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

Morris, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471595217 ISBN 13: 9780471595212

Publisher: Wiley, 1993

Synopsis

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

About this title

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 the Back Cover

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.

Reviews

In a fresh exploration of intriguing questions in cosmology, Morris ( Dismantling the Universe ) presents new theories for popular understanding. He is expert at the primer-for-adults style that shapes the usual grab bag of questions: Did the Big Bang really happen? What is time? What is the universe made of? All of this has been discussed by popular science writers during the last decade. Morris contends that "scientists now think they will be able to answer" the old "series of metaphysical-sounding questions," based to a large extent on the findings of NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer. If he is right and "we are currently witnessing the beginning of the Golden Age of cosmology," then the publishers of popular science treatments are well ahead of the physicists. Newbridge Astronomy and QPB alternates.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From physicist and science writer Morris (The Edges of Science, 1990, etc.): a nontechnical introduction to recent developments in cosmology. Morris designs his primer around ten Big Questions: When did time begin? Why do we exist?, etc. The answers touch on just about every arcane cosmological idea afloat--for example, the existence of ``shadow matter'' that can ``neither be seen nor felt'' but may fill the cosmos, or of ``virtual particles'' that emerge from nothingness for a smidgeon of existence. Morris enthusiastically affirms the Big Bang, calling recent COBE satellite results ``like seeing God's fingerprints.'' On other disputes he's less firm, content to sift the evidence on such issues as whether the universe will expand forever or collapse upon itself. Dark matter, primordial black holes, superstring theory, time's reversibility, and weak and strong anthropic principles also come under discussion, leading on occasion to dismaying predictions (``the universe will eventually become something cold and dark, with practically no sources of energy left''). Morris enjoys toying with weird ideas like time travel, but his viewpoint remains orthodox. Scientists are intrepid explorers who ``have a habit of questioning everything''--no hint here of science as a culturally based activity; as for relations between science and religion, the dicey question that Morris tackles last, his conclusion dashes hopes of d‚tente: ``The latest discoveries have not brought science and religion closer together, and they are not likely to do so.'' Okay science popularizing--but nearly indistinguishable from dozens of other books on the subject. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Those still curious about how the cosmos came to be should give this one a look. Books on the origin and evolution of the universe are many, but this one presents the material via 10 questions that those interested in the subject frequently ask, such as, "Where did the galaxies come from?" "Is the universe infinite?" "Did the big bang really happen?" "How will the universe end?" and "What is time?" The answers to these questions are not easy, of course, but Morris takes the time needed to explain the answers in terms the fairly uninitiated should understand. Some previous readings in Einstein's theory of relativity and the basics of quantum mechanics, however, will definitely be of help, for such conceptions as antimatter, dark matter, cosmic strings, and the inflationary theory of the early universe may otherwise leave some readers gasping for air. Jon Kartman

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.

Edition details

• Publisher: Wiley
• Publication date: 1993
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0471595217
• ISBN 13: 9780471595212
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 208