Description
Book SynopsisJ. Richard Gott was among the first cosmologists to propose that the structure of our universe is like a sponge made up of clusters of galaxies intricately connected by filaments of galaxies--a magnificent structure now called the "cosmic web" and mapped extensively by teams of astronomers. Here is his gripping insider's account of how a generation
Trade ReviewWinner 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 ... explores the ways scientists have worked to reveal the large-scale structure of our universe... Mixing accessible science with entertaining anecdotes and personal stories, Gott offers a thorough, vivid, and fascinating look at the cosmic web that makes up our universe."--Publishers Weekly (starred review) "The Cosmic Web is 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 "[M]ust reading for anyone interested in cosmology and the universe's large-scale structure. [The Cosmic Web] is 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 Web delivers everything we need in a book on this subject."--Alastair Gunn, BBC Sky at Night Magazine "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
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Preface xi Chapter 1. Hubble Discovers the Universe 1 Chapter 2. Zwicky, Clusters of Galaxies, and the Discovery of Dark Matter 28 Chapter 3. How Clusters Form and Grow-Meatballs in Space 41 Chapter 4. The Great Void in Bootes-A Swiss Cheese Universe 64 Chapter 5. Inflation 79 Chapter 6. A Cosmic Sponge 103 Chapter 7. A Slice of the Universe-the Great Wall of Geller and Huchra 135 Chapter 8. Park's Simulation of the Universe 144 Chapter 9. Measuring the Cosmic Web-the Sloan Great Wall 155 Chapter 10. Spots in the Cosmic Microwave Background 180 Chapter 11. Dark Energy and the Fate of the Universe 193 Notes 227 References 235 Index 245
