Universe Down to Earth
The formulas of astrophysics speak only to those well versed in higher mathematics, but Tyson successfully translates the fundamental meaning of scientific models of the cosmos into language comprehensible to general readers. Whether explaining how to do naked-eye astronomy or how to decode the Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, the author brings clarity, literary allusiveness, and unpredictable humor to his subject. Breakthroughs of theorists from Newton to Einstein receive simplified and illustrated treatment, complete with helpful analogies drawn from everyday experiences with toys, pets, and food. (A falling cat, for example, becomes a remarkably clear object lesson in angular momentum.) As they reflect upon the shape of the cosmos or upon the chemistry of carbon, readers are invited to ponder the nature of the scientific enterprise itself. Though not for specialists, this book will attract numerous readers seeking to understand the imaginative and cultural significance of science.Bryce Christensen--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.