Customer Reviews

Seeing Red: Redshifts, Cosmology and Academic Science

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

If Dr. Arp's earlier book, "Quasars, Redshifts, and Controversies" put a few pinpricks into the Big Bang and Redshift-Distance Relation theories, this book blows open a hole so large you could drive a Mack truck through it. Dr. Arp shows us a number of galaxies that appear to be associated with quasars or other extremely compact, radio-emitting objects that have grossly different redshifts. If these objects are indeed related then the inconsistent redshifts mean the accepted distances for these objects are bogus, to use a scientific term. Dr. Arp states in the preface that if you are math-impaired you will still be able to follow the book easily because the eye-popping evidence is all in the pictures. And so it is.

What is so disturbing is the effect on Halton Arp's career this decades-long search for the truth has wrought. In the earlier book one of the appendices is the letter from CalTech throwing him off the 200-inch Hale telescope on Mt. Palomar. In this book he describes how difficult or impossible it has been for him to publish his research. Dr. Arp is no crackpot claiming aliens are making crop circles or the Bermuda Triangle is swallowing up ships--he received his Ph.D with honors from CalTech itself, and created the Catalog of Peculiar Galaxies (using of course the same 200-inch Hale telescope he was later denied). In the later part of the book Dr. Arp also catalogs several other scientific theories, such as continental drift, which were heresy at the time they were published but later became universally accepted. He discusses the sometimes stifiling atmosphere of academia, and how it impedes the investigation of new ideas. Finally, Dr. Arp offers some intriguing ideas on just where those quasars and other active objects came from in the first place.

This book is a page-turner, and you don't need to understand calculus or anything else to read it. A basic understanding of statistics would help but is not necessary.

My only gripe is that the paper used is so thin the illustrations can be seen somewhat on the opposite side of the page.

If you have any interest in astronomy or cosmology I would say this book is a must read.

Arp argues convincingly that the holy grail of cosmology, the hubble flow, exists only in the minds of astronomers. There are abundant examples of high-redshift quasars which are physically connected to low-redshift galaxies. There is convincing evidence that redshift is quantized, which is inexplicable in the conventional picture where redshift is caused by recession speed. Big bang cosmology has been overthrown, and the evidence against it is getting stronger with new observations.

Mainstream astronomy, unfortunately, does not want to recognize this evidence. Scientists who have built whole careers on a flawed theory are not ready to admit that they have been totally, completely wrong. Instead, they have chosen a much easier way to deal with this unpleasant evidence, one that has been succesfully employed in many other fields of science: they suppress, ignore & ridicule, while they keep adding epicycles to their ever more complicated theory of the big bang.

Arp's account of the utterly unscientific behavior of the scientific establishment is sobering. It reveals once more how the great human endeavor of science, which should be an unbiased and objective search for the truth, has been corrupted by the vested interests of individuals and academic institutions, blind belief in authority and by herd mentality, and thus turned into something that is eerily reminiscent of the medieval Catholic Church. Then, as today, observations and new theories were suppresed by those in power for contradicting what was considered the truth.

Although this book is a bit technical in nature, it is accessible to any layperson with some basic knowledge of astronomy. If that describes you, or if you are interested in great case material for a study of the sociology of science, I can unconditionally recommend it.

Dr Arp's new book, like the one before it (Quasars, Redshifts and Controversies -Interstellar Media. 1988) further supports his claim that the redshifted light from distant quasars and galaxies is not the result recessional velocity in an expanding universe. Building on the evidence set out in the earlier book, Dr Arp discusses more recent evidence, from x-ray satellites, that show further examples of quasars/galaxy associations which question the validity of the currently popular 'big bang' expanding universe theory.

In the new book, Dr Arp also discusses the prejudice and institutionalised pressures that can be excerted by the science establishment in an effort to preserve established paradigms and belief systems and discourage the dissident and unorthodox view. Arp is well qualified to discuss this issue, having personally experienced an almost 'Galilian' attempt by the establishment to suppress his reasearch over the past 25 years.

SEEING RED is as much a damning report on the professional dishonesty and hypocrisy that permeates the very foundations of modern cosmology's 'Ivory Tower', as it is a catalogue of further evidence that may prove be the catalyst that affords a changed and radically new way of looking at the universe in the new millenium.

Having read many of Dr. Arp's articles in the astronomical journals, I was not sure that I would find anything new in Seeing Red. I was wrong! The contents of this book put together an accessible argument that leaves no doubt in the open minded readers mind that the Big Bang is wrong!

The most stunning revelation in Seeing Red for me was the association of Abell galaxy clusters with nearby galaxies and quasars. The Abell clusters fall in close proximity to nearby galaxies. This is a remarkable coincidence if the Abell clusters are actually at their redshift distance.

Anyone who looks at the pictures in Seeing Red will be able to understand why the Big Bang's future lies on the ash heap of theories based upon faulty assumptions.

The views presented in this book will provide a foundation for the future of cosmology.

In a way, the Inquisition is alive. Academic tenure is supposed to assure that people like Halton Arp have the right to pursue their research without being impeded or punished when they disagree with one of the prevailing dogmas. They didn't burn him alive, but they did take his telescope time (on the 200" at Mt. Palomar) away from him. Look at it this way, our perceptions of the Universe are too important to allow any paradigm to suppress dissenters. In this regard, Halton Arp does a vital service in challenging the standard model. But is he right? Are some or all observed redshifts NOT indicative of, or proportional to, the distance between us and those objects? Are the cosmological distance scales built on shakey foundations? Without books like this, and courageous scientists like Halton Arp, the question might not be asked, and the Universe, no matter its exact size, would be a much duller place.

