The award-winning former editor of Science News shows that one of the most fascinating and controversial ideas in contemporary cosmology-the existence of multiple parallel universes-has a long and divisive history that continues to this day. We often consider the universe to encompass everything that exists, but some scientists have come to believe that the vast, expanding universe we inhabit may be just one of many. The totality of those parallel universes, still for some the stuff of science fiction, has come to be known as the multiverse. The concept of the multiverse, exotic as it may be, isn't actually new. In The Number of the Heavens, veteran science journalist Tom Siegfried traces the history of this controversial idea from antiquity to the present. Ancient Greek philosophers first raised the possibility of multiple universes, but Aristotle insisted on one and only one cosmos. Then in 1277 the bishop of Paris declared it heresy to teach that God could not create as many universes as he pleased, unleashing fervent philosophical debate about whether there might exist a "plurality of worlds." As the Middle Ages gave way to the Renaissance, the philosophical debates became more scientific. Rene Descartes declared "the number of the heavens" to be indefinitely large, and as notions of the known universe expanded from our solar system to our galaxy, the debate about its multiplicity was repeatedly recast. In the 1980s, new theories about the big bang reignited interest in the multiverse. Today the controversy continues, as cosmologists and physicists explore the possibility of many big bangs, extra dimensions of space, and a set of branching, parallel universes. This engrossing story offers deep lessons about the nature of science and the quest to understand the universe.

In this highly original and thought-provoking book John Leslie unfolds his view of the nature of the universe. This view is unusual, but rich in philosophical inspiration and suggestion. Over the last three decades Leslie has been developing his theory in a series of path-breaking publications; now at last he gives it its definitive exposition. It may be hard to believe that the universe is as he says it is --but it is hard also to resist his compelling ideas and arguments.

"Ancient Greek Cosmogony" is the first detailed and comprehensive account of ancient Greek theories of the origins of the world. It covers the period from 800 BC to 600 AD, beginning with myths concerning the creation of the world. It covers the cosmogonies of all the major Greek and Roman thinkers, as well as the debate between Greek philosophical cosmogony and early Christian views. It argues that Greeks formulated many of the perennial problems of philosophical cosmogony and produced philosophically and scientifically interesting answers. The atomists argued that our world was one among many worlds, and came about by chance. Plato argued that our world is unique, and is the product of design.Empedocles and the Stoics, in quite different ways, argued that there was an unending cycle whereby our world is generated, destroyed and generated again. Aristotle on the other hand argued that there was no such thing as cosmogony, and our world has always existed. Reactions to these ideas and developments of them are traced through Hellenistic philosophy and the debates in early Christianity on whether God created the world from nothing or from some pre-existing chaos. This books also deals with the related issues of the origins of life and of the elements for the ancient Greeks, and looks at how views of how the cosmos will come to an end. It argues that there were several interesting debates between Greek philosophers on the fundamental principles of cosmogony, and that these debates were influential on the development of Greek philosophy and science.

Most well-read, but non-scientific, people will have heard of the term "Big Bang" as a description of the origin of the Universe. They will recognize that DNA identifies individuals and will know that the origin of life is one of the great unsolved scientific mysteries. This book brings together all of that material. Starting with the creation of space and time - known as the Big Bang - the book traces causally related steps through the formation of matter, of stars and planets, the Earth itself, the evolution of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, and then through to the beginnings of life and the evolution of man. The material is presented in such a way that a non-scientist can comprehend it, without using formulae or equations but still preserving the integrity of the involved science. This book does not solve the mysteries of what initiated the Big Bang or how life evolved from inanimate matter, but it does make clear the nature of those problems. The reader will be left with a sense of wonderment that he or she actually exists!

Roger Penrose, one of the most accomplished scientists of our time, presents the only comprehensive and comprehensible account of the physics of the universe. From the very first attempts by the Greeks to grapple with the complexities of our known world to the latest application of infinity in physics, "The Road to Reality" carefully explores the movement of the smallest atomic particles and reaches into the vastness of intergalactic space. Here, Penrose examines the mathematical foundations of the physical universe, exposing the underlying beauty of physics and giving us one the most important works in modern science writing.

