The New Cosmic Onion: Quarks and the Nature of the Universe

by Frank Close

Not since Newton’s apple has there been a physics phenomenon as deliciously appealing to the masses as Frank Close’s Cosmic Onion . Widely embraced by scientists and laypersons alike, the book quickly became an international bestseller. Translated into seven languages, it propelled the author to become a worldwide celebrity as well as an inspiration to a generation of scientists. The book’s title itself has entered popular usage as a metaphor for the layers that can be peeled away to understand the foundations of the physical world, from dimensions and galaxies, to atoms and quarks. “Close is a lucid, reliable, and enthusiastic guide to the strange and wonderful microcosmic world that dwells deep within reality”
― Frank Wilczek, Herman Feshbach Professor of Physics, MIT, 2004 Nobel Prize in Physics NEW Material Keeping still-pertinent contents from the original volume that caught the world’s attention in 1983, this fresh edition of the Cosmic Onion includes extensive new material to reflect new views of the universe. Providing explanations that explore the foundations of 21st Century science and future directions, this work offers ready access and unique perspectives to more typical topics such as the forces of nature, atoms, the nucleus, and nuclear particles. It also travels down paths that only a true pioneer and educator can venture, such as a discussion of what Professor Close refers to as the Eightfold Way including the findings, surprises, and new questions emerging from the latest work with accelerators.

Genres: Science, Physics, Nonfiction

232 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Francis Edwin Close (Arabic: فرانك كلوس)

In addition to his scientific research, he is known for his lectures and writings making science intelligible to a wider audience.

From Oxford he went to Stanford University in California for two years as a Postdoctoral Fellow on the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. In 1973 he went to the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire and then to CERN in Switzerland from 1973–5. He joined the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire in 1975 as a research physicist and was latterly Head of Theoretical Physics Division from 1991. He headed the communication and public education activities at CERN from 1997 to 2000. From 2001, he was Professor of Theoretical Physics at Oxford. He was a Visiting Professor at the University of Birmingham from 1996–2002.

Close lists his recreations as writing, singing, travel, squash and Real tennis, and he is a member of Harwell Squash Club.

Reviews

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good overview and introduction into the topic of quantum particles. It was not overly complex and helped the reader understand things from multiple angles. That said, the topic is difficult, and towards the back chapters hard to comprehend on a first read. Would benefit from a second reading.

[James Madsen]

When I was in high school in the 1960s, I loved a book called Inside the Nucleus, which is now long out of print and which would be quite outdated in any case. However, it gave a very clear presentation of subatomic particles. The New Cosmic Onion is the closest approximation that I have yet found on this subject to the overall clarity of presentation of Inside the Nucleus. I look forward to reading it!

[Caz · Rating 2 out of 5]

didn’t understand a single thing in this book !

[Julian Onions · Rating 3 out of 5]

A really good introduction to particle physics in a readable way. It covers the history of particle physics, all the particles discovered and why they are important and how the laws that govern them were discovered.

However I have a couple of criticisms - one of which can't be helped. The physics has moved on since it was written. The LHC has been built and the Higgs boson discovered, so we know more than when it was written (2006).
The other issue I have is there are sort of sidebars where concepts are discussed, which is fair enough, except they are in the main text. So you will be reading about something then come to boxed text that often exceeds the page, so its a case of do I stop and read that, or do I skip a couple of pages and finish the sentence. This happens many times and I find it rather irritating and sort of sloppy editing.

[Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly, such an amazing book.

At first it started off easy, very innocent-like, but this book shouldn't be taken as such. This book, while being around 300 pages, gives insight on modern physics, specifically elementary particles. I really liked the book, and the only chapters not worth reading (in my honest opinion) were few, probably the last two or three chapters.

This book, while not very mathematical, is a through and technical look into a part of modern physics. Recommend it; 9.2/10

[Ethan Hulbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little dated now but still a great read. Fascinating looks at some cutting edge stuff, although its reviews of established stuff are of mixed quality sometimes.

[Andres Cordoba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful intro level coverage of modern particle physics especially, mixing history and experiments well to provide a layman's approach. A great supplement and coverage of a typical physics education, which always fails to cover the depth and more fundamental look (as we so far understand it) of modern physics within the atom. Accessible. I am happy to say this book reinvigorated my love for the subject, and did a great job at showing all sorts of connections and how they are noticed to form theories.

[Avesta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Decent short textbook on particle physics - the Quantum Chromodynamics chapter blew my mind.

Good textbook if you want to figure out whether a career in such a field is right for you - I realised from this that particle physics 100% is not the field I want to be specialising in.

[Aleksandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

szkoda ze jestem debil

[Randall Scalise · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's Arno Penzias, not Arnold Penzias.

p.199: "If there are three varieties of light neutrinos, then the calculations imply that about 3 minutes after the Big Bang, matter consisted of 95% protons, 24% helium nuclei, and small amounts of deuterium and free electrons."

He's confused. 92% hydrogen and 8% helium by number, or 75% hydrogen and 25% helium by mass.