Adam Gaffney * New Republic *In a unique take on the cosmos, Gould makes the case that the emergence of a great many things are not only pre-ordained, but predictable…An interesting read that’s equally, fundamentally sound and correct. -- Ethan Siegel * Forbes *

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Book SynopsisA reinterpretation of Greek scientific thought before Socrates. Focusing on the scientific tradition of philosophy, this work argues that Presocratic philosophy is not a mere patchwork of different schools and styles of thought. It rejects the common interpretation of the early Ionians as material monists.Trade Review"Essential... Due to the depth and breadth of its research, its lucidity, and the cogency of its arguments, Explaining the Cosmos will undoubtedly become a new standard against which future work on the pre-Socratics is measured."--Choice "Graham harks back to Harold Cherniss's critical reading of Aristotle as more of an engaged interpreter than objective historian of the Presocratics... This is a genuine achievement... [M]uch of what Graham offers ... is persuasive, illuminating, and occasionally brilliant."--Simon Trepanier, Isis "[S]cholars everywhere will be grateful for this engaging intellectual adventure."--Robert Hahn, Journal of the History of PhilosophyTable of ContentsPREFACE xi ABBREVIATIONS AND BRIEF REFERENCES xv Chapter 1: The Ionian Program 1 1.1 Anaximander's Project 4 1.2 Anaximander's Project as a Scientific Program 14 1.3 Toward an Understanding of the Ionian Tradition 18 Chapter 2: Anaximander's Principles 28 2.1 Out of the Boundless 28 2.2 Powers in Conflict 34 2.3 Elements and Powers 39 Chapter 3: Anaximenes' Theory of Change 45 3.1 The Theory of Change 45 3.2 Material Monism 48 3.3 Problems with Material Monism 50 3.4 Anaximenes and the Generating Substance Theory 67 3.5 Anaximenes' Achievement 82 Chapter 4: The Generating Substance Theory as an Explanatory Hypothesis 85 4.1 GST Formalized 85 4.2 A Compromise View? 88 4.3 GST as a Paradigm of Explanation 91 4.4 Advantages of GST 98 4.5 Disadvantages of GST 106 Chapter 5: Heraclitus's Criticism of Ionian Philosophy 113 5.1 Extreme Interpretations 113 5.2 Barnes's Argument for Heraclitus-F 118 5.3 The Unity of Opposites 122 5.4 The Flux Thesis 129 5.5 Heraclitus and GST 137 Chapter 6: Parmenides' Criticism of Ionian Philosophy 148 6.1 Parmenides' Response to Heraclitus 148 6.2 Parmenides' Criticism 155 6.3 Properties of What-Is 162 6.4 Deceptive Cosmology 169 6.5 Parmenides' Scientific Discovery 179 6.6 Parmenides' Response to GST 182 Chapter 7: Anaxagoras and Empedocles: Eleatic Pluralists 186 7.1 The Standard Interpretation 186 7.2 Questions about the Standard Intepretation 188 7.3 The Elemental Substance Theory 195 7.4 Parmenides and Origins of the Elemental Substance Theory 201 7.5 Two Theories of Elements 208 7.6 Empirical Advances 220 Chapter 8: The Elemental Substance Theory as an Explanatory Hypothesis 224 8.1 EST Formalized 224 8.2 EST and Eleatic Theory 227 8.3 EST with and without Emergence 229 8.4 Advantages of EST 233 8.5 Disadvantages of EST 241 Chapter 9: The Atomist Reform 250 9.1 The Challenge 250 9.2 Foundational Arguments 256 9.3 Atomism and EST 269 9.4 Birth of the Cosmos 271 Chapter 10: Diogenes of Apollonia and Material Monism 277 10.1 Diogenes in Modern Accounts 277 10.2 Diogenes in a New Light 279 10.3 Diogenes in Historical Context 284 10.4 A New Theory of Matter 290 Chapter 11: The Ionian Legacy 294 11.1 Paradigms of Explanation 294 11.2 Explanatory Progress 298 11.3 The Primacy of Ionian Research 302 REFERENCES 309 INDEX LOCORUM 327 GENERAL INDEX 337

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Book SynopsisSuitable for students and researchers on early galaxies, this title offers an introduction to frontiers in astrophysics: the quest to understand how the oldest and most distant galaxies in our universe first formed. It bridges the gap between theory and observation.Trade Review"Loeb and Furlanetto, highly respected experts in the field, have written an up-to-date book that explores the early stages of the universe from the big bang through the formation of the first stars and galaxies."--Choice "[R]eaders who are genuinely into the subject will take pleasure in reading this book, even if they already know some of the analyses presented in the more basic chapters."--B. Ishak, Contemporary Physics "Everybody who is interested in the topics such as formation and evolution of the first Galaxies, black Holes, Sun and Earth in the Universe will benefit from this book."--Gasanbek T. Arazov, Zentralblatt MATH "[G]raduate students or senior undergraduates will find The First Galaxies in the Universe a thorough introduction to the topic. Interested professionals will find it a helpful entry point to the specialist literature on one of the most exciting frontiers in astrophysics."--Jason Tumlinson, Physics TodayTable of ContentsPreface xi PART I. FUNDAMENTALS OF STRUCTURE FORMATION 1 Chapter 1 Introduction and Cosmological Background 3 *1.1 Preliminary Remarks 3 *1.2 Standard Cosmological Model 5 *1.3 Milestones in Cosmic Evolution 15 *1.4 Most Matter Is Dark 20 Chapter 2 Linear Growth of Cosmological Perturbations 25 *2.1 Growth of Linear Perturbations 25 *2.2 The Thermal History during the Dark Ages 35 Chapter 3 Nonlinear Structure and Halo Formation 41 *3.1 Spherical Collapse 41 *3.2 Cosmological Jeans Mass 45 *3.3 Halo Properties 51 *3.4 Abundance of Dark Matter Halos 56 *3.5 Halo Clustering in Linear Theory 65 *3.6 The Nonlinear Power Spectra of Dark Matter and Galaxies 68 *3.7 Numerical Simulations of Structure Formation 78 Chapter 4 The Intergalactic Medium 92 *4.1 The Cosmic Web 92 *4.2 Lyman-alpha Absorption in the Intergalactic Medium 95 *4.3 Theoretical Models of the Lyman-alpha Forest 100 *4.4 The Metagalactic Ionizing Background 114 *4.5 The Helium-Ionizing Background 120 *4.6 Metal-Line Systems 121 *4.7 The Lyman-alpha Forest at z > 5 125 PART II. THE FIRST STRUCTURES 131 Chapter 5 The First Stars 133 *5.1 From Virialized Halos to Protostars 136 *5.2 From Protostars to Stars 144 *5.3 The Second Generation of Stars: "Population III.2" 157 *5.4 Properties of the First Stars 163 *5.5 The End States of Population III Stars 168 *5.6 Gamma-Ray Bursts: The Brightest Explosions 170 Chapter 6 Stellar Feedback and Galaxy Formation 174 *6.1 The Ultraviolet Background and H2 Photodissociation 174 *6.2 The X-ray Background: Positive Feedback 184 *6.3 Radiative Feedback: Mechanical Effects 186 * 6.4 Galactic Superwinds and Mechanical Feedback 192 *6.5 Metal Enrichment and the Transition to Population II Star Formation 201 *6.6 The First Galaxies 211 Chapter 7 Supermassive Black Holes 217 *7.1 Quasars and Black Holes: An Overview 217 *7.2 Basic Principles of Astrophysical Black Holes 222 *7.3 Accretion of Gas onto Black Holes 225 *7.4 The First Black Holes and Quasars 232 *7.5 Black Holes and Galaxies 237 * 7.6 Black Hole Binaries 244 *7.7 Gravitational Waves from Black Hole Mergers 247 Chapter 8 Physics of Galaxy Evolution 251 *8.1 High-Redshift Galaxies 251 *8.2 Gas Accretion 253 *8.3 Halo Mergers 255 *8.4 Disk Formation 256 *8.5 Star Formation in Galaxies 258 *8.6 Black Hole Growth in Galaxies 263 *8.7 Feedback and Galaxy Evolution 264 *8.8 From Galaxy Model to Stellar Spectra 266 *8.9 Signatures of the Interstellar Medium 269 *8.10 Gravitational Lensing 275 Chapter 9 The Reionization of Intergalactic Hydrogen 283 *9.1 Propagation of Ionization Fronts 283 *9.2 Global Ionization History 288 *9.3 The Phases of Hydrogen Reionization 291 * 9.4 The Morphology of Reionization 293 *9.5 Recombinations inside Ionized Regions 302 *9.6 Simulations of Reionization 308 *9.7 Statistical Properties of the Ionization Field 315 *9.8 Reionization by Quasars and Other Exotic Sources 319 *9.9 Feedback from Reionization: Photoheating 326 PART III. OBSERVATIONS OF THE COSMIC DAWN 335 Chapter 10 Surveys of High-Redshift Galaxies 337 *10.1 Telescopes for Observing High-Redshift Galaxies 337 *10.2 Methods for Identifying High-Redshift Galaxies 340 *10.3 Luminosity and Mass Functions 350 *10.4 The Statistics of Galaxy Surveys 357 Chapter 11 The Lyman-alpha Line as a Probe of the Early Universe 367 *11.1 Lyman-alpha Emission from Galaxies 367 *11.2 The Gunn-Peterson Trough 375 *11.3 IGM Scattering in the Blue Wing of the Lyman-alpha Line 376 *11.4 The Red Damping Wing 382 *11.5 The Lyman-alpha Forest as a Probe of the Reionization Topology 388 *11.6 Lyman-alpha halos around Distant Sources 390 *11.7 Lyman-alpha Emitters during the Reionization Era 396 Chapter 12 The 21-cm Line 408 *12.1 Radiative Transfer of the 21-cm Line 410 *12.2 The Spin Temperature 412 *12.3 The Brightness Temperature of the Spin-Flip Background 420 *12.4 The Monopole of the Brightness Temperature 428 *12.5 Statistical Fluctuations in the Spin-Flip Background 432 *12.6 Spin-Flip Fluctuations during the Cosmic Dawn 439 *12.7 Mapping the Spin-Flip Background 446 Chapter 13 Other Probes of the First Galaxies 459 *13.1 Secondary Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies from the Cosmic Dawn 459 *13.2 Diffuse Backgrounds from the Cosmic Dawn 470 *13.3 The Cross-Correlation of Different Probes 484 *13.4 The Fossil Record of the Local Group 488 Appendix A Useful Numbers 495 Appendix B Cosmological Parameters 497 Notes 499 Further Reading 509 Index 513

