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

Book Description

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.

Customer Reviews:

A must - have in you library!.......2007-01-25

Who may resist the irresistible magnetism of an unfinished and always explored issue like this one?. This is indeed, one of the hottest topics in the modern science, supported by an easy lexicon and remarkable information.

Great writing, but not enough physics, and too much history.......2006-09-28

The writing is excellent. He has a nice way of describing things.

I wish the book focussed more on describing physical processes. For example, he briefly defines a cepheid on p. 62 (of the hardcover edition) and uses the term often. But I wish he spent some time describing exactly what a cepheid is. He couldn't spare 10 pages, or even 5, on the subject?

Depsite these reservations, I found the first half of the book very interesting, especially the issue of the cosmological constant and how it went out of fashion and then back in.

Then beginning with Chapter 8 ("Learning to Swim"), the book become more of a journal of what happened. I made it through chapter 8, but then I finally put the book down in chapter 9. Here's an example, taken completely out of context. On p. 216 (hardcover): "The weeks passed quickly in Pasadena while Adam and I went back and forth about the latest results. Did we really believe we were seeing the effects of a cosmological constant?" It goes on and on like this. There's too much "We did this", "I said that", or "Then we thought that". Yawn. Just get to the point and tell us what the heck is going on with the universe. Where did the physics go?

Extravagant Universe, by Robert P. Kirshner.......2005-08-28

I loved this book!!
Very informative but easy to understand.
I read it 4 times!!

Good, but was hoping for more scientific detail.......2005-01-10

The Extravagant Universe is an interesting read, taking you through the career of Professor Kirshner as well as an overview of the components of the universe and astronomy. Particularly interesting are the descriptions of how the researchers use supernovae to measure the expansion of the universe. Likewise, other scientific discussions, such as how the different elements in the universe were formed are well detailed.

However, I was hoping for a more detailed discussion of dark matter and a greater focus on the scientific concepts.

I would recommend this book if you're looking for a story of the evolution of a discovery and the twists and turns of the research behind it. If you're looking for a pure description of the theories discussed in The Extravagant Universe, this book may fall short.

Nice story - science lacking.......2004-05-19

Dr. Kirshiner spins a good yarn. The focus of the book is mostly on the story and history of the accelerating universe theory, presented in a very readable style. I would only fault the book in that after reading it, while I'm now comfortable with the idea of the accelerating universe, I would have liked to see more of the science and math involved. It's a great overview, though; recommended!

The Chemically Controlled Cosmos: Astronomical Molecules from the Big Bang to Exploding Stars

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The Chemically Controlled Cosmos: Astronomical Molecules from the Big Bang to Exploding Stars
T. W. Hartquist , and D. A. Williams
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521419832

Book Description

Simple chemistry governs a host of the exotic objects that populate our cosmos. For example, molecules in the early Universe acted as natural temperature regulators, keeping the primordial gas cool and, in turn, allowing galaxies and stars to form. What are the tools of the trade for the cosmic chemist and what can they teach us about the Universe we live in? These are the questions answered in this engaging and informative guide--the first book for nonspecialists on molecular astrophysics. In clear, nontechnical terms, and without formal mathematics, Hartquist and Williams show how to study and understand the behavior of molecules in a host of astronomical situations. Readers will learn about the secretive formation of stars deep within interstellar clouds; the origin of our own solar system; the cataclysmic deaths of many massive stars that explode as supernovae; and the hearts of active galactic nuclei, the most powerful objects in the universe. This book provides an accessible introduction to a wealth of astrophysics, and an understanding of how cosmic chemistry allows the investigation of many of the most exciting questions concerning astronomy today.

Cosmic Catastrophes: Exploding Stars, Black Holes, and Mapping the Universe

Average customer rating:

Excellent book
Cosmic catastrophies by J. Craig Wheeler
How stars work
The biggest explosions

Cosmic Catastrophes: Exploding Stars, Black Holes, and Mapping the Universe
J. Craig Wheeler
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Similar Items:

The Biggest Bangs: The Mystery of Gamma-Ray Bursts, the Most Violent Explosions in the Universe
The Restless Universe: Understanding X-Ray Astronomy in the Age of Chandra and Newton
The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe
In Search of Dark Matter (Springer Praxis Books / Space Exploration)
Dark Side of the Universe: Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Cosmos

ASIN: 0521857147

Book Description

From supernovae and gamma-ray bursts to the accelerating Universe, this is an exploration of the intellectual threads that lead to some of the most exciting ideas in modern astrophysics and cosmology. This fully updated second edition incorporates new material on binary stars, black holes, gamma-ray bursts, worm-holes, quantum gravity and string theory. It covers the origins of stars and their evolution, the mechanisms responsible for supernovae, and their progeny, neutron stars and black holes. It examines the theoretical ideas behind black holes and their manifestation in observational astronomy and presents neutron stars in all their variety known today. This book also covers the physics of the twentieth century, discussing quantum theory and Einstein's gravity, how these two theories collide, and the prospects for their reconciliation in the twenty-first century. This will be essential reading for undergraduate students in astronomy and astrophysics, and an excellent, accessible introduction for a wider audience.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent book.......2007-07-22

This book probably has some of the best descriptions for novae and supernovae, that I have seen, for non-scientists.

Cosmic catastrophies by J. Craig Wheeler.......2005-08-28

Highly recommended for the cosmically curious who does not have the mathmatical background. It is easy to understand and well written.

How stars work.......2001-02-26

I found this book a complete surprise. From the title, I expected only a story about explosions and collisions but this book is much, much more. It provides really brilliant descriptions of how all kinds of stars evolve and how they regulate their energy production. After reading this book I fully understood why aging stars produce more energy but are cooler than they were in their youth. A minor complaint might be that the content is not well organized. A type 1A supernova is explained here and a type 2 there and later some more about 1A etc. But, I shouldn't dwell on a quibble. This is a terrific book. After reading it I'll never think of iron or nickel in quite the same way again.

The biggest explosions.......2000-10-06

There seems to be an aspect of human nature that wants to search out and discover things that are the most extreme in their class. People just seem to love record setters. This is a book about cosmic record setters. Within its pages Wheeler describes the biggest, most energetic, oldest, densest, things in the universe. If cosmic record holders hold any interest for you, then I think you'll find this book as enjoyable as I did.

Wheeler begins his book by describing how stars form, how they evolve in response to gravity, how they ignite, how they burn, and eventually how they die. This is a logical introduction, since virtually all the examples of cosmic catastrophes involve stars in one form or another. Like people, though, the life of each star is unique - and the end times are very different. Wheeler does an excellent job of describing the negative feedback process that stabilizes solar activity. If the star generates too much heat it expands. This expansion reduces the temperature, and throttles back on the rate of nuclear fusion. If the star cools down it contracts, and the contraction heats it up again, keeping the rate of fusion at a remarkably constant level for long periods of time during the stars life.

Much of Wheeler's text is actually about how stars evolve. This is important because to understand their deaths, you need to understand how they are born and how they evolve over their lifetimes. Their deaths are frequently the most interesting parts of the story because they are often involved with the catastrophes that are the book's principal thesis. While I bought the book because of its discussion about cosmic catastrophes, I found it valuable for its descriptions of stellar evolution alone. This includes a nice description of the "solar-neutrino" problem as well as a nice explanation of the red-giant phase, and especially the last stages during the life of a massive star that explodes in a super nova.

The foundational understanding of the basics of stellar evolution makes it easier to follower Wheeler as he takes the reader on a tour of the major players in cosmic catastrophes: white dwarfs, super novae (of many different types), neutron stars, black holes, and gamma-ray bursts. Wheeler's descriptions of these phenomena (to the extent that modern science understands them) are among the best I've seen in a popular science textbook. There is also a smattering of discussion about the origin of the universe in the Big Bang, and some interesting speculation about time (and space) travel using black holes.

