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 Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries :: 0393330168
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"One of today's best popularizers of science."—Kirkus Reviews
Loyal readers of the monthly "Universe" essays in Natural History magazine have long recognized Neil deGrasse Tyson's talent for guiding them through the mysteries of the cosmos with stunning clarity and childlike enthusiasm. Here Tyson compiles his favorite essays across a myriad of cosmic topics. The title essay introduces readers to the physics of black holes by explaining just what would happen to your body if you fell into one, while "Hollywood Nights" assails Hollywood's feeble efforts to get its night skies right. Tyson is the world's best-known astrophysicist, and he's at his best here, as a natural teacher who simplifies the complexities of astrophysics while sharing his infectious excitement for our universe.Editorial Descriptions are usually submitted by the manufacturers, publishers and authors. Contact us if you are one of them, and wish to change the above description. |
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Author: Guest
Information overload! You better bring your high IQ to the table when reading this one because Tyson's constant use of astrophysics jargon will go over the head of the average reader. I could only read this book a small portion at a time because my head started hurting after 20 minutes. He did cover some very interesting topics that I have never delved into. The most interesting scientific fact in the book deals with Diet Pepsi.
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Author: Guest
Neil deGrasse Tyson is an astrophysicist with the American Museum of Natural History, where he serves at its world-famous Hayden Planetarium. Readers of Natural History magazine will be familiar with the topics covered in this book. Each of the book's 42 chapters first appeared, in one form or another, on the pages of Natural History magazine under the heading "Universe" and span the 11-year period of 1995 through 2005.
This is a great book to learn about our universe. I love the author's sense of humor. It was hilarious when he told James Cameron that he had the night sky all wrong in his movie Titanic. To this, Cameron replied, "The film, worldwide, has grossed over a billion dollars. Imagine how much more money it would have made had I gotten the night sky correct!" The author mentions other Hollywood goofs concerning our universe, like Disney's Black Hole.
Tyson takes readers on an exciting journey through space. Tyson shows how what we once believed isn't necessarily true. For example, scientists once believed that it would be impossible to go faster than the speed of sound; we would never be able to reach space; we would never walk on the moon etc... Now we say that we could never go faster than the speed of light. Will we one day? Interesting thought. What we think off as impossible is actually not impossible.
Today we know that life can survive in impossible environments. For example, in volcanoes, in Antarctica etc. So too life could survive in space.
The color of the universe is gray. What color is the sun? White? Yellow? Orange? Read the book. "If the sun were yellow, like a yellow light bulb, then white stuff such as snow would reflect this light and appear yellow."
Are there Canals on Mars built by intelligent beings? Some theories speculate that in order to survive global warming, Martians built canals from the North Pole where the icecaps are, to the much needed interior where water was scarce. Tyson explains how one could come up with such an erroneous assumption.
It is believed that Europa might have water under its surface where life could abound. After all, water was brought to our planet by asteroids and comets.
Drake's equation shows that there must be life elsewhere. We once believed that earth was the center of the universe. Now we know it is not. Why should we think we are the only intelligent beings in the universe? There are many galaxies with planets revolving around their suns. We are not unique.
The moon has a unique place in our galaxy. There are those who want to project strong laser-like light on its surface to carry advertisement on its surface. Imagine looking up at the night sky on the moon only to see a Pepsi ad projected on its surface. Others want to get rid of it by blowing it up. "It's the only way to rid the world of scorching deserts and arctic winters," says Professor Alexander Abian, a mathematician at the University of Iowa. He claims that by getting rid of the moon, the Earth will then be able to shift into a "more desirable orbit." Abian suggests strategically placed hydrogen bombs on the moon can either blow it apart, or send it careening into outer space. The change would make our weather less extreme, turn our deserts into fertile farm land, and make the north and south Polar Regions livable.
On a more scientific and acceptable proposition, NASA wants to build its telescope on the moon because, you guessed it, the moon has no light pollution.
Did you know that it would only take a few hours for a broadcast from Earth to reach Saturn? One day we may very well communicate with other civilizations scattered around our universe.
Tyson explains all the ways the cosmos wants to kill us, and had been doing so for millions of years. For example, scientists know that in a few billion years, an expanding sun will vaporize the earth, provided it's not been previously destroyed by a rogue black hole or a comet.
If there was a Big Bang, where did the elements come from? And if the universe is expanding but finite, into what is it expanding? Another universe?
What goes up does not necessarily have to come back down. Take the golf balls on the surface of the moon. They went up with Armstrong and never came back down.
The sun does not rise from the east and set in the west. Sometimes in goes in a straight line and sometimes it never sets or rises. Don't believe me? Spend your summer in the North or South Pole.
How come total solar eclipses seem rare, but actually happen every couple of years?
Did you know there is an asteroid that in 2029 will come so close to Earth that it will pass underneath some of our satellites and if its path travels through certain spot or "keyhole" by Earth, its orbit will fluctuate enough to send it on a collision course with Earth in 2037?
This is really a fun book. I found myself laughing out loud and smiling at many passages, as well as being astonished at the many revelations the author makes. This book will make you think just how small and insignificant we are in the universe. It will also make you wonder what is beyond the universe. I always wanted to be Captain Kirk and go explore the universe.
Many concepts in this book aren't simple, and prior knowledge of the universe is required to fully understand this book. And one more thing: This book is not about black holes.
Tyson reflects: "What are the lessons to be learned from this journey of the mind? That humans are emotionally fragile, perennially gullible, hopelessly ignorant masters of an insignificantly small speck in the cosmos. Have a nice day."
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Author: Guest
Alot of interesting facts, but rambles on too much. Also, very little info on black holes. "Origins" is much better book.
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Author: Guest
The book provides a pleasant review of astrophysics interspersed with attempts at humor - which themselves become funny, given their probable intended audience. The author seems to disdain intellectuals from the perspective of an intellectual and, in a probable attempt at a self-comparison with Newton's Principia, concludes with a flat promotion of a form of agnosticism - or is it denial? - to fall into the camp of chaos. The story is well written, filled with anecdotes that make for a pleasant read, an interesting insight into the manager of the Hayden Planetarium, but a disappointing ending about a squabble. I recommend "The Chilling Stars: The New Theory of Climate Change" by Henrik Svensmark as a better read of current goose bumping astrophysics.
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Author: Guest
The universe is a confounding place. The author attempts to explain science with humor in this collection of essays.We have black holes, dark matter, theories of contraction, expansion, the big bang all of them go into areas that the average person might find confusing. Neil DeGrasse Tyson's new collection of essays written between 1995 through 2005 for NATURE magazine proposes questions and answers that those without a degree in astrophysics can understand.
Tyson doesn't rest on his laurels either. These essays have been updated where appropriate to reflect new theories, changes, etc. The last section on science and Hollywood is particularly interesting (and funny). Tyson sat with James Cameron and noted to the "Titanic" director that the stars in the film were all wrong yet he got so many other facts right. He asked him simply why he couldn't also get the stars right as well. Cameron's reply, "Imagine how much more money I would have made if I had gotten the stars right!" silenced Tyson. Later, though, he got a request for the correct alignment of the stars for the special edition of "Titanic" released a couple of years back. Tyson happily complied with his request.
Tyson also tackles subjects as diverse as asteroids, to the five points of Lagrange (areas where gravity and centrifugal forces rotating systems balance. He uses an imaginative and funny analogy involving a thrill ride and vomit to make his points. He also tells us what the color of the cosmos really means. Insightful and often fun to read Tyson's book of essays look into a world that is often beyond the imagination of the average person but reminds us all why we should try and imagine it and appreciate it.
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