The Extravagant Universe

The Extravagant Universe PDF

Author: Robert P. Kirshner

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2016-09-13

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 1400883806

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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.

Conceptions of Cosmos

Conceptions of Cosmos PDF

Author: Helge Kragh

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2007

Total Pages: 285

ISBN-13: 0199209162

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This book is a historical account of how natural philosophers and scientists have endeavoured to understand the universe at large, first in a mythical and later in a scientific context. Starting with the creation stories of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, the book covers all the major events in theoretical and observational cosmology, from Aristotle's cosmos over the Copernican revolution to the discovery of the accelerating universe in the late 1990s. It presents cosmology as asubject including scientific as well as non-scientific dimensions, and tells the story of how it developed into a true science of the heavens. Contrary to most other books in the history of cosmology, it offers an integrated account of the development with emphasis on the modern Einsteinian andpost-Einsteinian period. Starting in the pre-literary era, it carries the story onwards to the early years of the 21st century.

The Accelerating Expansion of the Universe

The Accelerating Expansion of the Universe PDF

Author: Paul F. Kisak

Publisher: Createspace Independent Publishing Platform

Published: 2017-07-15

Total Pages: 280

ISBN-13: 9781974013395

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11.3 billion years ago a star exploded. It is framed by the constellation Ursa Major. It was photographed in 1997 and it's impact on cosmology theory is still being felt. This exploding star is the Supernova 1997ff type Ia. The discovery and analysis of the radiation that emanates from SN 1997ff is providing support for the theory of "The Accelerating Expansion of our Universe," "Dark Matter," and "Dark Energy." The Hubble discovery also reveals that the universe only recently began speeding up, a discovery that suggests the universe is expanding more quickly than in the past, but there were alternate explanations. The accelerating expansion of the universe is the observation that the universe appears to be expanding at an increasing rate, so that the velocity at which a distant galaxy is receding from the observer is continuously increasing with time. The accelerated expansion was discovered in 1998, by two independent projects, the Supernova Cosmology Project and the High-Z Supernova Search Team, which both used distant type Ia supernovae as standard candles to measure the acceleration. The expansion of the universe is thought to have been accelerating since the universe entered its dark-energy-dominated era roughly 5 billion years ago. Within the framework of general relativity, an accelerating expansion can be accounted for by a positive value of the cosmological constant (Lambda), equivalent to the presence of a positive vacuum energy, dubbed "dark energy." While there are alternative possible explanations, the description assuming dark energy (positive Lambda) is used in the current standard model of cosmology, which also includes cold dark matter (CDM) and is known as the Lambda-CDM model. This book focuses on our Accelerating universe and the theories that support it.This book is designed to be a state of the art, superb academic reference work and provide an overview of the topic and give the reader a structured knowledge to familiarize yourself with the topic at the most affordable price possible. The accuracy and knowledge is of an international viewpoint as the edited articles represent the inputs of many knowledgeable individuals and some of the most current knowledge on the topic, based on the date of publication.

The Accelerating Universe

The Accelerating Universe PDF

Author: Mario Livio

Publisher: Turner Publishing Company

Published: 2008-05-02

Total Pages: 282

ISBN-13: 0470356294

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Advance Praise for The Accelerating Universe "The Accelerating Universe is not only an informative book about modern cosmology. It is rich storytelling and, above all, a celebration of the human mind in its quest for beauty in all things." —Alan Lightman, author of Einstein's Dreams "This is a wonderfully lucid account of the extraordinary discoveries that have made the last years a golden period for observational cosmology. But Mario Livio has not only given the reader one clear explanation after another of what astronomers are up to, he has used them to construct a provocative argument for the importance of aesthetics in the development of science and for the inseparability of science, art, and culture." —Lee Smolin, author of The Life of the Cosmos "What a pleasure to read! An exciting, simple account of the universe revealed by modern astronomy. Beautifully written, clearly presented, informed by scientific and philosophical insights." —John Bahcall, Institute for Advanced Study "A book with charm, beauty, elegance, and importance. As authoritative a journey as can be taken through modern cosmology." —Allan Sandage, Observatories of the Carnegie Institution of Washington

