Physics Science

Joseph Silk, a leading cosmologist, gives his latest take on the scientific quest to comprehend our universe, its origins, and where it is going.

I’ve read Silk’s book on the Big Bang (which can be considered a companion volume) and he is able to explain scientific cosmology in fairly understandable terms. Unfortunately given the scales of time and space involved, many of which are far removed from our ordinary experience, the heavy use of arcane physical concepts and mathematical ideas far from ordinary life are inevitable. Yet, the conclusion Silk offers is our universe is probably infinite.

Interestingly, Silk dabbles in the possible theological and philosophical conclusions of an infinite universe, ranging from the possibility there are infinite numbers of parallell Earths and selves, to the possibility our universe is only one possible universe out of an infinite set of universes, most of which are inhospitable to life. Silk is aware of the limits of speculation (he is deeply knowledgeable about Astronomy) and gives a surprisingly positive estimate of philosophy and what it might offer science, and what science might offer to philosophy.

The book is quite enjoyable, though due to its expense, more worth borrowing than buying.
Rating: 5 / 5

The best thing about this book is the sense of awe that Dr. Silk brings to his explanation of the cosmos. I do not see how anyone can look at the truly amazing discoveries, pictures, and happenings that have been announced in recent years without standing in awe. And this awe comes through on virtually every page. Combine this with the clear writing style, no math, and you have quite a book.

Another aspect of the book that comes through strongly is just how completely Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity underlies our present understanding of the cosmos. Today ninety years later the experimental physicists and cosmologists are still discovering proof of various aspects of Einstein’s theory. In this book these discoveries are discussed, and where needed credit to Einstein is given.

Quite often with such books as these, I’d really like to meet with the author over a pint of beer and ask him a few questions. There are a few points like string theory, branes, speed of the effect of gravity where it seems that the most recent theories and experiments are raising questions on the cut and fast answers that Dr. Silk gives.

These points are minor when compared to the overall excellence of the book but remember that our understanding of the cosmos is constantly changing. Every discovery brings more questions.
Rating: 5 / 5

When it comes to cosmology, you need your information fresh, spot on accurate, and as inspired as possible I came to SILK’s book, having read about everything on Cosmology I could easily find. I found SILK’s book overall inconsistant and confusing. It wasnt what he was revealing, because nearly all of it has been in recent books. Silk needed a better editor to take the time to structure this book, and commision some original diagrams to make some of the information more accessable. Good illustrations can take a very complicated “left brain” type explanation, and visualize it for us “right brain” types. A major problem with this book is that the writer doesnt seem to have a grip on WHO his audience is. IS it NASA research scientists? High school students? At one point he talks about Megaparsecs, kiloparsecs, and gigaparsecs. Now, this book as NO GLOSSERY OF TERMS. He could just as easily given distances in light years. Instead of using the most obvious terms, he obfuscates his writing, and loses his audience. Other times, he repeats explanations of the most fundamental terms. On page 26, he explains that HADRONS are BARYONs and LEPTONS. BUT, this gets explained again on page 118, when the terms of Baryonic matter gets another going over. Even on page 164, he defines baryonic matter again, and then once more tackles dark matter. If he had a chapter, that started with the basics of particle physics, and worked its way step by step into the concept of dark matter, that would have been so much clearer. This writing problem is throughout the book. On page 113, he says that stars become brighter by burning hydrogen into helium. The next sentence, he writes, “They (the stars) become brighter as their fossil fuel is gradually exhausted..”. When I read that, i realized this guy was either making inside jokes with his terminology, or his editor didnt understand what was being written. FOSSIL FUELS MAKE THE STARS BURN? I saw this type of writing in many places. He says that distant galaxies produce most of their energy at infrared wavelengths. So, does he mean the energy is OBSERVED at infrared wavelengths (because of redshift), or it’s produced that way? I was confused there again. (I’m sure SILK knows what he’s talking about, but as a writer, his job is to make ME know what he’s talking about.) The worse problem, is that the conceptual unfoldment of the book is not logical. Advanced explanations and terms get thrown sometimes in the front, at other times in the back of the book. If you had never read a book about cosmology before, you would really be lost here. In the end of these cosmology books, is where all the intellectual goodies are usually placed…..TIME TRAVEL, ALIEN LIFE FORMS, BEFORE THE BIG BANG, UNIVERSAL TOPOLOGY, and… GOD AND CONSCOUSNESS? When he started to write about God, conscousness, and how poets and theologicans are afraid of an infinite universe, i had to scratch my head. If i want theology, I’ll read a theologian, and if I want poetry, i’ll read a poet. When i want science, i read scientists. I have no idea why Silk was pontificating on some subjects, outside of his discipline. The oddest part of this book, is right in the title. The whole book, the writer claims that the universe is “INFINITE”. Sometimes, when he speculates on the topology of the universe, Silk states the universe might be bounded, but infinite. (this is the topological part of the book, which is very obtuse. Others have commented about this as well.) A recent popular science writer, required a whole book on topology and cosmology, to explain how a hypertorus might be the shape of the universe, thereby allowing us to see multiple images of our own galaxy. But, Silk devotes less than 3 pages on the topic, and expects himself to be understood. And he isnt. So, he finally gets to the payoff, after talking about the time machines, time travel paradoxes, and the fate of the universe. After this whole book, about the INFINITE universe, he says, (pg.191) “We do not know if the universe is finite or infinite.” WHAT? Why not just say that in the first chapter, and forget the circumlocutions? Anyway, there are some great ideas in the book. I’m not discrediting that. I am not sure what part of this book was Silk’s original research, but popular science writers need not be scientists themselves. (By the way, there is only 4 or 5 footnotes for the whole book, so Silk isnt telling where he gets his information. And, if you think it might be in the bibliography, well, that’s missing too.) I’m sure that SILK is a great scientist. It is his attitude and ability as a popular SCIENCE WRITER, that i have problems with. Difficult ideas and terms are sometimes glossed over, sometimes conflicting facts and oddball terms are introduced without explanations, and sometimes, the point you spend pages trying to prove, is tossed aside, as being without proof. I took a long time to read this, even tho almost all the material in the book, I’ve read before. Maybe the concept of the book was not fully thought out, or Silk didnt get enough feedback from his editor, before he published. THE INFINITE COSMOS is simutaneously both too basic and repetitive, and too advanced for the scope of a science book for the general reader. I was disappointed overall. I guess I’ll stick to Kip Thorne, Hawkings, and Brian Greene.
Rating: 3 / 5