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Universe Down to Earth
This witty, often amusing exploration of the physical universe explains fundamental concepts in a language that is clear even to those with little or no science background. Tyson transforms everyday experiences into venues of cosmic enlightenment as he probes the philosophy, methods, and discoveries of science, including stellar evolution, the conservation of energy, the electromagnetic spectrum, gravity, and thermodynamics. Beginning with the history of counting, Tyson takes us up and down the number line from picometers to light-years as he demonstrates the universality of mathematics. We then learn about the scientific method and its importance not only to cutting-edge researchers but also to laypeople like television advertisers, who use it in commercials to prove the worth of products that lift stains, eradicate "ring-around-the-collar, " and absorb "excess stomach acid." Tyson deftly demystifies astronomical terms and concepts such as the Big Bang, black holes, redshifts, syzygy, and Kirkwood Gaps; traces the life of the stars from birth to death; presents the Periodic Table of Elements, highlighting noteworthy elements such as titanium, iron, and hydrogen; gives an unorthodox yet entertaining tour of famous constellations; and tackles modern-day astrology. Universe Down to Earth makes vivid analogies between scientific laws and household items such as oven-baked pies, tossed tomatoes, and lightbulbs, as well as amusement park rides, Hollywood films, and junk food. Consequently, each idea presented etches delightful impressions on the reader's mind. Bringing demonstrations of the principles of nature into the living room, Tyson writes in a lucid, easygoing style that finally makesscientific literacy possible for enthusiasts and those with math and science phobias alike.
277 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
9 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
Neil deGrasse Tyson
90 books285k followersNeil deGrasse Tyson was born and raised in New York City where he was educated in the public schools clear through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. Tyson went on to earn his BA in Physics from Harvard and his PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia.
In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security.
In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a nine-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” commission. This group navigated a path by which the new space vision can become a successful part of the American agenda. And in 2006, the head of NASA appointed Tyson to serve on its prestigious Advisory Council, which guides NASA through its perennial need to fit ambitious visions into restricted budgets.
In addition to dozens of professional publications, Dr. Tyson has written, and continues to write for the public. From 1995 to 2005, Tyson was a monthly essayist for Natural History magazine under the title Universe. And among Tyson’s fifteen books is his memoir The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith. Origins is the companion book to the PBS NOVA four-part mini-series Origins, in which Tyson served as on-camera host. The program premiered in September 2004.
Two of Tyson’s other books are the playful and informative Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries, which was a New York Times bestseller, and The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet, chronicling his experience at the center of the controversy over Pluto’s planetary status. The PBS NOVA documentary The Pluto Files, based on the book, premiered in March 2010.
In February 2012, Tyson released his tenth book, containing every thought he has ever had on the past, present, and future of space exploration: Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier.
For five seasons, beginning in the fall of 2006, Tyson appeared as the on-camera host of PBS NOVA’s spinoff program NOVA ScienceNOW, which is an accessible look at the frontier of all the science that shapes the understanding of our place in the universe.
During the summer of 2009 Tyson identified a cadre of professional standup comedians to assist his effort in bringing science to commercial radio with the NSF-funded pilot program StarTalk. Now also a popular Podcast, for three years it enjoyed a limited-run Television Series on the National Geographic Channel. StarTalk combines celebrity guests with informative yet playful banter. The target audience is all those people who never thought they would, or could, like science. In its first year on television and in three successive seasons, it was nominated for a Best Informational Programming Emmy.
Tyson is the recipient of twenty-one honorary doctorates and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award given by NASA to a non-government citizen. His contributions to the public appreciation of the cosmos have been recognized by the International Astronomical Union in their official naming of asteroid “13123 Tyson.” And by zoologists, with the naming of Indirani Tysoni, a native species of leaping frog in India. On the lighter side, Tyson was voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
More recently, Tyson published Astrophysics for People In A Hurry in 2017, which was a domestic and international bestseller. This adorably readable book is an introduction to all that you’ve read and heard about that’s making news in the universe—consummated, in one plac
In 2001, Tyson was appointed by President Bush to serve on a twelve-member commission that studied the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry. The final report was published in 2002 and contained recommendations (for Congress and for the major agencies of the government) that would promote a thriving future of transportation, space exploration, and national security.
In 2004, Tyson was once again appointed by President Bush to serve on a nine-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy, dubbed the “Moon, Mars, and Beyond” commission. This group navigated a path by which the new space vision can become a successful part of the American agenda. And in 2006, the head of NASA appointed Tyson to serve on its prestigious Advisory Council, which guides NASA through its perennial need to fit ambitious visions into restricted budgets.
In addition to dozens of professional publications, Dr. Tyson has written, and continues to write for the public. From 1995 to 2005, Tyson was a monthly essayist for Natural History magazine under the title Universe. And among Tyson’s fifteen books is his memoir The Sky is Not the Limit: Adventures of an Urban Astrophysicist; and Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution, co-written with Donald Goldsmith. Origins is the companion book to the PBS NOVA four-part mini-series Origins, in which Tyson served as on-camera host. The program premiered in September 2004.