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Book SynopsisSuitable for students and researchers on early galaxies, this title offers an introduction to frontiers in astrophysics: the quest to understand how the oldest and most distant galaxies in our universe first formed. It bridges the gap between theory and observation.Trade Review"Loeb and Furlanetto, highly respected experts in the field, have written an up-to-date book that explores the early stages of the universe from the big bang through the formation of the first stars and galaxies."--Choice "[R]eaders who are genuinely into the subject will take pleasure in reading this book, even if they already know some of the analyses presented in the more basic chapters."--B. Ishak, Contemporary Physics "Everybody who is interested in the topics such as formation and evolution of the first Galaxies, black Holes, Sun and Earth in the Universe will benefit from this book."--Gasanbek T. Arazov, Zentralblatt MATH "[G]raduate students or senior undergraduates will find The First Galaxies in the Universe a thorough introduction to the topic. Interested professionals will find it a helpful entry point to the specialist literature on one of the most exciting frontiers in astrophysics."--Jason Tumlinson, Physics TodayTable of ContentsPreface xi PART I. FUNDAMENTALS OF STRUCTURE FORMATION 1 Chapter 1 Introduction and Cosmological Background 3 *1.1 Preliminary Remarks 3 *1.2 Standard Cosmological Model 5 *1.3 Milestones in Cosmic Evolution 15 *1.4 Most Matter Is Dark 20 Chapter 2 Linear Growth of Cosmological Perturbations 25 *2.1 Growth of Linear Perturbations 25 *2.2 The Thermal History during the Dark Ages 35 Chapter 3 Nonlinear Structure and Halo Formation 41 *3.1 Spherical Collapse 41 *3.2 Cosmological Jeans Mass 45 *3.3 Halo Properties 51 *3.4 Abundance of Dark Matter Halos 56 *3.5 Halo Clustering in Linear Theory 65 *3.6 The Nonlinear Power Spectra of Dark Matter and Galaxies 68 *3.7 Numerical Simulations of Structure Formation 78 Chapter 4 The Intergalactic Medium 92 *4.1 The Cosmic Web 92 *4.2 Lyman-alpha Absorption in the Intergalactic Medium 95 *4.3 Theoretical Models of the Lyman-alpha Forest 100 *4.4 The Metagalactic Ionizing Background 114 *4.5 The Helium-Ionizing Background 120 *4.6 Metal-Line Systems 121 *4.7 The Lyman-alpha Forest at z > 5 125 PART II. THE FIRST STRUCTURES 131 Chapter 5 The First Stars 133 *5.1 From Virialized Halos to Protostars 136 *5.2 From Protostars to Stars 144 *5.3 The Second Generation of Stars: "Population III.2" 157 *5.4 Properties of the First Stars 163 *5.5 The End States of Population III Stars 168 *5.6 Gamma-Ray Bursts: The Brightest Explosions 170 Chapter 6 Stellar Feedback and Galaxy Formation 174 *6.1 The Ultraviolet Background and H2 Photodissociation 174 *6.2 The X-ray Background: Positive Feedback 184 *6.3 Radiative Feedback: Mechanical Effects 186 * 6.4 Galactic Superwinds and Mechanical Feedback 192 *6.5 Metal Enrichment and the Transition to Population II Star Formation 201 *6.6 The First Galaxies 211 Chapter 7 Supermassive Black Holes 217 *7.1 Quasars and Black Holes: An Overview 217 *7.2 Basic Principles of Astrophysical Black Holes 222 *7.3 Accretion of Gas onto Black Holes 225 *7.4 The First Black Holes and Quasars 232 *7.5 Black Holes and Galaxies 237 * 7.6 Black Hole Binaries 244 *7.7 Gravitational Waves from Black Hole Mergers 247 Chapter 8 Physics of Galaxy Evolution 251 *8.1 High-Redshift Galaxies 251 *8.2 Gas Accretion 253 *8.3 Halo Mergers 255 *8.4 Disk Formation 256 *8.5 Star Formation in Galaxies 258 *8.6 Black Hole Growth in Galaxies 263 *8.7 Feedback and Galaxy Evolution 264 *8.8 From Galaxy Model to Stellar Spectra 266 *8.9 Signatures of the Interstellar Medium 269 *8.10 Gravitational Lensing 275 Chapter 9 The Reionization of Intergalactic Hydrogen 283 *9.1 Propagation of Ionization Fronts 283 *9.2 Global Ionization History 288 *9.3 The Phases of Hydrogen Reionization 291 * 9.4 The Morphology of Reionization 293 *9.5 Recombinations inside Ionized Regions 302 *9.6 Simulations of Reionization 308 *9.7 Statistical Properties of the Ionization Field 315 *9.8 Reionization by Quasars and Other Exotic Sources 319 *9.9 Feedback from Reionization: Photoheating 326 PART III. OBSERVATIONS OF THE COSMIC DAWN 335 Chapter 10 Surveys of High-Redshift Galaxies 337 *10.1 Telescopes for Observing High-Redshift Galaxies 337 *10.2 Methods for Identifying High-Redshift Galaxies 340 *10.3 Luminosity and Mass Functions 350 *10.4 The Statistics of Galaxy Surveys 357 Chapter 11 The Lyman-alpha Line as a Probe of the Early Universe 367 *11.1 Lyman-alpha Emission from Galaxies 367 *11.2 The Gunn-Peterson Trough 375 *11.3 IGM Scattering in the Blue Wing of the Lyman-alpha Line 376 *11.4 The Red Damping Wing 382 *11.5 The Lyman-alpha Forest as a Probe of the Reionization Topology 388 *11.6 Lyman-alpha halos around Distant Sources 390 *11.7 Lyman-alpha Emitters during the Reionization Era 396 Chapter 12 The 21-cm Line 408 *12.1 Radiative Transfer of the 21-cm Line 410 *12.2 The Spin Temperature 412 *12.3 The Brightness Temperature of the Spin-Flip Background 420 *12.4 The Monopole of the Brightness Temperature 428 *12.5 Statistical Fluctuations in the Spin-Flip Background 432 *12.6 Spin-Flip Fluctuations during the Cosmic Dawn 439 *12.7 Mapping the Spin-Flip Background 446 Chapter 13 Other Probes of the First Galaxies 459 *13.1 Secondary Cosmic Microwave Background Anisotropies from the Cosmic Dawn 459 *13.2 Diffuse Backgrounds from the Cosmic Dawn 470 *13.3 The Cross-Correlation of Different Probes 484 *13.4 The Fossil Record of the Local Group 488 Appendix A Useful Numbers 495 Appendix B Cosmological Parameters 497 Notes 499 Further Reading 509 Index 513

