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Origini: povestea științifică a creației
„Există numeroase versiuni ale poveștii creației. Cartea de față prezintă versiunea conformă cu știința modernă. Ea e rezultatul unui efort care a implicat (și continuă să implice) mii de oameni de știință, care pun laolaltă piesele unui imens puzzle, lansând mereu speculații și ipoteze, testând, dezbătând și revizuind. Acești oameni de știință se străduiesc să se asigure că piesele puzzle-uluisunt fiecare în parte coerente și consistente. Dar pentru ca povestea să fie unitară și inteligibilă, piesele trebuie să se și potrivească între ele, de la scara mare a universului la Homo sapiens, la cele mai mici microorganisme și la particulele elementare din care e alcătuită întreaga substanță materială. E o constrângere puternică.
Acestea fiind spuse, nu există nici o versiune «autorizată» sau «oficială» a poveștii științifice a creației. Dacă ar exista, îmi permit totuși să sper că ar semăna poate cu cartea de față. Nu vreau să par melodramatic, însă cred că toate eforturile mele depuse vreme de peste douăzeci de ani în popularizarea științei s-au concentrat în ea.“ – Jim Baggott
Acestea fiind spuse, nu există nici o versiune «autorizată» sau «oficială» a poveștii științifice a creației. Dacă ar exista, îmi permit totuși să sper că ar semăna poate cu cartea de față. Nu vreau să par melodramatic, însă cred că toate eforturile mele depuse vreme de peste douăzeci de ani în popularizarea științei s-au concentrat în ea.“ – Jim Baggott
472 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2015
27 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Jim Baggott
23 books147 followersJim Baggott completed his doctorate in physical chemistry at the University of Oxford and his postgraduate research at Stanford University.
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
September 3, 2023
E cea mai bună carte despre povestea originilor pe care am citit-o. M-a impresionat bogăția informațiilor și a ilustrațiilor.
De asemenea mi-a plăcut că epocile sunt clar delimitate încă din titlu. Avem Epoca Planck, Marii Unificări, Inflația cosmică etc.
Recomand
De asemenea mi-a plăcut că epocile sunt clar delimitate încă din titlu. Avem Epoca Planck, Marii Unificări, Inflația cosmică etc.
Recomand
October 7, 2015
Every civilisation has its creation myths. These often beautiful stories describe how the world came into being and, most importantly in terms of the reason the stories exist, explore how we as humans relate to the wider universe. Jim Baggott, who is one of the few science writers able to make the Higgs boson comprehensible, has taken on an even greater challenge in writing a creation myth for the scientific age.
Origins is a weighty tome - literally. Oxford University Press either incorporate a chunk of heavy metal into the spine or (more likely) use a particularly heavyweight glossy paper in books like these, which mean that they are a positive drag for bedtime reading or posting, but look undoubtedly handsome. But what of the contents?
Baggott takes us chronologically from the origins of the universe, through the formation of stars and galaxies, on to the solar system coalescing and the Earth forming, through our planetary ages, bringing in the beginnings of life and the eventual evolution of homo sapiens. That's a whole lot of science to pack in. And because he almost entirely concentrates on current best theories, sticking to the chronology of 'creation' this does mean that he has to plunge in with heavyweight science from the start (general relativity is out of the way by page 20 or so), rather than easing us in gently with some history of science background to show the way the theories have developed over time.
It also means that there is limited opportunity for story, for narrative - and that the biggest drawback of this book. It's a creation myth without the backbone story, just leaving the bare bones of theory and observation, and it is diminished by that lack. Luckily, Baggott is too good a writer not to use as much friendly language as he can, and does throw in the limited stories behind some observation and discovery where appropriate - the Alpher, Bethe, Gamow paper springs to mind - but overall there is an impression of the reader being overwhelmed with a huge quantity of fact and theory. After all, in taking us from the Planck epoch to the present day, he not only has to encompass 13.8 billion years but also pretty well every bit of important science we now know.
Traditional creation myths were presented as fact, though they could be charmingly inconsistent. Genesis, for instance, contains two conflicting myths, while the Ancient Egyptians had a whole collection of incompatible variations, though this didn't really matter, because these were stories with a message, rather than an attempt at history or science. You might expect that a scientific creation myth would do away with such uncertainty, but though Baggott does present us primarily with the best accepted current theories, he points out that alternatives exist - and that there are some points, such as the very beginning of the universe, or the first instance of life, where it's still most honest to say 'We don't know.'
