Libros de Divulgación científica, página 34 de 157

Stephen Hawking es el físico teórico más brillante desde Einstein. Además de ser el mayor genio científico vivo, es un autor de gran éxito que ha puesto al alcance del común de los mortales los temas mas complejos. Este libro ofrece una introduccion rapida a este excepcional hombre: una biografia del tamaño de un quark que divide la vida de Hawking en tres raciones que se presentan a modo de banquete de facil digestion. Conviertase en un experto en los puntos clave de la vida y la obra de Hawking, incluyendo su activa defensa en cuestiones politicas y sociales, en un espacio de tiempo muy breve. Al igual que Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking se ha convertido en icono de la ciencia y es conocido por millones de personas que no saben nada o muy poco del trabajo que realiza. La imagen de una mente brillante atrapada en un cuerpo defectuoso ha fomentado la fascinacion por el como hombre, aunque los temas que estudia, como los agujeros negros, el origen del universo y el final del tiempo, son fascinantes de por si. Este libro presenta una imagen de un cientifico con el que todo el mundo puede sentirse identificado, y al que se admira por el modo en que ha superado sus limitaciones fisicas. Estas paginas, que incluyen la vida, las teorias y la influencia de este gran hombre, invitan a todo el mundo a ser participe de la magia de la ciencia en las fronteras del conocimiento. [...]Mi objetivo es sencillo. Se trata de la comprension total del universo: por que es como es y a que debe su existencia [...]Stephen Hawking

Monogràfics: El gen festiu Antonio Ariño, Pedro García Enrique Gil Calvo Francesc Viadel Gil-Manuel Hernàndez Salvador Rodríguez Becerra Àlvar Monferrer Piercarlo Grimaldi Ignazio E. Buttitt

Puede un sistema comprenderse a sí mismo ? Si esta pregunta se refiere a la mente humana, entonces nos encontramos ante una cuestión clave del pensamiento científico. Y de la filosofía. Y del arte. Investigar este misterio es una aventura que recorre la matematica, la fisica, la biologia, la psicologia y muy especialmente, el lenguaje. Douglas R. Hofstadter, joven y ya celebre cientifico, nos abre la puerta del enigma con la belleza y la alegria creadora de su estilo. Sorprendentes paralelismos ocultos entre los grabados de Escher y la musica de Bach nos remiten a las paradojas clasicas de los antiguos griegos y a un teorema de la logica matematica moderna que ha estremecido el pensamiento del siglo XX : el de Kurt Godel. Todo lenguaje, todo sistema formal, todo programa de ordenador, todo proceso de pensamiento, llegan, tarde o temprano, a la situacion limite de la autorreferencia : de querer expresarse sobre si mismos. Surge entonces la emocion del infinito, como dos espejos enfrentados y obligados a reflejarse mutua e indefinidamente. Godel, Escher, Bach : un Eterno y Gracil Bucle, es una obra de arte escrita por un sabio. Versa sobre los misterios del pensamiento e incluye, ella misma, sus propios misterios. Por ello su traduccion ha supuesto tambien una larga, azarosa y laboriosa aventura que el propio autor ha vivido y que relata en un prologo especialmente escrito para esta version española.

El Gobierno de Canarias continua con esta obra, la serie de publicaciones dedicadas a las biografías de importantes científicos canarios.

Neste novo livro, que tem sido recebido por cientistas e artistas com as críticas mais calorosas e elogiosas, o neurologista e humanista António Damásio confronta o mistério da consciência. Como é qu

La búsqueda de una mayor comprensión de la esencia y de los mecanismos que rigen a las emociones humanas, llevó a la Fundación Santander a reunir a grandes expertos en estos aspectos en el ´´ultimo c

El hombre siempre busca realidades no exploradas, horizontes desconocidos; y a esa búsqueda ha dedicado sus esfuerzos y su ingenio. Sin este afán, no hubiera progresado. La historia de la ciencia es en gran parte la historia del avance de la humanidad. Por eso, es preciso conocerla en sus lineas basicas, y no permanecer al margen. Ciertamente, no resulta facil escribir una Historia sencilla de la ciencia. La ciencia es maravillosa, pero no es sencilla. Y, sin embargo, muchas personas tienen interes y curiosidad por saber como se ha desarrollado hasta alcanzar los niveles actuales. Esa lucha, llena de esfuerzos y de emocion, es una gran aventura. Este libro trata de recordarla en toda su grandeza, y pensando en un numero grande de lectores que no tienen por que ser cientificos. Busquemos en sus paginas la mejor explicacion con la maxima sencillez. Jose Luis Comellas es Catedratico, Profesor Emerito de la Universidad de Sevilla y uno de nuestros mas prestigiosos historiadores. Conocido sobre todo por sus obras de Historia Moderna y Contemporanea, en Rialp ha publicado entre otros: Historia de España Moderna y Contemporanea; Historia breve del Mundo contemporaneo; e Historia breve del Mundo reciente. Es tambien uno de los mas reconocidos divulgadores de temas astronomico

