Waubonsee Community College

The New York Times book of physics and astronomy, more than 100 years of covering the expanding universe, edited by Cornelia Dean ; foreword by Neil deGrasse Tyson

eng

illustrations

index present

non fiction

The New York Times book of physics and astronomy

843785118

edited by Cornelia Dean ; foreword by Neil deGrasse Tyson

The New York Times series

more than 100 years of covering the expanding universe

A treasury of 125 archival articles covers more than a century of scientific breakthroughs, setbacks and mysteries and includes pieces by Pulitzer Prize-winning writers, includes Malcolm W. Browne on antimatter, James Glanz on string theory and George Johnson on quantum physics"From the discovery of distant galaxies and black holes to the tiny interstices of the atom, here is the very best on physics and astronomy from the New York Times! The newspaper of record has always prided itself on its award-winning science coverage, and these 125 articles from its archives are the very best, covering more than a century of breakthroughs, setbacks, and mysteries. Selected by former science editor Cornelia Dean, they feature such esteemed and Pulitzer Prize-winning writers as Malcolm W. Browne on teleporting, antimatter atoms, and the physics of traffic jams; James Glanz on string theory; George Johnson on quantum physics; William L. Laurence on Bohr and Einstein; Dennis Overbye on the recent discovery of the Higgs Boson; Walter Sullivan on the colliding beam machine; and more"--, Provided by publisher"The best on physics and astronomy from The New York Times! The newspaper of record has always prided itself on its coverage of physics and astronomy, realms that have dominated science and the popular imagination like few others, and these 125 articles from its archives feature such esteemed names as Malcolm W. Browne, James Glanz, George Johnson, William L. Laurence, Dennis Overbye, Walter Sullivan, and more. From the discovery of distant galaxies and black holes to the tiny interstices of the atom, these articles cover more than 100 years of breakthroughs, discoveries, setbacks, and mysteries solved and unsolved"--, Provided by publisher

