This book is a gentle introduction for all those wishing to learn about modern views of the cosmos. Our universe originated in a great explosion - the big bang. For nearly a century cosmologists have studied the aftermath of this explosion: how the universe expanded and cooled down, and how galaxies were gradually assembled by gravity. The nature of the bang itself has come into focus only relatively recently. It is the subject of the theory of cosmic inflation, which was developed in the last few decades and has led to a radically new global view of the universe. Students and other interested readers will find here a non-technical but conceptually rigorous account of modern cosmological ideas - describing what we know, and how we know it. One of the book's central themes is the scientific quest to find answers to the ultimate cosmic questions: Is the universe finite or infinite? Has it existed forever? If not, when and how did it come into being? Will it ever end? The book is based on the undergraduate course taught by Alex Vilenkin at Tufts University. It assumes no prior knowledge of physics or mathematics beyond elementary high school math. The necessary physics background is introduced as it is required. Each chapter includes a list of questions and exercises of varying degree of difficulty.

Kosmologie fur alle, die mehr wissen wollen Dieses Sachbuch richtet sich an alle, die genauer wissen wollen, wie die Kosmologie heute unser Universum, dessen Anfang - den Urknall - und moegliches Ende erklart. Es nimmt Sie mit auf die Suche der Wissenschaft nach Antworten auf die letzten kosmischen Fragen: Ist das Universum endlich oder unendlich? Hat es schon immer existiert? Wann und wie ist es entstanden - und wird es jemals enden? Die Autoren, die beide zu kosmologischen Fragestellungen forschen, bieten Ihnen eine leicht nachvollziehbare und konsistente Darstellung moderner kosmologischer Ideen. Sie erfahren alles uber die Grundlagen der Kosmologie und das, was wir uber den Urknall und unser beobachtbares Universum wissen, uber Hintergrunde aus der Teilchenphysik und den aktuellsten Stand der Wissenschaft zu Inflation und Co. Dabei wird Ihnen auch die eine oder andere Formel prasentiert - aber Sie benoetigen dafur keine Vorkenntnisse, die uber die Mathematik der Mittelstufe hinausgehen, und den notwendigen physikalischen Hintergrund dazu bekommen Sie gleich mitgeliefert. Nach der Lekture dieses Buches wissen Sie also nicht nur, was die Physik heute uber unser Universum und den ganzen Rest weiss, sondern auch warum.

A Leading Figure in the Development of the New Cosmology Explains What It All Means
Among his peers, Alex Vilenkin is regarded as one of the most imaginative and creative cosmologists of our time. His contributions to our current understanding of the universe include a number of novel ideas, two of which--eternal cosmic inflation and the quantum creation of the universe from nothing--have provided a scientific foundation for the possible existence of multiple universes.
With this book--his first for the general reader--Vilenkin joins another select group: the handful of first-rank scientists who are equally adept at explaining their work to nonspecialists. With engaging, well-paced storytelling, a droll sense of humor, and a generous sprinkling of helpful cartoons, he conjures up a bizarre and fascinating new worldview that--to paraphrase Niels Bohr--just might be crazy enough to be true.

This book is a gentle introduction for all those wishing to learn about modern views of the cosmos. Our universe originated in a great explosion - the big bang. For nearly a century cosmologists have studied the aftermath of this explosion: how the universe expanded and cooled down, and how galaxies were gradually assembled by gravity. The nature of the bang itself has come into focus only relatively recently. It is the subject of the theory of cosmic inflation, which was developed in the last few decades and has led to a radically new global view of the universe. Students and other interested readers will find here a non-technical but conceptually rigorous account of modern cosmological ideas - describing what we know, and how we know it. One of the book's central themes is the scientific quest to find answers to the ultimate cosmic questions: Is the universe finite or infinite? Has it existed forever? If not, when and how did it come into being? Will it ever end? The book is based on the undergraduate course taught by Alex Vilenkin at Tufts University. It assumes no prior knowledge of physics or mathematics beyond elementary high school math. The necessary physics background is introduced as it is required. Each chapter includes a list of questions and exercises of varying degree of difficulty.