El diàleg entre ciència i religió és una frontera del coneixement especialment activa en l’actualitat. En un temps en què l’avenç científic i tecnològic obre noves perspectives en la manera de perceb

¿Qué sucedió antes del Big Bang? ¿Existió un «instante cero» que marcó el comienzo del tiempo y del espacio? ¿Cómo se creó el Universo? Desde los comienzos del siglo XX, los teóricos –desde Planck a

La Partícula Divina es el bosón de Higos, «tan fundamental para la física de nuestros días ?nos dice el autor?, tan crucial para el conocimiento final de la estructura de la materia y, sin embargo, t

Pompeyo Gener (Barcelona, 1848-1920) fue escritor, científico y políglota. Difusor del darwinismo y del positivismo. Estudió Farmacia y Ciencias Naturales y obtuvo el título de doctor por la Universidad de Madrid. Alcanzo la fama con La muerte y el diablo (1880), libro escrito en frances ?la version en español apareceria cuatro años mas tarde? que merecio el rechazo de unos y el reconocimiento de otros por arremeter contra la monarquia absoluta, la escolastica, el neoclasicismo y por poner en tela de juicio el viejo metodo cientifico utilizado por los naturalistas. Pasion y muerte de Miguel Servet es un buen ejemplo para explicar el genero de la Novela Historica, actualmente tan degenerado y tan saturado de mentiras y banalidades escritas en formato best-seller. Esta novela historica o historia novelada no inventa nada, sino que traza una historia verdadera a partir de una labor de estudio, trabajo e investigacion de los hechos historicos. Es en palabras del propio autor una verdadera historia romantica, un gran drama que reconstruye los ultimos meses de la vida de Miguel Servet, el mas famoso medico del Renacimiento que descubrio la circulacion de la sangre y que, considerado un hereje por Calvino y sus secuaces, fue quemado injustamente en la pira, privando al mundo de uno de los mas grandes genios. P...

Desde los albores de la civilización, las medidas han definido la sociedad, el gobierno y el progreso. Delimitar tierras, sembrar cosechas, erigir palacios, comerciar, gravar con impuestos, establecer registros y celebrar festividades son actividades que exigian que la longitud, el area, el volumen, el angulo, el peso, el valor monetario, la lengua y el tiempo fuesen cuantificados y sistematizados. Nos guste o no, nuestras vidas estan reguladas en casi todos los aspectos por medio de examenes, tipos de interes, prescripciones de farmacos y encuestas de opinion. Metrum ofrece por primera vez una perspectiva de conjunto plenamente ilustrada sobre el tema. Este libro amplio y cada vez mas necesario explica las ideas que subyacen tras las unidades de medida y los instrumentos de medicion, y muestra como unas y otros se aplican tanto al universo fisico (los electrones, la Tierra, las estrellas...) como al cuerpo humano y la mente. En parte una historia fascinante y en parte ciencia de vanguardia, la presente obra explora todo lo mensurable, desde la temperatura, los terremotos y la radioactividad hasta la musica, la sangre y los comportamientos sociales, asi como los origenes del sistema metrico en la Revolucion Francesa. A traves de sus paginas el lector se vera transportado desde las imagenes de galaxias en el limite del universo conocido obtenidas con el telescopio espacial Hubble hasta las pruebas de inteligencia que nos aproximan a los espacios mas ocultos de la mente.

In this groundbreaking book, Dr Louann Brizendine describes the uniquely flexible structure of the female brain and its constant, dynamic state of change - the key difference that separates it from that of the male - and reveals how women think, what they value, how they communicate, and whom they'll love. She also reveals the neurological explanations behind why: a woman remembers fights that a man insists never happened; thoughts about sex enter a woman's brain perhaps once every couple of days, but may enter a man's brain up to once every minute; a woman's brain goes on high alert during pregnancy - and stays that way long after giving birth; a woman over 50 is more likely to initiate divorce than a man; women tend to know what people are feeling, while men can't spot an emotion unless someone cries or threatens them with bodily harm! Accessible, fun and compelling, and based on more than three decades of research, "The Female Brain" will help women to better understand themselves - and the men in their lives.

