Atom: A Single Oxygen Atom's Journey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth...and Beyond

by Lawrence Krauss (Author)

34 customer reviews

ISBN-13: 978-0316183093

ISBN-10: 0316183091

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Now in paperback, the story of matter and the history of the cosmos--from the perspective of a single oxygen atom--is told with the insight and wit of one of the most dynamic physicists and writers working today.

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About the Author

Prof. Lawrence M. Krauss is an internationally known theoretical physicist with wide research interests, including the interface between elementary particle physics and cosmology, where his studies include the early universe, the nature of dark matter, general relativity and neutrino astrophysics. He has investigated questions ranging from the nature of exploding stars to issues of the origin of all mass in the universe. He was born in New York City and moved shortly thereafter to Toronto, Canada, where he grew up. He received undergraduate degrees in both Mathematics and Physics at Carleton University. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1982), then joined the Harvard Society of Fellows (1982-85). He joined the faculty of the departments of Physics and Astronomy at Yale University as assistant professor in 1985, and associate professor in 1988. In 1993 he was named the Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics, Professor of Astronomy, and Chairman of the department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University. Prof. Krauss is the author of over 180 scientific publications, as well as numerous popular articles on physics and astronomy. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his research, including the Gravity Research Foundation First Prize Award (1984), and the Presidential Investigator Award (1986), and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society. He is an acclaimed teacher and lecturer with vast experience in reaching out to popular audiences. He was named a Sigma-Xi national lecturer in 1990 and an American Physical Society Centennial Lecturer in 1998. University named Lectureships he has held include the Nesbitt Lectureship at Carleton University, the Glover Lectureship at Dickenson College, the Chesley Lectureship at Carleton College, the Herzfeld Lectureship at Catholic University, the Hendrik de Waard Lecture at the University of Groningen, the Vaden Miles Lectureship at Wayne State University, the Maurer Lectureship at University of Arkansas, the Benedum Lectureship at West Virginia University, and the Kallen Lectureship in Lund Sweden. In addition, he has lectured to popular audiences at such places as the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Natural History in New York and appears frequently on radio and television around the world, as well as being a regular contributor to various newspapers and magazines including the New York Times. He has also lectured to both high school and elementary school students and their teachers as well as teaching courses at all university levels.

Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Back Bay Books (May 9, 2002)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0316183091
ISBN-13: 978-0316183093
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.5 inches
Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 34 customer reviews
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,159,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1255 in Biochemistry (Books)
- #1015 in Astronomy & Astrophysics
- #1247 in Cosmology (Books)

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John H. Evans

One of the best science books ever

October 25, 2014

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

First, “Atom” is one of the two best science books I’ve ever read. (*) Krauss is both an excellent writer and an outstanding story-teller. The majority of this book is compelling, at least to a science geek like me. Carl Sagan famously said, “We are all star-stuff.” Krauss uses the fictional life of an oxygen atom to explain to the reader HOW we all came to be made from star-stuff – how we came to be here – and speculations about the future and fate of the Universe.

Second, this is definitely a geek-book and will be of interest only to those who desire to know the details how our world came be.

This book was published in 2001 before the days of Kindle, so the Kindle version leaves something to be desired. I’d recommend a hard copy.

(*) my favorite science book ever …. “Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder” Paperback – April 5, 2000 by Richard Dawkins

Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth...and Beyond [Kindle Edition] By Lawrence M. Krauss. Review by John H Evans – October 24, 2014

3 people found this helpful

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J.R. Mc

Following Matter Through Time

May 8, 2015

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

Okay, so I couldn't give it a 4.5 star rating which is where I would actually put it. Krauss is a skillful writer. In this book, it did seem to go slowly at times; but, overall, this is a fascinating concept. Following the creation of the constituents of an oxygen atom, the primordial atoms from the big bang, through it being a part of a supernova and star dust, star and planet systems and being a part of living cells and on to the ultimate destiny at the end of the universe as we know or can know it, all of this kept me wanting to read instead of mowing the lawn or other interesting jobs around the house and property. It's like what I always wished I could do, follow a toy boat from the local rivulet into creeks, rivers and eventually the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico, only more interesting.

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Rama Rao

Stars are the cosmic incubators for all natural elements

August 22, 2007

Format: PaperbackVerified Purchase

This book requires basic knowledge of physics and chemistry. Chapters 1 - 7 introduce cosmology; Chapters 8 - 9 describes evolution of stars, and physical and chemical process for the production of chemical elements; Chapters 10 - 13 addresses the evolution of life on hospitable planets such as earth. Chapters 8, 9 and 11 provide significant amount of information, while some chapters are too descriptive and boring.

