As in his other books on cosmology for the general reader, Silk (astronomy, U. of Oxford) here provides an accessible tour of the study of the Big Bang birth and fate of the universe. He introduces basic scientific principles for understanding our Milky Way and neighborhoods beyond, and questions of whether the universe is finite or infinite, contains other intelligent life, and offers the possibility of time travel. Scientists' thoughts on the role of God are also treated. The illustrations are informative but not dazzling. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
From time immemorial, poets and philosophers have looked in awe and wonder at the Universe. Such awe is shared by astrophysicists, too as they seek to understand its nature, and whether it has any limits. In he Infinite Cosmos, Joseph Silk, Savillian Professor of Astronomy at Oxford University, cosmologist and well-known science writer, brings together the modern understanding of the Universe, its structure, its evolution, and its possible fate, combining the latest from theory and observation. The narrative is peppered with quotations from literature and philosophy, and reflects too on the process of scientific discovery and the implications of our discoveries.