Most well-read, but non-scientific, people will have heard of the term "Big Bang" as a description of the origin of the Universe. They will recognize that DNA identifies individuals and will know that the origin of life is one of the great unsolved scientific mysteries. This book brings together all of that material. Starting with the creation of space and time - known as the Big Bang - the book traces causally related steps through the formation of matter, of stars and planets, the Earth itself, the evolution of the Earth's surface and atmosphere, and then through to the beginnings of life and the evolution of man. The material is presented in such a way that a non-scientist can comprehend it, without using formulae or equations but still preserving the integrity of the involved science. This book does not solve the mysteries of what initiated the Big Bang or how life evolved from inanimate matter, but it does make clear the nature of those problems. The reader will be left with a sense of wonderment that he or she actually exists!

No other planet in our Solar System has fascinated humankind more than Mars. What is it about this dusty, dry world that has captured our imaginations and driven us to explore it? Named after the Roman god of war, Mars is one of the most intensely studied planets in our Solar System. Beginning with our earliest studies of the 'red planet', Patricia Skelton embarks on a journey of discovery, encompassing everything from ancient astronomy to contemporary pop culture. Learn about the space missions that have transformed our understanding of Mars, the rovers that call it home today and the challenges facing us as we aim to send humans there in the future.

The standard cosmological picture of our Universe emerging from a 'big bang' leaves open many fundamental questions which string theory, a unified theory of all forces of nature, should be able to answer. This 2007 text was the first dedicated to string cosmology, and contains a pedagogical introduction to the basic notions of the subject. It describes the possible scenarios suggested by string theory for the primordial evolution of our Universe. It discusses the main phenomenological consequences of these scenarios, stresses their differences from each other, and compares them to the more conventional models of inflation. The book summarises over 15 years of research in this field and introduces advances. It is self-contained, so it can be read by astrophysicists with no knowledge of string theory, and high-energy physicists with little understanding of cosmology. Detailed and explicit derivations of all the results presented provide a deeper appreciation of the subject.

This is the first English translation of Simplicius' responses to Philoponus' "Against Aristotle on the Eternity of the World." The commentary is published in two volumes: Ian Mueller's previous book in the series, " Simplicius: On Aristotle On the Heavens 1.2-3," and this book on 1.3-4. Philoponus, the Christian, had argued that Aristotle's arguments do not succeed. For all they show to the contrary, Christianity may be right that the heavens were brought into existence by the only divine being and one moment in time, and will cease to exist at some future moment. Simplicius upholds the pagan view that the heavens are eternal and divine, and argues that their eternity is shown by their astronomical movements coupled with certain principles of Aristotle.Until the launch of this series, the 15,000 volumes of the ancient Greek commentators on Aristotle constituted the largest corpus of Greek philosophical writings which had not been translated into English or other European languages. There are now over 100 volumes in the series.

This book is first of its kind describing a new direction in modeling processes taking place in interplanetary and interstellar space (magnetic fields, plasma, cosmic rays, etc.). This method is based on a special mathematical analysis - fractional calculus. The reader will find in this book clear physical explanation of the fractional approach and will become familiar with basic rules in this calculus and main results obtained in frame of this approach. In spite of its profound subject, the book is not overloaded by mathematical details. It contains many illustrations, rich citation and remains accessible to a wide circle of physicists.This book is addressed to graduate and postgraduate students, young and mature researchers specializing in applications of fractional calculus, astrophysics, solar-terrestrial science and physics of cosmic rays.

