Three Steps to the Universe

November 3, 2008
Meshing their complementary skill sets, physicist David (of Oakland University) and his brother, science fiction writer Richard (Celestial Matter, All of an Instant), explore some of the knottiest problems facing modern cosmologists in this tough but informative primer to modern cosmology. Aside from revealing the science behind the sun, black holes and dark matter, the Garfinkles' demonstrate how science develops, encouraging readers always to ask, "'How do they know that?' as a way of understanding science." The "three steps" of the title begin in the 19th century, when scientists realized that the Earth was, at minimum, millions of years old; they then asked, "How old is the Sun?"-the first sally in a campaign that would unravel the mystery of nuclear energy, reveal how a star becomes a "white dwarf, a neutron star, or a black hole," and spark a fierce, ongoing decades-long debate about the possibility of "black hole evaporation." Arguing that "it is necessary to jump the barrier of user-friendliness and discover the fascinating world beyond that layer of comfort," the Garfinkles aren't afraid to get technical, but this smart, rewarding read is helped by a welcome voice, a feel for narrative and a useful glossary.

November 15, 2008
Trusting the experts, nonscientists believe that fusion powers the sun andthat bottomless gravitational pits called black holes exist, as do exotic forms of energy and matter called dark because nobody has found them yet. But why do scientists believe that? Did some superexpert tell them? Teasing apart the questions, the Garfinkles (David, a physics professor; Richard, a science-fiction author) construct a fluid, crystalline presentation of how scientists think. The foundation of their depiction is what is manifestly perceived, such as the presence of that bright orb in the sky. To discover anything about the sun, scientists depend on detection of its emissions, such as light and neutrinos, while ideas of how these emissions arise emanate from the realms of various physical theories. With this three-tiered structure of perception, detection, and theory, the Garfinkles systematically instill how confidentlayreaders can be in whatthey read in the popular-science format in general, working through astrophysics to illustrate their points. That ever-popular subject should enlist readers into the Garfinkles overarching exploration of scientific knowledge.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)