Looking at the Invisible Universe

Discusses the aspects of our universe that we do not see and how they were discovered.

Grade 10-12-- A book that describes how astronomers unravel mysteries about the universe and sometimes stumble upon new ones. The text recounts how scientists discovered light invisible to the human eye and how that lead to quantum physics. Each segment of the electomagnetic spectrum, from radio waves to gamma rays, earns a chapter. Readers are introduced to the pioneers in the field and learn of their discoveries, ranging from black holes to volcanoes on distant moons, in a briskly moving narrative that ends with discussions of cosmology and the formation of new universes. Jespersen and Fitz-Randolph are quite knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their material, yet present the physical principles simply and without mathematics. This is, however, difficult information to digest, and some familiarity with physics and chemistry is recommended. In fact, because the authors focus on how the technology works, it is an ideal second book on astronomy. Black-and-white drawings and photographs scattered throughout help to illustrate some of the material. Unfortunately, there are many places in which sufficient illustrative material is lacking to clarify a discussion, such as a photograph of a neutrino detection tank or a drawing of the "onion" layers of a star about to supernova. Despite that one complaint, this is a clear and lively description of modern science. --Alan Newman, American Chemical Society, Washington, DC
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.