Overall this is a brave and impressive attempt at an almost impossible task. I have given Origins four stars because I think that Baggott has made an excellent stab at this, but the result is not a book that can have the inspirational storyline and narrative power of the very best popular science. It's just the nature of the beast.
Origins is a weighty tome - literally. Oxford University Press either incorporate a chunk of heavy metal into the spine or (more likely) use a particularly heavyweight glossy paper in books like these, which mean that they are a positive drag for bedtime reading or posting, but look undoubtedly handsome. But what of the contents?
Baggott takes us chronologically from the origins of the universe, through the formation of stars and galaxies, on to the solar system coalescing and the Earth forming, through our planetary ages, bringing in the beginnings of life and the eventual evolution of homo sapiens. That's a whole lot of science to pack in. And because he almost entirely concentrates on current best theories, sticking to the chronology of 'creation' this does mean that he has to plunge in with heavyweight science from the start (general relativity is out of the way by page 20 or so), rather than easing us in gently with some history of science background to show the way the theories have developed over time.
It also means that there is limited opportunity for story, for narrative - and that the biggest drawback of this book. It's a creation myth without the backbone story, just leaving the bare bones of theory and observation, and it is diminished by that lack. Luckily, Baggott is too good a writer not to use as much friendly language as he can, and does throw in the limited stories behind some observation and discovery where appropriate - the Alpher, Bethe, Gamow paper springs to mind - but overall there is an impression of the reader being overwhelmed with a huge quantity of fact and theory. After all, in taking us from the Planck epoch to the present day, he not only has to encompass 13.8 billion years but also pretty well every bit of important science we now know.
Traditional creation myths were presented as fact, though they could be charmingly inconsistent. Genesis, for instance, contains two conflicting myths, while the Ancient Egyptians had a whole collection of incompatible variations, though this didn't really matter, because these were stories with a message, rather than an attempt at history or science. You might expect that a scientific creation myth would do away with such uncertainty, but though Baggott does present us primarily with the best accepted current theories, he points out that alternatives exist - and that there are some points, such as the very beginning of the universe, or the first instance of life, where it's still most honest to say 'We don't know.'
Overall this is a brave and impressive attempt at an almost impossible task. I have given Origins four stars because I think that Baggott has made an excellent stab at this, but the result is not a book that can have the inspirational storyline and narrative power of the very best popular science. It's just the nature of the beast.
December 15, 2015
An excellent overview of current scientific thinking. This is not a book to skim, but, if you have
kept up with current research, a book to read carefully. If it lacks in anything it is additional
illustrations and diagrams.
kept up with current research, a book to read carefully. If it lacks in anything it is additional
illustrations and diagrams.
December 4, 2016
Big History is the latest fad - highly important, but still a fad. Within this, a subfield is emerging about the evolution "to" the current moment that fuses three different evolutions: a. from the big bang or the first moments of creation to the solar system/the birth of earth through the field of astronomy; b. from the first life on earth to the dawn of humanity through the field of biological evolution and c. from the first humans and the birth of consciousness to now through the fields of philosophy, sociology, psychology, history, physiology etc.
A handful of books has been written already along these lines. Many more are sure to follow. The future ones will improve upon the style and the content of their predecessors and as a result, books like "Origins" by default will have a short shelf-life (given that it does not have topical mastery like, let's say, Will Durant's seminal "Story of Philosophy" to engage readers for decades). Origins could rate far highly with the readers who are reading this subject the first time in this book. For the rest like me, a comparison with what one has read before is inevitable. The book is likely to fare at best average when pitted against others.
Let me try to assess the book completely on its own first. Origins tells the tale as it calls it nicely. It stays faithful to the objective of the mainstream scientific theories/conclusions as they stand now. The author shows where these assertions are unproven, contentious or mere figments of imagination, although the author does not dwell sufficiently on the gaps in the knowledge or alternate theories. The book mostly focuses on the first two evolutions discussed above - the ones that deal with the "hard" sciences. A single chapter on humanity and consciousness is superfluous; the author would have been far better off completely skipping the topic if he did not have the wherewithals to discuss ideas and consciousness in detail.
The biggest shortcoming of the book is the uneven treatment of details presented. Certain topics - like when the author covers the masses and spins of most standard model particles - are discussed with encyclopaedic zeal. And some more important topics - like let's say the real implications of relativity on the fabric of cosmos - are covered perfunctorily. This irregular coverage is across the whole range - at times stalling the main story with needless details and at others making the story jump without adequate explanations.
