Science : Cosmology

Stephen Hawking, the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University, has made important theoretical contributions to gravitational theory and has played a major role in the development of cosmology and black hole physics. Hawking's early work, partly in collaboration with Roger Penrose, showed the significance of spacetime singularities for the big bang and black holes. His later work has been concerned with a deeper understanding of these two issues. The work required extensive use of the two great intellectual achievements of the first half of the Twentieth Century: general relativity and quantum mechanics; and these are reflected in the reprinted articles. Hawking's key contributions on black hole radiation and the no-boundary condition on the origin of the universe are included. more...

Price: $96.20

Some 25 years after the birth of inflationary cosmology this volume sets out to provide a both authoritative and pedagogical introduction and review of the state of the field. Cosmic inflation corresponds to an episode of accelerated expansion of the very early universe and solves nicely a collection of puzzles that had plagued standard cosmology so far. Different scenarios exist, though, and the reader will learn about the "ins" and "outs" as the subject and related issues are surveyed. With lectures written by eminent scientists in the field, many of them having made pioneering contributrions in the early hours of the field, "Inflationary Cosmology" addresses both senior and younger high-energy physicists, cosmologists and observational astrophysicists seeking both a readable account and reference in the field. more...

Price: $79.95

A concise introduction to the mathematical aspects of the origin, structure and evolution of the universe. It introduces cosmology and general relativity, and discusses topics such as the Robertson-Walker metric, Friedmann models, singularities, the early universe, inflation and quantum cosmology. Suitable as a textbook for graduate students and advanced undergraduates. more...

Price: $40.00

Black holes are among the most mysterious objects that the human mind has been capable of imagining. As pure mathematical constructions, they are tools for exploiting the fundamental laws of physics. As astronomical sources, they are part of our cosmic landscape, warping space-time, coupled to the large-scale properties and life cycle of their host galaxy, and perhaps even linked to galaxy formation. This volume, which grew from a recent doctoral school sponsored by the Italian Society of Relativity and Gravitation, brings together contributions from leading authorities to provide a review of recent developments in the study of the astrophysical black holes that inhabit nearby galaxies and distant quasars. These lectures reveal the deep symbiotic relationship between black holes and their cosmic environment and show that black holes are key sources for exploring not only our local universe, but also our cosmic dawn. Topics range from the observational evidence for supermassive black holes and the joint evolution of black holes and galaxies to the cold dark matter paradigm of hierarchical galaxy formation and from the cosmic history of the diffuse intergalactic medium to the ecology of black holes in star clusters. more...

Price: $149.95

In the ancient world philosophical issues dominated cosmology. In the Middle Ages theological issues ranked foremost. In recent times astronomy and the physical sciences have taken over. Do we now stand at the threshold of knowing everything, or have we created yet another mask, doomed to fade like the others? more...

Price: $39.00