On the Shores of the Unknown: A Short History of the Universe [Kietas viršelis]

The big-bang theory has filtered into the consciousness of theologians, philosophers, and others who freely admit they are at best lay cosmologists. Silk (physics, U. of Oxford) therefore finds two good reasons to tell the story of the universe: there exists no accessible and modern description of the big-bang theory, and recent discoveries in seed fluctuations have linked the big-bang theory with the large-scale distribution of matter. In 12 succinct chapters Silk describes the building blocks of the cosmos, the expansion of the universe, and the cosmic microwave background. He examines the first moment of the universe, and the genesis of baryons and helium. Silk then tests the big-bang theory, and describes dark matter and intergalactic matter. He analyzes the possible origin of structures and galaxy formation. Of particular interest are Silk's thoughts about what lies ahead. He includes a plate section containing very well-chosen color photographs. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Astronomer Joseph Silk explores the Universe from its beginnings to its ultimate fate. He demonstrates how cosmologists study cosmic fossils and relics from the distant past to construct theories of the birth, evolution and future of the Universe. Stars, galaxies, dark matter and dark energy are described, as successive chapters detail the evolution of the Universe from a fraction of a microsecond after the Big Bang. Silk describes how physicists apply theories of subatomic particles to recreate the first moments of the Big Bang, and how astronomers chart the vast depths of space to glimpse how the most distant galaxies formed. He gives an account of the search for dark matter and the dark energy that will determine the ultimate fate of the Universe. Joseph Silk is the Savilian Professor of Astronomy and Head of the Astrophysics Department at the University of Oxford. He was previously Professor of Astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley. He holds a BA in Mathematics from Clare College, Cambridge, and a PhD in Astronomy from Harvard University. Silk is the author, or co-author, of many books, including The Left Hand of Creation (Basic Books, 1994) and A Short History of the Universe (WH Freeman, 1997). He is a Fellow of the Royal Society, the American Physical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Illustrated story of the Universe from its beginnings to its ultimate fate.