To me, a comparison with Cosmosapiens is unavoidable and this book comes short. Cosmosapiens, in my view, suffers from an extreme bias against any form of orthodoxy but still has an extremely useful structure. The way it a. introduces various topics, b. provides studies, c. concludes with bullet points and d. retouches the subject later at the time of the section conclusions leads to contextual clarity absent here. While the third evolution was the weakest link for the other book too, it was materially stronger than in Origins.
Big Data is such a great and massive subject that most who begin their journey on it are likely to keep reading its various interpretations for years. Origins could prove engaging while one is reading it for its smooth, narrative like flow but is unlikely to stick in the memory for anything exceptional (just like the title "Origins"!).
A handful of books has been written already along these lines. Many more are sure to follow. The future ones will improve upon the style and the content of their predecessors and as a result, books like "Origins" by default will have a short shelf-life (given that it does not have topical mastery like, let's say, Will Durant's seminal "Story of Philosophy" to engage readers for decades). Origins could rate far highly with the readers who are reading this subject the first time in this book. For the rest like me, a comparison with what one has read before is inevitable. The book is likely to fare at best average when pitted against others.
Let me try to assess the book completely on its own first. Origins tells the tale as it calls it nicely. It stays faithful to the objective of the mainstream scientific theories/conclusions as they stand now. The author shows where these assertions are unproven, contentious or mere figments of imagination, although the author does not dwell sufficiently on the gaps in the knowledge or alternate theories. The book mostly focuses on the first two evolutions discussed above - the ones that deal with the "hard" sciences. A single chapter on humanity and consciousness is superfluous; the author would have been far better off completely skipping the topic if he did not have the wherewithals to discuss ideas and consciousness in detail.
The biggest shortcoming of the book is the uneven treatment of details presented. Certain topics - like when the author covers the masses and spins of most standard model particles - are discussed with encyclopaedic zeal. And some more important topics - like let's say the real implications of relativity on the fabric of cosmos - are covered perfunctorily. This irregular coverage is across the whole range - at times stalling the main story with needless details and at others making the story jump without adequate explanations.
To me, a comparison with Cosmosapiens is unavoidable and this book comes short. Cosmosapiens, in my view, suffers from an extreme bias against any form of orthodoxy but still has an extremely useful structure. The way it a. introduces various topics, b. provides studies, c. concludes with bullet points and d. retouches the subject later at the time of the section conclusions leads to contextual clarity absent here. While the third evolution was the weakest link for the other book too, it was materially stronger than in Origins.
Big Data is such a great and massive subject that most who begin their journey on it are likely to keep reading its various interpretations for years. Origins could prove engaging while one is reading it for its smooth, narrative like flow but is unlikely to stick in the memory for anything exceptional (just like the title "Origins"!).
July 15, 2017
The book is about 80% science and 20% naturalistic philosophy. It was to be expected. A lot of interesting things are covered, but it does seem to ramble somewhat. I was particularly attuned to the presence of what I call “magic words” and teleological or anthropomorphic language. Once one trains oneself to look for these, one realizes how ubiquitous they are in the realm of “science.’ Thus, words such as “emerges” “arises” and so forth should trip the credulity alarm. Words like these assume particular things occur, with none of the pesky difficulty of worrying about how, or how probable (or improbable) their occurrence. The book merely asserts that such things are “inevitable,” various experimental failures and practical difficulties notwithstanding. As to teleology, I learned throughout the book that evolution “creates” “invents” and even “terraforms.” Many scientists themselves are troubled by such weak presuppositions and assertions. But for the flippant naturalist, they are enough.
The last chapter, on mind/intentionality/consciousness, is most unconvincing. The author flatly states that the mind is equivalent to the brain, period. This is a philosophically incoherent and self-refuting assertion by which no one can or does actually live, for the simple reason that it is necessarily determinist. It strips humanity of grounds for rationality, thought, morality, or responsibility. Followed to its logical conclusion, no one can ever be guilty of, or responsible for, anything at all. People simply do what they are "stimulated" by natural chemical processes to do. That the mind directs the body is an illusion, it is the other way around. What a monstrous, intuitively false ideology. (Don't bother arguing, for I cannot be dissuaded from what my brain chemistry directs me to write.)
“Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism.