In any book dealing with modern cosmology and astronomy there are inevitable discussions about the nature of space and time and how they fit together with Einstein's theory of general relativity. Most such books have at least one figure showing a funnel-shaped construct with grid lines converging as they swoop into the tapering end where the black hole resides. Wheeler uses lots of such diagrams. However, I think he does a better job than most at helping the reader understand what the diagrams illustrate. More importantly, he helps the reader understand what the diagrams do not illustrate, and their limitations (he dispels some common misperceptions about these sorts of figures). I especially enjoyed Wheeler's explanations about how one might (with the application of the appropriate mental acrobatics) use the diagrams to actually envision what is really going on in our multi-dimensional world.

Another thing I liked about Wheeler's book is the clear and frequent illustrations. For the most part the author has anticipated those places where prose just cannot quite complete the mental picture. When this happens there is inevitably a well-constructed diagram that finishes the concept and makes things clear. There was one exception, however. Figure 7.3 really needs to have an arrow or circle marking the location of SN 1987A. [I'm pretty sure I found it, but the exposure changes between the photographs, and so I'm not quite sure. It would have been nice to have the author's help in preventing a false identification.]

Reading this book one gets the sense that even though it is a qualitative description of astronomy (there are no equations) Wheeler is not over simplifying. His discussion of super novae, for example, lists many classes and describes theoretical uncertainties that other authors gloss over or ignore all together. Of course there is much more detail to super novae than what is in Wheeler's book. But at the qualitative level Wheeler leaves the reader understanding that there are many classifications of super novae, that some of the boundaries between classifications are not always so clear cut, and that we still don't know a lot about how some types form, and how other types explode. These are concepts that other popular science textbooks don't always convey. I think the only thing missing from the chapters on super novae is a table that summarizes all the different types and some of their descriptive identifiers.

Unlike some popular science texts, Wheeler devotes quite a bit of time describing the evolution of binary stars, which play an important role in some of the greatest cosmic catastrophes. I think he does an especially good job of qualitatively describing accretion disks, and how they fit in the context of mass transfer in binary systems. It's this mass transfer that is ultimately involved in some of the most spectacular catastrophes in the sky.

Overall, this is a great book. If you enjoy astronomy I'm sure you will find it satisfying and informative. It's just the sort of book to enjoy on a vacation, or after a grueling day at the office.

The Big Bing: Black Holes of Time Management, Gaseous Executive Bodies, Exploding Careers, and Other Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe
Average customer rating:

The Big Bling...etc, etc.....

A Bing collection

Really Entertaining

Bing is the thinking man's Dilbert

There Is Nobody Like Bing

The Big Bing: Black Holes of Time Management, Gaseous Executive Bodies, Exploding Careers, and Other Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe
Stanley Bing
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Sun Tzu Was a Sissy : Conquer Your Enemies, Promote Your Friends, and Wage the Real Art of War

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100 Bullshit Jobs...And How to Get Them

Rome, Inc.: The Rise and Fall of the First Multinational Corporation (Enterprise)

ASIN: 0060529555
Release Date: 2003-10-21

Amazon.com

With twenty years of experience as a self-described "mole in the heart of corporate capitalism," CBS executive Gil Schwartz a.k.a. columnist Stanley Bing, is a man of many words. The Big Bing, recycles two decades of artful and acid Fortune and Esquire columns into a coherent view of business as usual.

The pieces are sectioned into themes readers will recognize--office politics, technology, life on the road, men being men, job angst. A number of columns snap and sting. For example, in "You Da Man," Bing details six species of bad bosses including "Don King without the Hair" and "the last days of Dick Nixon." He spins tales from the political crypt, asking readers to join his amusement at "the range of goofy people who are thrown together in the pursuit of political advantage."

Bing is at his best in giving amusing advice (how to give good phone, win turf wars and get a room with a view) and in business travelogues about places like Las Vegas where he sees "several apparently dead people playing slots." The writing bristles with attitude. Only a moving essay on "the mourning after" September 11 interrupts the relentless cynicism of Bing's observations. Some readers will be able stay in on the jokes. Others may find his voice tiring or unkind and may note the difference between insight and wisdom. --Barbara Mackoff

Book Description

A mandatory addition to the library of everyone who
works for a living (or would like to).

