Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution

Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution
by Neil Degrasse Tyson, Donald Goldsmith

Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution
List Price: $22.95
Our Price: $12.04
You Save: $10.91 (48%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $4.40 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions


(Click here)
Buy this book at online book store in your country
Canada | UK | Germany | France

Book Summary Information

Author: Donald Goldsmith, Neil Degrasse Tyson
Brand: PBS
Edition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2005-10-24
ISBN: 0393327582
Number of pages: 352
Publisher: W. W. Norton

Summary of Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution

Drawing on the current cross-pollination of geology, biology, and astrophysics, Origins makes "the astonishing astronomical discoveries of recent years come alive (Michael D. Lemonick).

Origin's explores cosmic science's stunning new insights into the formation and evolution of our universe? of the cosmos, of galaxies and galaxy clusters, of stars within galaxies, of orbiting planets, and of different forms of life. "Distill[s] complex science in clear and lively prose." ?Scientific American Book Club..."The most informative, congenial and accessible general look at cosmology to come along since Carl Sagan's Cosmos 27 years ago," says Publishers Weekly. "The tone is informational, aimed at high clarity, and laced with giddy humor . . . general readers of every stripe will benefit from the authors' sophisticated, deeply knowledgeable presentation. If the casual book buyer purchases one science book this year, this should be the one." "Introduces the vibrant general-interest literature about individual post-Sagan advances in astronomy and cosmology."?Gilbert Taylor, Booklist 32 pages of color illustrations.
In this companion volume to the two-part NOVA television special by the same title, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and astronomy writer Donald Goldsmith attempt to cram 14 billion years of history into 300 pages. The result of this audacious exercise is a surprising and engrossing book, one that far surpasses the droning tone of so many astronomy texts. Starting (of course) with the Big Bang and ending with the search for extraterrestrial life, the authors synthesize the results of several scientific fields to present a sort of cosmological consilience. They also emphasize the scientific method and its inherent skepticism as the only way to understand such mysteries as dark matter, stellar formation, and the origin of life on Earth. Although several books are published each year that provide overviews of various branches of science, what's different about this one is the accessible tone of the writing. The authors use mild humor throughout to keep readers going in difficult sections; for instance, when assessing the question of why we live during the rare time when the amounts of dark and not-dark energy are roughly equal in the universe, they relate that cosmologist Michael Turner calls the situation the "'Nancy Kerrigan problem,' in honor of the Olympic figure skater, who asked... 'Why me? Why now?'" Combining 21st-century astronomy, astrobiology, astrochemistry, and other disciplines, Origins is a fine guidebook with which to journey "back to the beginning of everything." --Therese Littleton

Astronomy Books

Book Subjects
Most talked about in Astronomy Books
Upper Atmosphere Models and Research ImageUpper Atmosphere Models and Research
by Michael J. Rycroft
Pergamon Pr; Published: 1989-12-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $89.00
Lunar Science: Index, 1970-78: Conference Proceedings ImageLunar Science: Index, 1970-78: Conference Proceedings
by Amanda R Masterson
Pergamon Press; Published: 1979-11; Hardcover; Book
Titius-Bode Law of Planetary Distances: Its History and Theory (Monographs in Natural Philosophy) ImageTitius-Bode Law of Planetary Distances: Its History and Theory (Monographs in Natural Philosophy)
by Michael Martin Nieto
Pergamon Press; Published: 1972-08-17; Hardcover; Book
Elements of Literature, 6th Course: Literature of Britain with World Classics ImageElements of Literature, 6th Course: Literature of Britain with World Classics
by Jay Pasachoff
Holt, Rinehart and Winston; Published: 2000-10; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $47.00
The Jupiter Effect ImageThe Jupiter Effect
by John Gribbin, Isaac Asimov
HarperCollins Publishers; Published: 1977-02-28; Paperback; Book
Best price: $372.87
Planetary System - Textbook Only ImagePlanetary System - Textbook Only
by David Morrison
Addison-Wesley Longman, Incorporated; Published: 2003; Paperback; Book
Best price: $317.36
Night Sky (Collins Watch Guide) ImageNight Sky (Collins Watch Guide)
by Liz (ed) Bourne
Harpercollins Pub Ltd; Published: 1999-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $66.40
The Universe in a Nutshell ImageThe Universe in a Nutshell
by Stephen William Hawking
Baker and Taylor; Bantam; Published: 2001-11-06; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $14.50
Price in other shops: $35.00
The Cambridge Star Atlas ImageThe Cambridge Star Atlas
by Wil Tirion
Cambridge University Press; Published: 2001-03-26; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $132.93
A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science ImageA Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science
by Michael S. Schneider
HarperPerennial; Published: 1995-09-29; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.77
Price in other shops: $18.99
Similar Books and other products
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark ImageThe Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan
Ballantine Books; Published: 1997-02-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.50
Price in other shops: $17.00
Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space ImagePale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
by Carl Sagan
Ballantine Books; Published: 1997-09-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.97
Price in other shops: $16.00
Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries ImageDeath by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 2007-01-22; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $9.99
Price in other shops: $24.95
Merlin's Tour of the Universe ImageMerlin's Tour of the Universe
by Neil de Grasse Tyson
Main Street Books; Published: 1997-07-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.93
Price in other shops: $19.00
Universe Down to Earth ImageUniverse Down to Earth
by Neil de Grasse Tyson
Columbia University Press; Published: 1995-10-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops: $26.00
The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet ImageThe Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America's Favorite Planet
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 2009-12-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.28
Price in other shops: $15.95
Cosmos ImageCosmos
by Carl Sagan
Ballantine Books; Published: 1985-10-12; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.25
Price in other shops: $7.99
The Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist ImageThe Sky Is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist
by Neil Degrasse Tyson, Neil deGrasse Tyson
Prometheus Books; Published: 2004-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $8.39
Price in other shops: $20.98
Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier ImageSpace Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 2012-02-27; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $12.98
Price in other shops: $26.95
Death by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries ImageDeath by Black Hole: And Other Cosmic Quandaries
by Neil deGrasse Tyson
W. W. Norton & Company; Published: 2007-11-17; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.40
Price in other shops: $15.95
Book store. Illustrated catalog of books on different categories