Two of Tyson’s other books are the playful and informative Death By Black Hole and Other Cosmic Quandaries, which was a New York Times bestseller, and The Pluto Files: The Rise and Fall of America’s Favorite Planet, chronicling his experience at the center of the controversy over Pluto’s planetary status. The PBS NOVA documentary The Pluto Files, based on the book, premiered in March 2010.
In February 2012, Tyson released his tenth book, containing every thought he has ever had on the past, present, and future of space exploration: Space Chronicles: Facing the Ultimate Frontier.
For five seasons, beginning in the fall of 2006, Tyson appeared as the on-camera host of PBS NOVA’s spinoff program NOVA ScienceNOW, which is an accessible look at the frontier of all the science that shapes the understanding of our place in the universe.
During the summer of 2009 Tyson identified a cadre of professional standup comedians to assist his effort in bringing science to commercial radio with the NSF-funded pilot program StarTalk. Now also a popular Podcast, for three years it enjoyed a limited-run Television Series on the National Geographic Channel. StarTalk combines celebrity guests with informative yet playful banter. The target audience is all those people who never thought they would, or could, like science. In its first year on television and in three successive seasons, it was nominated for a Best Informational Programming Emmy.
Tyson is the recipient of twenty-one honorary doctorates and the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the highest award given by NASA to a non-government citizen. His contributions to the public appreciation of the cosmos have been recognized by the International Astronomical Union in their official naming of asteroid “13123 Tyson.” And by zoologists, with the naming of Indirani Tysoni, a native species of leaping frog in India. On the lighter side, Tyson was voted “Sexiest Astrophysicist Alive” by People Magazine in 2000.
More recently, Tyson published Astrophysics for People In A Hurry in 2017, which was a domestic and international bestseller. This adorably readable book is an introduction to all that you’ve read and heard about that’s making news in the universe—consummated, in one plac
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 20, 2018
Fresh start to quit recent but sims entrance to world of wonders, of understanding logic and magic of world as it appears to our senses and above. And that above is possible through science. This book is better then school book as not plain but with approach author of one of my favorite physicists.
And books like such expanse my interest in science to find and read more of his heroes and folks, just like feeling that is present to me when reading history or literature.
In other world, when reading books like this its like being young again.
And books like such expanse my interest in science to find and read more of his heroes and folks, just like feeling that is present to me when reading history or literature.
In other world, when reading books like this its like being young again.
August 12, 2016
Neil deGrasse Tyson does it again. "Universe Down to Earth" is a thoroughly enjoyable, easy to read, down to Earth book about the Universe, and much much more, with an easy to read style, lots of anecdotes and some nice humor. deGrasse Tyson is an amazing storyteller and his stories are easy to follow and relatable. It is sometimes difficult to find easy to understand science books, but this is one of those cases. Almost all concepts are very easy to comprehend, not because they are easy, but because they are explained in a way that is easy to follow. It is not only an art to do so, it is much more, because it makes the reader interested into reading and learning more about the topic.
"Universe Down to Earth" is a book that not only the fans of the topic can enjoy. The only complaints could be some overlong explanations and a couple of places where the humor falls flat (or it's old-fashioned). Otherwise, a blast.
8/10
"Universe Down to Earth" is a book that not only the fans of the topic can enjoy. The only complaints could be some overlong explanations and a couple of places where the humor falls flat (or it's old-fashioned). Otherwise, a blast.
8/10
September 28, 2009
There's no ovrall story here. This book is more like a dictionary, packed with some interesting factoids (e.g., Polaris/North Star is not true north but off by a couple of degrees, and will be off by 45 degrees in 12,000 years due to the wobbling of Earth's axis) that may be good for future reference. The short stories on the key elements are good, but the periodic table remains a mystery. We get a good description of the various forms of light (via wave variation) but no explanation of "electro" or "magnetic" or "electromagnetic" (this particular chapter's heading). This book is written for those just getting started on astronomy and physics, though perhaps the author's "popularizing" mode of explanation is somewhat overdone.
September 17, 2007
I really enjoyed this book. It is written in a very approachable style, and it provides some insight into how professional star-gazers see and think about the universe.
April 22, 2014
Neil de Grasse Tyson can make a chapter that is essentially a glossary of astronomy terms funny and easy to understand. It is particularly enjoyable if his voice is in your head when you read it.
November 11, 2015
Makes difficult subjects clear, with a touch of humor thrown in. Good.
dnf
August 10, 2025DNF.
Got through a few chapters but felt like I'm not the intended audience for it. Many of it is easy to understand but other sections I drew a blank on. Another reviewer said it's like a dictionary and I agree 100% with that.
Got through a few chapters but felt like I'm not the intended audience for it. Many of it is easy to understand but other sections I drew a blank on. Another reviewer said it's like a dictionary and I agree 100% with that.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews