IAU Symposium No. 168, Examining the Big Bang and Diffuse Background Radiations, took place on August 23-26, 1994 at the XXIInd IAU General Assembly in the Hague, Netherlands. The meeting attracted a large number - over 250 - of astronomers, reflecting the strong interest engendered by the great advances in cosmology made in recent years. There is still a multitude of unresolved problems in modern cosmology and the symposium offered a wonderful occasion to examine them objectively, at a place where many leading workers in related fields gathered together. After the introduction by IAU President L. Woltjer and the historical background by Vice Present Virginia Trimble, the volume begins with reviews of the cosmic microwave radiation from COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer). Reviews of recent observations then extend from radio to infrared, visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma-rays. It is followed by theoretical models for the Big Bang and Inflation, and alternative views to the Big Bang. Following a discourse on Probes and Future Tests, the meeting ended with a Panel Discussion on `Major Unsolved Problems of Cosmology'. Some forty-four contributed papers - both oral and poster reports - are included after the invited talks and panel discussions.

Ragnarok. Armageddon. Doomsday. Since the dawn of time, man has wondered how the world would end. In The Last Three Minutes, Paul Davies reveals the latest theories. It might end in a whimper, slowly scattering into the infinite void. Then again, it might be yanked back by its own gravity and end in a catastrophic "Big Crunch." There are other, more frightening possibilities. We may be seconds away from doom at this very moment. Written in clear language that makes the cutting-edge science of quarks, neutrinos, wormholes, and metaverses accessible to the layman, The Last Three Minutes treats readers to a wide range of conjectures about the ultimate fate of the universe. Along the way, it takes the occasional divergent path to discuss some slightly less cataclysmic topics such as galactic colonization, what would happen if the Earth were struck by the comet Swift-Tuttle (a distinct possibility), the effects of falling in a black hole, and how to create a "baby universe." Wonderfully morbid to the core, this is one of the most original science books to come along in years.

On July 16, 1994 a world-shattering event occurred that would rivet our attention for six explosive days and go on to make history as the single most important celestial event of the century. Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter, changing forever our understanding of comets and cosmic cataclysms. Our own sense of security would never be the same as the world witnessed fragment after fragment of the comet bash into Jupiter with the collective equivalent force of a 50-million-megaton bomb. David Levy, co-discoverer of periodic Comet Shoemaker-Levy 9, shares his once-in-several-lifetimes' story from the time of the discovery, with Eugene and Carolyn Shoemaker, of this unusual "squashed" comet to the later shocking revelation of hearing that "their" comet was destined to collide with Jupiter. Never in recorded history has a comet created such a catastrophic event as smashing into a planet. Impact Jupiter takes off where David Levy's earlier acclaimed book, The Quest for Comets, left us. Magnificent photos of the impacts, including superb color pictures, accompany David's poetic words, vividly bringing to life his thrilling story. Savor the words of one of the world's most celebrated amateur astronomers as he humbly and eloquently opens the beauty of the heavens to all who are curious.

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.

Where did we come from? Before there was life there had to be something to live on - a planet, a solar system. During the past 200 years, astronomers and geologists have developed and tested several different theories about the origin of the solar system and the nature of the Earth. Did the Earth and other planets form as a by-product of a natural process that formed the Sun? Did the solar system come into being as the result of catastrophic encounter of two stars? Is the inside of the Earth solid, liquid or gaseous? The three volumes that make up A History of Modern Planetary Physics present a survey of these theories. Nebulous Earth follows the development of the nineteenth-century's most popular explanation for the origin of the solar system, Laplace's Nebular Hypothesis. This theory supposes that a flattened mass of gas extending beyond Neptune's orbit cooled and shrank, throwing off in the process successive rings that in time coalesced to form several planets.

Where did we come from? Before there was life there had to be something to live on - a planet, a solar system. During the past 200 years, astronomers and geologists have developed and tested several different theories about the origin of the solar system and the nature of the Earth. The three volumes that together make up A History of Modern Planetary Physics present a survey of these theories. The age of the Earth has been one of the most disputed numbers in science since the seventeenth century. Transmuted Past follows the development of theories of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis in the twentieth century and describes radiometric methods for estimating the age of the Earth. Professor Brush also offers perspectives on the changing reputation of planetary science relative to the 'pure' sciences, such as physics, and a comparison of history and geology as ways of studying the past.

An internationally known scientist explains in a new and convincing theory why most life on earth, including the dinosaurs, perished 65 million years ago. The book is written in an accessible manner with personal anecdotes and wit and without scientific jargon.