For twenty years, Stanley Bing has offered insight, wisdom, and advice from inside the belly of one of the great corporate beasts. In one essential volume, here is all you need to know to master your career, your life, and, when necessary, other weaker life forms.

Bing knows whereof he speaks. He has lived the last two decades working inside a gigantic multinational corporation, kicking and screaming all the way up the ladder. During that time, he has seen it all -- mergers, acquisitions, layoffs, the death of the three-martini lunch -- and has himself been painfully reengineered a number of times. He has made a million friends and seen many of them prosper and grow, and sadly seen others sink into consultancy. He has eaten and drunk way too much, stayed in hotels far too good for him, waited for limousines in the pouring rain, and enjoyed it all. Sort of. Most important, Bing has seen management at its best and worst, and he has practiced both as he made the transition from an inexperienced player who hated pompous senior management to a polished strategist who kind of sees its point of view now and then.

Bing's many fans from his days at Esquire and those who enjoy his current column in Fortune know that his take on the workplace is pure storytelling at its best -- sophisticated, amusing, and driven by the kind of insight that only a true insider can possess.

The Big Bing provides a corporate mole's-eye view of the society in which we all live and toil, creating one of the most entertaining, thought-provoking, and just plain funny bodies of work in contemporary letters.

Customer Reviews:

The Big Bling...etc, etc............2007-06-27

SHOULD BE REQUIRED READING FOR TODAY'S COLLEGE JUNIORS AND UP. THANKS, STANLEY....KEEP 'EM COMING!!!!

A Bing collection.......2007-06-09

A compilation of pieces from Esquire and Fortune over the past twenty years or so is what we have here. Kind of a mixed bag, at times very funny, others not so. I found myself wanting some of the articles to go on longer.

Really Entertaining.......2006-01-07

Stanley Bing tells some great stories. This audio CD was great listen on the commutte to/from the office ... and it gave a nice way of viewing what goes on in ones office.

Bing is the thinking man's Dilbert.......2003-12-03

This book was hysterical. Anyone who has ever worked in an office or a giant corporation will identify with the situations and the characters he so vividly brings to life. Plus, he has the best made up last names I've ever come across, but the funny thing is you know exactly who he's talking about. I may not fly with the chairman on the corporate jet, but I relate to most everything he writes about, and I laughed the entire time reading. Bing is the thinking man's Dilbert.

There Is Nobody Like Bing.......2003-12-03

For anyone who has ever worked for a living; for anyone who has ever had a boss or been a boss; THE BIG BING is a must read! The collection is a quick and humerous study of human behavior in corporate America. Nobody tells this story better than Stanley Bing!

The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas; Updated Edition

Average customer rating:

Great Overview of Stars + Brief Biology

The Exploding Suns: The Secrets of the Supernovas; Updated Edition
Isaac Asimov , and William A. Gutsch
Manufacturer: Plume
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Customer Reviews:

Great Overview of Stars + Brief Biology.......2006-05-09

"The Exploding Suns" covers much history of human's study of the sky and much about stars and life in a surprisingly interesting manner. Descriptions are given about observations throughout history, especially of supernovas (which are what the text comes back to again and again -- hence the second portion of the title).

The question that seems to be the main motivation for this book is, how do we explain our present situation? However, that question is too broad, so Asimov answers many smaller questions to build the big picture. Where did all the elements come from? How did they form? How did life arise? How did life develop? (The last two are not explained as thoroughly as the first two.) These are just some of the questions that motivates the reader throughout the book.

Asimov leads the reader through many different types of stars and explains, quite clearly, how a star goes nova or supernova. Of course, if you are looking for the mathematics behind all of this science, this is not the text! Near the end of the text, Asimov also describes some basic biology and gives a "quick" explanation of how life has evolved. Regardless, it is great if you are just interested in the topic, which was my situation. Also, no prior background is assumed; this text is self-contained. Overall, I found the text lively and engaging, something that is not a given with this subject matter. 5 well earned stars.

