Cosmic questions

About This Book

What happened before the big bang? Is space infinite? When did time begin? How are galaxies formed? Do other universes exist? Today, scientists stand poised to answer these far-reaching questions about the fundamental nature of the universe, questions that have both challenged and confounded human beings through the millennia. In this bold, timely, and captivating book, acclaimed science writer Richard Morris identifies and delineates these key questions. His search for answers goes to the very threshold of contemporary scientific knowledge. In a writing style The New York Times hails as "exhilarating," Morris provides clear, precise explanations of the best current answers to each profoundly important question. Exploring and fully explaining the newest discoveries and theories in the field of cosmology - the study of the origin, structure, and evolution of the universe - he offers fascinating insights into science's most captivating riddles, introducing readers to the intriguing world of cosmic strings and quark nuggets, shadow matter and imaginary time. He makes emerging theoretical concepts abundantly clear, and shows how the frontier of cosmology is addressing the all-important question of exactly where human beings fit into the great galactic puzzle. Featuring a thorough explanation of the 1992 breakthrough voyage of NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite - and its effects on the big bang theory - Cosmic Questions is a thrilling journey through some of the most important scientific discoveries of the twentieth century and the likely discoveries to come.