Cosmic Coincidences

by John Gribbin, Martin Rees

Overview

WAS THE UNIVERSE MADE FOR MAN?

Is our universe the only one of its kind or are there others? Is it just a coincidence that life evolved on Earth or are the remarkable and unusual set of circumstances that brought about the emergence of humankind part of some deeper mystery that reveals an as yet unknown cosmic purpose?

A PROVOCATIVE SEARCH THROUGH SPACE AND TIME FOR A COSMIC BLUEPRINT—AND THE SOURCE OF LIFE IN THE UNIVERSE

In this intriguing exploration of our relationship with the universe, eminent physicist Martin Rees and acclaimed science writer John Gribbin search for the grand design of the universe—and the meaning of the so-called coincidences that allow life to exist on our planet. Rees and Gribbin present the advances in understanding the nature of dark matter (which controls the dynamics, structure, and eventual fate of the universe), explore mini and massive black holes, brown dwarfs, and novel forms of matter such as quark nuggets. Along the way they fascinate us with what scientists have already discovered about cosmic strings, superstrings, and the elusive TOE (theory of everything). They also speculate on the possibility of the existence of other universes and of other intelligent life in our own. An expert, exhilarating tour of cosmic evolution and human destiny. Cosmic Coincidences' investigation sheds new light on the monumental questions of why our universe is the way it is and why we are here.

JOHN GRIBBIN, science writer and cosmologist, is the author of many books, including In Search of Schrödinger's Cat, In Search of the Big Bang, In Search of the Double Helix, and The Omega Point.

MARTIN REES is a professor of astronomy and a colleague of Stephen Hawking's at Cambridge University. He is one of the world's leading theorists in the field of astrophysics.

"A brilliant and highly readable tour through the Universe.... This is an authoritative and challenging book. It will spark hot debate among scientists and grasp the reader from start to finish"
—F. David Peat, Ph.D., author of Synchronicity

"A lucid and exciting guide... An evenhanded appraisal of the controversial 'anthropic principle.'"
— Nick Herbert, author of Quantum Reality

Product Details

BN ID:	2940152432282
Publisher:	ReAnimus Press
Publication date:	10/20/2015
Sold by:	Smashwords
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	763,664
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

John Gribbin trained as an astrophysicist at the University of Cambridge, and is a science writer and a visiting Fellow in astronomy at the University of Sussex. The topical range of his prolific writings include quantum physics, human evolution, climate change, global warming, the origins of the universe, and biographies of famous scientists. He also writes science fiction.

While still a graduate student, Dr. Martin Rees predicted that structures inside quasars (then newly discovered) would appear to move much faster than light. This was confirmed several years later, and he has continued to be on the forefront in the study of cosmology, galaxies, black holes, and space science. Elected Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy at Cambridge when he was only 30, Rees continues to be interested in the broader philosophical implications of his research and in conveying the fascination of the latest scientific ideas to a wide public. He has written numerous general articles, appeared frequently on radio and television, and given many public lectures, especially in the United States. Rees lives with his wife, a social anthropologist, in an old farmhouse near Cambridge.