The Illustrated A Brief History of Time
written by Stephen Hawking
written by Stephen Hawking
The Illustrated A Brief History of Time, written by Stephen Hawking, is, fittingly, a
timeless classic in the field of cosmology. For anyone who is interested in the universe
on large scales, both in space and in time, this book is the ideal starting point. Dr.
Hawking, who holds the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics chair at the University of
Cambridge (a position once held by Isacc Newton himself), successfully addresses the
most interesting and fundamental questions in cosmology in a very readable style that
both holds the reader’s attention and stimulates the imagination.
In his book, Dr. Hawking tackles all of the big issues, universally speaking. After all,
what could be bigger than questions such as "How did the observable universe
originate?" and "What is the ultimate fate of the universe?" Or, in Professor Hawking's
own words, "Humanity's deepest desire for knowledge is justification enough for our
continuing quest. And our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the
universe we live in."
After an opening chapter discussion of scientific theory, ripe with examples from
Aristotle through Newton to Albert Einstein, A Brief History dives fully into the nature of
space and time as described by Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Not to worry. The text is
totally descriptive, risking just one formula: the well-known E=mc^2 which sets forth the
equivalence of energy (E) and mass (m), where "c" is the speed of light. This
discussion of the dynamic and interrelated nature of space and time lays the foundation
for the chapters to follow. Things continue to progress nicely with a thorough
description of our present understanding of the expanding universe, an expansion first
discovered by astronomer Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Telescope is named).
In this way, we come to understand that an expanding universe implies a smaller
universe in the past and, as we look backward, a Beginning. Then looking towards the
distant future, Dr. Hawking describes the possible alternatives, using numerous
illustrations to help bring the concepts to light.
Since Einstein's Relativity becomes unworkable at the very beginning of space and time,
Hawking next takes us into the realm of the very small - the world of Quantum
Mechanics. Here we explore the Uncertainty Principle which imposes a fundamental limit
on exactly how precisely one can measure an object's physical properties. This spells
and end to the idea of a completely deterministic universe. Quantum Mechanics
introduces us to the dual particle-wave nature of light, the four elementary forces of
nature and the classification of the building blocks of matter all the way down to the
most basic of all - the "quarks". Things tend to get a bit thorny at this point and any
reader not previously exposed to the oddities of Quantum Mechanics and the properties
of elementary particles may get a bit bogged down in the details of "spin", "virtual
particles", and "symmetry", all introduced in rapid succession. The point is that
Relativity describes gravity and the macro-scale universe and Quantum Mechanics
governs the other end of the scale. The "complete description" mentioned earlier by Dr.
Hawking is a single all-encompassing theory that explains both ends of the cosmic
spectrum - a quantum theory of gravity.
Black holes, it turns out, are a good place to explore the properties of a possible
quantum theory of gravity. And so A Brief History moves into the life cycles of stars,
stellar collapse, black hole formation and the physical effects of falling into a back hole,
while along the way highlighting the contributions of several of the pioneers in this
aspect of cosmology. Hawking then describes his own theories on black hole radiation
and evaporation while providing a primer on thermodynamics. We learn that black
holes are not completely black after all. Rather, quantum mechanical effects allow
radiation to "leak" away over time.
Having provided a great deal of foundational material, the final chapters of the book
deal with the big questions surrounding the origin and, ultimately, the fate of the
universe. Here we find a detailed and nicely illustrated description of the generally
accepted "big bang" model of the evolution of the universe beginning from the smallest
fraction of a second outward in time to today's observable universe. This leads into an
intriguing discussion of why the universe appears to be so finely tuned to support
intelligent beings such as ourselves, mixing philosophy and science and, of course,
touching upon the "anthropic" principles and the role of a Divine Creator. Subsequent
modifications to the original "big bang" theory, known as "inflationary" theories attempt
to show how today's universe could have arisen without being carefully "fine-tuned" at
the start. The "inflation" in these theories refers to a very brief period of extremely rapid
expansion in the early moments of the universe. But, as Hawking describes, to realize a
complete understanding leads us around again to that elusive comprehensive unified
theory that combines gravity and quantum mechanics. He goes on to describe some of
the features that such a theory ought to contain, ultimately presenting a case for a
universe that may be completely self-contained in both space and time, having no
boundaries along either aspect (space or time), and thus no beginning and no end.
