The Very First Light: The True Inside Story of the Scientific Journey Back to the Dawn of the Universe

In a top-notch scientific adventure, astrophysicist Mather, with an assist from freelance writer Boslough, tells how, as chief project scientist, he organized the team that designed, built and oversaw NASA's 1989 launch of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE). That satellite's instruments provided data widely believed to have verified the Big Bang theory of the universe's creation in a primordial explosion. In 1992 NASA scientists announced that COBE had detected minuscule fluctuations in the temperature and density of cosmic background radiation, a microwave energy suffusing the entire universe that is generally considered a remnant, or "afterbirth," of the Big Bang. These fluctuations were interpreted as an indication of "primordial seeds" in the early universe, giving rise to its present-day clumpiness (uneven distribution) of galaxies and galaxy clusters. This lucid, gracefully written narrative combines a suspenseful account of how the COBE team overcame technical and bureaucratic obstacles with a concise survey of modern cosmology from Edwin Hubble to Stephen Hawking. COBE team member George Smoot, a Berkeley physicist, violated team policy by leaking news of COBE's discoveries to the press before NASA's formal announcement, a leak that, to Mather, smacks of self-promotion and betrayal. This excellent insider's report complements and broadens the COBE story as presented in Smoot's Wrinkles in Times. Photos.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) was one of the most successful scientific packages ever launched by NASA; here, the chief project scientist tells its story. COBE was designed to make three delicate measurements of the microwave energy that cosmologists believe to be the last remnant of the Big Bang. Mather and Boslough (a freelance journalist) begin with a quick look at the launching of the satellite, then flash back to cover the scientific background. The Big Bang theory arose from the discovery, early in this century, that distant galaxies are moving away from Earth at high speeds. By the 1940s, scientists had concluded that the universe must have originated in a gigantic explosion, the Big Bang. The greatly cooled energy of that explosion--the cosmic background--was detected in 1964. But the microwave frequencies of the energy were difficult to measure precisely from the surface of the Earth. When NASA put out a call for experiments to be conducted on future satellite launches, the cosmic background measurement was an obvious candidate; NASA eventually combined three proposals into a single project, the COBE. Some 1,600 scientists and technicians would eventually be involved in the project. The design team faced great challenges: Instruments had to be fitted into a severely restricted space, and, while the instrumentation had to be sufficiently precise to do the job, it also had to be tough enough to withstand the rigors of a space shuttle launch. Meanwhile, the team had to keep the project moving forward despite budget cuts, changes in NASA administrators, and rivalry among engineers, scientists, and bureaucrats. In the end, the experiments were spectacularly successful; the instruments sent back data that confirmed the Big Bang theory. Mather concludes by considering the larger cosmological questions yet to be answered, and reflecting on the place of human beings in the cosmos. A useful look behind the scenes of modern science, as told by one of the key players. -- Copyright ©1996, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Mather, a leader of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) spacecraft that discovered subtle temperature variations in cosmic background radiation, and freelance writer Boslough offer this insightful report of the discovery. The narrative proceeds on two tracks: the detection and interpretation of the background radiation and the apportionment of credit for the discoveries. The COBE project was successful in determining that no galaxies could exist without variations in the background, but pointing up science's human context, selfishness strained relations among the scientists. Mather criticizes colleague George Smoot. Smoot's COBE book, Wrinkles in Time (1993), brought him fame, a million-plus dollars, and enemies on the COBE team, for he had violated a group agreement to share the credit. Family squabbles aside, Mather's portrayal of COBE's technical beginnings and achievement should entrance all readers interested in space technology and cosmology. Gilbert Taylor

This book is wonderful reading. Mather, an astrophysicist and chief project scientist of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) spacecraft, and freelance writer Boslough have succeeded in creating an interesting and personal account of this historic scientific event. Free of the mathematics normally required by modern cosmology, this book focuses on the personal trials and tribulations of the scientists involved and provides the reader with an understanding of Big Science and large scientific enterprises such as NASA. Mather is well qualified to tell this story as he managed COBE from its inception and through its growth to a $160 million project. Hailed by Stephen Hawking as "the discovery of the century, if not all time," COBE's measurement of the cosmic background radiation and tiny variations therein confirmed the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the universe. Recommended for anyone with an interest in the history of science or cosmology.?James Olson, Northeastern Illinois Univ. Lib., Chicago
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.