Nacido cerca de Pisa en 1564, Galileo Galilei vivió en Florencia de joven y retornó a ella en 1610 (bajo el mecenazgo de los Médici) tras residir en Venecia, Pisa y Padua. Murió en 1642 en Ancetri. Galileo se mostro partidario de las ideas de Nicolas Copernico (1473-1543), que defendian la teoria de que los planetas (incluyendo la Tierra) giraban alrededor del sol. Ello cuestionaba las tesis geocentricas imperantes en esa epoca, basadas en la obra de Tolomeo (siglo II d. de C.) que postulaban que el Universo giraba en torno a una Tierra estatica, de la cual era su elemento central. Tras la publicacion en 1632 de su Dialogo sopra i due massimi sistema del mondo, Galileo fue procesado por la Inquisicion por herejia y obligado a abjurar de la teoria heliocentrica el 22 de junio de 1633, en el centro de Roma, en el convento de Santa Maria sopra Minerva. Si existe un hecho que pueda considerarse epitome del enfrentamiento entre astronomos y teologos con motivo de la estructura del Universo, es el proceso incoado contra Galileo en union a la sentencia que recayo sobre el. A este hombre, cuyas observaciones con su recien inventado telescopio sirvieron para confirmar muchos de los puntos de la teoria copernicana y que se habia declarado abiertamente defensor de la vision heliocentrica, se le habia exigido durante años en nombre de su Santidad el Papa y de toda la congregacion del Santo Oficio, que abandonara completamente la idea de que el Sol es el centro del mundo y que permanece inmovil, mientras que la Tierra se mueve. Defendiendo a ultranza la teoria de Copernico segun la cual la Tierra gira alrededor del Sol, una idea contraria a las Sagradas Escrituras por la que otros murieron en el pasado, Galileo se enfrento a un terrible dilema: defender la verdad y perder la vida por ella, o mentir para salvarla y pagar con la paz de su esp&

El objetivo del libro es contribuir al conocimiento de algunas claves y lógicas que han condicionado el desarrollo científico y tecnológico de América Latina en los últimos treinta años. En la primera parte, se tratan temas transversales desde una perspectiva regional, como la formación de investigadores, la estructura de las comunidades científicas, las migraciones científicas, la vinculación público-privado y el impacto social del desarrollo científico. En la segunda, se han analizado los casos de algunos países representativos, como Argentina, Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, México y Venezuela, que constituyen buenos ejemplos para aprovechar las lecciones aprendidas.

Treize années durant, chaque jeudi après-midi, l''Académie française m''a offert le privilège d''avoir comme voisin le Prix Nobel de médecine, François Jacob. Comme deux potaches, nous bavardions. M

A book which gives scientific proof of the paranormal Psychic activity remote viewing the power of prayer and homeopathy are all discussed in this book which The Ecologist called one of the most thought provoking reads of the year and which has already gained a almost cult following Sales Handles A highly readable scientific detective story which reveals how the Field a vast cobweb of energy connecting everything in the universe past and present is responsible for many of the most profound human mysteriesHow psychics can read the future and the past how remote viewing works and how such techniques have been used by the CIA how energy healing works why homeopathy works and all sorts of other mysteries are explored by the frontier scientists Lynne McTaggart has interviewed

From cyborgs starships UFOs aliens and antimatter to telepathy invisibility psychokinesis and precognition Michio Kaku s Physics of the Impossible is an exciting look at how science fiction could soon become science fact Albert Einstein said If at first an idea does not sound absurd there is no hope for it Physics of the Impossible shows how our most far fetched ideas today from Star Trek s phasers and teleportation to time travel as envisioned by Back to the Future are destined to become tomorrow s reality Michio Kaku bestselling science author and one of the world s most acclaimed physicists looks at the technologies of the future and explains what s just around the corner what we might have to wait a few millennia to get our hands on and how surprisingly little of it is truly impossible A brilliant provocative freewheeling tour around the exotic shores of physics Independent A rich compendium of jaw dropping reality checks The Times One of the world s most distinguished physicists takes the reader on a journey to the frontiers of science and beyond Guardian After reading Kaku s boundless enthusiasm for the future what you wouldn t give for a real life time machine to travel forwards and see just how accurate his pr