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Book SynopsisIncludes brief chapter bibliographies and index.Trade Review"Asteroseismology is a new, essential part of the stellar astronomy toolkit. Areas such as exoplanetary systems and galactic archaeology often employ asteroseismic analysis alongside traditional methods. This book is a comprehensive `how-to' for working with asteroseismic data—appropriate for all those who want to try asteroseismology for themselves."—Steve Kawaler, Iowa State University"The study of stellar properties using asteroseismology, based on observations of stellar oscillations, has exploded over the past decade thanks to a flood of space-based data. In this book, Basu and Chaplin provide a comprehensive and pedagogical overview of the field, emphasizing the required techniques. This is a valuable resource and a good introduction for those new to this revolution in stellar astrophysics."—Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard, Aarhus University"This excellent book represents a milestone in the study of stellar physics. Encyclopedic in scope and approachable to readers who may know little of the subject, Asteroseismic Data Analysis fills a genuine need."—David Soderblom, Space Telescope Science Institute"The data from the Kepler mission have completely transformed the field of asteroseismology. With extensive coverage, Asteroseismic Data Analysis presents a thorough and systematic treatment of the topic. The great strength of this book is that it uses Kepler data to illustrate many of the techniques."—Tim Bedding, University of Sydney

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewWinner of the 2002 Award for Best Professional/Scholarly Book in Physics and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers Finalist for the 2003 Aventis General Prize "Kirshner is a talented writer, and both experts and general readers will find his book a consistently enjoyable read... The Extravagant Universe is a personal book... For the general reader interested in the excitement of how science is done, this strategy makes for a fascinating account... The story ... is irresistible in its own right, and is related with verve and good humor... Books like this one will help inspire the next generation of physicists."--Sean Carroll, Nature "An extravagant and thoroughly enjoyable account of our amazing universe."--Michael S. Turner, Science "Robert Kirshner has written an excellent insider's account of the race to discover the fate of the cosmos... Kirshner shows an impressively deft touch with complex explanations, and he doesn't hesitate to bridge gaps in the reader's knowledge with an apt metaphor... The Extravagant Universe delivers the promise of its subtitle extremely well, and should serve as the definitive insider's story of how Kirshner led his motley group of astronomers to glory in their search to find the fate of the universe."--Donald Goldsmith, Natural History "Fellow astronomers--and generations of Harvard undergraduates--have long appreciated [Kirshner] as a raconteur of exceptional eloquence, so it is hard to imagine anyone better suited to give us the inside story on the new discoveries. [He] does not disappoint. He tells, in large part, a story of how improved technology has enabled astronomers to look farther into the distance and thus further into the past."--Laurence Marschall, Discover Magazine "The Extravagant Universe is hugely enjoyable... It's wonderful ... an entertaining and witty account of one of the biggest scientific stories of the past 10 years: how exploding supernovae show that the expansion of the Universe is accelerating... Do buy this delightful book."--Michael Rowan-Robinson, New Scientist "More than one book already exists about this momentous discovery, but this new entry, The Extravagant Universe, by Robert Kirshner, is probably the best one to read... This is an insider's account of how the work was done. Besides giving an up-to-the-minute account of the science, Mr. Kirshner lets us share vicariously in the thrill of discovery."--The Economist "[A] witty new book."--Sharon Begley, Wall Street Journal "A pleasure to read."--Maggie McDonald, New Scientist "The Extravagant Universe isn't the only accessible book about dark energy and cosmic acceleration on the market. However, it provides a unique behind-the-scenes feeling for the heady days leading up to the discovery. I found it ever harder to put down as I drew closer to the crucial moment when Kirshner and his colleagues found themselves staring the cosmological constant in the face."--Joshua Roth, Sky & Telescope "Talented researcher Kirshner clearly describes the scientific detective work responsible for current ideas about the history of the universe... Kirshner has been at the forefront of these developments... He brings everything together using simple, effective, and often humorous analogies and anecdotes to explain how research teams interact as they built the chronology of how the universe developed and evolved to where it is today."--Choice "The gripping story of how two competing groups of scientists came to make, and finally believe, the surprising measurements on which a radical new view of the universe depends... It is an evocative reminder that cosmology, too, is now a true observational, experimental science, securely grounded in the messy practical realities of making measurements."--Michael Riordan, The New York Times Book Review "[A] delightful and accessible book... And Kirshner's unique combination of after-dinner-style repartee and physics-for-novices analogies makes for a very entertaining read."--Richard Ellis, Physics World "An insider's scoop on what is arguably the hottest astronomy story of our time. Kirshner has written a book that is not only history of modern cosmology, but also a case study in the scientific process... Kirshner uses wonderfully simple and sometimes amusing analogies to explain complicated concepts."--Jennifer Birriel, Mercury "A wonderfully informative and engaging book on one of the most exciting developments in modern cosmology."--Alex Filippenko, Astronomy "A readable, entertaining, and informative account of an ancient and familiar--yet newly reinvigorated--branch of science."--James Case, SIAM News "I loved this book. Kirschner writes with passion, humanity and generosity."--Margaret Dobbins, The Daily Telegraph "Kirshner's book represents a high point in popular science publishing. It works at several levels, especially the personal, in which he offers a well-written, even classic, account of the life of a working scientist... The Extravagant Universe is a book that will be read for pleasure... Kirshner has a real gift for visualizing the shape and structure of the universe."--Martin Ince, Times Higher Education Supplement "The first eight chapters provide an introduction to cosmology at the level of Astronomy 101... That tale is often told, but seldom so engagingly. The analogies are apt, the anecdotes are amusing, and the writing is brisk and witty--in places downright funny... Kirshner succeeds in conveying the difficulty and excitement of the hunt for remote supernovae."--David Branch, Physics TodayTable of ContentsPREFACE ix CHAPTER 1: The Big Picture 1 CHAPTER 2: Violent Agents of Cosmic Change 15 CHAPTER 3: Another Way to Explode 34 CHAPTER 4: Einstein Adds a Constant 49 CHAPTER 5: Cosmic Expansion 60 CHAPTER 6: What Time Is It? 83 CHAPTER 7: A Hot Day in Holmdel 114 CHAPTER 8: Learning to Swim 136 CHAPTER 9: Getting It First 158 CHAPTER 10: Getting It Right 194 CHAPTER 11: The Smoking Gun? 234 NOTES 263 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 275 INDEX 277

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Finalist for the PROSE Award in Cosmology and Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""Spitzer . . . merits a detailed and authoritative account of its successes, and More Things in the Heavens is just that."---Michael Rowan-Robinson, Nature"For serious space fans, this ode to NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope reveals what we’ve learned by looking at the universe through an infrared lens." * Science News *"Werner and Eisenhardt, both at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, have been involved with Spitzer for decades and know their subject intimately. After a whirlwind tour of the universe as seen in the infrared, they cover in detail every aspect of astronomy that Spitzer has touched."---Rick Fienberg, Sky & Telescope"A fascinating insight into how the scientific process of discovery works, putting the results made by the huge team using Spitzer in context with the wider research field."---Dr. Chris North, BBC Sky at Night"More Things in the Heavens is a well-written account of the accomplishments of a great observatory over its more than 16-year lifetime."---Edward L. Wright, Physics Today"More Things in the Heavens is an unashamed celebration of one of the great scientific projects of the early 21st century. . . . It is a labour of love by two men who committed their lives to transform a dream into reality, to bringing us a deeper understanding of the Universe with a mirror no bigger than the one in most bathrooms."---Nick Smith, Engineering & Technology"This is a most impressive story, not just for specialists, clearly told and profusely illustrated. I found it a pleasure to read and recommend it strongly."---Peredur Williams, The Observatory"More Things in the Heavens reveals how important infrared astronomy has been to increasing our understanding of the cosmos."---Iain Todd, BBC Sky at Night"A timely and welcome addition to this genre."---Manoj Puravankara, Current Science