The brilliant trailing beauty of fiery comets has inspired fear, wonder, and awe since the dawn of human history. Brighter than stars, moving and disappearing in their own singular orbits, comets have been among the most mysterious elements in the sky, eluding our understanding until very recently. With the aid of space probes, scientists have discovered that these swiftly moving chunks of ice and carbon are more plentiful and far more dangerous than suspected. Scientists are also beginning to realize the monumental role played by comets in the development of the Earth and solar system. David Levy describes in dramatic detail the thrilling yet often devastating effects of comet collisions. In the dawn of our solar system, the Earth was barraged with comets that may have carried the materials necessary to lay the foundations for life on this planet. Levy also presents compelling evidence for later comet collisions, including those of the age of dinosaurs. Great impacts, Levy asserts, not only caused the extinction of the dinesaurs, but ushered in new species of life. As Levy so clearly explains, scientists are realizing that comet collisions are virtually inevitable. Levy reveals possible future collisions with the Earth and describes the terrible risks to life they would pose. He even shows how we might prepare to withstand the impact of large comets in the future.

Current anthropology uses expressions such as 'society as a whole', 'socio-cosmic relations', 'spatiotemporal extension', 'global ideology', and 'cosmomorphy' to establish that the clear-cut Western dichotomy between society and cosmos is not always to be found in the communities it studies. In fact, many elements that the West would at first undoubtedly classify as belonging either to the cosmos or to the society appear very often in Melanesia as belonging to neither one of these domains, but to a realm which combines the attributes of both. Focusing on different examples drawn from diverse Melanesian societies, this thought-provoking volume by eminent specialists re-examines the relationship between society and cosmos and, in the process, opens new directions for research.

In the final book of his astonishing career, Carl Sagan brilliantly examines the burning questions of our lives, our world, and the universe around us.

These luminous, entertaining essays travel both the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of the human mind, posing such fascinating questions as how did the universe originate and how will it end, and how can we meld science and compassion to meet the challenges of the coming century? Here, too, is a rare, private glimpse of Sagan’s thoughts about love, death, and God as he struggled with fatal disease.

Ever forward-looking and vibrant with the sparkle of his unquenchable curiosity, Billions & Billions is a testament to one of the great scientific minds of our day.

This timely volume provides comprehensive coverage of all aspects of cosmology and extragalactic astronomy at an advanced level. Beginning with an overview of the key observational results and necessary terminology, it covers important topics: the theory of galactic structure and galactic dynamics, structure formation, cosmic microwave background radiation, formation of luminous galaxies in the universe, intergalactic medium and active galactic nuclei. This self-contained text has a modular structure, and contains over one hundred worked exercises. It can be used alone, or in conjunction with the previous two accompanying volumes (Volume I: Astrophysical Processes, and Volume II: Stars and Stellar Systems).

The Early Universe has become the standard reference on forefront topics in cosmology, particularly to the early history of the Universe. Subjects covered include primordial nubleosynthesis, baryogenesis, phases transitions, inflation, dark matter, and galaxy formation, relics such as axions, neutrinos and monopoles, and speculations about the Universe at the Planck time. The book includes more than ninety figures as well as a five-page update discussing recent developments such as the COBE results.

Dieses Buch ist bis heute eine der popularsten Darstellungen der Relativitatstheorie geblieben. In der vorliegenden Version haben J. Ehlers und M. Poessel vom Max-Planck-Institut fur Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut) in Golm/Potsdam den Bornschen Text kommentiert und einen den anschaulichen, aber prazisen Stil Borns wahrendes, umfangreiches Erganzungskapitel hinzugefugt, das die sturmische Entwicklung der Relativiatatstheorie bis hin zu unseren Tagen nachzeichnet. Eingegangen wird auf Gravitationswellen und Schwarze Loecher, auf neuere Entwicklungen der Kosmologie, auf Ansatze zu einer Theorie der Quantengravitation und auf die zahlreichen raffinierten Experimente, welche die Gultigkeit der Einsteinschen Theorie mit immer groesserer Genauigkeit bestatigt haben. Damit bleibt dieses Buch nach wie vor einer der unmittelbarsten Zugange zur Relativitatstheorie fur alle die sich fur eine uber das rein popularwissenschaftliche hinausgehende Einfuhrung interessieren.

In this volume, six leading cosmologists provide a current "state of the universe" report: what we have learned about its nature, but also what pieces are still missing from the cosmic puzzle. The roster of contributors reads like a Who's Who of modern cosmology: A. P. Lightman, Robert P. Kirshner, Margaret J. Geller, Vera C. Rubin, Alan Guth, and James Gunn. The book is an excellent overview of the big questions facing modern cosmology. It does not require a background in physics, so any lay reader who appreciates astronomy and the study of the cosmos will enjoy this lively discussion.

