Cosmic Questions: Galactic Halos, Cold Dark Matter and the End of Time - Softcover

Morris, Richard

4.3

20 ratings by Goodreads

9780471132967: Cosmic Questions: Galactic Halos, Cold Dark Matter and the End of Time

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0471132969 ISBN 13: 9780471132967

Publisher: John Wiley &Sons, 1998

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Did the Big Bang really happen?

Is space infinite?

When did time begin?

In this "superb new book" (San Francisco Chronicle), acclaimed science writer Richard Morris probes a host of far-reaching questions about the fundamental nature of the universe. The result is a masterful exploration of the newest discoveries and theories in the field of cosmology-the study of the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe. With dramatic flair and enthusiasm, he introduces us to the intriguing world of cosmic strings and quark nuggets, shadow matter and imaginary time. He brings emerging theoretical concepts into clear focus, offering keen insight into science's most puzzling riddles, the very questions that have challenged and confounded humankind through the ages. Featuring a thorough explanation of the breakthrough voyage of NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) and its effects on the Big Bang theory, this remarkable book is a fascinating journey along the cutting edge of cosmological discovery.

Praise for Richard Morris...

"Mr. Morris's genius is an ability to reveal the wonderful. --Kansas City Star

"Morris does a clearer job explaining Hawking than Hawking did." --Library Journal

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About the Author:

RICHARD MORRIS is the critically acclaimed author of eight books in popular science, including Time's Arrows, The Fate of the Universe, and Dismantling the Universe: The Nature of Scientific Theory. He holds a Ph.D. in physics and is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

From Library Journal:

Together, these two books provide a fascinating and excellent introduction to modern cosmology in terms of recent scientific discoveries and new theoretical frameworks. They focus on basic questions concerning the origin and history of this universe that remain unanswered despite Albert Einstein's relativity physics, Niels Bohr's quantum mechanics, and Stephen Hawking's speculations on time and black holes. In Cosmic Questions , physicist Morris gives a clear and concise treatment of space; cosmic models, e.g., the Big Bang theory, with its early but short inflationary expansion phase; and the ongoing quest for a grand unified theory (GUT) of subatomic particles. He also briefly discusses quarks, quasars, wormholes, superstrings, antimatter, galactic halos, quantum fluctuations, and nonbaryonic dark matter, e.g., neutrinos. Especially engaging are his comments on theories of time and the anthropic principle. Against the background of the Hubble constant, Guth's inflationary model of this universe, and the author's own scientific involvement in mapping the distribution of galaxies, astronomer Rowan-Robinson's Ripples in the Cosmos stresses the far-reaching consequences of Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson's dicovery of the Big Bang microwave background radiation in 1965 and their discovery of "ripples" in this radiation in 1992. Two remaining difficulties are accounting for the origin of galactic structures and determining the critical density of this universe. Nevertheless, telescopic discoveries are setting limits to cosmic models, theories, and speculations. Also, both authors touch upon the philosophical significance of human life in an evolving cosmos. As a general survey of our expanding universe written to benefit both the lay reader and specialist, these two books are recommended for all science collections. --James Birx, Canisius Coll., Buffalo, N.Y.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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