Synopsis
Britain's Astronomer Royal and one of the world's leading scientists explores the repercussions of recent advances in astrophysics--and his own research--on our understanding of the universe and the possibility of life outside the Milky Way. Tour.
Reviews
Astrophysicists and cosmologists play their mind games on the biggest of all boards--the entire known universe. Now Rees, director of Cambridge's Institute of Astronomy, suggests that even that may be only part of a greater game. Rees, who has swapped ideas at Cambridge with Stephen Hawking (who wrote the foreword to this book) and Roger Penrose, has an apt appreciation for the historical development of his discipline. Most of what we know about the inner workings of stars and the early days of the universe has been formulated in very modern times- -essentially since Einstein's General Relativity Theory of 1915. Rees was a graduate student when quasars where first discovered, and he deftly describes this and other important cosmological discoveries of the last four decades. But the major focus of this book is on the new model of cosmology that has been developed since the Big Bang theory became the standard explanation of how the universe began. Several of the key variables of physics as we know it seem quite arbitrary, including the average density of matter (which determines whether the universe will continue to expand or ultimately collapse) and the ratio of ordinary matter to photons. At the age of one second, the universe seems to have settled upon the specific values of these quantities, though no one can say why. Matter took precedence over antimatter as the central component of the material part of creation. Rees suggests that other universes may well have evolved with different ratios and values, and speculates interestingly on the nature of space, time, and other physical constants in such alternate universes. At the same time, he fills in the history of modern cosmology in vivid detail, with clear explanations of some of the more erudite questions addressed in the last few decades. A strong and entertaining introduction to modern cosmology, by someone who has been close to the center of the debate. (Author tour) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Though not widely known, Rees is an all-star in contemporary cosmology, so his first popularization of the big bang theory merits special attention. In addition to recounting how the basic facts supporting the theory (the background infrared radiation, the recession of galaxies, etc.) came to be known, Rees dwells on the question of why physical constants, such as the speed of light or the mass ratio of electrons to protons, have the values they do. Proposing that their values formed out of phase transitions in the initial instants after the bang leads Rees to discuss "Q," a measure of the roughness of space, as a fundamental quality of the observable universe: change it a bit, and the infant universe could have collapsed as instantly as it started; change it again, and stars (and we) might never have formed. Such fascinating but scientifically grounded speculations induce Rees' ruminations about this universe's fate and its possible place in an ensemble of universes. A cogent and exciting presentation Gilbert^I Taylor
Sophisticated instruments and spacecraft expeditions probing deeper into space have all increased our knowlege of the universe and its place in the grand scheme of things. From the theoretical insights to experimental confirmations, this book describes the universe and our quest to understand it. Rees, the well-known cosmologist and director of Cambridge University's Institute of Astronomy, outlines the historic context and explains discoveries and ideas (both his own and those of his colleagues) with clarity and in an engaging style. He successfully avoids jargon and formulas, but numbers, being too important to leave out, are mentioned in the order of magnitude rather than values. What makes this book unique is the radical theory that Rees puts forth. He asserts that there is an infinity of universes, besides our own, that were and are being created. None but our own is observable because of the hostility of the other universes' environment to intelligent life. Rees argues his case eloquently and without invoking theological issues. Essential for academic libraries.?Jayashri Nagaraja, Engineering Lib., Princeton Univ., N.J.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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