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Book SynopsisA companion to Welcome to the Universe, a ... bestseller that was inspired by the ... introductory astronomy course for non-science majors that Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michael A. Strauss, and J. Richard Gott taught together at Princeton. [It] features more than one hundred problems and exercises used in the original course--Amazon.com.Trade Review"This book provides a very valuable resource for anyone who wants to acquire a reasonably quantitative understanding of introductory astronomy. The questions cover a broad range of interesting topics, and the solutions are thorough and often enlightening, providing additional insights into the subject matter."—Alex Filippenko, University of California, Berkeley"The difference between a good astronomy course and a great astronomy course is great problems. This book is a gold mine of great problems for introductory astronomy, problems that can be solved with high school algebra and run the gamut from earth-smashing asteroids to neutron stars, black holes, the fate of the universe, and the search for life on other worlds. It will be a valuable resource for anyone teaching introductory astronomy and an exhilarating challenge for students who want to sharpen their wits against the cosmos."—David Weinberg, Ohio State University"A fantastic asset. The hardest part of teaching introductory astronomy courses is writing engaging, informative problems at the appropriate level. This book provides a treasure trove of wonderfully instructive material that is much better than anything else out there. I will be using Tyson, Strauss, and Gott for a long time to come."—James H. Applegate, Columbia University"A marvelous compendium. This companion book demonstrates in a playful manner how, with no more than high school algebra, we can obtain a deeper appreciation of the properties of the infinitely large and small, and deepen our conversation with the cosmos."—Trinh X. Thuan, University of Virginia"A wonderful collection of introductory problems that convey the wonders of the universe and fundamental concepts in astronomy through specific examples and numbers. A fantastic resource for the classroom and aspiring astronomers."—Abraham Loeb, Harvard University"Microorganisms on Europa, colliding black holes, cosmic inflation, and much more are covered in this expansive and thoughtfully selected collection of exciting problems in astrophysics—even a two-dimensional Tardis appears! Both students and experienced astronomers should come away enriched through study of these problems and the techniques presented to crack them."—W. Niel Brandt, Pennsylvania State University

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"Winner of the 2017 PROSE Award in Cosmology & Astronomy, Association of American Publishers""One of Symmetry Magazine’s Physics Books of 2016""With an insider's insight and a storyteller's eye for detail. . . . Gott offers a thorough, vivid, and fascinating look at the cosmic web that makes up our universe." * Publishers Weekly *"The Cosmic Webis not just a well-told story about the frontiers of cosmological knowledge. It is also an inspiration to explore them further."---Michael Blanton, Nature"Weaving together personal anecdotes with physics and math, Princeton astrophysicist J. Richard Gott's The Cosmic Web chronicles the nearly 100-year quest to understand the anatomy of the universe. . . . Gott brings detailed insight to how our view of the cosmos has changed, providing a thorough accounting of how cosmologists arrived at these revelations."---Christopher Crockett, Science News"Provides an outstanding summation of [Gott's] search for understanding the spongy cosmic web that characterizes the universe at large scales. . . . [A] magnificent achievement."---David Eicher, Astronomy Magazine"With a style that's rich in fascinating detail, and bolstered by personal memories and anecdotes,The Cosmic Webdelivers everything we need in a book on this subject."---Alastair Gunn, BBC Sky at Night"An extraordinary book guiding the reader through the large scale of the Universe and the structure scientists encounter whilst looking at the Universe as a whole." * Read about Science *"I enjoyed this book hugely. It should be on the shelf of anyone who is intrigued by why the Universe looks the way it does."---Alan Longstaff, Astronomy Now"Full to the brim with wonderful analogies and genuinely interesting anecdotes that should be a component of all popular science books. If you've ever looked up at the night sky and wondered why it looks the way it does, this is one book you should really consider reading."---Amber Hornsby, Popular Astronomy"Fascinating. . . . I think it should be in every library which aims to cover astrophysics and cosmology."---G.W. Gibbons, Contemporary Physics

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"A Choice Outstanding Academic Title of the Year""Marvellous. . . . Ellis's explanations of complex scientific and technological challenges faced along the journey are an exemplar of how to bring approachability and clarity to potentially tricky subjects, but it is the fascinating incidental details that really grab the attention. Offering a rare insight into how professional astronomy actually 'gets done', they elevate this to must-read status for anyone interested in the ways of modern science."---BBC Sky at Night Magazine, Giles Sparrow"[If] astronomy is your thing . . . this is genuinely an essential read and highly recommended."---Brian Clegg, Popular Science"A wonderful book."---Phillip Helbig, The Observatory

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Book SynopsisThought-provoking and controversial, Lawless Universe is a complement to, even an antidote for, books that create the misimpression that science can explain everything.Trade ReviewDr. Rosen knocks down the structure of good science and rebuilds it for the reader, brick by brick, beginning with the most basic differences between objectivity and subjectivity. And through topics that might otherwise leave readers feeling adrift-like quantum theory, metaphysics, and the anthropic principle-Dr. Rosen proves a calm, conscientious guide who sticks by the reader's side. GW Magazine/GW Today 2011Table of ContentsPreface1. Objective or Subjective: That Is the QuestionObjective and SubjectiveThe Objective Outer World: RealityOur Subjective Inner Worlds: FantasiesObjective or Subjective?Objective TruthSubjective TruthLogical TruthDealing with the SubjectiveDealing with the Objective2. The Science of Nature and the Nature of SciencePreliminariesScienceNatureReproducibilityPredictabilityLaw3. Theory: Explanation, Not SpeculationTheoryLogical Implication and Objective TruthGenerality and FundamentalityNaturalityCausationSimplicity and UnificationBeautyFalsifiabilityAn Archetypal Example4. Is Science the Whole Story?Science and MetaphysicsTranscendence and Nontranscendence5. Our Unique UniverseThe Lawless UniverseCosmology6. Nature's LawsRealism and IdealismReductionism and HolismObserver and ObservedQuasi-Isolated System and SurroundingsInitial State and Law of EvolutionExtended Mach PrincipleWhence Order?7. Facing the UniverseHuman ScienceAnthropic PrincipleWhence Order? (Again)Space and Time8. The Hunt for RealityMetaphysical PositionsObjective RealityPerceived RealityPartially Hidden RealityTranscendent RealityCodaGlossaryCombined BibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisBeing in Creation asks about the role of humans in the more-than-human world from the perspective of human creatureliness, a perspective that accepts as a given human finitude and limitations, as well as responsibility toward other beings and toward the whole of which they are a part.Trade Review"Being-in-Creation, edited by Benson, Treanor, and Wirzba is a well-conceived and beautifully-executed collection of essays on a vitally important topic. In a situation of acute ecological crisis, we require the resources of all of our philosophical, theological and religious traditions, including the rich veins opened up for us here by the contributors, to offer us new ways of thinking about and living in the world." -- -Clayton Crockett University of Central Arkansas "This is a marvelous collection of essays with immense creative potential. Indeed, Being-in-Creation is opening up the doors of continental philosophy to shape a rich ecological theology. A groundbreaking contribution!" -- -Mary Evelyn Tucker Yale UniversityTable of ContentsContents Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: The Human Place in the Natural World Brian Treanor 2. Creation, Creativity and Creatureliness Rowan Williams 3. Rowan Williams and Ecological Rationality Jarrod Longbons 4. The Art of Creaturely Life Norman Wirzba 5. Face of Nature, Gift of Creation Bruce Foltz 6. Creativity as Call to Care for Creation Christina M. Gschwandtner 7. Creature Discomforts Jeffrey Hanson 8. Reflections from Thoreau's Concord Ed Mooney 9. Creation and the Glory of Creatures Janet Martin Soskice 10. Care of the Soil, Care of the Self T. Wilson Dickenson 11. Dream Writing Beyond a Wounded World Susan Pyke Notes List of Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisCicero's essay On Friendship is of interest as much for the light it sheds on Roman society as for its embodiment of ancient philosophical views on the subjects of friendship. The Dream of Scipio, in which Cicero describes his vision of the cosmos, is an excerpt from his De Republica. Latin text with facing translation, introduction and commentary.Table of ContentsPrefaceBibliographical NoteLaelius On Friendship (Laelius de amicitia) Introduction Text and Translation CommentaryThe Dream of Scipio (Somnium Scipionis) Introduction Text and Translation CommentaryAppendix: notes on the textIndex