Galaxies: A Very Short Introduction

Galaxies: A Very Short Introduction PDF

Author: John Gribbin

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2008-03-27

Total Pages: 137

ISBN-13: 0199234345

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In this fascinating Very Short Introduction, popular science writer John Gribben tells the story of our growing understanding of galaxies, from the days before Galileo to our present-day observations of our many hundreds of millions of galactic neighbors. Not only are galaxies fascinating astronomical structures in themselves, but their study has revealed much of what we know today about the cosmos, providing a window on the Big Bang and the origins of the Universe. Gribben looks at our own "Milky Way" Galaxy in detail, from the different kinds of stars that are born within it, to the origins of its magnificent spiral structure. Perhaps most interesting, Gribben describes the many exciting discoveries have been made about our own galaxy and about those beyond: how a supermassive black hole lurks at the center of every galaxy, how enormous forces are released when galaxies collide, how distant galaxies provide a window on the early Universe, and how the formation of young galaxies shed needed light on the mysteries of Cold Dark Matter. John Gribbin is one of the best-known current popular science writers. His many books include the acclaimed The Universe: A Biography, In Search of Schrodinger's Cat, and Science: A History. He has written for many newspapers and regularly contributes to radio and television documentaries and debates, and also writes science fiction novels. He formerly worked for Nature and New Scientist and is presently a Visiting Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex. 1. A Very Short Introduction 2. The Great Debate 3. Our Island 4. The Expanding Universe 5. Across the Universe 6. The Origin of Galaxies 7. The Universe at Large References & Further Reading Index

The Universe in the Rearview Mirror

The Universe in the Rearview Mirror PDF

Author: Dave Goldberg

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2014-06-24

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 0142181048

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“A great read… Goldberg is an excellent guide.”—Mario Livio, bestselling author of The Golden Ratio Physicist Dave Goldberg speeds across space, time and everything in between showing that our elegant universe—from the Higgs boson to antimatter to the most massive group of galaxies—is shaped by hidden symmetries that have driven all our recent discoveries about the universe and all the ones to come. Why is the sky dark at night? If there is anti-matter, can there be anti-people? Why are past, present, and future our only options? Saluting the brilliant but unsung female mathematician Emmy Noether as well as other giants of physics, Goldberg answers these questions and more, exuberantly demonstrating that symmetry is the big idea—and the key to what lies ahead.

The End of Everything

The End of Everything PDF

Author: Katie Mack

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2021-05-04

Total Pages: 256

ISBN-13: 1982103558

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Mack looks at five ways the universe could end, and the lessons each scenario reveals about the most important concepts in cosmology. --From publisher description.

Cycles of Time

Cycles of Time PDF

Author: Roger Penrose

Publisher: Vintage

Published: 2011-09-06

Total Pages: 307

ISBN-13: 0307596745

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From Nobel prize-winner Roger Penrose, this groundbreaking book is for anyone "who is interested in the world, how it works, and how it got here" (New York Journal of Books). Penrose presents a new perspective on three of cosmology’s essential questions: What came before the Big Bang? What is the source of order in our universe? And what cosmic future awaits us? He shows how the expected fate of our ever-accelerating and expanding universe—heat death or ultimate entropy—can actually be reinterpreted as the conditions that will begin a new “Big Bang.” He details the basic principles beneath our universe, explaining various standard and non-standard cosmological models, the fundamental role of the cosmic microwave background, the paramount significance of black holes, and other basic building blocks of contemporary physics. Intellectually thrilling and widely accessible, Cycles of Time is a welcome new contribution to our understanding of the universe from one of our greatest mathematicians and thinkers.

Fundamentals

Fundamentals PDF

Author: Frank Wilczek

Publisher: Penguin

Published: 2021-01-12

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 0735223890

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“Fundamentals might be the perfect book for the winter of this plague year. . . . Wilczek writes with breathtaking economy and clarity, and his pleasure in his subject is palpable.” —The New York Times Book Review One of our great contemporary scientists reveals the ten profound insights that illuminate what everyone should know about the physical world In Fundamentals, Nobel laureate Frank Wilczek offers the reader a simple yet profound exploration of reality based on the deep revelations of modern science. With clarity and an infectious sense of joy, he guides us through the essential concepts that form our understanding of what the world is and how it works. Through these pages, we come to see our reality in a new way--bigger, fuller, and stranger than it looked before. Synthesizing basic questions, facts, and dazzling speculations, Wilczek investigates the ideas that form our understanding of the universe: time, space, matter, energy, complexity, and complementarity. He excavates the history of fundamental science, exploring what we know and how we know it, while journeying to the horizons of the scientific world to give us a glimpse of what we may soon discover. Brilliant, lucid, and accessible, this celebration of human ingenuity and imagination will expand your world and your mind.

Formation of Structure in the Universe

Formation of Structure in the Universe PDF

Author: Avishai Dekel

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1999-04-15

Total Pages: 492

ISBN-13: 9780521586320

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This advanced textbook provides an up-to-date and comprehensive introduction to the very active field of structure formation in cosmology. It is written by eleven world-leading authorities. Written in a clear and pedagogical style appropriate for graduate students in astronomy and physics, this textbook introduces the reader to a wide range of exciting topics in contemporary cosmology: from recent advances in redshift surveys, to the latest models in gravitational lensing and cosmological simulations. The authors are all world-renowned experts both for their research and teaching skills. In the fast-moving field of structure formation, this book provides advanced undergraduate and graduate students with a welcome textbook which unites the latest theory and observations.