Light at the End of the Universe (Paper) - Softcover

Lemonick, Michael D

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0691001588 ISBN 13: 9780691001586

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 1995

Synopsis

Will the universe expand forever? Or will it collapse in a Big Crunch within the next few billion years? If the Big Bang theory is correct in presenting the origins of the universe as a smooth fireball, how did the universe come to contain structures as large as the recently discovered "Great Wall" of galaxies, which stretches hundreds of millions of light years? Such are the compelling questions that face cosmologists today, and it is the excitement and wonder of their research that Michael Lemonick shares in this lively tour of the current state of astrophysics and cosmology.

Here we visit observatories and universities where leading scientists describe how they envision the very early stages, the history, and the future of the universe. The discussions help us to make sense of many recent findings, including cosmic ripples, which supply evidence of the first billionth of a second of the universe; anomalous galactic structures such as the Great Wall, the Great Void, and the Great Attractor; and the mysterious presence of dark matter, massive but invisible. Lemonick assembles this information into a comprehensive, up-to-date picture of modern cosmology, and a portrait of its often contentious practitioners.

Originally published in 1995.

The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These paperback editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

About this title

Review:

"Thoroughly recommended to those who want not only to learn about contemporary cosmology but also to obtain some impression of how cosmologists think and work."--Malcolm S. Longair, Sky & Telescope

Synopsis:

A lively tour of current developments in astrophysics and cosmology, which features discussion with a number of leading scientists on their visions of the history and future of the universe. Recent findings such as the Great Wall, cosmic ripples and dark matter are described in detail.

About this edition

• Publisher: Princeton University Press
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 0691001588
• ISBN 13: 9780691001586
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 354