It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door.” -- Richard Lewontin
The last chapter, on mind/intentionality/consciousness, is most unconvincing. The author flatly states that the mind is equivalent to the brain, period. This is a philosophically incoherent and self-refuting assertion by which no one can or does actually live, for the simple reason that it is necessarily determinist. It strips humanity of grounds for rationality, thought, morality, or responsibility. Followed to its logical conclusion, no one can ever be guilty of, or responsible for, anything at all. People simply do what they are "stimulated" by natural chemical processes to do. That the mind directs the body is an illusion, it is the other way around. What a monstrous, intuitively false ideology. (Don't bother arguing, for I cannot be dissuaded from what my brain chemistry directs me to write.)
“Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism.
It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door.” -- Richard Lewontin
September 14, 2016
Every major religion of Earth has a creation story, which describes the origin of universe and the 'roots' of the people. This story usually describes some prehistoric event which led to the creation of sun, stars and everything else that we see around us. This story culminates by describing how the people of a particular community who follow that religion came to be. These 'creation myths' form an important leitmotif of religious instruction.
Suffice it to say, and I am sorry if this sounds rude, but there is absolutely ZERO evidence for these stories and the events described therein. The sheer variety of events described in these stories should logically inspire a question: Which one is true?
Thankfully, Science has led the way as usual in describing how the universe came to be, how the first atoms were formed, first clouds of gases coalesced to form stars, all the way to human origins. The story spans a staggering 13+ billion years, and is marked with cataclysmic as well as still-mysterious events almost beyond our imagination.
Jim Baggott has carefully chronicled all of these major events and the fantastic stories behind their discovery into a handy volume which can and should be read by anyone curious about origins of the Universe, and ultimately, us. Full of insightful and stunning pictures and diagrams, this book explains smoothly some of the most arcane concepts of astrophysics, chemistry, geology and biology without over-simplification. This book definitely requires some basic knowledge of scientific concepts, but in the end, the reader will be thoroughly satisfied. This book operates on the grandest scale possible and does not disappoint. Highly recommended.
Suffice it to say, and I am sorry if this sounds rude, but there is absolutely ZERO evidence for these stories and the events described therein. The sheer variety of events described in these stories should logically inspire a question: Which one is true?
Thankfully, Science has led the way as usual in describing how the universe came to be, how the first atoms were formed, first clouds of gases coalesced to form stars, all the way to human origins. The story spans a staggering 13+ billion years, and is marked with cataclysmic as well as still-mysterious events almost beyond our imagination.
Jim Baggott has carefully chronicled all of these major events and the fantastic stories behind their discovery into a handy volume which can and should be read by anyone curious about origins of the Universe, and ultimately, us. Full of insightful and stunning pictures and diagrams, this book explains smoothly some of the most arcane concepts of astrophysics, chemistry, geology and biology without over-simplification. This book definitely requires some basic knowledge of scientific concepts, but in the end, the reader will be thoroughly satisfied. This book operates on the grandest scale possible and does not disappoint. Highly recommended.
October 7, 2015
In describing creation right back from the furthest moment possible to the metabolic quirks of the human race, ‘Origins’ is a book that is much more than the sum of its parts. Jim Baggott manages to guide a reader through some complex physics into the realms of biochemistry in one of the most adept explanations I have seen for some time of science applied to the world around us. Despite covering so much ground there is always a sense of the author constantly considering his audience and doing his very best to open up concepts that will, once grasped, not only inform, but amaze. Having said that, the uninitiated in science should not expect an easy read, because many of the concepts the author puts over are never easy to explain in words. But the excellent diagrams and references to everyday situations mean that with a little perseverance the reader will be rewarded with some startling insights and a sense of having taken a step closer to seeing the world around them from a whole now perspective. So switch off the TV. This is in every sense a readable reference book to disappear into and relish on cold winter evenings while sipping a nice hot drink.
October 5, 2020
Kökenler
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Bu aralar boyumu aşacak kitaplara bulaşmaya başladım. Kesin. #kökenler için çok hevesliydim ama benim için ağır oldu. Doğa bilimleriyle haşır neşir olanlar için açıklayıcı olabilir. Ama ben anlamamak.😵
.
1'den 4. bölüme kadar #fizik,🪐 4. ile 8. bölüm arası #kimya,🧪 8. ve sonraki bölümler #biyolojinin🧬 uğraş alanı. Neler anladın derseniz birkaçını söyleyeyim:
.
