The Extravagant Universe – Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library) - Softcover

Kirshner, Robert P.

3.79

106 ratings by Goodreads

9780691117423: The Extravagant Universe – Exploding Stars, Dark Energy, and the Accelerating Cosmos (Princeton Science Library)

Softcover

ISBN 10: 069111742X ISBN 13: 9780691117423

Publisher: Princeton University Press, 2004

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The Extravagant Universe tells the story of a remarkable adventure of scientific discovery. One of the world's leading astronomers, Robert Kirshner, takes readers inside a lively research team on the quest that led them to an extraordinary cosmological discovery: the expansion of the universe is accelerating under the influence of a dark energy that makes space itself expand. In addition to sharing the story of this exciting discovery, Kirshner also brings the science up-to-date in a new epilogue. He explains how the idea of an accelerating universe--once a daring interpretation of sketchy data--is now the standard assumption in cosmology today. This measurement of dark energy--a quality of space itself that causes cosmic acceleration--points to a gaping hole in our understanding of fundamental physics. In 1917, Einstein proposed the "cosmological constant" to explain a static universe. When observations proved that the universe was expanding, he cast this early form of dark energy aside. But recent observations described first-hand in this book show that the cosmological constant--or something just like it--dominates the universe's mass and energy budget and determines its fate and shape. Warned by Einstein's blunder, and contradicted by the initial results of a competing research team, Kirshner and his colleagues were reluctant to accept their own result. But, convinced by evidence built on their hard-earned understanding of exploding stars, they announced their conclusion that the universe is accelerating in February 1998. Other lines of inquiry and parallel supernova research now support a new synthesis of a cosmos dominated by dark energy but also containing several forms of dark matter. We live in an extravagant universe with a surprising number of essential ingredients: the real universe we measure is not the simplest one we could imagine.

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Review:

A pleasure to read. -- Maggie McDonald "New Scientist"

[A] witty new book. -- Sharon Begley "Wall Street Journal"

�A� witty new book. -- Sharon Begley "Wall Street Journal"

�A� delightful and accessible book. . . . And Kirshner's unique combination of after-dinner-style repartee and physics-for-novices analogies makes for a very entertaining read. -- Richard Ellis "Physics World"

[A] witty new book. -- Sharon Begley, Wall Street Journal

A pleasure to read. -- Maggie McDonald, New Scientist
More than one book already exists about this momentous discovery, but this new entry, "The Extravagant Universe", by Robert Kirshner, is probably the best one to read. . . . This is an insider's account of how the work was done. Besides giving an up-to-the-minute account of the science, Mr. Kirshner lets us share vicariously in the thrill of discovery. -- The Economist
[A] witty new book. -- Sharon Begley, Wall Street Journal
A pleasure to read. -- Maggie McDonald, New Scientist
Talented researcher Kirshner clearly describes the scientific detective work responsible for current ideas about the history of the universe. . . . Kirshner has been at the forefront of these developments. . . . He brings everything together using simple, effective, and often humorous analogies and anecdotes to explain how research teams interact as they built the chronology of how the universe developed and evolved to where it is today. -- Choice

Synopsis:

One of the world's leading astronomers, Robert Kirshner, takes readers inside a lively research team on the quest that led them to an extraordinary cosmological discovery: the expansion of the universe is accelerating under the influence of a dark energy that makes space itself expand. In addition to sharing the story of this exciting discovery, Kirshner also brings the science up-to-date in a new epilogue. He explains how the idea of an accelerating universe - once a daring interpretation of sketchy data - is now the standard assumption in cosmology today. This measurement of dark energy - a quality of space itself that causes cosmic acceleration - points to a gaping hole in our understanding of fundamental physics. In 1917, Einstein proposed the 'cosmological constant' to explain a static universe.When observations proved that the universe was expanding, he cast this early form of dark energy aside. But recent observations described first-hand in this book show that the cosmological constant - or something just like it - dominates the universe's mass and energy budget and determines its fate and shape.

Warned by Einstein's blunder, and contradicted by the initial results of a competing research team, Kirshner and his colleagues were reluctant to accept their own result. But, convinced by evidence built on their hard-earned understanding of exploding stars, they announced their conclusion that the universe is accelerating in February 1998.Other lines of inquiry and parallel supernova research now support a new synthesis of a cosmos dominated by dark energy but also containing several forms of dark matter. We live in an extravagant universe with a surprising number of essential ingredients: the real universe we measure is not the simplest one we could imagine. This book invites any reader to share in the excitement of a remarkable adventure of discovery.

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