Calculating the Cosmos: How Mathematics Unveils the Universe

by Ian Stewart

Overview

A prize-winning scientist uses mathematical modeling to explain the cosmos

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780465096114
Publisher:	Basic Books
Publication date:	10/25/2016
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	360
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

Ian Stewart is emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick. His recent books include Calculating the Cosmos, Significant Figures, In Pursuit of the Unknown, and Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures. He is a fellow of the Royal Society. He lives in Coventry, UK.

Table of Contents

Prologue 1

1 Attraction at a Distance 11

2 Collapse of the Solar Nebula 27

3 Inconstant Moon 40

4 The Clockwork Cosmos 54

5 Celestial Police 70

6 The Planet that Swallowed its Children 84

7 Cosimo's Stars 96

8 Off on a Comet 106

9 Chaos in the Cosmos 119

10 The Interplanetary Superhighway 137

11 Great Balls of Fire 150

12 Great Sky River 172

13 Alien Worlds 187

14 Dark Stars 207

15 Skeins and Voids 226

16 The Cosmic Egg 241

17 The Big Blow-Up 251

18 The Dark Side 262

19 Outside the Universe 277

Epilogue 295

Units and Jargon 299

Notes and References 304

Picture Credits 321

Index 323

Editorial Reviews

09/26/2016
Stewart (Professor Stewart’s Incredible Numbers), emeritus professor of mathematics at the University of Warwick (U.K.), demonstrates how scientific inquiry and math go hand in hand in this accessible mathematical history of science. Each chapter revolves around a vexing cosmic concept—Earth’s unusually large Moon, Saturn’s “ears,” time stopping near a black hole, and fallibility in the Big Bang theory—and the math that explains or disproves it. Telling the story of how scientists and mathematicians harness abstract mathematical relationships to figure out the real world, Stewart deftly highlights the interdependent nature of ideas. Readers see how many people taking small steps forward keep science advancing. It is easy to see why “one of the common delights of mathematical physics is that equations often seem to know more than their creators do.” Stewart is sure to please math lovers, history buffs, and science enthusiasts alike by covering an array of eras, innovators, and disciplines. With virtually no equations, readers learn about complicated mathematical theory in a friendly, conversational tone; whether he’s discussing “white holes,” why “relativity and quantum mechanics are uneasy bedfellows,” or the shape of space itself, Stewart’s pages flip of their own accord. Illus. Agent: George Lucas, Inkwell Management. (Nov.)

Publishers Weekly

"[Stewart] shows that he is not only a polymath in the sense that he is a master of all fields of mathematics, but also in his comprehension of physics, astronomy, and cosmology...[In Calculating the Cosmos] he effectively shows that time and technology will evolve ever better calculations of the cosmos."—Kirkus Reviews

"In Calculating the Cosmos Ian Stewart elegantly reviews the uncanny effectiveness of mathematics in explaining the universe.... Mr. Stewart beautifully describes how Newton's laws can still produce surprising results."—Wall Street Journal

"Ian Stewart covers the long story of our beloved cosmos wearing mathematical glasses, and we can only be thankful that he has been our guide in this journey."—Marco Moriconi, NYTimes.com

"A fascinating tour, seamlessly spliced and historically contextualized."—Nature

"Stewart's wry sense of humor adds to this informative yet entertaining read.... Highly recommended for science readers who are up for a challenge."—Library Journal

"Like most of Stewart's books, this one has much to recommend it."—Mark Hunacek, MAA Reviews

"In his accessible and engaging style, Stewart uses math to describe the architecture of space and time; dark matter and dark energy; how galaxies, stars, and planets form; why stars implode; how everything began; and how it's all going to end."—Publishers Weekly, Fall Announcements

"In Calculating the Cosmos, Ian Stewart offers readers a marvelous, behind-the-scenes look, from a mathematician's perspective, at how science is able to perform its magic. With compelling, crystal-clear prose, laced with delightful analogies, Stewart brings the calculations behind astronomy and other scientific fields to life. With Stewart's excellent guide to the cosmos in hand, everything does compute—splendidly adding up to a fun, fascinating read."—Paul Halpern, author of Einstein's Dice and Schrödinger's Cat

From the Publisher

09/15/2016
Astronomy and mathematics have been linked from the golden age of Greece through the present day. Though this volume recounts that history, most of the text can be divided into two main sections: planetary motion and cosmology. In the former, Stewart (mathematics, director, Mathematics Awareness Ctr.; Univ. of Warwick, England) shows how modern theory has modified our image of a Newtonian stable clockwork solar system. Since the equations describing multibody systems are not solvable, they are simulated on computers. These simulations reveal systems that have an amazingly chaotic history and future. The author also relates how chaos theory makes possible the planning of the trajectories of space probes, which have provided immense amounts of new information about the planets. As for cosmology, the book explains what we know about distant galaxies, stars, and exoplanets. Although no equations are used here, certain sections still require some effort on the part of readers—but it's well worth it. Stewart's wry sense of humor adds to this informative yet entertaining read. VERDICT Highly recommended for science readers who are up for a challenge.—Harold D. Shane, Mathematics Emeritus, Baruch Coll. Lib., CUNY

Library Journal

2016-07-31
Stewart (Mathematics/Univ. of Warwick; Professor Stewart’s Incredible Numbers, 2015, etc.) tackles the universe in this latest compendium of facts and fancy.The prolific popularizer shows that he is not only a polymath in the sense that he is a master of all fields of mathematics, but also in his comprehension of physics, astronomy, and cosmology. The author begins by chronicling how humans throughout history have thought about the universe, from Babylonian and Greek thinkers to Galileo and Newton. Stewart then pauses to note that Newton’s laws of motion and gravity have been fundamental to our understanding of celestial motions and, in many cases, still work. Then Einstein upset the apple cart with his observations confirming findings that while the speed of light is a constant, space-time is not flat, á la Newton, but curved due to the gravitational effects of stars and other objects with mass. From this point on, the author describes mathematical models developed to explain observations and revisions of the models in light of better data. The problem is that the models are always simplifications, Stewart observes, and when better observations contradict the model, either the model has to change or the observations are proved to be wrong. Today, the accepted model of the origin of the cosmos is the Big Bang that happened 13.8 billion years ago, a model that has been modified by the concepts of inflation, dark matter, and dark energy. Alas, these introduce other problems—not to mention recent observations that some stars appear to be older than 13.8 billion years. By the end of the book, readers are likely to be daunted by current models and controversies, but that seems to be Stewart’s point: we are human, we speculate, we constantly revise—and we also write science fiction. A word to the wise: this is not cosmology for dummies. Parts of the text are nearly impenetrable, and Stewart’s compact style provides few diagrams or even equations. However, he effectively shows that time and technology will evolve ever better calculations of the cosmos.

Kirkus Review