➡️ Evren 13.8 milyar, Dünya 4.5 milyar, yaşam 3.5 milyar, insan 4.5 milyon yaşında. 13.8 milyar yılı 24 saat olarak düşünürsek insan son birkaç saniyedir hayatta.🕛 Son saniyenin 3 binde 1'i kadar bir zamandır da bilimsel yöntemlerle kökenler araştırılıyor. Yani, gecenin 12'sinde horul horul uyuduğumuz aşikâr.😴
.
➡️ Herşey büyük patlamayla başlamış. Ama farklı düşünenler de var. O zamandan beri evren genişliyor.☄️ Evrenin sadece ışığı bize ulaşabilen kadarını görüyoruz. En uzaktaki ışık 13.8 milyar yıl öteden geliyor. Işık hızı bildiğimiz en yüksek hız. Işık hızına ulaşabilmek hayaliyle yanıp tutuşuyoruz.💥
.
➡️ İlk başlarda kütlesiz maddeler de varmış. Zamanla maddeler kütle kazanıyor ve toparlanmaya başlıyor. Böylece atomlar, moleküller, bileşikler, yıldızlar, galaksiler oluşuyor.✨ Dünya'nın da içinde bulunduğu Güneş Sistemi, Samanyolu Galaksisi'nin bir parçası. (Parçayı hatırlayalım: Berkant, Samanyolu🎵)
.
➡️ Yaşam, cansız karmaşık kimyadan kendiliğinden türemiş. Cansız maddeden canlı madde oluşması olayına "abiyogenez" deniyor. Bu meydana gelmişse muhtemelen tekrar olmamış. Çünkü tüm bilim tarihinde yaşamın, yaşam dışında bir şeyden ortaya çıktığı asla görülmemiş. (Ey yumurtaya can veren🐣 yüce Allahım...)
.
➡️ İlk canlılar suda yaşamış ve zaman içerisinde Dünya'ya yayılmış. Dinazorlar🦖 bu Dünya'nın eski sakinlerinden. 66 milyon yıl önce(Jura devresi) bir göktaşı çarpmasıyla soyları tükenmiş. (Film tavsiyesi: Jurassic Park🎥)
.
➡️ İnsan Dünya'da oluşunu fazla önemseyip abartıyor gibi görünüyor. İnsan, çok kısa bir zamandır var ve evrenin diğer sakinlerinden temelde büyük farkları yok. Jüpiter nasıl oluşmuşsa insan da öyle oluşmuş. Suyun 100 derecede kaynaması ne anlama geliyorsa insanın Dünya'da oluşu da aynı anlama geliyor sanki.♻️ Eğer gerçekten öyleyse çok da şeyapmamak lazım.
.
.
Bu aralar boyumu aşacak kitaplara bulaşmaya başladım. Kesin. #kökenler için çok hevesliydim ama benim için ağır oldu. Doğa bilimleriyle haşır neşir olanlar için açıklayıcı olabilir. Ama ben anlamamak.😵
.
1'den 4. bölüme kadar #fizik,🪐 4. ile 8. bölüm arası #kimya,🧪 8. ve sonraki bölümler #biyolojinin🧬 uğraş alanı. Neler anladın derseniz birkaçını söyleyeyim:
.
➡️ Evren 13.8 milyar, Dünya 4.5 milyar, yaşam 3.5 milyar, insan 4.5 milyon yaşında. 13.8 milyar yılı 24 saat olarak düşünürsek insan son birkaç saniyedir hayatta.🕛 Son saniyenin 3 binde 1'i kadar bir zamandır da bilimsel yöntemlerle kökenler araştırılıyor. Yani, gecenin 12'sinde horul horul uyuduğumuz aşikâr.😴
.
➡️ Herşey büyük patlamayla başlamış. Ama farklı düşünenler de var. O zamandan beri evren genişliyor.☄️ Evrenin sadece ışığı bize ulaşabilen kadarını görüyoruz. En uzaktaki ışık 13.8 milyar yıl öteden geliyor. Işık hızı bildiğimiz en yüksek hız. Işık hızına ulaşabilmek hayaliyle yanıp tutuşuyoruz.💥
.
➡️ İlk başlarda kütlesiz maddeler de varmış. Zamanla maddeler kütle kazanıyor ve toparlanmaya başlıyor. Böylece atomlar, moleküller, bileşikler, yıldızlar, galaksiler oluşuyor.✨ Dünya'nın da içinde bulunduğu Güneş Sistemi, Samanyolu Galaksisi'nin bir parçası. (Parçayı hatırlayalım: Berkant, Samanyolu🎵)
.
