Ancient Light: Our Changing View of the Universe - Hardcover

Lightman, Alan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0674033620 ISBN 13: 9780674033627

Publisher: Harvard University Press, 1991

Synopsis

A leading astrophysicist summarizes the new theories of the origin of the universe and explains how they discredit older hypotheses, such as the "Big Bang" theory

About this title

About the Author

Alan Lightman is Professor of Science and Writing and Senior Lecturer in Physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also a Research Scientist at the Harvard Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

Review

A short, understandable account of our changing view of the universe and of the scientists who are behind that change...Lightman has done a good job of telling the story of an exciting science. (William Kolata New York Times Book Review)

Alan Lightman seeks to mediate between the worlds of modern cosmology and ordinary perception outside its strange precincts--explaining its major theories in simplified terms, introducing its cast...One senses in Ancient Light Alan Lightman's respect for the tiny wondering human mind, whatever its ability to grasp the conundrums of modern cosmology. (David Mehegan Boston Sunday Globe)

Lyrical...With its reliance on plain English, metaphor, and creative analogy, Ancient Light brings cosmic abstractions down to Earth with nary a jolt. This little book is a must-read for anyone whose gaze extends beyond his or her own world into the one we--and our ancestors--share. (Thea Singer Boston Phoenix Literary Section)

A charming, lucid, and accessible book that is the epitome of good popular science. I have read no finer introduction to cosmology. (David Hughes New Scientist)

Edition details

• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Publication date: 1991
• ISBN 10: 0674033620
• ISBN 13: 9780674033627
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 184