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Book SynopsisThe first two books of Aristotle’s On the Heavens (De Caelo) offer perspectives on the cosmology of a thinker whose ideas in this area were considered authoritative by many until the 17th century. This edition for modern readers presents the Greek text, with facing-page English translation, introduction and commentary.Table of ContentsPrefaceINTRODUCTIONBibliographyGlossary of NamesON THE HEAVENS Text and TranslationCOMMENTARYIndex

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Book SynopsisExperience the drama of the explosive cosmos and the astonishing discoveries being made about the universe's wildest phenomena. The violent birth of the universe was only the first bang of a very bumpy ride. This unfathomably cacophonous beginning has spawned blasts, implosions, cosmic cannibalism, collisions, and countless other fleeting energetic events punctuating the cosmos. Although often brief, these transient phenomena pack a powerful punch. Armed with decades of theoretical progress, unrivaled computing power, and cutting-edge technology, astronomers find themselves at the cusp of understanding not just the events themselves, but also how those events reveal the story of the entire cosmos. In Things That Go Bump in the Universe, astronomer and science writer C. Renée James introduces us to her colleagues around the world, who are using pioneering research techniques to explore everything from the very first explosions in the universe to the dark energy that could destroy it aTrade ReviewLike a pulsar, the book is at times dense, but it also dazzles. It recasts modern astronomy as the search for transient, explosive events, and the messages they contain if only we can decode them.—New York Times Book ReviewTable of ContentsPrologue. Flashes of InsightChapter 1. Catching Cosmic FirefliesChapter 2. Out of the QuestionChapter 3. Putting the "Super" in SupernovaChapter 4. Star-Shattering EnergyChapter 5. The Search for Smoking GunsChapter 6. Detecting Cosmic HeartbeatsChapter 7. Stellar ArrhythmiaChapter 8. (Almost) No Star Is an IslandChapter 9. The Making of a SuperstarChapter 10. Cloudy with a Chance of NeutrinosChapter 11. Not "The End"Chapter 12. Collision CourseChapter 13. Fallen StarsChapter 14. Don't BlinkChapter 15. Point BlankChapter 16. Cats, Rats, and Fantastic Beasts, and How to Tell Them Apart Chapter 17. Cosmic TremorsChapter 18. The Return of the FurbiesChapter 19. LIGO, We Have a ProblemChapter 20. Impeccable TimingChapter 21. All Together NowChapter 22. Multiple Eyewitness AccountsChapter 23. Furbies—A New HopeChapter 24. The First Bumps in the Universe Chapter 25. The Last HurrahEpilogue. EphemeraAcknowledgmentsBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThis book presents the known properties of matter in the plasma state, going from the fundamentals to astrophysical applications. It features examples of scientific problems, as well as numerous illustrations and appendices.Trade Review“‘Physics of the Plasma Universe Second Edition’ by Anthony L. Perrat is a profound guide dedicated to plasma physics in the Solar System … . It is addressed to graduate students and researchers working in the field of cosmic plasma. … The book is an excellent manual for young and experienced scientists interested in plasma physics. … The second edition incorporates many recent results and makes the book an up-to-date guide through the science of plasma in the Universe.” (Alicja Wierzcholska and Hubert Siejkowski, Pure and Applied Geophysics, Vol. 174, 2017)“Anyone who has spent time engaged in research or in teaching in the field of plasma physics will know that it contains a wide variety of elements, both in terms of the physical theories that support it and the phenomena to which it can be applied. … those looking for an eventful up-to-date guided tour through some of the key sites of the plasma universe may well find what they are looking for here.” (Terry Robinson, The Observatory, Vol. 135 (1248), October, 2015)“This book is the result of four decades of research work of a well-known specialist, this period has been spent in different frontiers of plasma research. … congratulations to the author for having written this volume, and warmest stimulations to the readers: they shall be pleased reading this book!” (Iván Abonyi, zbMATH 1306.82001, 2015)Table of ContentsCosmic Plasma Fundamentals.- Birkeland Currents in Cosmic Plasma.- Biot-Savart Law in Cosmic Plasma.- Electric Fields in Cosmic Plasma.- Double Layers in Astrophysics.- Synchrotron Radiation.- Transport of Cosmic Radiation.- Critical Ionization Effect in Interstellar Clouds.- Neutral Hydrogen Filaments and Dynamics of Galactic Bennet Pinches.- Particle-in-Cell Simulation of Cosmic Plasma.- Further Developments in Plasma Simulation.- Dynamics of Field--Aligned Currents in the Laboratory, Aurorae, and Galactic Space.- Plasma Astrophysics.

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Book SynopsisAliens. Ley lines. Water dowsing. Conspiracies and myths captivate imaginations and promise mystery and magic. Whether it's arguing about the moon landing hoax or a Frisbee-like Earth drifting through space, when held up to science and critical thinking, these ideas fall flat. In Weird Earth: Debunking Strange Ideas About Our Planet, Donald R. Prothero demystifies these conspiracies and offers answers to some of humanity's most outlandish questions. Applying his extensive scientific knowledge, Prothero corrects misinformation that con artists and quacks use to hoodwink others about geology—hollow earth, expanding earth, and bizarre earthquakes—and mystical and paranormal happenings—healing crystals, alien landings, and the gates of hell. By deconstructing wild claims such as prophesies of imminent natural disasters, Prothero provides a way for everyone to recognize dubious assertions. Prothero answers these claims with facts, offering historical and scientific context in a light-hearted manner that is accessible to everyone, no matter their background. With a careful layering of evidence in geology, archaeology, and biblical and historical records, Prothero's Weird Earth examines each conspiracy and myth and leaves no question unanswered.Trade ReviewGeologist Prothero (Fantastic Fossils) offers a breath of intellectual fresh air with this amusing look at how to dispel endemic pseudoscience and conspiracy theories through rational thinking. . . . As Prothero takes on one crackpot notion after another, his writing is accessible and often wry. With its wide variety of topics and sharp insights, Prothero's latest delivers something weird for every reader. * Publishers Weekly *Pairing convincing arguments with photographs and helpful diagrams, Weird Earth is lucid in applying common sense to everyday geological questions and passionate as it calls for scientific literacy. -- Rebecca Foster * Foreword Reviews *Prothero offers plenty of convincing proof that nonsense is nonsense. * Kirkus Reviews *In his latest, science teacher and proud skeptic Prothero takes on a raft of pseudo- and antiscientific beliefs and handily debunks them: flat earth, hollow earth, young earth, geocentrism, moon landing conspiracies, faked fossils, flood myths, Atlantis, dowsing, and more. He briefly describes these schools of thought, where they come from, and summarizes the scientific evidence which shows that these beliefs are incorrect. But he wants to do more than just debunk. He believes scientists need to explain why and how they come to the conclusions they do. * BOOKLIST / Amer Library Assn *I really enjoyed it, but part of me is also thinking, 'It's such a bummer that we're in a place where [the author] felt like this was a good thing to write.' -- Phil Ferguson * The Phil Ferguson Show *In the current Trumpian political climate, where basic moral and scientific values seem to have been made effectively "redundant," it is refreshing to have a reminder that the Earth is not flat, Antarctica is still a continent, and there is a collective, knowledge-based world out there. Prothero, a popular educator and excellent science writer, is so engaging and readable in print that it almost becomes purely entertaining to read his prose. The book offers a series of 16 chapters, all debunking particular crackpot theories related to the Earth. These come wrapped between a very good introduction titled "Science and Critical Thinking" and a concluding chapter titled "Why People Want to Believe Weird Things." Some of Prothero's chapters address topics related to the actual history of geology and astronomy, such as the hollow Earth theory and the progressive understanding of our place in the solar system. Other chapters cover elements of the creationist debates on the great flood, the young age of the Earth, and the question of the reality of dinosaurs. Then there's the "Myth of Atlantis" and the question: "Did We Really Land on the Moon?" Each of these cases is described and deconstructed for the reader in a straightforward and accessible style. -- P. K. Strother * Choice *If you have any interest in geology and the basics of skepticism, this is a good book for you. -- Lee Moller * The God Con *This book . . . is in a way a coming together of his years of study and analysis of scientific investigations of some of the most prevalent weird ideas from beliefs in flat earth, expanding earth, hollow earth and geocentrism to faith in the paranormal, aliens, UFOs, crystal healing, and even the controversy of the faked moon landing. Although written from the perspective of American realities, the ideas in the book hold true globally. . . . With vivid examples and scientific explanations, the book makes for interesting reading. -- Hasan Jawaid Khan * Science Reporter *Prothero writes well and knowingly. He patiently analyzes one wild claim after another and presents scientific evidence so that no questions remain unanswered. As one reviewer put it, "Prothero provides ample evidence that nonsense is nonsense." -- Kim Møller Hansen * Scandinavian UFO Information *Prothero debunks conspiracy theories and pseudoscience relating to our planet, making for an entertaining slaying of geological fringe ideas. . . . Prothero ends by quoting Carl Sagan and I will steal that quote here. Call me dramatic, but I agree with the sentiment that science is our candle in the dark without which "clutching our crystals and religiously consulting our horoscopes, our critical faculties in steep decline, unable to distinguish between what's true and what feels good, we slide, almost without noticing, into superstition and darkness" (p. 248). Weird Earth is one such candle in the dark and Prothero deserves praise for doing the ungrateful job that most people would rather not do: to patiently explain the reasons why certain ideas are wrong. * The Inquisitive Biologist *Table of ContentsPreface1. Science and Critical Thinking2. The Flat Earth3. Ptolemy Revisited4. The Hollow Earth5. The Expanding Earth6. Did We Really Land on the Moon?7. Magnetic Myths8. Earth-Shaking Myths9. Quacks and Quakes10. Was There a Great Flood?11. Are Dinosaurs Faked?12. Is the Earth Only 6000 Years Old?13. Mysteries of Mount Shasta14. The Myth of Atlantis15. The Mysterious Ley Lines16. Crystal Con Artists17. Water Witching18. Mysterious Earth: Why People Want to Believe Weird Things

