Ancient Light: Our Changing View of the Universe

by Alan Lightman

In the most comprehensive, up-to-date, and lucid exploration of cosmology available today, MIT astrophysicist and science writer Alan Lightman takes the reader on a grand tour of the universe. In this slim volume he explores the history of cosmology, the theories and the evidence, the new discoveries, the outstanding questions, and the controversies.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction

184 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1991

About the author

Alan Lightman is an American writer, physicist, and social entrepreneur. Born in 1948, he was educated at Princeton and at the California Institute of Technology, where he received a PhD in theoretical physics. He has received five honorary doctoral degrees. Lightman has served on the faculties of Harvard and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and was the first person at MIT to receive dual faculty appointments in science and in the humanities. He is currently professor of the practice of the humanities at MIT. His scientific research in astrophysics has concerned
black holes, relativity theory, radiative processes, and the dynamics of systems of stars. His essays and articles have appeared in the Atlantic, Granta, Harper’s, the New Yorker, the New York Review of Books, Salon, and many other publications. His essays are often chosen by the New York Times as among the best essays of the year. He is the author of 6 novels, several collections of essays, a memoir, and a book-length narrative poem, as well as several books on science. His novel Einstein’s Dreams was an international bestseller and has been the basis for dozens of independent theatrical and musical adaptations around the world. His novel The Diagnosis was a finalist for the National Book Award. His most recent books are The Accidental Universe, which was chosen by Brain Pickings as one of the 10 best books of 2014, his memoir Screening Room, which was chosen by the Washington Post as one of the best books of the year for 2016,
and Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine (2018), an extended meditation on science and religion – which was the basis for an essay
on PBS Newshour. Lightman is an elected fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He is also the founder of the Harpswell Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is “to advance a new generation of women leaders in Southeast Asia.” He has received the gold medal for humanitarian service from the government of Cambodia.

Reviews

[MaryLiz Bender · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much from this very well-written book, aimed at the amateur cosmology enthusiast. It introduced complex ideas in a clear and concise way.

[Kain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Książka już nieco starawa (2003 rok wydania polskiego, a miała już kilka lat wtedy).
Teoretycznie tak bardzo nie powinno to przeszkadzać, jeśli brać pod uwagę przebieg historycznego dochodzenia do różnych własności wszechświata i ewolucji teorii. Niestety autorowi nie udało się wg mnie zrobić książki, która będzie nieobfita i jednocześnie dobra dla laików. Uważam, że ta książka jest ani dobra dla laików, ani dla bardziej zorientowanych w temacie, bo z jednej strony często stara się zejść z tłumaczeniem do zupełnych podstaw, zaraz potem przechodząc do pojęć, których nie wytłumaczono równie dobrze, a wymagałyby tego. W tym wypadku laik odpadnie po pewnym czasie, bo mimo, że część rzeczy zrozumie, to reszta będzie zagadką...z drugiej strony dla osoby bardziej zorientowanej fragmenty tłumaczenia podstawowych pojęć są nudne i zabierają cenne strony.
Tyle względem samej książki. Ja za to mam nauczkę, by nie zostawiać pewnego typu książek na potem, bo albo się zdezaktualizują...albo ich materiał już nie będzie dla mnie na tyle wystarczający, by podjąć jej lekturę.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

Text book from a seminar class I was in at TCU, a good read.