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The Day We Found the Universe (Vintage)

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The Day We Found the Universe (Vintage) Cover

ISBN13: 9780307276605
ISBN10: 0307276600
Condition: Standard
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The riveting and mesmerizing story behind a watershed period in human history, the discovery of the startling size and true nature of our universe.

On New Years Day in 1925, a young Edwin Hubble released his finding that our Universe was far bigger, eventually measured as a thousand trillion times larger than previously believed. Hubble’s proclamation sent shock waves through the scientific community. Six years later, in a series of meetings at Mount Wilson Observatory, Hubble and others convinced Albert Einstein that the Universe was not static but in fact expanding. Here Marcia Bartusiak reveals the key players, battles of will, clever insights, incredible technology, ground-breaking research, and wrong turns made by the early investigators of the heavens as they raced to uncover what many consider one of most significant discoveries in scientific history.

Review:

“Bartusiak's intelligent and engaging book may well become the standard popular account." –Washington Post

Review:

“Delivered with wit, clarity and occasional drama, Marcia Bartusiak's The Day We Found the Universe is a small wonder…. A science writer of rare gifts…Bartusiak manages to convey the mind-bending complexity of the astronomers' task and the scope of the work while never losing sight of the human elements (fame, ego, pioneer spirit, competitive drive) that drive the pursuit."–San Francisco Chronicle

Review:

“This tale is not about breakthroughs. It focuses on the dramatic insights, sidesteps and missed opportunities, persistence, pride and bits of luck that accompany the scientific process….Bartusiak's account never gets boring and never feels anticlimactic. Instead, moments of drama and intimacy make the reader forget…the final outcome: the Milky Way is merely one of many stellar collections in a vast universe."–Science News
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About the Author

Marcia Bartusiak is an award-winning author whose previous books include Through a Universe Darkly, Thursday’s Universe, Einstein’s Unfinished Symphony, and Archives of the Universe. Her work has appeared in such publications as National Geographic, Smithsonian, Discover, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. She teaches at MIT and lives in Sudbury, Massachusetts
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What Our Readers Are Saying

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Average customer rating based on 1 comment:
Tim M, June 9, 2010 (view all comments by Tim M)
This book takes us back to the late 19th Century when the most common notion was that our Milky Way Galaxy was the entirety of a static universe. It then takes on the exciting journey of discovery and breakthrough that led to our modern day understanding of an expanding universe inhabited by billions of galaxies that began with the "Big Bang" and continues to expand today, some 14 billion years later.

Most of us are young enough so that we've essentially always known that the universe is comprised of an incomprehensibly vast number of galaxies that are, themselves, dwarfed by the intervening spaces. For me, this trek through early 20th Century discovery brought back the wonder and awe of our universe that gets lost in our workaday world and introduced me to heroes of science who should not be forgotten.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9780307276605
Author:
Bartusiak, Marcia
Publisher:
Vintage Books USA
Subject:
History
Subject:
Astronomy - Universe
Subject:
Astronomy
Subject:
Astronomy - General
Subject:
History of Science-General
Copyright:
2010
Edition Description:
Trade paper
Series:
Vintage
Publication Date:
20100331
Binding:
TRADE PAPER
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Illustrations:
Y
Pages:
368
Dimensions:
7.98x5.44x.77 in. .73 lbs.
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Related Subjects


Science and Mathematics » Astronomy » General
Science and Mathematics » History of Science » General
Science and Mathematics » Physics » General History and Philosophy

The Day We Found the Universe (Vintage) Used Trade Paper
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$8.50 In Stock
Product details 368 pages Vintage Books USA - English 9780307276605 Reviews:
"Review" by , “Bartusiak's intelligent and engaging book may well become the standard popular account." –
"Review" by ,

“Delivered with wit, clarity and occasional drama, Marcia Bartusiak's The Day We Found the Universe is a small wonder…. A science writer of rare gifts…Bartusiak manages to convey the mind-bending complexity of the astronomers' task and the scope of the work while never losing sight of the human elements (fame, ego, pioneer spirit, competitive drive) that drive the pursuit."–San Francisco Chronicle

"Review" by , “This tale is not about breakthroughs. It focuses on the dramatic insights, sidesteps and missed opportunities, persistence, pride and bits of luck that accompany the scientific process….Bartusiak's account never gets boring and never feels anticlimactic. Instead, moments of drama and intimacy make the reader forget…the final outcome: the Milky Way is merely one of many stellar collections in a vast universe."–
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