Over the centuries the starry night sky has inspired poets and scientists alike, and though the fruits of these inspirations take very different forms, they often enrich each other. Acclaimed science writer David Levy, the codiscoverer of Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, has written this wonderful jewel of a book to celebrate the complementary visions of human wonder and curiosity that are expressed in the separate disciplines of poetry and astronomy.
Levy, known for his infectious enthusiasm, traces the works of the greatest poets-Shakespeare, Milton, Keats, Shelley, and others-to show how they were influenced not only by the beauty of the heavens but by their times, celestial events, and moreover by the discoveries of such great scientists as Copernicus, Galileo, and Newton.
How strong is the connection between literature and science? Levy says, "To think that science and poetry are two disciplines that are properly divorced from each other is to lose sight of what each is about and what their common goal is. In their highest forms, both are avenues of inquiry into the human condition and its relationship to the Universe. Knowing what that Universe is and how it is structured is fundamental to each."
The book culminates with Levy's eloquent reflections on the spectacular crash into the planet Jupiter of the comet he discovered:
"It was the most conspicuous marking ever seen on another planet. By the end of impact week, Jupiter lay bombarded with these dark clouds, markings that remained visible for almost a year. Thou too, O Comet beautiful and fierce, Who drew the heart of this frail Universe Towards thine own; till, wrecked in that convulsion, Alternating attraction and repulsion, Thine went astray and that was rent in twain; Oh, float into our azure heaven again - Percy Bysshe Shelley, Epipsychidion, 1821"

An extraterrestrial civilization created human civilization and all other life on Earth. There was a time when mankind knew about these beings, but as religion and science took over the world, people forgot their true origins.

Religion and science remain at odds, but they continue to work together to erase all knowledge of the extraterrestrials. The only thing that hints at the truth is the continued reports of unidentified flying objects and other unexplained phenomena. Join an electrical engineer as he draws upon his technical knowledge and broad understanding of the world to propose a theory that will change your life. He offers guidance on how to evaluate the impact extraterrestrials had on early civilizations; see through the inaccuracies of religion; evaluate scientific theories.

Relying on unsound theories to create new ones can lead to problems. While science and religion claim to have all the answers, neither one of them explains life on this planet. The truth is out there, and you can find it in "Tarraforming Earth."

This comprehensive textbook is devoted to classical and quantum cosmology, with particular emphasis on modern approaches to quantum gravity and string theory and on their observational imprint. It covers major challenges in theoretical physics such as the big bang and the cosmological constant problem. An extensive review of standard cosmology, the cosmic microwave background, inflation and dark energy sets the scene for the phenomenological application of all the main quantum-gravity and string-theory models of cosmology. Born of the author's teaching experience and commitment to bridging the gap between cosmologists and theoreticians working beyond the established laws of particle physics and general relativity, this is a unique text where quantum-gravity approaches and string theory are treated on an equal footing. As well as introducing cosmology to undergraduate and graduate students with its pedagogical presentation and the help of 45 solved exercises, this book, which includes an ambitious bibliography of about 3500 items, will serve as a valuable reference for lecturers and researchers.

The authors of this volume have been intimately connected with the conception of Big Bang model since 1947. They present a picture of what is now believed to be state-of-the-art knowledge about the evolution of the expanding universe and delineate the story of the development of the Big Bang model as they have seen and lived it from their own unique vantage point.

Following their New York Times-bestselling graphic novel Feynman, Jim Ottaviani and Leland Myrick deliver a gripping biography of Stephen Hawking, one of the most important scientists of our time. From his early days at the St Albans School and Oxford, Stephen Hawking's brilliance and good humor were obvious to everyone he met. A lively and popular young man, it's no surprise that he would later rise to celebrity status. At twenty-one he was diagnosed with ALS, a degenerative neuromuscular disease. Though the disease weakened his muscles and limited his ability to move and speak, it did nothing to limit his mind. He went on to do groundbreaking work in cosmology and theoretical physics for decades after being told he had only a few years to live. He brought his intimate understanding of the universe to the public in his 1988 bestseller, A Brief History of Time. Soon after, he added pop-culture icon to his accomplishments by playing himself on shows like Star Trek, The Simpsons, and The Big Bang Theory, and becoming an outspoken advocate for disability rights. In Hawking, writer Jim Ottaviani and artist Leland Myrick have crafted an intricate portrait of the great thinker, the public figure, and the man behind both identities.

