Customer Reviews

Bye Bye Big Bang: Hello Reality

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(7)

 

 

From old Omni magazine to current Scientific American and Discover magazines, books and online sources, I have watched Big Bang theory from the sidelines as it has developed over the years. Initially, it made sense, but as the years progressed, especially in the years after the Hubble Space Telescope opened the far heavens to us. I've read the articles, I've seen tweak after tweak over the years, claims of past ability to predict (such as the temperature of the microwave background radiation at 2.7 K) that I know weren't agreed upon until after it was measured, and the like.

The real affront of current-day Big Bang Theory, however, seems to be reflected in a purported quote of Paul Dirac's: "It is more important to have beauty in one's equations than to have them fit experiment" (I doubt Dirac was quite so single-minded, but interviews definitely have him enamoured with such 'beauty') - the seeming belief that nature will bend to equations, rather than the other way around.

This book of Mr. Mitchell's is a clear, compelling tour of the troubles of Big Bang Theory, a survey of alternatives, and a reasonable alternative of his own.

It is an interesting, accessible look at the history of Big Bang Theory, the assumptions it makes, the contradictions it has had to deal with (age of the universe versus age of the most distant structures we can see), the telescope observations that get swept under the carpet, the politics, and some special attention to Big Bang Theory's somwhat new addition, Inflation Theory, and how this extension solves some problems, but seriously complicates others.

There is a lot of repetition in this book, some typos and some spots with emotionally charged language. There is also a plethora of readily accessible math, clear explanations, good organization, a bevy of TLAs (three-letter acronyms - seemingly unavoidable with all things astronomical) and some interesting astronomical observations.

Looking for the actual origin of the universe? You won't find it here, but you will find some compelling reasons to push the origin back, and you'll likely not look at Big Bang Theory in the same light ever again.

A highly recommended read.

What has Big Bang ever predicted without an ad hoc slant. It has continually revised itself. There are now 12 or more versions of the theory in wait of new findings. Why not include other theories as possible as well. The establishment has a natural bias throughout history. Science has evolved from crackpot theories challenging it. I'll buy the book for that reason alone.

This book is the best to date that I have read on the history of the Big Bang. It's rather curious that all supporters of the big bang who reviewed this book gave it 1 star. This is illogical given that 50 percent or more of the book is an historical account of the Big Bang's history that AGREES with mainstream astronomy. This indicates to me that the big bang supporters who "reviewed" this book did not read it so I would not trust their reviews. Reading a book is necessary when reviewing.

The Big Bang theory has irreconcilable problems and will be no more in a decade or so. This book is a great guide to the history of this doomed theory which is going by the way of the dodo. The universe is much more likely to be eternal than to have all started just 15 billion years ago.

Mitchell gives accounts of many alternative theories before introducing his own theory of a recycling universe. After all, we see through the Hubble space telescope the birth and death of stars all over the universe so it is very logical to say that the universe itself is constantly recycling structures through a birth-death cycle.

Congrats to the authors and so sad to see the mainstream representing itself so poorly. One star from all of them? Not statistically possible. Their votes are obviously emotional and reflect that they didn't read the book or consider the arguments. They will chant to their graves their willingness to not look at the obvious problems with the Big Bang and thus relegate themselves to those stubborn masses who impede the progress of science instead of furthering it.

This book is a true eye-opener. Mitchell takes apart the Big Bang Theory in a careful, methodical manner, turning nearly all the data scientists think actually proves the Big Bang happened. Mitchell examines red shifts and the sacred Hubble constant; he examines the age of white dwarfs (many as old as 20 billion years, older than the age of the universe); he discusses, for the first time, the age and life-cycles of galaxies and how these cycles cover tens of billions of years; he examines the nature of entropy and finally concludes that the universe has been in a steady-state for perhaps billions upon billions of years, infinite in all directions. Mitchell, of course, is ignored, pilloried, and excoriated by mainstream scientists, but he is also one of the few who have chosen to challenge mainstream ideas that are held just because they are comfortable. I recommend this book highly to anyone who is interested in where astronomy, physics, and cosmology might be headed in the 21st century, if anyone other that Halton Arp and William Mitchell, finds the courage to go against the contemporary grain.

I did not find this book as helpful as Arp's books or thunderbolts.info for interpreting the full range of geophysical and astronomical observations available today.

An interesting idea. Well formed theory. Lacks a little in drawing connections between evidence and theory. Certainly thought provoking. Not text book caliber, but certainly entertaining and will drive discussion in a seminar.

I became aware of this book when the author sent me, an astrophysics PhD candidate at Princeton, a direct e-mail plugging it. While the author apparently is educated enough to have a grasp of the use of scientific vocabulary and jargon, he uses these skills to confuse the public with a thoroughly incorrect discussion of astronomy. For example, he invokes the theory of "tired light" to explain redshifts--a concept that has been throgouhly discredited for the last 50 years. Mitchell instead advances ideas that are patently incorrect about the big bang and galaxy evolution. With the recent work of the WMAP (Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe), we now have the most brilliantly detailed observations of the early universe ever, observations that squarely contradict Mitchell's crazy theories. I find it kind of amusing that Amazon recommends purchasing the book with one from Arp, as he has also firmly put himself in the crackpot category in recent years. Maybe we can use Amazon recommendations to find all the wrong science out there!

This book reveals us many flaws about the Big Bang theory, which is widely accepted by the conventional authorities. I have convinced that the Big-Bang and the inflation theories are not correct from many evidences from astronomical observations given in this book.

I'm a professional cosmologist, and I was also spammed by this guy. I took some of the time to look at this author's ideas, and I have to say that he is completely confused and doesn't understand physics. His ideas are complete pseudoscience.

I read all of the reviews and the author's description. I had been contacted via email, as I am an astrophysics PhD candidate, by the author to look at it. I do not frequently discount a book by its cover. But, for this, I will make an exception. The book is discounting a theory (a set of facts, propositions, or principles analyzed in their relation to one another and used, especially in science, to explain phenomena) that has had supporting observations since the mid-1950's. (example WMAP) Do not give this author a bigger head by buying his non-credible book. A 450 page credible book to dismantle a long standing theory would have lots more than 5 technical illustrations. Save the trees and buy a good book.