➡️ Yaşam, cansız karmaşık kimyadan kendiliğinden türemiş. Cansız maddeden canlı madde oluşması olayına "abiyogenez" deniyor. Bu meydana gelmişse muhtemelen tekrar olmamış. Çünkü tüm bilim tarihinde yaşamın, yaşam dışında bir şeyden ortaya çıktığı asla görülmemiş. (Ey yumurtaya can veren🐣 yüce Allahım...)
.
➡️ İlk canlılar suda yaşamış ve zaman içerisinde Dünya'ya yayılmış. Dinazorlar🦖 bu Dünya'nın eski sakinlerinden. 66 milyon yıl önce(Jura devresi) bir göktaşı çarpmasıyla soyları tükenmiş. (Film tavsiyesi: Jurassic Park🎥)
.
➡️ İnsan Dünya'da oluşunu fazla önemseyip abartıyor gibi görünüyor. İnsan, çok kısa bir zamandır var ve evrenin diğer sakinlerinden temelde büyük farkları yok. Jüpiter nasıl oluşmuşsa insan da öyle oluşmuş. Suyun 100 derecede kaynaması ne anlama geliyorsa insanın Dünya'da oluşu da aynı anlama geliyor sanki.♻️ Eğer gerçekten öyleyse çok da şeyapmamak lazım.
.
January 8, 2020
This is an epic scientific journey, without myths or legends, from the initial big bang, 13.8 billion years ago, to the rise of Human consciousness, some 50 million years ago. This fascinating odyssey introduces us to many participants from the chemical and biological realms. All of them colluded to create planets, terraform Earth, and then they evolved into more and more complex structures and lifeforms. A hazardous enterprise that was nearly wiped out five times by mass extinctions.
It shows that absolutely everything can be explained by science, which in itself is a bit of a miracle, because scientists only seem to agree on just one thing: that they are going to disagree on everything ;p. Still, ‘Origins’ possesses a solid narrative. And although there are many unanswered questions, it shows us how particles and organisms developed and evolved whichever way they could, depending on the resources within their reach.
We might have become an entirely different species without the mass extinctions. One that would have developed far quicker than we did. Or we might have been completely wiped out by a 6th formidable event. Or maybe, the cosmic imperative caused those disasters so that Homo sapiens could have a chance to exist, with all its wonders and flaws. It had after all, already created a nice little solar system for Earth and all its life-forms...
No matter how we look at it, we happened, from nothing, and science can trace most of the stages between this nothing and everything.
It shows that absolutely everything can be explained by science, which in itself is a bit of a miracle, because scientists only seem to agree on just one thing: that they are going to disagree on everything ;p. Still, ‘Origins’ possesses a solid narrative. And although there are many unanswered questions, it shows us how particles and organisms developed and evolved whichever way they could, depending on the resources within their reach.
We might have become an entirely different species without the mass extinctions. One that would have developed far quicker than we did. Or we might have been completely wiped out by a 6th formidable event. Or maybe, the cosmic imperative caused those disasters so that Homo sapiens could have a chance to exist, with all its wonders and flaws. It had after all, already created a nice little solar system for Earth and all its life-forms...
No matter how we look at it, we happened, from nothing, and science can trace most of the stages between this nothing and everything.
February 16, 2018
The scope of this book is really broad: from the very first moments of the Big Bang (or is it Big Bounce?) to the origin of consciousness through the formation of stars, of the solar system, of our planet, life, and the Homo Sapiens... It doesn't shy away though from going into detailed scientific explanations of complex concepts (e.g stellar nucleosynthesis) so the most demanding intellects will have enough meat to chew on, but for more casual readers it's possible to tread lightly through those dense paragraphs and still get the gist of the matter.
I really liked the rigour and how, unlike too many popular science books which adopt too much confident a tone, the author clearly states it when the theories or explanations being described in the book are still object of debate among scientists, or sometimes just educated guesses (e.g. origin of cellular life). I also loved the fact that this is a very recent book so it allows you to update your basic knowledge of the world with the very latest and cutting edge of scientific research, including some very intriguing ideas.
The book is written with a clunky but sincere sense of humor which I found very endearing.
I really liked the rigour and how, unlike too many popular science books which adopt too much confident a tone, the author clearly states it when the theories or explanations being described in the book are still object of debate among scientists, or sometimes just educated guesses (e.g. origin of cellular life). I also loved the fact that this is a very recent book so it allows you to update your basic knowledge of the world with the very latest and cutting edge of scientific research, including some very intriguing ideas.
