Igor D. Novikov - Böcker

Can we change the past? The surprising answer to this question can be found in the final chapters of this book. Examining the history of the study of time and presenting in detail the modern state of physical research on the subject, this book is a superb overview of a fascinating subject. The figures who have helped to shape our views on time are presented as real people, in the context of their own times and struggles: from Socrates' troubles in Athens, to the experiences of physicists under the former Soviet Union. In addition Novikov details his own experiences with great Russian and Western physicists, such as Sakharov, Zeldovich, Rees and Hawking. Details of modern theories in fields such as the possibility of time machines, anomalous flows of time (at black or white holes) and the possible source of The River of Time are described with authority and clarity.

This book is the first complete account of the scientific life and work of Edwin Hubble, whose discoveries firmly established the United States as the leading nation in observational astronomy. One of the outstanding astronomers of the twentieth century, Hubble discovered the expansion of the Universe. He opened the world of galaxies for science when he showed that spiral nebulae beyond the Milky Way are galaxies extending to the limits of the Universe, and participating in a general expansion of the cosmos. The exploding Universe of Hubble, now termed the Big Bang, determined the origin of the elements, of galaxies and of the stars. The second part of the book describes the fundamental discoveries on the nature of the Universe made subsequently, and thus sets his achievements in context. Written by two prominent astronomers who have built on Hubble's work, this book is a classic of science, setting out the thrilling story of the exploding Universe.

This book is the first complete account of the scientific life and work of Edwin Hubble, whose discoveries firmly established the United States as the leading nation in observational astronomy. One of the outstanding astronomers of the twentieth century, Hubble discovered the expansion of the Universe. He opened the world of galaxies for science when he showed that spiral nebulae beyond the Milky Way are galaxies extending to the limits of the Universe, and participating in a general expansion of the cosmos. The exploding Universe of Hubble, now termed the Big Bang, determined the origin of the elements, of galaxies and of the stars. The second part of the book describes the fundamental discoveries on the nature of the Universe made subsequently, and thus sets his achievements in context. Written by two prominent astronomers who have built on Hubble's work, this book is a classic of science, setting out the thrilling story of the exploding Universe.

Igor Novikov has been hailed as 'Russia's answer to Stephen Hawking'. In this popular account of the cosmic importance of black holes, he explores the properties and significance of these mysterious phenomena, which represent the most condensed state of matter in the Universe. Black holes are formed by the force of gravity, warping space and time, crushing stars and perhaps galaxies until they fall in on themselves. Novikov's fascinating account, illustrated with a series of inspired cartoon drawings, illuminates this most enigmatic feature of our Universe with exemplary clarity.

Spectacular observational breakthroughs, particularly by the WMAP satellite, have led to a new epoch of CMB science long after its original discovery. Taking a physical approach, the authors of this volume probe the problem of the 'darkness' of the Universe: the origin and evolution of dark energy and matter in the cosmos. Starting with the observational background of modern cosmology, they provide an accessible review of this fascinating yet complex subject. Topics discussed include the kinetics of the electromagnetic radiation in the Universe, the ionization history of cosmic plamas, the origin of primordial perturbations in light of the inflation paradigm, and the formation of anisotropy and polarization of the CMB. This fascinating review will be valuable to advanced students and researchers in cosmology.