Marcia Bartusiak

The contentious history of the idea of the black hole--the most fascinating and bizarre celestial object in the heavens For more than half a century, physicists and astronomers engaged in heated dispute over the possibility of black holes in the universe. The weirdly alien notion of a space-time abyss from which nothing escapes--not even light--seemed to confound all logic. This engrossing book tells the story of the fierce black hole debates and the contributions of Einstein and Hawking and other leading thinkers who completely altered our view of the universe. Renowned science writer Marcia Bartusiak shows how the black hole helped revive Einstein's greatest achievement, the general theory of relativity, after decades during which it had been pushed into the shadows. Not until astronomers discovered such surprising new phenomena as neutron stars and black holes did the once-sedate universe transform into an Einsteinian cosmos, filled with sources of titanic energy that can be understood only in the light of relativity. This book celebrates the hundredth anniversary of general relativity, uncovers how the black hole really got its name, and recounts the scientists' frustrating, exhilarating, and at times humorous battles over the acceptance of one of history's most dazzling ideas.

How an Idea Abandoned by Newtonians, Hated by Einstein, and Gambled on by Hawking Became Loved

Black Hole

From one of the most acclaimed science writers comes a dramatic narrative of the discovery of the true nature and startling size of the universe, delving into the decades of work--by a select group of scientists--that made it possible.

The day we found the universe

An award-winning science writer presents a captivating collection of cosmological essays for the armchair astronomer The galaxy, the multiverse, and the history of astronomy are explored in this engaging compilation of cosmological tales by multiple-award-winning science writer Marcia Bartusiak. In thirty-two concise and engrossing essays, the author provides a deeper understanding of the nature of the universe and those who strive to uncover its mysteries. Bartusiak shares the back stories for many momentous astronomical discoveries, including the contributions of such pioneers as Beatrice Tinsley, with her groundbreaking research in galactic evolution, and Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the scientist who first discovered radio pulsars. An endlessly fascinating collection that you can dip into in any order, these pieces will transport you to ancient Mars, when water flowed freely across its surface; to the collision of two black holes, a cosmological event that released fifty times more energy than was radiating from every star in the universe; and to the beginning of time itself.

Thirty-Two (Brief) Tales on the Solar System, the Milky Way, and Beyond

Dispatches from Planet 3

Listening to the Sounds of Space-Time

Einstein's Unfinished Symphony

Looks at the discovery of the true nature and immense size of the universe, tracing the decades of work done by a select group of scientists to make it possible.

The Day We Found the Universe

From the history of the science to the cutting edge of knowledge and technology, the story of modern astrophysics is told through interviews with and profiles of leading scientists and theoreticians.

Thursday's Universe

Explores the phenomenon of "dark matter," surveying speculation on this intriguing mystery throughout history and discussing contemporary theories

A Cosmic Tale of Ancient Ethers, Dark Matter, and the Fate of the Universe

Through a Universe Darkly

An unparalleled history of astronomy presented in the words of the scientists who made the discoveries. Here are the writings of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler, Newton, Halley, Hubble, and Einstein, as well as that of dozens of others who have significantly contributed to our picture of the universe. From Aristotle's proof that the Earth is round to the 1998 paper that posited an accelerating universe, this book contains 100 entries spanning the history of astronomy. Award-winning science writer Marcia Bartusiak provides enormously entertaining introductions, putting the material in context and explaining its place in the literature. Archives of the Universe is essential reading for professional astronomers, science history buffs, and backyard stargazers alike.

100 Discoveries That Transformed Our Understanding of the Cosmos

Archives of the Universe

Donald Goldsmith

Paying tribute to the founding father of the Theory of Relativity, this brilliant collection of 30 essays, presented by three prominent scientist/editors, explores the life, theories, and legacy of one of science's most legendary thinkers.

His Life, His Thought and His Influence on Our Culture

The riveting and mesmerizing story behind a watershed period in human history, the discovery of the startling size and true nature of our universe. On New Years Day in 1925, a young Edwin Hubble released his finding that our Universe was far bigger, eventually measured as a thousand trillion times larger than previously believed. Hubble’s proclamation sent shock waves through the scientific community. Six years later, in a series of meetings at Mount Wilson Observatory, Hubble and others convinced Albert Einstein that the Universe was not static but in fact expanding. Here Marcia Bartusiak reveals the key players, battles of will, clever insights, incredible technology, ground-breaking research, and wrong turns made by the early investigators of the heavens as they raced to uncover what many consider one of most significant discoveries in scientific history.

Marcia Bartusiak

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