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Book SynopsisPeople worldwide are questioning the materialistic, mechanistic scientific pradigm that has been the dominant cosmology for the past one hundred years or so. The purpose of The New Paradigm is to provide a philosophical foundation for a spiritual cosmology that can incorporate both modern science and ancient wisdom. This is a paradigm that many have hoped would arise to usher in the predicted New Age of elevated spiritual awareness and understanding. The New Paradigm offers insights into the nature of people and their relationship to the one universal Spirit they have called God. This philosophical treatise makes a strong case to the effect that people are created from the substance of Spirit and hence are powerful spiritual beings who have forgotten their true nature and origin.Trade ReviewKarol Jackowski - "At a time in human history when interest in organized religion declines while individual commitment to a 'spiritual life' continues to grow, Sharon Miller's book offers a fresh perspective on life's greatest mysteries: who God is and why we are here. Lovers of philosophy and those committed to a reflective lifestyle will find in this book a transforming vision of life fit for a more enlightened future. If you want to get serious about your purpose in this life and who God is (and isn't), consider this book as a good place to start and move forward."

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Book SynopsisThis open access volume focuses on the cultural background of the pivotal transformations of scientific knowledge in the early modern period. It investigates the rich edition history of Johannes de Sacrobosco’s Tractatus de sphaera, by far the most widely disseminated textbook on geocentric cosmology, from the unique standpoint of the many printers, publishers, and booksellers who steered this text from manuscript to print culture, and in doing so transformed it into an established platform of scientific learning. The corpus, constituted of 359 different editions featuring Sacrobosco’s treatise on cosmology and astronomy printed between 1472 and 1650, represents the scientific European shared knowledge concerned with the cosmological worldview of the early modern period until far after the publication of Copernicus’ De revolutionibus orbium coelestium in 1543. The contributions to this volume show how the academic book trade influenced the process of homogenization of scientific knowledge. They also describe the material infrastructure through which such knowledge was disseminated, and thus define the premises for the foundation of modern scientific communities.Trade Review“There is much in this collection that should interest historians of early modern science, as well as historians of early modern print culture and visual culture. This edited volume is part of a multiyear project at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science … . Written in the 13th-century in Paris, this slim text was taught in universities across Europe until the end of the 17th century.” (Kathleen Crowther, Journal for the History of Astronomy, Vol. 54 (3), August, 2023)Table of ContentsMatteo Valleriani & Andrea Ottone The Early Modern Academic Book Market Seen Through The ≪ Sphere ≫ of Sacrobosco.- Section 1: Production Dynamics.- Richard Oosterhoff The ≪ Sphere≫ and the Estienne Print Shop in Paris .- Catherine Kikuchi Erhard Ratdolt ’ s Edition of the ≪Sphaera≫ A New Editorial Model in Venice?.- Insa-Christiane Hennen Printers, Publishers and Book Binders in Wittenberg in the Sixteenth Century: Real Estate, Vicinity, Political and Cultural Activities.- Saskia Limbach Publishing the «Sphaera» in Sixteenth-Century Wittenberg.- Section 2: Distribution Dynamics.- Ian Maclean Sacrobosco at the Book Fairs, 1564-1624: The Pedagogical Marketplace.- Alejandra Ulla Lorenzo Exploring the Circulation of Sacrobosco’s ≪Tractatus de sphaera≫ in Early Modern Iberian Peninsula and New World Printing.- Andrea Ottone The Giunti’s Publishing and Distributing Network and Their Supply to the European Academic Market.- Isabelle Pantin Mathematical Books in Paris (1531–1563): The Development of Editorial Policies in a Competitive International Market.- Matteo Valleriani & Christoph Sander Exploring Social Relations Between Early Modern Publishers and Printers by Means of Paratexts.- Section 3: Usage Dynamics.- Paul F. Grendler The «Sphaera» in Jesuit Astronomical and Mathematical Education.- Richard Kremer Printing Sacrobosco in Leipzig, 1488–1520: Local Markets and “ Academic” Publishing.- Alissar Levy Publishing Mathematical Books to «Calculatores» in Paris (1508–1515).- Stefano Gulizia Traces of ≪The Sphere≫ in Early Modern Poland and in the German/Baltic Cultural Region.

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Book SynopsisThis open access volume focuses on the cultural background of the pivotal transformations of scientific knowledge in the early modern period. It investigates the rich edition history of Johannes de Sacrobosco’s Tractatus de sphaera, by far the most widely disseminated textbook on geocentric cosmology, from the unique standpoint of the many printers, publishers, and booksellers who steered this text from manuscript to print culture, and in doing so transformed it into an established platform of scientific learning. The corpus, constituted of 359 different editions featuring Sacrobosco’s treatise on cosmology and astronomy printed between 1472 and 1650, represents the scientific European shared knowledge concerned with the cosmological worldview of the early modern period until far after the publication of Copernicus’ De revolutionibus orbium coelestium in 1543. The contributions to this volume show how the academic book trade influenced the process of homogenization of scientific knowledge. They also describe the material infrastructure through which such knowledge was disseminated, and thus define the premises for the foundation of modern scientific communities.Trade Review“There is much in this collection that should interest historians of early modern science, as well as historians of early modern print culture and visual culture. This edited volume is part of a multiyear project at the Max Planck Institute for the History of Science … . Written in the 13th-century in Paris, this slim text was taught in universities across Europe until the end of the 17th century.” (Kathleen Crowther, Journal for the History of Astronomy, Vol. 54 (3), August, 2023)Table of ContentsMatteo Valleriani & Andrea Ottone The Early Modern Academic Book Market Seen Through The ≪ Sphere ≫ of Sacrobosco.- Section 1: Production Dynamics.- Richard Oosterhoff The ≪ Sphere≫ and the Estienne Print Shop in Paris .- Catherine Kikuchi Erhard Ratdolt ’ s Edition of the ≪Sphaera≫ A New Editorial Model in Venice?.- Insa-Christiane Hennen Printers, Publishers and Book Binders in Wittenberg in the Sixteenth Century: Real Estate, Vicinity, Political and Cultural Activities.- Saskia Limbach Publishing the «Sphaera» in Sixteenth-Century Wittenberg.- Section 2: Distribution Dynamics.- Ian Maclean Sacrobosco at the Book Fairs, 1564-1624: The Pedagogical Marketplace.- Alejandra Ulla Lorenzo Exploring the Circulation of Sacrobosco’s ≪Tractatus de sphaera≫ in Early Modern Iberian Peninsula and New World Printing.- Andrea Ottone The Giunti’s Publishing and Distributing Network and Their Supply to the European Academic Market.- Isabelle Pantin Mathematical Books in Paris (1531–1563): The Development of Editorial Policies in a Competitive International Market.- Matteo Valleriani & Christoph Sander Exploring Social Relations Between Early Modern Publishers and Printers by Means of Paratexts.- Section 3: Usage Dynamics.- Paul F. Grendler The «Sphaera» in Jesuit Astronomical and Mathematical Education.- Richard Kremer Printing Sacrobosco in Leipzig, 1488–1520: Local Markets and “ Academic” Publishing.- Alissar Levy Publishing Mathematical Books to «Calculatores» in Paris (1508–1515).- Stefano Gulizia Traces of ≪The Sphere≫ in Early Modern Poland and in the German/Baltic Cultural Region.