Everything you ve always wanted to know about poisons but have been too afraid to ask

For all the selfishness of genes they team up to survive Is the history of life in fact a story of cooperation Amid the violence and brutality that dominates the news it s hard to think of ourselves as team players But cooperation Jonathan Silvertown argues is a fundamental part of our make up and deeply woven into the whole four billion year history of life Starting with human society Silvertown digs deeper to show how cooperation is key to the cells forming our organs to symbiosis between organisms to genes that band together to the dawn of life itself Cooperation has enabled life to thrive and become complex Without it life would never have begun

The incredible story of Joep Lange s life and his unrelenting quest to end the HIV epidemic When Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 was shot down by pro Russian rebels in July 2014 the world wondered if a cure for HIV had fallen from the sky and disappeared among the burning debris Seated in the plane s business class cabin was Joseph Lange better known as Joep a shrewd Dutch doctor who had revolutionized the world of HIV and AIDS and was working on a cure Dr Lange graduated from medical school in 1981 right as a new plague swept across the globe His story became intertwined with the story of HIV At once a physician scientist AIDS activist and medical diplomat Lange studied ways to battle HIV and prevent its spread from mother to child Fighting the injustices of poverty Lange advocated for better access to health care for the poor and the vulnerable He championed the drug cocktail that finally helped rein in the disease and was a vocal proponent of prophylactic treatment for those most at risk of contracting HIV The Impatient Dr Lange is the story of one man s struggle against a global pandemic and the tragic attack that may have slowed down the search for a cure Seema Yasmin charts the course of the HIV epidemic and Dr Lange s career as a young doctor

Thrilling Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall Authoritative and furious urgent and persuasive Sunday Times Compelling Roberts is that precious pearl a practising scientist who not only knows his field inside out but also understands how to write Guardian Oceans are the most mysterious places on earth Their depths remain largely unexplored yet ninety five percent of the planet s habitable space lies within them And now the life they support is in the balance Callum Roberts uses his lifetime s experience working with the oceans to take us on a panoramic tour beneath the seas exploring the richness of life in the deep and how it has altered over the centuries He shows the catastrophic impact of humanity on the oceans but also how we can restore them to life For anyone who loves the sea Ocean of Life is a wake up call an urgent alert Daily Mail At the heart of this book is a deep love of the ocean and a profound concern for its viability as a resource for us all Nature An impressive history one of this book s strengths is the many solutions Roberts outlines Financial Times

A dazzling passionate polemic against anti science movements of all kinds Cover note Each copy of the new edition of Unweaving the Rainbow features a unique wavelength pattern No two covers are exactly alike Keats accused Newton of destroying the poetry of the rainbow by explaining the origin of its colours In this illuminating and provocative book Richard Dawkins argues that Keats could not have been more mistaken and shows how an understanding of science enhances our wonder of the world He argues that mysteries do not lose their poetry because they are solved the solution is often more beautiful than the puzzle uncovering even deeper mysteries Dawkins takes up the most important and compelling topics in modern science from astronomy and genetics to language and virtual reality combining them in a landmark statement on the human appetite for wonder Cover note Each copy of the new edition of Unweaving the Rainbow features a unique wavelength pattern No two covers are exactly alike

Seventy years ago Erwin Schrodinger posed a profound question What is life and how did it emerge from non life This problem has puzzled biologists and physical scientists ever since Living things are hugely complex and have unique properties such as self maintenance and apparently purposeful behaviour which we do not see in inert matter So how does chemistry give rise to biology What could have led the first replicating molecules up such a path Now developments in the emerging field of systems chemistry are unlocking the problem Addy Pross shows how the different kind of stability that operates among replicating molecules results in a tendency for chemical systems to become more complex and acquire the properties of life Strikingly he demonstrates that Darwinian evolution is the biological expression of a deeper well defined chemical concept the whole story from replicating molecules to complex life is one continuous process governed by an underlying physical principle The gulf between biology and the physical sciences is finally becoming bridged This new edition includes an Epilogue describing developments in the concepts of fundamental forms of stability discussed in the book and their profound implications Oxford Landmark Science books are