This volume provides a comprehensive and coherent introduction to modern quantum cosmology - the study of the universe as a whole according to the laws of quantum mechanics. In particular, it presents a useful survey of the many profound consequences of supersymmetry (supergravity) in quantum cosmology. After a general introduction to quantum cosmology, the reader is led through Hamiltonian supergravity and canonical quantization and quantum amplitudes through to models of supersymmetric mini superspace and quantum wormholes. The book is rounded off with a look at exciting further developments, including the possible finiteness of supergravity. Ample introductory material is included, ensuring this topical volume is well suited as a graduate text. Researchers in theoretical and mathematical physics, applied maths and cosmology will also find it of immediate interest.

There are very few with Philip Morrison's gifts, few who can lead us with firm knowledge whispering just the right encouragement as he guides us across the great ideas of science. Take this journey with one of the most astute navigators and you'll find yourself compelled to go deeper into some of the most daring adventures of modern science. Nothing is too grand or seemingly too trivial - the nature of time, the fabric of the atom, what it means to explore scientific horizons, the galaxies, even the search for unknown intelligence in the vast as-yet-uncharted universe. Then as deftly as Morrison takes us on a dazzling tour of the stars, he gently settles down for an intimate stop in the nursery where children have their first encounters with the things of everyday life, everyday things that cause us to wonder and make for discovery. With an equally firm grasp, Morrison, who witnessed the first tests of the atom bomb, takes us unflinchingly through some of the most frightening terrain of modern times, where the arms race can cause our ultimate destruction, but where sanity can still bring us peace. This extraordinary collection of essays by one of the most profound commentators on the successes and failures of the scientific enterprize concludes with lively portraits of men of science - Neils Bohr, Richard Feynman, Charles Babbage, among other notable friends and heroes.

"The dominant figures of postwar astrophysical cosmology have been the late Yakov Ze'ldovich, of Moscow, and Jim Peebles, of Princeton. But running a close third in influence has been Joseph Silk.... This collection is essential reading for the cosmological enthusiast." Nature These essays represent Joseph Silk's own meandering around cosmic themes. The topics span the beginning of time until its end and encompass the enigma of the evolution of large-scale structure, culminating in the formation of the galaxies. Dr. Silk has taken these writings from pieces written over the years, many commissioned to highlight a new look at a new discovery in cosmology. Some have been rewritten to capture a modern perspective while others remain as written to encapsulate his thoughts of a decade ago.

"Introduction to Astronomy & Cosmology" is a modern undergraduate textbook, combining both the theory behind astronomy with the very latest developments. Written for science students, this book takes a carefully developed scientific approach to this dynamic subject. Every major concept is accompanied by a worked example with end of chapter problems to improve understanding

Includes coverage of the very latest developments such as double pulsars and the dark galaxy.Beautifully illustrated in full colour throughoutSupplementary web site with many additional full colour images, content, and latest developments.

Molecules in the early Universe acted as natural temperature regulators, keeping the primordial gas cool and, in turn, allowing galaxies and stars to be born. Even now, such similarly simple chemistry continues to control a wide variety of the exotic objects that populate our cosmos. What are the tools of the trade for the cosmic chemist? What can they teach us about the Universe we live in? These are the questions answered in this engaging and informative guide, The Chemically Controlled Cosmos. In clear, non-technical terms, and without formal mathematics, we learn how to study and understand the behaviour of molecules in a host of astronomical situations. We study 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. We are given an accessible introduction to a wealth of astrophysics, and an understanding of how cosmic chemistry facilitates the investigation of many of the most exciting questions concerning astronomy today.