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Book SynopsisCosmic Origins tells the story of how physicists and astronomers have struggled for more than a century to understand the beginnings of our universe, from its origins in the Big Bang to the modern day. The book will introduce the science as a narrative, by telling the story of the scientists who made each major discovery. It will also address and explain aspects of our theories that some cosmologists are still hesitant to accept, as well as gaps in our knowledge and even apparent inconsistencies in our measurements. Clearly written by a master of scientific exposition, this book will fascinate the curious general reader as well as providing essential background reading for college-level courses on physics and astronomy.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- The Expanding Universe.- The Discovery of the Big Bang.- Behind the Veil.- The Dark Universe.- The Age of Precision Cosmology.

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Book SynopsisThis book provides a remarkable and complete survey of important questions at the interface between theoretical particle physics and cosmology.After discussing the theoretical and experimental physics revolution that led to the rise of the Standard Model in the past century, the author reviews all the major open puzzles, among them the hierarchy problem, the small value of the cosmological constant, the matter-antimatter asymmetry, and the dark matter enigma, including the state-of-the-art regarding proposed solutions. Also addressed are the rapidly expanding fields of thermal dark matter, cosmological first-order phase transitions and gravitational-wave signatures. In addition, the book presents the original and interdisciplinary PhD research work of the author relating to Weakly-Interacting-Massive-Particles around the TeV scale, which are among the most studied dark matter candidates. Motivated by the absence of experimental evidence for such particles, this thesis explores the possibility that dark matter is much heavier than what is conventionally assumed.Table of ContentsIntroduction.- Standard Model of Elementary Particles.- Standard Model of Cosmology.- Thermal Dark Matter.- Homeopathic Dark Matter.- First-order Cosmological Phase Transition.

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Book SynopsisDieses Buch ist bis heute eine der populärsten Darstellungen der Relativitätstheorie geblieben. In der vorliegenden Version haben J. Ehlers und M. Pössel vom Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut) in Golm/Potsdam den Bornschen Text kommentiert und einen den anschaulichen, aber präzisen Stil Borns wahrendes, umfangreiches Ergänzungskapitel hinzugefügt, das die stürmische Entwicklung der Relativiatätstheorie bis hin zu unseren Tagen nachzeichnet. Eingegangen wird auf Gravitationswellen und Schwarze Löcher, auf neuere Entwicklungen der Kosmologie, auf Ansätze zu einer Theorie der Quantengravitation und auf die zahlreichen raffinierten Experimente, welche die Gültigkeit der Einsteinschen Theorie mit immer größerer Genauigkeit bestätigt haben. Damit bleibt dieses Buch nach wie vor einer der unmittelbarsten Zugänge zur Relativitätstheorie für alle die sich für eine über das rein populärwissenschaftliche hinausgehende Einführung interessieren.Trade Review"Allen interessierten Laien sehr zu empfehlen, die ohne höhere Mathematik tiefer in diese Materie eindringen möchten." (Weltraum-Facts mit Space-Informer, 2001) "Alle, die sich über eine rein populärwissenschaftliche Einführung hinaus für die Relativitätstheorie interessieren – besonders Physikstudenten – werden an dem eingehenden Werk Freude haben." (Der Sternenbote, 2001) "Die Erweiterung bereichert den Text von Born aber nicht nur um neuere Entwicklungen der Physik. Rückverweise verzahnen die neuen Kapitel inhaltlich mit den vorstehenden Überlegungen, und auch das Bornsche Projekt, für den mit Schulmathemaitk und einem "gesunden Menschenverstand" ausgestatteten Leser verständlich zu sein, wird erfolgreich fortgeführt." (Wissenschaftlicher Literaturanzeiger, 2001) "Das Buch zeichnet sich in besonderm Maße gegenüber fast allen anderen Abhandlungen über dieses Thema dadurch aus, daß es in einer zuweilen geradezu brillianten Ausdrucksweise die Problematik der klassischen Physik und deren Hintergrund aufzeigt, die dann durch Einsteins Theorien eine Auflösung fand. [...] Alles in allem ein sehr lesenswertes Buch, jedoch kein populärwissenschaftliches und für den Laien sicherlich auch kein leichtes. Denn trotz der außerordentlich gut verständlichen Darstellungsweise Borns erfordert das Buch außer etwas Grundlagen-Mathematik ein hohes Maß an Aufmerksamkeit und die bereitschaft, physikalsiche Sachverhalte gedanklich zu durchdringen. Es ist mit sicherheit ein Verdienst von Herausgebern und Verlag, Borns Buch durch die Neuauflage mit den aktuellen Ergänzungen wieder einer interessierten Leserschaft verfügbar zu machen." (Nachrichten der Olbers-Gesellschaft, 2001) "Wer eine fundierte, gründliche Einführung in die Welt der Relativitätstheorie sucht, kommt an Borns Klassiker nicht vorbei. Freilich muß man sich mitunter bemühen und auch einiges an Mathematik bewältigen, läuft dafür aber nicht Gefahr, durch aus dem Alltag entlehnte Analogien verwirrt zu werden." (Sirius – Zeitschrift der Vereinigten Amateur-Astronomen, 2002) "Wer die populärwissenschaftlichen Darstellungen der Relativitätstheorie als nicht ausreichend betrachtet und gern etwas tiefer schürfen möchte, dem sei dieses Buch als Lektüre ans Herz gelegt." (Astrokurier, 2002) "Ehlers und Pössel ist damit ein gelungenes Remake von Borns wegweisendem Werk gelungen. Sie haben bewiesen, dass der 80 Jahre alte Zugang zu Einsteins Theorie auch heute noch gangbar ist." (Physik in unserer Zeit, 2002) "[...] weiterhin einer der unmittelbarsten Zugänge zur Relativitätstheorie für Schüler-, Lehrer- und Studentenschaft sowie für alle, die sich nicht beruflich mit relativistischer Physik beschäftigen möchten, insbesondere für jene Leserschaft aus der Amateur-Astronomie, die an einem tieferen Verständnis dieses spannenden Themas interessiert ist. Gerade diesem Kreis ist das vorliegende Buch als Einführung in die moderne Kosmologie sehr zu empfehlen." (ORION 61/314, 2003)Table of ContentsGeometrie und Kosmologie.- Die Grundgesetze der klassischen Mechanik.- Das Newtonsche Weltsystem.- Die Grundgesetze der Optik.- Die Grundgesetze der Elektrodynamik.- Das spezielle Einsteinsche Relativitätsprinzip.- Die allgemeine Relativitätstheorie Einsteins.- Neuere Entwicklungen der relativistischen Physik.

