Table of Contents
Preface 7
1 The Questions That Revealed the Universe was Born 9
2 The Big Bang: The Birth of It All 24
3 Randomness Becomes Structure: The Formation of the First Galaxies 47
4 The Dark Ages and the Emerging Cosmic Dawn 64
5 Our Galaxy: Birth and Cannibalism 88
6 Ancestors, Siblings and Children: The Stars and the Sun 116
7 The Sun: A Star in Its Maturity 141
8 Stars that Die: The Biggest Bangs since the Big Bang 161
9 The Birth of the Solar System 181
10 Chaos and Collisions in the Solar System 194
11 The Earth: A World of Difference 215
12 Sequel: The Future Life of the Universe 249
13 Prequel: What Caused the Big Bang Expansion? 262
Glossary 273
Picture Credits 280
Index 281