This award winning science book uses the latest findings from neuroscience research and brain imaging technology to take you on a journey into the human brain CGI artworks and brain MRI scans reveal the brain s anatomy in unprecedented detail Step by step sequences unravel and simplify the complex processes of brain function such as how nerves transmit signals how memories are laid down and recalled and how we register emotions The book answers fundamental and compelling questions about the brain what does it means to be conscious what happens when we re asleep and are the brains of men and women different Written by award winning author Rita Carter this is an accessible and authoritative reference book to a fascinating part of the human body Thanks to improvements in scanning technology our understanding of the brain is changing fast Now in its third edition the Brain Book provides an up to date guide to one of science s most exciting frontiers With its coverage of over 50 brain related diseases and disorders from strokes to brain tumours and schizophrenia it is also an essential manual for students and healthcare professionals

From racing wind up cars to making music with a homemade guitar Science Lab will excite and inspire curious young minds Science Lab is packed with 25 exciting STEM activities perfect for firing up kids imaginations Explore and discover beautifully illustrated science activities with an easy to follow guide that will explain how science technology engineering and maths shape the world around us A perfect balance between education and fun Science Lab teaches young readers through each experiment describing the science behind it and providing engaging STEM facts The richly illustrated activities promote further thinking by suggested Test and Tweak notes Encourage young readers to take their projects to the next level while furthering their understanding of the science behind it Each activity has its own How It Works section covering STEM principles to help young minds understand answers to their science curiosity exercising cognitive thinking and problem solving skills Learn The Science Behind 25 Amazing Projects Science activities for kids that can be done at home Leap into the exciting world of STEM where Science Technology Engineering and Maths combine in 25 fun and easy to do projects Science Lab teaches young readers how to make impressive i

Physics 100 Ideas in 100 Words offers the essential facts at your fingertips satisfying your scientific curiosity and helping you to understand the biggest concepts in physics in concise 100 word summaries One of the first titles in a cutting edge new series created in partnership with The Science Museum this book introduces 100 key areas of physics such as gravitational fields momentum general relativity and quantum uncertainty and explains each topic in just 100 words Perfect for getting your head around big ideas clearly and quickly or refreshing your memory of the fundamentals of physics this book covers the most up to date terms and theories and inspires a heightened level of understanding and enjoyment to the core areas of physics explored in The Science Museum

HERE ARE MANY MANY THINGS THAT NOBODY KNOWS Why are so many giraffes gay Has human evolution stopped Where did our alphabet come from Can robots become self aware Can lobsters recognize other lobsters by sight What goes on inside a black hole Are cell phones bad for us Why can t we remember anything from our earliest years Full of the mysteries of life the universe and everything The Things that Nobody Knows is a fascinating and unputdownable exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet its history and culture and the universe beyond

From electromagnetism to dark matter this eye catching hardback guide explores the fascinating world of physics through its 50 essential ideas brought to life with full colour graphics illuminating diagrams and engaging feature boxes Physics forms the basis of our understanding of the fundamental nature of the universe from the particles that make up matter to the forces that govern their interactions In this beautifully illustrated book Robert Snedden introduces you to the fascinating world of physics and its greatest practitioners Ranging from gravity to thermodynamics to quantum physics and relativity and featuring ideas from such esteemed physicists as Isaac Newton James Clerk Maxwell and Albert Einstein this essential guide will bring you up to speed on the core themes and theories of this great subject ABOUT THE SERIES The 50 Essential Ideas series brings together entertaining highly visual guides to different disciplines from philosophy to physics It explores the subject s 50 greatest ideas giving readers an accessible overview of its defining theories and breakthroughs

Look up The Art of Stargazing is the ultimate insider s guide to the night sky in which award winning space scientist and The Sky at Night presenter Dr Maggie Aderin Pocock shares her expertise and unique insights into the marvellous world of stars Take a tour of the 88 constellations and explore the science history culture and romanticism behind these celestial bodies In this must have handbook for budding stargazers and anyone looking for a little more wonder in their lives Maggie will help you to identify stars and teach you the basics of naked eye observation offering fascinating facts plus advice on kit dark sky locations and much more Also included are beautiful illustrations to accompany each constellation and an easy to read sky map With Maggie by your side the night sky will truly come alive

