The Unknown Universe: The Origin of the Universe, Quantum Gravity, Wormholes, and Other Things Science Still Can't Explain by Richard Hammond

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Synopsis

For the past 10 years, physicists have been banging their heads against the wall, trying to understand one of the greatest new mysteries of the cosmos: Why is the universe pulling itself apart at an ever-increasing rate? Is this a mysterious new force-dark energy-or must we alter our most fundamental theories of time and space?

For 30 years, we have been struggling to understand the nature of dark matter-the mysterious invisible matter that outweighs "normal" matter 10 to one and fills the "empty" spaces in our galaxies.

For 50 years, we have grappled with the seditious theory of gravity, which has failed to fall in line with all other known forces.

But the biggest mystery of all time-one that dates back to man's earliest writings-is our universe, and physicists are the detectives trying to piece together disparate clues that continually turn our view of the cosmos upside down.

The Unknown Universe describes how physicists view the creation of our universe, when space and time itself came into being, and how stars formed and exploded, seeding the universe with new stars and galaxies, including our own solar system. This book also explores some of science's newest theories and their implications, such as string theory, which suggests a seemingly bizarre world of 10 dimensions yet may explain quantum gravity.

It also describes the biggest conundrums physicists are grappling with today. From dark matter to cosmic rays, from black holes to wormholes, Dr. Hammond explains how these vexatious riddles arose. Filled with personal insights from his own research and historical interludes, The Unknown Universe drags some of our darkest enigmas into thelight of day.

This is an essential and fascinating reference work for professionals and amateurs alike.

Biography

Dr. Richard Hammond has published numerous scientific articles in a wide range of fields, from general relativity to quantum mechanics, and has pioneered a new theory of gravitation that has won international acclaim. He has won awards from NASA for his research and teaching, international awards for research on gravity, and was invited to Cal Tech's Jet Propulsion Lab to study solar system tests of Einstein's theory. Hammond is an adjunct professor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and works for the Army Research Office as a theoretical physicist.