Calculating the Cosmos, Ian Stewart
Calculating the Cosmos, Ian Stewart
2 Rating(s)
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Calculating the Cosmos
How Mathematics Unveils the Universe

Author: Ian Stewart

Narrator: Ian Stewart

Unabridged: 12 hr 39 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Ascent Audio

Published: 10/25/2016


Synopsis

In Calculating the Cosmos, Ian Stewart presents an exhilarating guide to the cosmos, from our solar system to the entire universe. He describes the architecture of space and time, dark matter and dark energy, how galaxies form, why stars implode, how everything began, and how it’s all going to end. He considers parallel universes, the fine-tuning of the cosmos for life, what forms extraterrestrial life might take, and the likelihood of life on Earth being snuffed out by an asteroid.

Beginning with the Babylonian integration of mathematics into the study of astronomy and cosmology, Stewart traces the evolution of our understanding of the cosmos: How Kepler’s laws of planetary motion led Newton to formulate his theory of gravity. How, two centuries later, tiny irregularities in the motion of Mars inspired Einstein to devise his general theory of relativity. How, eighty years ago, the discovery that the universe is expanding led to the development of the Big Bang theory of its origins. How single-point origin and expansion led cosmologists to theorize new components of the universe, such as inflation, dark matter, and dark energy. But does inflation explain the structure of today’s universe? Does dark matter actually exist? Could a scientific revolution that will challenge the long-held scientific orthodoxy and once again transform our understanding of the universe be on the way? In an exciting and engaging style, Calculating the Cosmos is a mathematical quest through the intricate realms of astronomy and cosmology.

About Ian Stewart

Ian Stewart is a professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick and the author of numerous books on mathematics. He has written for New Scientist and Scientific American, among other publications. Stewart lives in Coventry, England.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Brian on September 20, 2016

(I actually reviewed the UK hardback, with this cover.) This is a weird one - it's a book where I'm really struggling to identify who it's for and what it is supposed to do. The only conclusion I can draw is that Calculating the Cosmos is intended for people who like Ian Stewart's excellent maths bo......more

Goodreads review by Ints on November 23, 2016

Vispār jau ir ļoti, ļoti grūti paiet garām grāmatai ar šādu nosaukumu. Kādu dienu biju nokāpis Jāņa Rozes grāmatnīcas pagrabstāvā un ieraudzīju šo grāmatu. Autoram, neskatoties uz to, ka regulāri sekoju viņa jaunumiem, atkal bija izdevies izdot grāmatu, kuru es biju palaidis garām. Nevar teikt, ka m......more

Goodreads review by Victor on February 06, 2017

I don't recommend this book for everyone, but it was a perfect fit for me. The last time I read a physics/astronomy book that taught me profound new things was Michio Kaku's Hyperspace. While I can definitely recommend Kaku's work for anyone, this book was more technical. I would say it speaks to a......more

Goodreads review by Gendou on February 14, 2017

The first half of the book is a nice survey of our solar system, it's formation, and discovery. The second half goes off the deep end with bizarre dark matter denial, and crank alternatives to the Big Bang. He also gives a totally incorrect description of Schrodinger's cat. The author seems to see him......more

Goodreads review by Ellie on January 29, 2024

Overall, a really nice book exploring some fundamental concepts behind the universe! A nice introductory book for people wanting to understand more about the cosmos with some intermediate concepts explained in the second half of the book. Despite claiming ‘how mathematics unveils the universe’, the......more