Cosmic Queries

January 25, 2021
“In the gulf between the depths of human curiosity and the limits of human ignorance” is a space to ask questions, write astrophysicist Tyson (StarTalk) and physicist Trefil (Imagined Life) in this breezy survey of physics’s curiosities. The authors answer such matters as where the universe came from, how it will end, and whether intelligent life beyond Earth exists. In “How Old Is the Universe,” they cover a “simultaneously practical yet dull experiment” conducted in 1964, in which signals from deep space were picked up by a satellite and provided evidence for the Big Bang theory. In “How Will It End” they describe the eventual death of the sun through its transformation into a red giant “engulfing the orbits” of inner planets. Photographs, drawings, and scores of Tyson’s tweets pepper the pages, but less satisfying are the authors’ inconsistencies in their answers to the questions. While some explanations are simplistic (their discussion of biology, for example), others are tough to parse (as with their explanation of the “cosmological constant” from “an early version of part of Einstein’s general relativity” theory). Lay readers curious about the mysteries of the universe will want to take a look.

Starred review from March 1, 2021

Based on the popular talk show and podcast, StarTalk, this collection of essays explores many of the universe's most intriguing mysteries. From dark matter, the Big Bang, and other space oddities to quarks, multiverses, and other quantum curiosities, Hayden Planetarium director Tyson (Astrophysics for People in a Hurry) and Trefil (physics, George Mason Univ.; The Story of Innovation) tackle a variety of topics in this follow-up to StarTalk, the first book based on the TV show. Written in a conversational style much like the eponymous podcast, the authors attempt to break down these subjects into interesting stories and fun facts, making them readily accessible to a general audience with little or no familiarity with astrophysics and quantum mechanics. Asking how old is the universe or what are the building blocks of life, among other queries, the authors invite readers to contemplate these fascinating questions which scientists have pondered for centuries. As expected from National Geographic publications, the book is beautifully illustrated. Its stunning color photographs enhance the enjoyment of this cosmic reading journey. VERDICT Casual readers and science buffs alike will appreciate Tyson's folksy approach to explaining difficult scientific concepts. An engaging work that will have wide appeal.--Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib. Syst., FL

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March 15, 2021
After his compilation, Letters from an Astrophysicist (2019), Tyson delivers a robust follow-up to StarTalk (2016), which is based on his popular podcast segment, ""Cosmic Queries,"" in which he answers compelling questions from fans about science and technology. Both casual and avid science enthusiasts will welcome this volume's 10 info-dense chapters exploring such fundamental and provocative queries as "What Is Our Place in the Universe?" "How Do We Know What We Know?" "How Did It All Begin?" "How Will It All End?" and "What Does Nothing Have to Do with Everything?" This installment in Tyson's invaluable series, coauthored with physicist and prolific science writer Trefil, provides the same sort of interesting sidebar information as before, including truly riveting trivia and stats, as well as Tyson's humor in such pithy tweets as "I occasionally wonder whether the entire Universe is nothing more than a snow-globe on the living room mantle of an Alien." Instead of the pop-culture images and silly photos in the earlier book, readers are treated here to nineteenth-century-inspired drawings interspersed with historical and scenic photographs that contribute greatly to the mood while propelling readers on an inquisitive journey. New features, including a bibliography and index, round out this exuberant and enticing resource.

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April 15, 2021
Astrophysicists Tyson and Trefil ask the big questions--and "not all have answers." Tyson, better known for popularizing and explaining tangled issues of science than for his considerable body of scientific research, and Trefil, a veteran physics professor and author of dozens of science books, peer into "the gulf between the depths of human curiosity and the limits of human ignorance." That gulf has produced some fiery arguments over the years. In a characteristically light touch, the authors imagine Aristotle sitting down to a glass of retsina and Isaac Newton quaffing a flagon of mead while arguing about the nature of gravity. Newton has the advantage, not just of a couple of thousand years of accumulated knowledge, but also because he has the scientific method on his side, "a technique that has led to profound changes in the human condition through the search for objective truths and an understanding of our place in the universe." Not that the ancients were without their insights: The Greek scholar Eratosthenes was able to suss out the circumference of the spherical Earth through an ingenious application of common knowledge and shrewd calculation. As they proceed, the authors, with assistance from striking photos and illustrations, explain the reasons why our science is applicable everywhere in the universe--at least so far as we know--and consider why we haven't found concrete evidence of being visited by extraterrestrials. As for alien life, Earth has some very interesting critters. The authors highlight the tardigrade, a microscopic being that the European Space Agency sent into orbit for 12 days without a bit of harm coming to the tiny crew. "Tolerating extreme conditions such as frozen polar lakes, boiling hot deep-sea vents, and even high doses of radiation, tardigrades have broadened our definition of life on Earth and diversified our search for life-forms on other planets," they write appreciatively on the way to raising other big questions--e.g., "What preceded the Big Bang?" A lively, richly illustrated celebration of scientific inquiry.

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