In further support of the self-contained universe with no boundaries in space or time,
Hawking explores the "arrows of time". He presents arguments that the direction of the
flow of time, as defined by a thermodynamic arrow, a psychological arrow and a
cosmological arrow are all consistent with his theory of the self-contained universe.
This leads into a chapter exploring the possibilities and consequences of time travel and
travel through space and time via "wormholes" or bridges connecting one place in
space-time with another.
Our journey with Professor Hawking concludes with a return to the main theme of the
book, the search for a single theory which describes all the forces of nature, within the
context of Quantum Mechanics, and which predicts the values of the fundamental
quantities found in nature. Here we delve into "string theory", the current best available
candidate for this grand unifying theory of the universe. When it is all said and done,
Hawking acknowledges, the unified theory is "... just a set of rules and equations. What
is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?
Why does the universe go to all the bother of exsisting?" The reader is left to search
elsewhere for the answers to these profound questions, for even the brilliant Hawking
cannot provide the answers, at least not at this moment in the history of time.
Prologue: Since A Brief History was written, new observations and data now suggest
that our universe is expanding at an increasing rate, a phenomenon attributed to "dark
energy", a sort of anti-gravity repulsive force. This, of course, has added yet a new
twist to the search for the ultimate theory and is causing scientists to revisit areas of
cosmology that were previously thought to be well understood.
Overall Rating: A
The Illustrated Brief History of Time (Hardcover/248 pages) will make
an excellent gift for anyone interested in science, cosmology,
astronomy,etc. Retail price $39.95. Available on-line at
BarnesandNoble.com for $27.96. Paperback 10th anniversary edition
also available.
timeless classic in the field of cosmology. For anyone who is interested in the universe
on large scales, both in space and in time, this book is the ideal starting point. Dr.
Hawking, who holds the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics chair at the University of
Cambridge (a position once held by Isacc Newton himself), successfully addresses the
most interesting and fundamental questions in cosmology in a very readable style that
both holds the reader’s attention and stimulates the imagination.
In his book, Dr. Hawking tackles all of the big issues, universally speaking. After all,
what could be bigger than questions such as "How did the observable universe
originate?" and "What is the ultimate fate of the universe?" Or, in Professor Hawking's
own words, "Humanity's deepest desire for knowledge is justification enough for our
continuing quest. And our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the
universe we live in."
After an opening chapter discussion of scientific theory, ripe with examples from
Aristotle through Newton to Albert Einstein, A Brief History dives fully into the nature of
space and time as described by Einstein's Theory of Relativity. Not to worry. The text is
totally descriptive, risking just one formula: the well-known E=mc^2 which sets forth the
equivalence of energy (E) and mass (m), where "c" is the speed of light. This
discussion of the dynamic and interrelated nature of space and time lays the foundation
for the chapters to follow. Things continue to progress nicely with a thorough
description of our present understanding of the expanding universe, an expansion first
discovered by astronomer Edwin Hubble (after whom the Hubble Telescope is named).
In this way, we come to understand that an expanding universe implies a smaller
universe in the past and, as we look backward, a Beginning. Then looking towards the
distant future, Dr. Hawking describes the possible alternatives, using numerous
illustrations to help bring the concepts to light.