Although everyone is familiar with the concept of time in everyday life and has probably given thought to the question of how time began, recent scientific developments in this field have not been accessible in a simple understandable form. This book is important as it presents to readers current ideas about the role of time in theoretical cosmology.Recent observational discoveries, especially that the expansion rate of the universe is accelerating, have revolutionized the understanding of the energy content of the universe. This development leads to new possibilities for the beginning and end of cosmological time. This book emphasizes the notion of entropy and describes how it is theoretically possible that the universe may end in a finite time or that time can cycle and never end.Provided here is twenty-first century scientific knowledge, written by one of the world's most eminent theoretical physicists, that will better enable the public to discuss further the fascinating idea of time. It is ideally suited also for young people considering a career in scientific research.

Tensors, Relativity, and Cosmology, Second Edition, combines relativity, astrophysics, and cosmology in a single volume, providing a simplified introduction to each subject that is followed by detailed mathematical derivations. The book includes a section on general relativity that gives the case for a curved space-time, presents the mathematical background (tensor calculus, Riemannian geometry), discusses the Einstein equation and its solutions (including black holes and Penrose processes), and considers the energy-momentum tensor for various solutions. In addition, a section on relativistic astrophysics discusses stellar contraction and collapse, neutron stars and their equations of state, black holes, and accretion onto collapsed objects, with a final section on cosmology discussing cosmological models, observational tests, and scenarios for the early universe. This fully revised and updated second edition includes new material on relativistic effects, such as the behavior of clocks and measuring rods in motion, relativistic addition of velocities, and the twin paradox, as well as new material on gravitational waves, amongst other topics.

'There is evidence to suggest that our world and everything in it - from snowflakes to maple trees to falling stars and spinning electrons - are only ghostly images, projections from a level of reality literally beyond both space and time.' This is the astonishing idea behind the holographic theory of the universe, pioneered by two eminent thinkers: physicist David Bohm, a former protege of Albert Einstein, and quantum physicist Karl Pribram. The holographic theory of the universe encompasses consciousness and reality as we know them, but can also explain such hitherto unexplained phenomena as telepathy, out-of-body experiences and even miraculous healing. In this remarkable book, Michael Talbot reveals the extraordinary depth and power of the holographic theory of the universe, illustrating how it makes sense of the entire range of experiences within our universe - and in other universes beyond our own.

Just what is Einstein's Theory of Relativity? The Big Bang Theory? Curvature of Spacetime? What do astronomers mean when they talk of a 'flat universe'? This approachable and authoritative guide to the cosmos answers these questions, and more. Taking advantage of the distinctive Companion format, readers can use the extensive, cross-referenced background chapters as a fascinating and accessible introduction to the current state of cosmological knowledge - or, they can use the convenient A-Z body of entries as a quick reference to a wide range of terms and concepts. Entries include topics such as: Black Hole; Doppler Effect; Fermi, Enrico; Heat Death of the Universe; Life in the Universe; Olber's Paradox; Quantum Field Theory; Supernova; and much more.

Dark Matter: An Introduction tackles the rather recent but fast-growing subject of astroparticle physics, encompassing three main areas of fundamental physics: cosmology, particle physics, and astrophysics. Accordingly, the book discusses symmetries, conservation laws, relativity, and cosmological parameters and measurements, as well as the astrophysical behaviors of galaxies and galaxy clusters that indicate the presence of dark matter and the possible nature of dark matter distribution. This succinct yet comprehensive volume: Addresses all aspects essential to the study of dark matter Explores particle candidates for cold dark matter beyond the theory of the standard model, providing examples of basic extensions and introducing theories such as supersymmetry and extra dimensions Explains-in simple text and mathematical formulations-calculation of the freeze-out temperature of a dark matter species and its relic density Provides theoretical background for dark matter scattering off a target, event rate calculation, and dark matter annihilation essential to study direct and indirect detection of dark matter Complete with a detailed review of the latest dark matter experiments and techniques, Dark Matter: An Introduction is an ideal text for beginning researchers in the field as well as for general readers with an inquisitive mind, as the important topic of astroparticle physics is treated both pedagogically and with deeper insight.