Three steps to the universe : from the sun to black holes to the mystery of dark matter / David Garfinkle & Richard Garfinkle.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Garfinkle, David, 1958-

Contributor:

Garfinkle, Richard.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Black holes (Astronomy).

Dark matter (Astronomy).

Sun.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (274 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 2008.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

If scientists can't touch the Sun, how do they know what it's made of? And if we can't see black holes, how can we be confident they exist? Gravitational physicist David Garfinkle and his brother, science fiction writer Richard Garfinkle, tackle these questions and more in Three Steps to the Universe, a tour through some of the most complex phenomena in the cosmos and an accessible exploration of how scientists acquire knowledge about the universe through observation, indirect detection, and theory. The authors begin by inviting readers to step away from the Earth and reconsider our Sun. What we can directly observe of this star is limited to its surface, but with the advent of telescopes and spectroscopy, scientists know more than ever about its physical characteristics, origins, and projected lifetime. From the Sun, the authors journey further out into space to explore black holes. The Garfinkle brothers explain that our understanding of these astronomical oddities began in theory, and growing mathematical and physical evidence has unexpectedly supported it. From black holes, the authors lead us further into the unknown, to the dark matter and energy that pervade our universe, where science teeters on the edge of theory and discovery. Returning from the depths of space, the final section of the book brings the reader back down to Earth for a final look at the practice of science, ending with a practical guide to discerning real science from pseudoscience among the cacophony of print and online scientific sources. Three Steps to the Universe will reward anyone interested in learning more about the universe around us and shows how scientists uncover its mysteries.

Contents:

The sun

Look, don't touch

What's that big bright thing made of?

Fusion : energy hidden in plain sight

Black holes

Old gravity and new gravity

Black holes in relativity

The lives of stars

Black hole hunting

Gravitational waves

Dark matter-dark energy

Galactic scale

What is dark matter?

All the way out

Dark energy, antigravity, and Einstein's fudge

A step back to earth

Road maps

Science as it is written

Glossary.

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 265).

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (publisher's Web site, viewed 24. Apr 2020)

ISBN:

9786612069864

9781282069862

1282069861

9780226283494

0226283496

OCLC:

435816379