Since Einstein's Relativity becomes unworkable at the very beginning of space and time,
Hawking next takes us into the realm of the very small - the world of Quantum
Mechanics. Here we explore the Uncertainty Principle which imposes a fundamental limit
on exactly how precisely one can measure an object's physical properties. This spells
and end to the idea of a completely deterministic universe. Quantum Mechanics
introduces us to the dual particle-wave nature of light, the four elementary forces of
nature and the classification of the building blocks of matter all the way down to the
most basic of all - the "quarks". Things tend to get a bit thorny at this point and any
reader not previously exposed to the oddities of Quantum Mechanics and the properties
of elementary particles may get a bit bogged down in the details of "spin", "virtual
particles", and "symmetry", all introduced in rapid succession. The point is that
Relativity describes gravity and the macro-scale universe and Quantum Mechanics
governs the other end of the scale. The "complete description" mentioned earlier by Dr.
Hawking is a single all-encompassing theory that explains both ends of the cosmic
spectrum - a quantum theory of gravity.
Black holes, it turns out, are a good place to explore the properties of a possible
quantum theory of gravity. And so A Brief History moves into the life cycles of stars,
stellar collapse, black hole formation and the physical effects of falling into a back hole,
while along the way highlighting the contributions of several of the pioneers in this
aspect of cosmology. Hawking then describes his own theories on black hole radiation
and evaporation while providing a primer on thermodynamics. We learn that black
holes are not completely black after all. Rather, quantum mechanical effects allow
radiation to "leak" away over time.
Having provided a great deal of foundational material, the final chapters of the book
deal with the big questions surrounding the origin and, ultimately, the fate of the
universe. Here we find a detailed and nicely illustrated description of the generally
accepted "big bang" model of the evolution of the universe beginning from the smallest
fraction of a second outward in time to today's observable universe. This leads into an
intriguing discussion of why the universe appears to be so finely tuned to support
intelligent beings such as ourselves, mixing philosophy and science and, of course,
touching upon the "anthropic" principles and the role of a Divine Creator. Subsequent
modifications to the original "big bang" theory, known as "inflationary" theories attempt
to show how today's universe could have arisen without being carefully "fine-tuned" at
the start. The "inflation" in these theories refers to a very brief period of extremely rapid
expansion in the early moments of the universe. But, as Hawking describes, to realize a
complete understanding leads us around again to that elusive comprehensive unified
theory that combines gravity and quantum mechanics. He goes on to describe some of
the features that such a theory ought to contain, ultimately presenting a case for a
universe that may be completely self-contained in both space and time, having no
boundaries along either aspect (space or time), and thus no beginning and no end.
In further support of the self-contained universe with no boundaries in space or time,
Hawking explores the "arrows of time". He presents arguments that the direction of the
flow of time, as defined by a thermodynamic arrow, a psychological arrow and a
cosmological arrow are all consistent with his theory of the self-contained universe.
This leads into a chapter exploring the possibilities and consequences of time travel and
travel through space and time via "wormholes" or bridges connecting one place in
space-time with another.
Our journey with Professor Hawking concludes with a return to the main theme of the
book, the search for a single theory which describes all the forces of nature, within the
context of Quantum Mechanics, and which predicts the values of the fundamental
quantities found in nature. Here we delve into "string theory", the current best available
candidate for this grand unifying theory of the universe. When it is all said and done,
Hawking acknowledges, the unified theory is "... just a set of rules and equations. What
is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe?
Why does the universe go to all the bother of exsisting?" The reader is left to search
elsewhere for the answers to these profound questions, for even the brilliant Hawking
cannot provide the answers, at least not at this moment in the history of time.
Prologue: Since A Brief History was written, new observations and data now suggest
that our universe is expanding at an increasing rate, a phenomenon attributed to "dark
energy", a sort of anti-gravity repulsive force. This, of course, has added yet a new
twist to the search for the ultimate theory and is causing scientists to revisit areas of
cosmology that were previously thought to be well understood.
Overall Rating: A
The Illustrated Brief History of Time (Hardcover/248 pages) will make
an excellent gift for anyone interested in science, cosmology,
astronomy,etc. Retail price $39.95. Available on-line at
BarnesandNoble.com for $27.96. Paperback 10th anniversary edition
also available.
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