The book is written with a clunky but sincere sense of humor which I found very endearing.
September 4, 2017
Overall the content of the book was decent. I found there were a few points at the end of the book regarding the continuation of Human evolution I didn't fully agree with, in that in the last 10k years, my views are more along the lines of mutation and some artificial selection, in that there is a decreasing degree of natural selection pressure.
Beyond that I found the book in audiobook format really hard to stick with because of the poor quality of the narrator. With long poorly placed pauses, strange and maybe incorrectly pronounced words, and even points where the wrong inflection was used, making it harder to get the author's point. There were even a small number of attempts at humor being wasted with poor narration.
In closing I would say the book is a good read in text format for those very interested in the biology of life, other the level of detail being 1 maybe 2 steps past an 101 introduction level. Some of the details on chemistry, reactions and molecules also being easier to understand and track in text over audio form.
Beyond that I found the book in audiobook format really hard to stick with because of the poor quality of the narrator. With long poorly placed pauses, strange and maybe incorrectly pronounced words, and even points where the wrong inflection was used, making it harder to get the author's point. There were even a small number of attempts at humor being wasted with poor narration.
In closing I would say the book is a good read in text format for those very interested in the biology of life, other the level of detail being 1 maybe 2 steps past an 101 introduction level. Some of the details on chemistry, reactions and molecules also being easier to understand and track in text over audio form.
November 1, 2019
I loved this book because it was the scientific history of everything from the Big Bang theory of the formation of the universe to human evolution to development of consciousness. After having read several science books on these various topics it was satisfying to have a review of everything all in one book. Very readable and geared toward the lay person. It did help that I had read several books before I read this one but I don't think this is absolutely necessary if you are interested in science.
August 28, 2019
Nice book about how we created it starts from stars maybe more beyond the stars. But if you enjoy the scientific books you should really read this.
PS: so much scientific definition plaese googled everyone. otherwise it doesnt mean anything.
PS: so much scientific definition plaese googled everyone. otherwise it doesnt mean anything.
October 4, 2019
This book nicely summarizes 15 billion years of history in ~360 pages. From the formation of matter to planets to life on earth and finally human consciousness, it touches almost everything. Definitely worth a read.
September 17, 2017
A great summary of scientific creation as is currently understood. Some speculation, but red flagged at each juncture and logically thought through.
April 24, 2020
Extremely dense--feels like reading a college level textbook. He delivers what is expected though.
May 11, 2020
1 bölümünde editöryal hata olsa da akıcı ve sıradan olmayan anlatımıyla değerli eser.
July 24, 2020
Kitabin ilk.baslarinde coknfazla ayrintiya girip boğmuş. Fakat sonradan iyi topluyor...
October 11, 2023
Yeryüzünün canlıların ve insanların evrimini nasıl etkilediğini, medeniyetin oluşmasında kullanılan yer altı ve yer üstü kaynakların hangi jeolojik çağda nasıl oluştuğunu çok güzel anlatıyor.
June 22, 2016
Origins: The Scientific Story of Creation by Jim Baggott is a wonderfully readable account of 13.8 billion years worth of science. The story shifts about halfway through from mostly physics and chemistry to biology and chemistry (lets face it, chemistry is every where!).
There can not be a truly comprehensive account of this science, at least not within a reasonable size. Even a three volume attempt would leave some things out, some explained less rigorously and even then only mention a fraction of the questions that still remain. Rather than display my areas of scientific strength and weakness and nitpick specific sections I prefer to commend Baggott on making an account that, while challenging for those only somewhat well-versed in these topics, is still accessible to the general reader.
Yes, there are competing theories about many areas covered here and Baggott acknowledges those, though he doesn't take the time and space, not to mention disrupt the books flow, to itemize every possible variation. To expect such is to judge this book for what it isn't trying to be. Of the perhaps seven or so similar books I can think of I believe this ranks right there with the best of them. Different strengths and weaknesses without question, but a very strong and comprehensive volume. That this is probably only my third favorite of Baggott's books speaks more to how good the others are rather than to any negative aspect with this one.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
There can not be a truly comprehensive account of this science, at least not within a reasonable size. Even a three volume attempt would leave some things out, some explained less rigorously and even then only mention a fraction of the questions that still remain. Rather than display my areas of scientific strength and weakness and nitpick specific sections I prefer to commend Baggott on making an account that, while challenging for those only somewhat well-versed in these topics, is still accessible to the general reader.
