Customer Reviews

The Origin Of The Universe (Science Masters Series)

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

 

 

Excellent presentation of the latest theories about the origin of the universe, like the 'no boundary condition' (Hawking and Hartle), the quantum origin, the inflation period (Guth) or superstrings.
This book is more a scientific explanation with charts and dwawings, but - not always easy - understandable for the layman.
I missed the speculation of a John Gribbin or a Martin Rees.
As in his other excellent book 'Theories of Everything', the author believes that "One day we may be able to say something about the origin of our own cosmic neighbourhood. But we can never know the origins of the universe. The deepest secrets are the ones that keep themselves."

I am a novice to astrophysics, but do hold a BSc. in biology. This book, though claiming to be introductory was extremely difficult to follow. I had to read and reread and reread to follow many concepts. This is likely due to the material and no fault of the author. To his credit, when I understood a concept, I REALLY understood it, and felt smugly to myself that I had a better understanding of the universe. This is not a leisure read, pick it up when you really want to know about the origin of the universe.

One of the few books that effectively conveys some sort of explanation of universal physics in a simple manner, easily understood by a novice. While the book is short, it is direct, and does a satisfying job of giving meaning to some aspects of Einstein's theories and shortcomings, and the mysteries of time and matter. A good primer for the inexperienced beginner, it helps to deliver a good overview and outline for future exploration, and is easy to read.

For anyone that enjoyed A Brief History of Time this is a excellent follow up. Great explanation of inflation and the possibilty of a non-singularity beginning of the universe.

Astrophysics is never easy. Expect to have to read and reread many parts a number of parts, and then one's understanding of the origin of the universe will never be complete.
Fine introduction and reference book for those who are curious and willing to commit the required effort.
I recommend this book as one of the most accessible readable and enjoyable Physics primers for students of all ages.

I happened to pick this book up at a local Half Price Book seller near my home. It had some great information I needed for a school report, by nearly any of my class understood it. It still has some great theories and is a great read!

This book does not explain the origin of the universe; it doesn't claim to. Science in the person of Professor John Barrow follows the deductive-inductive mantra; either a lab experiment replicates the physical result of specfied causes or flawless reasoning shows there is no room for doubt. Both approaches collapse. If science loses, does God win?

GOD'S NANOSECOND

Max Planck showed God could not have created the universe. First there was nothing and in a billionth of a second - the big bang - there was everything and everything that will be. Forget "seven days" and lab experiments. Science does not make something from nothing.

ZENO - DEDUCTION IS FUTILE

A man walks each day half the remaining distance to his destination; he will never arrive. Infinity doesn't end; there is no ultimate particlde so we cannot find the building block of the universe.

DESCARTES - THE COSMOS IS ONLY IMAGINATION

The real world is only what your senses encounter; it's just a dream - a mental trick. Descartes failed to break out of the "egocentric predicament."

NEWTON - FORCES IN BALANCE

An apple fell to earth and observer Newton "explained" the mutual attraction. He assumed attraction is an attribute of "mass." Masses will orbit. Later Einstein and Planck described described gavity as mysterious "energy" which comes in discrete "quanta." A quantum is "the energy of an atom at rest;" let it go at that. However Newton seriously underestimated the number of objects that whizz about in balanced orbits. National Geographic put the number at a "gazillion." That's very hard math.

EINSTEIN'S SPEED

Einstein persuaded his peers that the speed of light is both the minimum velocity of energy and the maximum. Mental scanning certainly exceeds the speed of light. One problem is the "curvature" of space; algebra is irrational but space insists on transcendental parameters - pi, "e" and sines, for example. These do not exist in nature.

EVOLUTION

Our senses all evolved and are incomplete; so science is literally groping in the dark. Cats hear better, eagles see better and dogs apparently take the prize for ESP. Human brains compute distance from data received by two eyes or two ears; the brain is a sense organ, but pretty primitive. Science concedes that birds evolved from dinosaurs. The proof is in the feet and the eggs. Feathers and chirping just came along; Darwin missed the whole chapter. Forget the universe; explain hummingbirds!