"Updated Edition" (What's new?)
From what I could gather from my updated edition, the "only" update is an added chapter. This new chapter, written by Dr. William A. Gutsch Jr., is worth reading since it contains new developments through recently observed supernovas and describes some modifications to our theories of Type I supernovas (as described in earlier chapters of the book). This isn't saying the earlier chapters are worthless; they explain a lot and this background is needed to understand the recent observations. From my understanding, the modifications to the theory really are modifications to fit the new observations and not an entirely reworked theory, so reading Asimov's text will not be a waste of time (it is not outdated -- new discoveries build on it).

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The Exploding Universe
Nigel Henbest
Manufacturer: Macmillan Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Astronomy | Astronomy | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 085685509X

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The exploding universe
Nigel Henbest
Manufacturer: Macmillan
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, and the Creation of the Universe (Helix Books)

Average customer rating:

Dauber is the Man
saf
Book Bad - Me no like.
i hated this book no action
Excellent popular science about evolution of the universe.

The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, and the Creation of the Universe (Helix Books)
Philip M. Dauber , and Richard A. Muller
Manufacturer: Perseus Books Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Amazon.com

The universe was created in the first Big Bang, but according to Philip Dauber and Richard Muller that alone couldn't have been sufficient to set the stage for life on Earth today. Two more big bangs were needed: one in the form of a supernova that seeded the solar system with heavy elements; the second a devastating asteroid or comet impact 65 million years ago that exterminated the dinosaurs and permitted the evolution of mammals and ultimately humans. The Three Big Bangs describes the science behind each of these events in a colorful manner. It provides an easily accessible survey of key theories in cosmology, but readers more familiar with these principles may yearn for greater detail and rigor. Still, as an overview of three classes of cosmological cataclysms and their role in shaping the world as we know it, The Three Big Bangs succeeds.

Customer Reviews:

Dauber is the Man.......2006-04-05

Haven't read the book, but Dauber was my high school physics teacher and he is the man. Dude has a boat

saf.......2004-05-30

okay...i admit it, i thought he would be nice...but that has changed. i don't like him anymore, he is too stuffy. he is still brilliant, tho.

Book Bad - Me no like........2002-02-07

Boring, not good. What's the deal with his hair?

i hated this book no action.......1999-04-01

there should of been more storie

Excellent popular science about evolution of the universe........1996-12-19

The authors' three big bangs are 1) THE Big Bang thought to have given birth to the known universe, 2) the later explosions of supernovas which produced the heavy elements not originally present in the early universe, which was dominated by the light elements hydrogen and helium, and 3) the crash of a comet or asteroid near the Yucatan peninsula 65 million years ago, which destroyed the dinosaurs and gave fresh opportunities to mammals and, eventually, to us humans. For the authors, these diverse events are linked because they have each played an enormous role in determining the nature of the world we now live in. These three big bangs give us a strong sense of physical evolution, comparable to the modern view of biological evolution. This is a new perception. When I was a child in the 1940's I read everything about popular astronomy I could get my hands on. The view I got at the time was of a completely static universe, in which nothing much ever happened. The universe was magnificent and awesome but certainly not dynamic. Now the universe is a place of explosive evolution and is vastly more magnificent and awesome. "The Three Big Bangs" tells this story well. This is a book that openly panders to our fascination with violence, but in a way that is socially acceptable!

The Big Bing: Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe

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The Big Bing: Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe
Stanley Bing
Manufacturer: audible.com
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio Download
ASIN: B0001GDR0S

The Big Bing : Black Holes of Time Management, Gaseous Executive Bodies, Exploding Careers, and Other Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe

Average customer rating:

The Big Bing : Black Holes of Time Management, Gaseous Executive Bodies, Exploding Careers, and Other Theories on the Origins of the Business Universe
Stanley Bing
Manufacturer: Collins
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OEO7VU

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A mandatory addition to the library of everyone who works for a living (or would like to).

A mandatory addition to the library of everyone who
works for a living (or would like to).