Stardust: Our Cosmic Origins

by Stephen Welch

Have you ever wondered where we came from? Or what the reality is of the world beyond our perception? In this fascinating book of scientific exploration, Stephen Welch aims to provide answer to these questions and more in his overview of the most recent scientific thinking. Subjects such as mythology, space, physics, extraterrestrials, culture, evolution, and what the future holds are all here to stimulate your imagination in a world that is far more amazing and awe inspiring than any fiction.

180 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2008

About the author

I studied maths at university, worked in a bookshop for a while then switched to a medical career in Scotland for a number of years.
Then I went back to college and studied computing. I'm currently a business analyst in the insurance industry.
I live in Kent near the Channel Tunnel and I have three children.
I have written and published two books, the first a children's science fiction book set on Mars and with a sub theme of chess running through it (age group 8 - 14) called "The Triple A's Check it Out".
The second is not a children's book, it's about our origins, including the big bang, evolution, how the mind works and many other topics. It's called "Stardust: Our Cosmic Origins".
I have a number of interests, including: Tennis, Badminton, Chess, Go, Bridge, Writing, Reading, Poetry, Clasical Music and Opera.

Reviews

[Kilt · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite books are those filled with a variety of ideas that surprise, stimulate your imagination, shock and delight, and Stephen Welch’s wonderful new book Stardust is a treasure trove of such jewels. Welch’s book has a simple and elegant purpose, to bring together threads gleaned from many different scientific disciplines and weave them into a pictorial tapestry of our current state of knowledge showing the best answers we have to important and basic questions such as: What are we? Where we come from? What the reality is of the world beyond our perception?

This he does by giving us a fascinating thumbnail sketch of the amazing perspective humankind has gained, particularly in the last 100 years or so. Stardust covers a literally infinite expanse of topics, far ranging in time and space, both outer and inner. He descends through the unfathomable primordial depths of Deep Time to the Big Bang itself, pulls us in for a close-up look at the fundamental forces that hold the universe together, and takes us on a safari through the long, rich timeline of Life’s evolutionary history. Welch illustrates the long (but geologically speaking, infinitesimally brief) story of humanity: our mythologies and memes, the painful but supremely rewarding supplanting of our cherished superstitions by the scientific method, and what the future may hold, ETs and AIs, and our place in this vast and spectacular universe.

Stardust is a perfect introduction to the wonders of our current state of knowledge. Welch distills an awe inspiring universe of complex ideas into a small, handy volume that is a pleasure to read and filled with gems of quotes, poetry, amazing facts and mind-shifting ideas. Young readers and adults alike will thoroughly enjoy it. I heartily recommend it for anyone looking for a good, readable basic understanding of our universe and our origins. You will never be the same when you look up at the stars, and see ourselves there.

[Alex Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stephen Welch brings together what appears to be a lifetime fascination with the universe. He is definitely well read and makes really good points. Definitely worth a read.