The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, And The Creation Of The Universe (Helix Books) [Paperback]

Philip M. Dauber (Author), Richard A. Muller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 14, 1997 | Series: Helix Books

Scientists believe that we would not be here it were not for three great cataclysms in the early history of Earth and of the universe. This is the first book to explore the deep connection between the events that shaped life on Earth: the “Big Bang” that spawned an entire universe; the explosion of a supernova, which seeded the solar system with heavy elements; and the crash of a comet or asteroid that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs and cleared the way for the evolution of mammals.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The universe was created in the first Big Bang, but according to Philip Dauber and Richard Muller that alone couldn't have been sufficient to set the stage for life on Earth today. Two more big bangs were needed: one in the form of a supernova that seeded the solar system with heavy elements; the second a devastating asteroid or comet impact 65 million years ago that exterminated the dinosaurs and permitted the evolution of mammals and ultimately humans. The Three Big Bangs describes the science behind each of these events in a colorful manner. It provides an easily accessible survey of key theories in cosmology, but readers more familiar with these principles may yearn for greater detail and rigor. Still, as an overview of three classes of cosmological cataclysms and their role in shaping the world as we know it, The Three Big Bangs succeeds.

From Library Journal

How did the universe begin? The Big Bang. How did our solar system start and where were the elements formed that make up our planet, not to mention our own species? From a supernova explosion. What force drives the pattern of punctuated equilibrium evolution that pervades the geologic record and includes the demise of the dinosaurs, which opened the way for mammals and eventually humans? A comet or asteroid that collided with the earth. In addition to the well-written descriptions of the phenomena mentioned above, we get a cogent synopsis of the pros and cons of developing a detection-and-destruction system to try to protect the earth from another cosmic collision and a defense of Muller's "death star" theory. That, in a nutshell, is the content of the book, but it is worth reading to see the whole story. Recommended for larger public libraries.?Harold D. Shane, Baruch Coll., CUNY
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (April 14, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201154951
• ISBN-13: 978-0201154955
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,625,463 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent popular science about evolution of the universe., December 18, 1996

By A Customer

This review is from: The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, and the Creation of the Universe (Helix Books) (Hardcover)

The authors' three big bangs are 1) THE Big Bang thought to have given birth to the known universe, 2) the later explosions of supernovas which produced the heavy elements not originally present in the early universe, which was dominated by the light elements hydrogen and helium, and 3) the crash of a comet or asteroid near the Yucatan peninsula 65 million years ago, which destroyed the dinosaurs and gave fresh opportunities to mammals and, eventually, to us humans. For the authors, these diverse events are linked because they have each played an enormous role in determining the nature of the world we now live in. These three big bangs give us a strong sense of physical evolution, comparable to the modern view of biological evolution. This is a new perception. When I was a child in the 1940's I read everything about popular astronomy I could get my hands on. The view I got at the time was of a completely static universe, in which nothing much ever happened. The universe was magnificent and awesome but certainly not dynamic. Now the universe is a place of explosive evolution and is vastly more magnificent and awesome. "The Three Big Bangs" tells this story well. This is a book that openly panders to our fascination with violence, but in a way that is socially acceptable!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great introduction to the science of "How we got here.", October 24, 2009

By 

Neal A. Wellons (Atlanta) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, And The Creation Of The Universe (Helix Books) (Paperback)

This truly enjoyable book is a very readable overview of what I find to be some of the most interesting areas of science. The author clearly explains the formation of the universe, the formation of our solar system, and the mass extinction that eventually brought mammals to where they are today.

I have recommended this book to many of my friends who have shown an interest in layman's astrophysics.

3 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dauber is the Man, April 4, 2006

By 

B. Mahon (Alameda) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Three Big Bangs: Comet Crashes, Exploding Stars, And The Creation Of The Universe (Helix Books) (Paperback)

Haven't read the book, but Dauber was my high school physics teacher and he is the man. Dude has a boat