Synopses & Reviews
For decades, astronomers have sought to discover the ultimate fate of the univers. Will the cosmos continue forever in its expansion, which began billions of years ago with the big bang? Or will gravity someday reverse the process, producing a "big crunch?" Within the past few years, two rival groups of astronomers have announced a discovery that seems to resolve the issue: Instead of slowing down, the expansion of the universe seems to be accelerating. This finding has shaken the science of cosmology to its very foundation. This is the story of the astronomers who have stood the world of cosmology on its ear--and of their competitive race to discover the future of the cosmos. It is also an investigation into whether their remarkable findings will stand the test of time. If the new results are verified in the coming years, we will eventually find ourselves in a "runaway universe," in which every bit of matter is extremely far from its closest neighbor. Then the cosmological constant, which Einstein once rued as his "greatest blunder," will turn out to be one of his finest insights into the nature of space itself.A vivid picture of an unexpected turn of events, The Runaway Universe presents the startling new discovery that is revolutionizing our view of the cosmos.
Synopsis
The incredible story of two rival groups of brilliant astronomers seeking the mysterious number that will determine the future of the universe
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. 223) and index.
Table of Contents
The runaway universe -- Einstein's dilemma -- The discovery of the galaxies -- The expansion of the universe -- The inflationary cosmos -- Dark matter rules -- Supernovae reveal the accelerating universe -- Why stars explode -- The race to find the future of the universe -- Could the cosmological news be wrong? -- The cosmic background radiation -- The birth of galaxies reveals the density of matter -- Gravitational lenses bend the cosmos -- How can we explain the cosmological constant? -- Prospects for resolving the cosmic mysteries.