100 years ago Einstein s theory of relativity shattered the world of physics Our comforting Newtonian ideas of space and time were replaced by bizarre and counterintuitive conclusions if you move at high speed time slows down space squashes up and you get heavier travel fast enough and you could weigh as much as a jumbo jet be squashed thinner than a CD without feeling a thing and live for ever And that was just the Special Theory With the General Theory came even stranger ideas of curved space time and changed our understanding of gravity and the cosmos This authoritative and entertaining Very Short Introduction makes the theory of relativity accessible and understandable Using very little mathematics Russell Stannard explains the important concepts of relativity from E mc2 to black holes and explores the theory s impact on science and on our understanding of the universe ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable

This sumptuously illustrated celebration of Hawking s life captures perfectly its depth and breadth Marcus Chown A behind the scenes tour of the inner sanctum of one of the world s most prominent scientific thinkers In 2021 the Science Museum made a once in a lifetime acquisition of the contents of Stephen Hawking s office This book delves into that remarkable collection using the seminal papers items and curiosities in his office to explain his theories and reveal more about one of the greatest minds in modern science It s an unprecedented glimpse into the life of the best known scientist of modern times In this unique book Roger Highfield s clear expositions of Stephen Hawking s ideas are supplemented by fascinating illustrations that convey how he lived and worked It s a beautifully presented celebration of Stephen s amazing life how his insights and discoveries were achieved against heavy odds Martin Rees Baron Rees of Ludlow and Astronomer Royal

At the beginning of the 21st century physics is being driven to very unfamiliar territory the domain of the incredibly small and the incredibly heavy The new world is a world in which both quantum mechanics and gravity are equally important But mysteries remain One of the biggest involved black holes Famed physicist Stephen Hawking claimed that anything sucked in a black hole was lost forever For three decades Leonard Susskind and Hawking clashed over the answer to this problem Finally in 2004 Hawking conceded THE BLACK HOLE WAR will explain the mind blowing science that finally won out and the emergence of a new paradigm that argues that the world your home your breakfast you is actually a hologram projected from the edges of space

THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER Richard Dawkins author of The Selfish Gene The Blind Watchmaker and The God Delusion is one of science s greatest communicators This anthology of more than forty pieces is a kaleidoscopic argument for the power and the glory of science Breathtaking brilliant and passionate these essays journalism lectures and letters make an unanswerable case for the wonder of scientific discovery and its power to stir the imagination for the practical necessity of scientific endeavour to society and for the importance of the scientific way of thinking particularly in today s post truth world With an introduction and new commentary by the author subjects range from evolution and Darwinian natural selection to the role of scientist as prophet whether science is itself a religion the probability of alien life in other worlds and the beauties cruelties and oddities of earthly life in this one Alongside the explications the celebrations and the controversies are wonderfully funny ventures into satire and parody and moving personal reflections in memory and honour of others Science in the Soul is a sparkling showcase for Professor Dawkins rapier wit the clarity precision and vigour he brings to an argument the beauty of his pro

From the sudden expansion of a cloud of gas or the cooling of a hot metal to the unfolding of a thought in our minds and even the course of life itself everything is governed by the four Laws of Thermodynamics These laws specify the nature of energy and temperature and are soon revealed to reach out and define the arrow of time itself why things change and why death must come In this Very Short Introduction Peter Atkins explains the basis and deeper implications of each law highlighting their relevance in everyday examples Using the minimum of mathematics he introduces concepts such as entropy free energy and to the brink and beyond of the absolute zero temperature These are not merely abstract ideas they govern our lives In this concise and compelling introduction Atkins paints a lucid picture of the four elegant laws that between them drive the Universe ABOUT THE SERIES The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area These pocket sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly Our expert authors combine facts analysis perspective new ideas and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable

Brilliant You won t find a clearer more engaging guide to what we know or would like to know about the universe and how it is put together Bill Bryson Celebrated physicist and global bestselling author Paul Davies tells the story of the universe in thirty cosmological conundrums In the constellation of Eridanus there lurks a cosmic mystery It s as if something has taken a huge bite out of the universe leaving a super void What could be the culprit A super massive black hole Another bigger universe Or an expanding vacuum bubble destined to envelop and annihilate everything in existence Scientists now understand the history of our universe better than the history of our own planet but they continue to uncover startling new riddles the hole in the universe being just one In this electrifying book award winning physicist Paul Davies walks us through the puzzles and paradoxes that have preoccupied cosmologists from ancient Greece to the present day Laying bare the audacious research that has led us to mind bending solutions Davies reveals how we might begin to approach the greatest outstanding enigmas of all