When the universe was at its infancy, it consisted of clouds of hydrogen and helium molecules that started to collapse over millions of years (mass accretion) under gravity. Progressively the temperature increased due to compression and the molecules started to dissociate into atoms and finally to ions at high pressure and temperatures. At 15 million degrees, about one in a 100 million protons gain sufficient energy to collide and fuse with each other to produce deuterium nuclei, further nuclear reactions generated helium-3 nucleus. Collision of two helium-3 nuclei results in helium-4 and two protons, generating intense radiation (energy) and pressure (centrifugal force) to counter the gravitational (centripetal) force. Thus thermonuclear reactions produce heat and light of a star over billions of years of its existence which affects geological process and biological evolution in orbiting planets. If a star is massive, gravitational collapse continues and the temperature at inner core rises to 100 million degrees when two helium-4 nuclei fuse to form berylluim-8 nuclei; at higher core temperatures collision of helium-4 with beryllium-8 results in carbon-12. After millions of years of burning helium, the inner core continues to fall as the compression continues to raise core temperature and this promotes carbon-12 and helium-4 nuclear fusion producing oxygen-16 nucleus. When helium nuclei are completely exhausted; the star would have produced significant quantities of carbon and oxygen nuclei. This result in two shells; an inner core of carbon and oxygen followed by an outer shell of burning helium, which is surrounded by a shell of burning hydrogen. When helium is exhausted, the inner core is compressed further raising temperature, then two carbon nuclei fuse to produce a plethora of nuclei from oxygen to sodium and magnesium. When carbon burning is completely exhausted, the core compresses further raising temperature and pressure to promote fusion of oxygen nuclei to produce silicon, neon, and then sulfur. As the temperatures rises to one billion degrees, fusion of silicon nuclei results in iron-56 nucleus; beyond this point no further elements are generated, since heavier nuclei bind less tightly. At this stage when the temperature is 5 billion degrees, the density reaches 10,000 tons per cubic centimeter. The core starts to lose energy in the form escaping neutrinos, and fusion of protons and electrons results in increasing amounts of neutrons. As the core energy decreases, the gravitational force of matter dominates. At a density of 100 million tons per cubic centimeter, the core predominantly contains neutrons and at this point laws of quantum mechanics precludes neutrons squeezed any further thus forming a neutron star. Eventually the star collapses in a gigantic explosion called supernova. At this point the temperature is very high and during this hot expanding neutron-rich environment capture of neutrons by various elements quickly produces all natural elements up to uranium. These are expelled into the interstellar medium to great distances in spacetime, eventually cooling the debris. During cooling process; the nuclei capture electrons to become atoms and elements such as iron, silicon, aluminum and carbon will condense into microscopic solid grains at appropriate temperatures. Low molecular weight compounds such as carbon monoxide, iron oxides, silicates and water are formed at right temperatures and pressure. Photochemical reactions in presence of iron and aluminum produce carbon dioxide, methanol, ethanol, formaldehyde, and glycine (amino acid) etc. Carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen continue to form more complex organic and biomolecules, the source material for life. Oxygen remains adhered to grains of aluminum oxide. As the stellar dust and gas collapse inward toward a central plane of rotating material which will fragment to form planetismals (planetary nebula) around a star. Much of water was provided by comets (from Oort clouds outside the solar system) hitting earth over millions of years. The planet turned from state of high levels of carbon dioxide and nitrogen to a more tolerable levels, and habitable temperatures which lead to the raise in oxygen concentration. It is a concerted effort of sun and the Jupiter; geological process followed by biological evolution created the blue planet. This book contains an exhaustive amount of scientific material that could serve as a reference material, and it is highly recommended.

9 people found this helpful

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phoenixrising

Fascinating story, not unlike a cosmology class!

April 17, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is a wonderful story about the life of an oxygen atom, told from the perspective of the atom. If you enjoy Sagan, or Tyson, you will find this story most intriguing!

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Amazon Customer

The fun to read complete history of an atom from birth to eternity.

October 12, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

A fun to read history of a single atom of oxygen from the Big Bang to eternity from one of the most gifted physicists and writers in science.

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James Draw

lots of interesting information

March 26, 2013

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

The author describes the big bang; then when an oxygen atom is formed, he follows it through the remaining history of the universe. A few parts were a little too detailed and slow, but for the most part, the narrative went smoothly and kept my attention.

One person found this helpful

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Wayne Wilmot

Finally we know where we came from.

March 14, 2014

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

This is an excellent review of where the earth's makeup originated. This true story was made possible by scientific advances in the last century. Mankind has gotten beyond myth to finally begin to understand how we came to be on this little lonely planet. Gripping reading if you want to replace myth with fact.

One person found this helpful

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Robert

Five Stars

July 15, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Well done. Even I could understand most of it.

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Atom: A Single Oxygen Atom's Journey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth...and Beyond