Behind the Scenes of the Universe: From the Higgs to Dark Matter
"The next few years will be an incredibly exciting time in the search for dark matter in the universe. In this thoroughly enjoyable book, Gianfranco Bertone brings an expert's knowledge and enthusiasm to the subject. It really brings the reader up to the cutting edge of current research."-- Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist at Caltech and author ofThe Particle at the End of the Universe"An outstanding and captivating account of our current knowledge of the material composition of our Universe, and the extraordinary efforts undertaken around the world to identify the true nature of dark matter. The book succeeds in describing timely topics in cosmology in an accessible and entertaining style, and in delivering a sense of the enormous scientific challenges in this field."-- Volker Springel, Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies"We are living in the golden age of dark matter, where thousands of scientists around the globe are furiously competing to see who will discover the secret of dark matter first. World renowned physicist Gianfranco Bertone offers a unique perspective on this hunt, clearly explaining the evidence that dark matter exists and the various methods people are using to find it. In the world's greatest ongoing reality show, Bertone is the perfect host."-- Scott Dodelson, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics"An excellent overview of the quest to understand the mysterious nature of dark matter, the dominant constituent of matter in the Universe. Bertone, a leading researcher in this field, presents a comprehensive yet concise summary of the history and current status of this puzzle. The book provides a well-written, easily accessible introduction (without equations or technical jargon) to an extremely exciting frontier at the interface between cosmology and particle physics."-- Avi Loeb, Department of Astronomy, Harvard University"Understanding the nature of the Universe is one of the most challenging tasks facing mankind, but in this book Gianfranco Bertone tackles the questions posed in a manner totally accessible to all with an interest in the area, from the layperson to the professional scientist. The reader is taken on an exciting journey through astronomy, particle astrophysics and cosmology. A book not to be missed!"-- James Hough, Institute for Gravitational Research, University of Glasgow"Bertone is an acknowledged leader in the field and does a wonderful job of bringing readers to the frontier of knowledge. He places the story not simply in the context of physics and astronomy, but also in the context of science and intellectual endeavor in general. All who are interested in what we know (and even more interesting, what we don't know!) about our place in the universe will find this book a fascinating read."-- Jonathan Feng, University of California, Irvine"This well-edited book displays great figures and photos. The numerous references in the footnotes will be useful for ambitious readers desiring original sources. ... Recommended." --Choice