This timely book is suitable for the general reader wishing to find answers to some of the intriguing questions now being asked about black holes. Although once recognized as the most destructive force in nature, following a cascade of astonishing discoveries, the opinion of supermassive black holes has undergone a dramatic shift. Astronomers are discovering that these objects may have been critical to the formation of structure in the early universe, spawning bursts of star formation, planets, and even life itself. Fulvio Melia is Associate Head of Physics and Professor of Astronomy at the University of Arizona. He is author of Electrodynamics (University of Chicago, 2001), and a forthcoming title, The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy (Princeton).
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"Th[is] book is a quick read and a welcome addition to any black hole aficionado's bookshelf. Highly recommended." Choice
Book Description
In the past, they were recognized as the most destructive force in nature. Now, following a cascade of astonishing discoveries, supermassive black holes have undergone a dramatic shift in paradigm. Astronomers are finding out that these objects may have been critical to the formation of structure in the early universe, spawning bursts of star formation, planets, and even life itself. This fascinating and timely book is suitable for the general reader wishing to find answers to some of the intriguing questions now being asked about black holes.
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More About the Author
A dear friend in Melbourne, my home city, once said that getting old simply means we become more of who we are. I have spent much of my life learning about the cosmos, the physical laws that run it, and the meaning of space and time. As an astrophysicist, I have had the pleasure of witnessing tangible advances in our understanding of the Universe. However, what emerges as I get older is not only a deep appreciation for its beauty, but also a latent passion for writing about these great discoveries for all to share. I hope you enjoy reading these books as much as I enjoy writing them.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Darn good,
By Marten Maier (Heidelberg) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe (Hardcover)
O.k., so I didn't know what to expect, but I bought the book because I had heard that the 2005 Annual Issue of Astronomy magazine had chosen it as one of the best astronomy books of the year. I would have to agree with their choice. Melia introduces supermassive black holes in a novel fashion. Sure, we first came to know of their existence because of the weird behavior of some galaxies. But he shows how in the past few decades, they've come to represent a totally new and dominant category of objects throughout the universe. It now seems that many of them were here long before galaxies formed, and it looks like they were responsible for the formation of galaxies and structure in the universe. But the most amazing thing of all is what observational cosmology is now telling us. Is it true that the universe itself may be a giant black hole? Melia's book has the best discussion of this that I have yet seen. After reading this, I feel like I'm right on the edge of what astrophysicists know.
7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great Show!,
By A Customer
This review is from: The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe (Hardcover)
Last week I was fortunate to hear Prof. Melia speak on the subject of his two new books, this title, and "The Black Hole at the Center of Our Galaxy," and was so impressed I rushed out to get copies of both. I was not disappointed. Both books are very well written, and beautifully produced, with color images throughout. His style is similar to that with which he presented the subject at our amateur astronomy meeting---clear, lively, and thoughtful.I am recommending these to all my friends and relatives. They're the best astronomy books I've read in years, and am looking forward to reading more from him in the years to come!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very concise introduction to the field,
By
This review is from: The Edge of Infinity: Supermassive Black Holes in the Universe (Hardcover)
This is a very concise, well-written review of the research that has been done on supermassive black holes over the past few decades. The book is deliberately targeted at non-specialists; it didn't contain a single equation, as far as I can recall, and is written in a highly accessible style. I have absolutely NO scientific background, I never even took physics, but I found the book pretty easy to follow. Those with significant background in physics might be disappointed with the lack of mathematical exposition, but this book is a great place for novices to begin.
Melia focuses on a number of topics: the nature of supermassive black holes, how they were discovered and how they are detected, theories of how they are formed, their role in galaxy formation, their release of plasma jets, and their ultimate fate. The last chapter also contains a fascinating digression on whether our universe itself is a black hole; I found this to be the most technically challenging part of the book, but it was thought-provoking. I finished the book feeling very excited about the technological advances that are allowing cosmologists to peer deeper and deeper into the cosmos with increasing accuracy. Melia does a great job of explaining the instruments scientists use to detect black holes, and he discusses a number of projects that are likely to be completed in the next few years. Finally, the book contained a number of terrific images that really helped me to follow the narrative. In conclusion, this book is a great place to start for those who want to learn more about these fascinating celestial objects, and at 130+ pages, it is a fairly quick read.
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Inside This Book
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First Sentence:
History's time line swept through 1963 with a breathtaking pace. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
supermassive objects, supermassive black holes, most powerful objects, dusty disk, host galaxy, infalling gas, spinning black hole, central black hole, active galactic nucleus, cosmic microwave background radiation, host galaxies, event horizon, galactic nuclei, sideways motion, galactic center Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Milky Way, Hubble Space Telescope, Big Bang, Space Telescope Science Institute, New Mexico, Hubble Deep Field, European Southern Observatory, Very Large Telescope, Albert Einstein, Very Large Array, Bell Labs, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Nobel Prize, University of Toronto, Edwin Hubble, Extraterrestrische Physik, Goddard Space Flight Center, Johns Hopkins University, New Jersey, University of Maryland, Very Long Baseline Interferometry, Charles Messier, Maarten Schmidt, Roy Kerr, Virgin Islands New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
History's time line swept through 1963 with a breathtaking pace. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
supermassive objects, supermassive black holes, most powerful objects, dusty disk, host galaxy, infalling gas, spinning black hole, central black hole, active galactic nucleus, cosmic microwave background radiation, host galaxies, event horizon, galactic nuclei, sideways motion, galactic center Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Milky Way, Hubble Space Telescope, Big Bang, Space Telescope Science Institute, New Mexico, Hubble Deep Field, European Southern Observatory, Very Large Telescope, Albert Einstein, Very Large Array, Bell Labs, Chandra X-ray Observatory, Nobel Prize, University of Toronto, Edwin Hubble, Extraterrestrische Physik, Goddard Space Flight Center, Johns Hopkins University, New Jersey, University of Maryland, Very Long Baseline Interferometry, Charles Messier, Maarten Schmidt, Roy Kerr, Virgin Islands New!
Books on Related Topics | Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 33
books:
See all 33 books this book cites
- THE BLACK HOLE by Alan Dean Foster on page 52, and Back Matter
- The Inflationary Universe by Alan Guth in Back Matter
- A History of Greek Philosophy: Volume 4, Plato: The Man and his Dialogues: Earlier Period (Plato - The Man & His Dialogues - Earlier Period) by W. K. C. Guthrie in Back Matter
- Black Holes: The Membrane Paradigm (The Silliman Memorial Lectures Series) by Kip S. Thorne in Back Matter
- Cause, Experiment, and Science by Stillman Drake in Back Matter
See all 33 books this book cites
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