Arp systematically describes observational evidence against the established idea that redshift is always an indicator of distance. These observational results (high-redshift objects interacting with low redshift objects, and much more) themselves reveal an elegant pattern of galaxy evolution which mainstream astronomy has entirely missed. I feel that I've learned something genuinely new about the extragalactic universe than I have in many years! (Note: one of the other reviewers comment that Arp neglects supernova evidence in favor of the redshift/velocity relation is incorrect--Arp's model actually predicts the same time dilation factor for supernova decay as the Big Bang model).

This is probably the most important book on cosmology you will read. Dr. Arp presents case after case of observational evidence that quasar red shifts represent something other than velocity - something fundamentally more important. He presents a theory which allows the reader to make sense of the observations. Be prepared for the coming paradigm shift in cosmology. Dr. Arp has it right.

I was taught to respect Science, not only because of the rigors required to obtain a degree, but because the quality of the character of the scientist -- a scientist is suppose to put aside their own prejudices and biases and work for the good of all mankind, not just himself. This ideal was what I was taught and adhere to even as an amateur astronomer -- facts not biases first. Over the years, after reading more and more scientific books and journals I started to question the almost fact based push of *promoting* the Big Bang over all other cosmology theories. This push became epidemic in the past decade, to the point that many a young student proclaims the "Big Bang" as the only theory to explain the beginning of the universe. From this wall of one-sided presentations, I concluded something must be up with the scientific Establishment, as this wholesale pushing of only one idea had to be not only endorsed somewhere, *taught* from high school to beyond graduate level.

After reading "Seeing Red" by Halton Arp, now I can understand how and why this one-sided push began beyond mere suspicion, and why it's a disease on Science itself -- worse than even 15th century religion crossing on its turf. Both the book, and Arp's insights of academia filled in the missing answers that couldn't have come anywhere but a source involved in Science itself -- and someone willing to talk about it.

Halton Arp is a Science maverick. He could've just did what his peers do -- maintain the status quo and promoted the Standard Model of Cosmology (the "Big Bang" theory) to maintain their tenures and reputations. Arp didn't take the easy route of academic success; he decided principle was more important than the almighty dollar. It hurt his career, but not his mission to educate a new generation of Scientists to be true to their calling. I personally am indebted to Arp for showing the courage to make a stand, and to also say his message is not lost in this age of quick internet debunking, either (e.g., tagging this book with "crank", by a "drive-by").

"Seeing Red" is a goldmine in understanding how and why Science has become a political proving ground that forgot the hallmarks of being a scientist -- like observational evidence trumps all (not mathematical equations!); let alone unbiased testing is the cornerstone of the scientific method. But alas, we learn now that it doesn't matter if the observational evidence is provided, as it's ignored to maintain the status quo (e.g., keeping tenure and reputation among peers). If you're a maverick, like Halton Arp, the status quo of nay-sayers more interested in their jobs would be quick to denounce all the years of hard scientific study to protect their backside -- *even being promoted to do so*. These petty nay-sayers even denied Arp viewing time on telescopes to protect their own jobs and reputations, as the observational evidence he provides can, and may even, upset their "Big Bang" applecart.

It's a shameful revelation of the nature of Science itself today, that money and status is more important than scientific integrity.

"Seeing Red" should be required reading for any budding scientist who wants to learn the truth about scientific academia. To also learn how petty even the brightest minds have become, to steer around the small egos, and to not only do good scientific work to benefit mankind, but to also teach a new generation of future "planet hoppers" what really matters -- intellectual honesty.

I'm giving "Seeing Red" 4 stars not due to lack of content or style of writing, but to the printing itself. The typesetting appears too been made prior to 2000, with the desktop typesetting of that era. For a book of this stature better typesetting would give it the professional polish it needs to better promote the evidence inside the pages. In this internet age, with high resolution color images at the finger tips, let alone easy to read graphs, this little oversight makes reading this very interesting book more of a chore. Hopefully, in a newer reprint, this book will get a modern facelift, and be more amicable to the new generation of heavily internet influenced scientists.

Thank you, Halton Arp for your insights and helping me to not forget that Science itself isn't what's wrong, but how mankind can gum it up. Looking forward to reading more of your work -- if for anything to be reminded that Science of our forefathers isn't dead, it waxes and wanes with the times, but a new generation will always save it from itself.

First off, I have problems with the "Big Bang" - it seems like the ultimate something-from-nothing delusion. Arp's ideas are potentially problematic as well, but he gives detailed documentation of observations which warrant further independent investigation.

This is not an easy read. Some background in physics and mathematics is useful, and at least casual acquaintance with ideas behind non-linear fractal geometry can be helpful. As you read along, it is tempting to get caught up in the "us vs. them" academic ideological issues scattered throughout the book. Unless you are already knowledgeable about this topic, I would suggest entering "quasars" into Google and reading several of the very excellent web pages devoted to various aspects of research in this area.

With these qualifications, I highly recommend this book to readers interested in newly evolving ideas about the universe. Arp is clearly not a "crackpot" as depicted by the arrogant California reviewer who didn't even read the book. It would be a much more ponderous tome without his concise, conversational prose, which accurately describes the many detailed graphs and pictures. He develops his thesis logically based on a lifetime of real world observations - but others draw different conclusions from seemingly similar-appearing telescopic and radio astronomical data. Who to believe? I suspect that instrumentation and observational capacities in our infinitesimally tiny corner of the universe will need to improve dramatically before any of these questions are answered definitively. Even if we can't find the answers now, it is intriguing to view the thoughts of those who are trying to understand the bases for our physical existence.

Seeing Red is an incredibly important book. For the scientist educated in the debates of Cosmology and physics, this book will mark a dramatic shift in ontology.

This book will leave you breathless, awestruck, and humbled. A must read.