Foreword / Neil deGrasse Tyson -- Introduction: An Invitation to Our Readers / Cornelia Dean -- Chapter 1. THE NATURE OF MATTER. Quantum Theory Tugged, and AH of Physics Unraveled / Dennis Ouerbye -- Investigating Light Waves -- Prof. Röntgen's X-Rays -- Character of the X-Rays -- About X-Ray Photography -- The Mystery of Radium -- A Lecture by M. Curie -- Atom of Matter Can Be Detected -- Madame Curie's Genius -- Pictures Electrons Speeding in Atom --Discusses Atom from New Point -- Atomic Theory Clears Some Cosmic Problems / W.J. Luyten -- Details Concepts of Quantum Theory / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Super X-Rays Reveal the Secret of Creation / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Tests of the Electron Indicate It Is a Wave / Clinton J. Davisson -- To Speed Hydrogen to Break Up Atoms -- Discovers Neutron, Embryonic Matter -- Chadwick Calls Neutron "Difficult Catch" / Ferdinand Kuhn Jr. -- Bombardment of Atoms -- Jekyll-Hyde Mind Attributed to Man / William L. Laurence -- Fermi Measures Speed of Neutron -- Bohr and Einstein at Odds / William L. Laurence -- Discovery of the Antiproton Ends a Long Search, Confirms Einstein's Equation / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Discovery of New Particle Called "Crucial Test" of Theory / Walter Sullivan -- Two Men in Search of the Quark / Lee Edson -- Einstein: Relativity in the Kitchen / Walter Sullivan -- Signs of Quark Discovery Cited in Stanford Report / Walter Sullivan -- Detection of the Elusive "Gluon" Exciting Scientists / Malcolm W. Browne -- New Quarks Stir Debate on Basic Laws of Nature / Walter Sullivan -- Microscopes Peer Ever Deeper into Small World / Walter Sullivan -- Reagan to Press for $6 Million Dollar Atom Smasher / Ben A. Franklin -- The Supercollider's Demise Disrupts Many Lives and Rattles a Profession / Malcolm W. Browne -- Europe Is Ready to Pick Up the Pieces in Particle Research / Barry James -- Top Quark, Last Piece in Puzzle of Matter, Appears to Be in Place / William J. Broad -- Physicists Manage to Create the First Antimatter Atoms / Malcolm W. Browne -- Stuck in Traffic? Consult a Physicist / Malcolm W. Browne -- Mass Found in Elusive Particle; Universe May Never Be the Same / Malcolm W. Browne -- Almost in Awe, Physicists Ponder "Ultimate" Theory / George Johnson -- New Dimension in Dance: Thinking Man's Macarena / George Johnson -- In Quantum Feat, Atom Is Seen in Two Places at Once / George Johnson -- Art + Physics = Beautiful Music / James Glanz -- No Hope of Silencing the Phantom Crinklers of the Opera / James Glanz -- Scientists Bring Light to Full Stop, Hold It, Then Send It on Its Way / James Glanz -- With Little Evidence, String Theory Gains Influence / James Glanz -- Quantum Stew: How Physicists Are Redefining Reality's Rules / George Johnson -- String Theory, at 20, Explains It All (or Not) / Dennis Overbye -- A Giant Takes on Physics's Biggest Questions / Dennis Overbye -- Physicists Find Elusive Particle Seen as Key to Universe / Dennis OverbyeChapter 2. THE PRACTICAL ATOM. Wireless Signals across the Ocean -- Light-Energy Ideas Told by Millikan -- Compton to Strive for Atomic Energy -- Radar-I / Hanson W. Baldwin -- Radar-II / Hanson W. Baldwin -- Dec. 2, 1942-The Birth of the Atomic Age / William L. Laurence -- Drama of the Atomic Bomb Found Climax in July 16 Test / William L. Laurence -- Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki Told by Flight Member / William L. Laurence -- Visit to Hiroshima Proves Its World's Most-Damaged City / William H. Lawrence -- Five Atomic Piles in Operation Here -- Tiny Radios Made by Armed Services / T.R. Kennedy Jr. -- Ending of All Life by Hydrogen Bomb Held a Possibility / William L. Laurence -- Major Gains Seen in New Amplifiers / William L. Laurence -- Hydrogen Is Fused for Peace or War / William L. Laurence -- Silicon "Battery" Represents a New Approach in Long Efforts to Harness Sun's Power / Waldemar Kaempffert -- New "All-Transistor" Calculator May Surpass Electronic Models -- The Laser Lights Up the Future Maya Pines -- New Photo Technique Projects a World of Three-Dimensional Views / Walter Sullivan -- Nuclear Power Gain Reported, But Experts Express Doubts / Malcolm W. Browne -- Claim of Achieving Fusion in Jar Gains Support in Two Experiments / Malcolm W. Browne -- Physicists Debunk Claim of a New Kind of Fusion / Malcolm W. Browne -- In the Quantum World, Keys to New Codes / James Glanz -- Computing, One Atom at a Time / George Johnson -- Brain Surgery, Without Knife or Blood, Gains Favor / Laurie TarkinChapter 3. THE FATE OF THE UNIVERSE. The Greatest Telescope in the World / Garrett P. Serviss -- Einstein Expounds His New Theory -- Lights All Askew in the Heavens -- Science Seeks Secret of Life in Star Rays / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Giant Telescope of Immense Range to Dwarf All Others -- Studies of the Cosmic Ray Point to Endless Creation / William L. Laurence -- New Radio Waves Traced to Center of the Milky Way -- New Dimensions Given to Universe / William L. Laurence -- Finds Galaxy Goes 100 Miles a Second / Lawrence E. Davies -- Palomar Observers Dazzled in First Use of 200-inch Lens / William L. Laurence -- Studies Reported in Star Evolution / William L. Laurence -- Universe Growing, Dr. Hubble Thinks -- Birth of Universe Traced to Blast / William L. Laurence -- Radio Telescope to Expose Space / John W. Finney -- Rival Cosmologies / Walter Sullivan -- Satellite Challenges Theory of Universe / John W. Finney -- Signals Imply a "Big Bang" Universe / Walter Sullivan -- An X-Ray Scanning Satellite May Have Discovered a "Black Hole" in Space / Walter Sullivan -- End of Universe in "Black Hole" Foreseen / Walter Sullivan -- First Photo Taken by New Telescope / Walter Sullivan -- Galaxy's Speed through Universe Found to Exceed a Million MPH / Walter Sullivan -- Antennas Sharpen Radio "View" of Heavens / Walter Sullivan -- Island in Hawaii Is Becoming a World Astronomy Center / Walter Sullivan -- Gravity "Lens" Is Found in Space / Walter Sullivan -- "Big Bang" Has a Revival in New View of Universe / Walter Sullivan -- Cosmic Powerhouse Finally Seen in Detail / Walter Sullivan -- New View of Universe Shows Sea of Bubbles to Which Stars Cling / Walter Sullivan -- Powerful Source of Gravity Detected Deep in the Universe / Walter Sullivan -- Huge Stellar Explosion Detected Close Enough for Careful Study / Malcolm W. Browne -- Elated by Supernova, Astronomers Watch Their Theories Come to Life / Malcolm W. Browne -- Massive Clusters of Galaxies Defy Concepts of the Universe / John Noble Wilford -- Shuttle Soars 381 Miles High, with Telescope and a Dream / John Noble Wilford -- 5,000-Mile Radio Telescope Set to Probe Depths of Time and Space / Malcolm W. Browne -- Big Bang's Defenders Weigh "Fudge Factor," a Blunder of Einstein's, as Fix for New Crisis / John Noble Wilford -- Age of Universe Is Now Settled, Astronomer Says / Malcolm W. Browne -- New Era Is Promised for Optical Telescopes / Malcolm W. Browne -- At Other End of "Big Bang" May Simply Be a Big Sputter / John Noble Wilford -- Peek at Black Holes' Feast Reveals Awful Table Manners / John Noble Wilford -- In Chilean Desert, Observatory for 21st Century Takes Shape / John Noble Wilford -- Pictures Give Hints of Universe at Its Dawn / John Noble Wilford -- Where Does the Time Go? Forward, Physics Shows / Malcolm W. Browne -- Hubble Telescope Yields Data for Recalculating Age of Universe / John Noble Wilford -- Galaxies' Vastness Surprises Scientists / James Glanz -- In the Dark Matter Wars, Wimps Beat Machos / James Glanz -- Before the Big Bang There Was ... What? / Dennis Overbye -- A New View of Our Universe: Only One of Many / Dennis Overbye -- Radio Telescope Proves a Big Bang Prediction / Dennis Overbye -- Cosmos Sits for Early Portrait, Gives Up Secrets / Dennis Overbye -- Astronomers Report Evidence of "Dark Energy" Splitting the Universe / Dennis Overbye -- Remembrance of Things Future: The Mystery of Time / Dennis Overbye -- A Trip Forward in Time. Your Travel Agent: Einstein / Dennis Overbye -- Dark, Perhaps Forever / Dennis Overbye -- The Struggle to Measure Cosmic Expansion / Dennis Overbye -- Particle Hunt Nets Almost Nothing; the Hunters Are Almost Thrilled / Dennis Overbye -- There's More to Nothing Than We Knew / Dennis Overbye -- At the End of the Earth, Seeking Clues to the Universe / Simon Romero -- American Physics Dreams Deferred / Dennis Overbye -- Nobel Laureates in Physics -- Physics Timeline -- Contributors' Biographies

Book of physics and astronomy