In recent years the subject of relativistic fluid dynamics has found substantial applications in astrophysics and cosmology (theories of gravitational collapse, models of neutron stars, galaxy formation), as well as in plasma physics (relativistic fluids have been considered as models for relativistic particle beams) and nuclear physics (relativistic fluids are currently used in the analysis of the heavy ion reactions). Modern methods of analysis and differential geometry have now also been introduced. The International C.I.M.E. Course brought together expertise and interest from several areas (astrophysics, plasma physics, nuclear physics, mathematical methods) to create an appropriate arena for discussion and exchange of ideas. The main lecture courses introduced the most significant aspects of the subject and were delivered by leading specialists. The notes of these have been written up for this volume and constitute an up-to-date and thorough treatment of these topics. Several contributions from the seminars on specialized topics of complementary interest to the courses are also included.

The authors discuss such topics as "impacts with asteroids, the greenhouse effect, nuclear winter, fringe catastrophism, supernovae and an assessment of risks." (New Scientist)

I remember once watching a presentation of the creation of the universe in a planetarium. It was a fascinating experience: lights flashing, particles appearing to rush by as an explosive roar echoed throughout the planetarium. Then suddenly ... black ness. And after a few seconds ... tiny lights--stars blinking into existence. I tried to imagine myself actually going back to this event. Was this really what it was like? It was an interesting facsimile, but far from what the real thing would have been like. The creation of the universe is an event that is impossible to imagine accurately. Fortunately, this has not discouraged peo ple from wondering what it was like. In Creation I have attempted to take you back to the begin ning-the big bang explosion-so that you can watch the uni verse grow and evolve. Starting with the first fraction of a sec ond, I trace the universe from its initial dramatic expansion through to the formation of the first nuclei and atoms. From here I go to the formation of galaxies and the curious distribu tion they have taken in space. Finally I talk about the formation of elements in stars, and the first life on the planets around them.

The Symposium was held at the Great Wall Sheraton Hotel in Beijing, China in the period August 25-30, 1986. The decision to concentrate on the observational aspects of modern cosmology was taken in part because this conference has come in a period when there have been several international meetings on one aspect of modern cosmology, namely the early universe and its possible relationship to particle physics. While that approach is extremely exciting, it has the disadvantage that its connection with much of observational cosmology is very indirect. Thus there has been little opportunity to discuss critically the wealth of new data that are now becoming available which bear on the structure and evolution of the Universe but not always on its early history. This Symposium was planned to cover all aspects of observational cosmology, with only comparatively minor excursions into theory. Nearly 200 participants attended from 21 countries. A total of 26 invited papers and 73 contributed papers were given. This meant that everyone worked hard and long from 9 A.M. to about 5:30 P.M. for five of the six days of the conference. In addition to oral contributions, space was made available for poster papers and 56 of these were available for study for the duration of the conference.

Astrophysics is the physics of the stars, and more widely the physics of the Universe. It enables us to understand the structure and evolution of planetary systems, stars, galaxies, interstellar gas, and the cosmos as a whole. In this Very Short Introduction, the leading astrophysicist James Binney shows how the field of astrophysics has expanded rapidly in the past century, with vast quantities of data gathered by telescopes exploiting all parts of the electromagnetic spectrum, combined with the rapid advance of computing power, which has allowed increasingly effective mathematical modelling. He illustrates how the application of fundamental principles of physics - the consideration of energy and mass, and momentum - and the two pillars of relativity and quantum mechanics, has provided insights into phenomena ranging from rapidly spinning millisecond pulsars to the collision of giant spiral galaxies. This is a clear, rigorous introduction to astrophysics for those keen to cut their teeth on a conceptual treatment involving some mathematics. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable

Since the last International Astronomical Union Symposium that dealt with matters cosmological, there have been dramatic advances, both on the observational and theoretical fronts. Modern high-efficiency detectors have made possible extensive magnitude-limited redshift surveys, which have permitted observational cosmologists to construct three-dimensional maps of large regions of space. What seems to emerge is a distribution of matter in extensive, flat, but probably filamentary, and possibly interconnected, superclusters, serving as interstices between vast voids in space. Meanwhile, theoretical ideas that were highly speculative a few years ago have begun to be taken seriously as possibly describing conditions in the very early universe. And brand new ideas, such as that of the inflationary universe, hold promise of solving outstanding observational, theoretical, and philosophical problems in cosmology. A new look at grand unified theories and concepts of supersymmetry have brought observational and theoretical cosmologists to a common meeting ground with modern particle physicists.