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Book SynopsisDie ökologische Krise hängt mit einem bestimmten modernen Naturverständnis zusammen, nämlich dem sogenannten mechanisierten Weltbild. Aus dieser Sicht ist die Natur ein Ensemble toter, inerter Dinge ohne Innenseite und eigene Aktivität und infolgedessen ein Inventar von Ressourcen. Die ‚Lösung’ der genannten Krise erfordert also ein neues Naturbild. Dem entsprechen rezente Anschauungen in den Natur- und Lebenswissenschaften, die Umrisse einer dynamischen, kreativen, offenen und vielfältigen Natur aufscheinen lassen. Ein solches Naturverständnis könnte auch die Grundlage für die Anerkennung eines intrinsischen Wertes natürlicher Gegebenheiten bilden. Die nähere Darstellung dieser neuen Sicht der Natur ist der Kern des Buches.Table of ContentsVorwort.- Die Naturvergessenheit der modernen Philosophie.- Das prämodern-mythische Wirklichkeitsbild.- Das klassisch-moderne Naturbild.- Risse im klassisch-modernen Naturbild.- Der immense Einfluss des mechanisierten Naturbildes.- Umrisse eines neuen Naturbildes.- Das Phänomen Leben.- Das Bewusstsein.- Die Ökologie.- Vertiefende Betrachtungen.- Einheit und Mannigfaltigkeit der Natur.- Kausalität und Finalität.- Die soziale Wirklichkeit.- Über den intrinsischen Wert natürlicher Gegebenheiten.- Erkenntnistheoretische Fragen. Abschließende Betrachtungen

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Book SynopsisKazunari Hata weist im vorliegenden Buch darauf hin, dass die traditionelle Charakterisierung der Naturwissenschaft Goethes mit den Begriffen wie „Anschauung“ oder „Qualität“ in Frage gestellt werden soll und zeigt, wie seine Methodik erneut formuliert werden kann. Dabei stellt er Goethes Naturwissenschaft als bemerkenswerten Typus einer poiesishaften Wissenschaft dar. Das lang vergessene Wort Poiesis bezeichnet in der Antike eine enge Beziehung zwischen der Natur und dem Menschen in Bezug auf die hervorbringende Aktivität. Allerdings wird die Poiesis im Vergleich mit der klar und deutlich formulierten Theoria wenig beachtet, obwohl sie eine entscheidende Rolle in der abendländischen Wissenschaft spielt.Table of ContentsNatur und ihr Widerspiel.- Die vier Sphären der Farben.- Das Urphänomen.- Kants „synthetisches Urteil a priori“ und Goethes Apriori.- Der intuitive Verstand.- Phantasie: Produktiv wie die Natur.

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Book SynopsisThe essays in Physics and Cosmology: Scientific Perspectives on the Problem of Natural Evil resulted from the seventh international research conference co-sponsored by the Vatican Observatory Foundation and the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences. It is the first in a new series on the problem of natural evil—on reconciling suffering caused by natural processes with God's goodness. The editors have divided this volume into four sections. The first includes history of the issue and a critical analysis of how the history has often been understood, followed by two chapters that provide typologies: one of types of suffering, the other of the various “shapes” of defenses. The second section comprises chapters that address the problem of suffering head-on, with resources from science, theology, and philosophy. The third section contains essays that address the issue by offering reformulations of typical understandings of the relation between God and the world. Finally, essays in the fourth section claim, in one way or another, that the question of the volume needs to be reframed. Contributors: Niels Christian Hvidt, Terrence W. Tilley, Wesley J. Wildman, Christopher Southgate, Andrew Robinson, William R. Stoeger, S.J., Robert John Russell, Nancey Murphy, Thomas F. Tracy, Philip Clayton, Steven Knapp, Kirk Wegter-McNelly, Denis Edwards, Brad J. Kallenberg, and Don Howard.

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Book SynopsisJust as the six branches of a snow crystal converge in regular proportions toward their common center, the six contributions to this book point toward a future philosophy of cosmic life. In this sense, this edited volume represents a multidisciplinary and transcultural polylogue of distinguished authors from three continents, which aims to establish highly innovative perspectives and open new frontiers of developing philosophical reflections and scientific foundations for the emergence of a common cosmic consciousness, for an integral ecology, and for a cooperative planetary civilization of humanity. John B. Cobb, Jr. uses a process-philosophical foundation to describe life as living events expressing novelty and the cosmos as a process of self-enriching and self-evolving “Life Itself.” Chandra Wickramasinghe unfolds his scientific and philosophical perspective on cosmic life in twelve successive steps, offering a wide range of arguments and insights that support an up-to-date theory of panspermia. Attila Grandpierre presents the "Cosmic Life Principle" and the comprehensive science based upon it that is inextricably linked to the healthy and cooperative civilization, to the biological laws of nature, to the laws of logic, to the uplifting of the well-being of people and ecological communities. Chunyou Yan introduces the approach of his holographic philosophy, according to which the universe must be understood as a vast living entity, every aspect of which represents life. Bei Peng shows that the proportions of energy meridians in traditional Chinese medicine correspond to musical intervals, and on this basis she demonstrates the analogy of the human body to macrocosmic phenomena. David Bartosch offers an examination of three important systematic foundations for a poly-contextural, transcultural philosophy of cosmic life with roots in Greek, Chinese, South and West Asian, and European traditions of thought. Table of Contents1. Introduction2. Cosmic Life 3. Admitting Our Inalienable Links with the Cosmos 4. The Cosmic Life Instinct Points the Way to a Healthy Ecological Civilization 5. Holographic Philosophy as a Philosophical Basis of Cosmic Life Theory 6. The Human Body as the Singing Universe 7. Poly-contextural Cornerstones for a Transcultural Philosophy of Cosmic Life

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Book Synopsis

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisExplains the structure of the acoustic peaks in the CMB, the E/B decomposition in polarization which may allow for detection of primordial gravity waves, and the modern analysis techniques used on increasingly large cosmological data sets. This book provides foundations, calculations, and interpretations which illuminate the thinking in cosmology.Trade Review"...I like the choice of topics and detailed derivations of some of the basic processes which cannot be found in any other textbook and which really make this book a textbook out of which one can actually learn something. Examples include detailed derivation of inflationary spectrum, Boltzmann equation etc. ... I also like the extensive list of problems at the end of each chapter. This is a great textbook that is long overdue given the importance of the subject..." --Uros Seljak, Princeton University "This book is very up to date and gives excellent treatments of structure formation...This provides what is the most complete such description in an textbook." —Paul H. Frampton, Universtiy of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CERN COURIER (Oct 2003) "(In) Dodelson's Modern Cosmology we have recently obtained an appropriate textbook for the dawn of this new epoch...In a sense, this book is postmodern cosmology (with an affirmative connotation!), in being the first to consider the new wave of challenges for this oldest scientific philosophical pursuit...it provides an excellent introduction to some of the most dynamical areas in physics and astronomy, very likely to remain attractive for at least a couple of decades." —Milan M. Cirkovic, Astronomical Obervatory of Belgrade, FOUNDATIONS OF PHYSICS (Oct 2003) "Dodelson writes well and the mathematical derivations are generally well laid out and easy to follow. Useful sets of exercises appear at the end of each chapter, along with suggestions for further reading, often with amusing commentaries. New graduate students, Dodelson's intended audience should find it easy to learn from this book." --George Efstathiou, University of Cambride, England (July 2004)Table of Contents1. The Standard Model and Beyond2. The Smooth, Expanding Universe 3. Beyond Equilibrium 4. The Boltzmann Equations 5. Einstein Equations 6. Initial Conditions 7. Inhomogeneities 8. Anisotropies 9. Probes of Inhomogeneities 10. Weak Lensing and Polarization 11. Analysis A. Solutions to Selected Problems B. Symbols C. Numbers D. Special Functions

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Book SynopsisWill we ever discover a single scientific theory that tells us everything that has happened, and everything that will happen, on every level in the Universe? The quest for the theory of everything - a single key that unlocks all the secrets of the Universe - is no longer a pipe-dream, but the focus of some of our most exciting research about the structure of the cosmos. But what might such a theory look like? What would it mean? And how close are we to getting there? In New Theories of Everything, John D. Barrow describes the ideas and controversies surrounding the ultimate explanation. Updating his earlier work Theories of Everything with the very latest theories and predictions, he tells of the M-theory of superstrings and multiverses, of speculations about the world as a computer program, and of new ideas of computation and complexity. But this is not solely a book about modern ideas in physics - Barrow also considers and reflects on the philosophical and cultural consequences of thTrade ReviewReview from previous edition A fascinating journey... Barrow gets right down to fundamental issues in addressing this central question in modern science. * Kirkus Reviews *A fine book. * John Gribbin, The Independent *A worthwhile update. * Amanda Gefter, New Scientist *A highly rewarding intellectual adventure. * Jim Al-Khalili, Focus *Table of Contents1. Ultimate Explanation ; 2. Laws ; 3. Initial Conditions ; 4. Forces and Particles ; 5. Constants of Nature ; 6. Broken Symmetries ; 7. Organizing Principles ; 8. Selection Effects ; 9. Pi in the Sky ; Bibliography and Index

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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