Yes, there are competing theories about many areas covered here and Baggott acknowledges those, though he doesn't take the time and space, not to mention disrupt the books flow, to itemize every possible variation. To expect such is to judge this book for what it isn't trying to be. Of the perhaps seven or so similar books I can think of I believe this ranks right there with the best of them. Different strengths and weaknesses without question, but a very strong and comprehensive volume. That this is probably only my third favorite of Baggott's books speaks more to how good the others are rather than to any negative aspect with this one.
Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.
March 20, 2016
This is a superb account of our origins, based on what science has learned up to 2015, from the Big Bang to the emergence of consciousness in a primate that walks upright on two legs on the third planet of an average star located two thirds of the way out from the centre of a medium sized galaxy in a big universe. Jim Baggott writes his scientific story of creation in an engaging manner, and pulls no punches. Right from the start, he makes it clear that this is a book about origins according to what science has discovered about the workings of the universe, and he clearly draws the line between this and what is just speculation with no empirical evidence to back it up. What is particularly valuable about this account is that it places, under one cover, the origin of mass, light, stars and galaxies, the sun and its planets, why the Earth is habitable, and the origin of life, complex cells and multicellular organisms, species, and ending with the origin of humanity and consciousness. It is simply a tour de force, and one that is well recommended for anyone with an interest in the workings of this marvelous universe of ours.
December 20, 2016
Ok, this is not Neil De Grasse Tyson type of popular narrative. I knew that. But this book is extremely detailed, to the point of being hard core at times. Its probably a good thing for scientists, but for casual reader/science enthusiast reader - not so much. Author gets soo deep into details, that you will lose sight of bigger picture. Inevitably, you will ask yourself a question - "hold it, why am I reading this fragment, what it is connected to and how?" This is exactly the case with Jim Baggott's other book, "First War of Physics".
Sheer amount of details aside, I believe it is average writen. Not poorly. Just average. I could not be excited for this.
So, this is not your casual, Discovery-channel type of read. It requires effort. You got to be sharp a to read this.
I can't resist to compare this to Jeremiah Ostriker's book on dark energy, which addresses even more complex issues in a much more approachable way.
Sheer amount of details aside, I believe it is average writen. Not poorly. Just average. I could not be excited for this.
So, this is not your casual, Discovery-channel type of read. It requires effort. You got to be sharp a to read this.
I can't resist to compare this to Jeremiah Ostriker's book on dark energy, which addresses even more complex issues in a much more approachable way.
September 17, 2015
Origins is the science book every single person should read, and should be part of every high school curriculum. Jim Baggott succeeds in making the story of the creation of our universe and the origins of our being a truly compelling story. Baggott writes in clear, elegant language for the scientist, the student, the aficionado, and they layman alike. Origins makes such staggering and fundamental concepts as special relativity an approachable topic by helping the reader see behind the curtain and take the journeys that lead to their discover and development. I cannot recall a science book I have enjoyed more, or have felt so compelled to recommend to anyone who will listen.
Read
September 5, 2016The first several hundred million years of creation stupefy me. The thinkologists discuss the first few trillionths of ~seconds after the Big Bang as Eon (or epoch, I began the book weeks ago) of This or That as the Bang became matter and energy. I just burble at all that. I need things to be on the macro level: I understand why the inner planets are rocky and the middle ones gaseous and the outer bits icy. So I need a few billion years to catch up.
The author did assert that North America has no marsupials. Don't you oppress our possums, you limey git. The reader, however, pronounces René Descartes as if he were Spanish: des-CAR-tez. I giggled at each, something like six times.
The author did assert that North America has no marsupials. Don't you oppress our possums, you limey git. The reader, however, pronounces René Descartes as if he were Spanish: des-CAR-tez. I giggled at each, something like six times.
November 6, 2015
A wonderful narrative of what physics has come to understand about our origins. Though somewhat overly dismissive of string theory and multiverse theory, this is an in-depth, chronological description of the cosmos and our tiny little place in it.
dnf
July 27, 2016I tried but this just didn't work for me as an audio book. A bit dull.
I did really enjoy his other book Farewell to Reality.
I did really enjoy his other book Farewell to Reality.
October 4, 2016
What an amazing book!!! Reading this book should be mandatory!
July 5, 2020
Last few chapters are a bit droll but definitely one of the better books on the subjects it deals with. Lovely writing and great diversity in content.
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