Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going

by Neil deGrasse Tyson, James Trefil

In this thought-provoking follow-up to his acclaimed StarTalk book, uber astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson tackles the world's most important philosophical questions about the universe with wit, wisdom, and cutting-edge science.

For science geeks, space and physics nerds, and all who want to understand their place in the universe, this enlightening new book from Neil deGrasse Tyson offers a unique take on the mysteries and curiosities of the cosmos, building on rich material from his beloved StarTalk podcast.

In these illuminating pages, illustrated with dazzling photos and revealing graphics, Tyson and co-author James Trefil, a renowned physicist and science popularizer, take on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia--How did life begin? What is our place in the universe? Are we alone?--and provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories.

Populated with paradigm-shifting discoveries that help explain the building blocks of astrophysics, this relatable and entertaining book will engage and inspire readers of all ages, bring sophisticated concepts within reach, and offer a window into the complexities of the cosmos.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Astronomy, Space, Audiobook, Physics, History

Kindle Edition

First published March 2, 2021

About the author

Neil 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

Reviews

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who would have thought that rising raisin bread dough would be the perfect analogy for the expanding universe? Or that dropping a watch off a tall building and then analyzing the broken pieces and parts to try to figure out what is inside of it and how it works, is basically how the Large Hadroon Collider works. These kinds of literal down-to-earth explanations really helped me understand lots of things like: the big bang theory, how we determine how far away things are from Earth, and what will happen when the Sun eventually runs out of juice. Now, I will say the details of some things still flew right over my head - namely all the 'elementary particles' like quarks and leptons. Don't ask me anything about them, because I have no clue other than they apparently exist and they come in different 'flavors' with funny names like "strange" and "charm". But overall I thought this book did a great job of explaining a lot of interesting things and I recommend picking it up.

Now, I did also read another book by Neil deGrasse Tyson, Astrophysics for People in a Hurry, a little over three years ago. So how do these two books compare? Honestly I have no idea because I don't even remember much of that other book, sorry! But I think overall, Cosmic Queries was a lot more 'accessible' to the average non-scientific person like myself, for what that's worth. I do recall being a bit more lost while reading the other book.

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Several years ago, my family went to the Museum of Natural Sciences in New York City, and we attended a presentation narrated by Whoopi Goldberg and Neil deGrasse Tyson. I can still hear their voices in my head, as I looked at the stars on the ceiling in that mesmerizing room. His passion for the universe knows no bounds, and he shares scientific facts in an entertaining and approachable way.

Because of that, I knew I had to read this book, and it was exactly what expected and more. Smart, scientific, yet completely engaging, Cosmic Queries is astrophysics in consumable form. It’s absolutely fascinating!

This is a Nat Geo book, so of course I have to mention the stunning photography and overall appearance of this book!

I received a gifted copy I will forever treasure.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I keep reading books about the cosmos in the hope that each time a little more of it will stick with me. So, while this book covered territory that I have read before, I did learn more, and I liked the book’s conversational style. What I did not like was the misleading description that this audiobook is narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson, it isn’t. Tyson chimes in every now and then with a clarification. My estimate is that he appears on less than 5% of the book. I know, from listening to other books, that Tyson is perfectly capable of reading his own book, but instead of hearing his mellifluous voice we get the chirpy tones of Lauren Fortang. That’s just not right. Also, some weird sound effects play at the beginning of chapters and they drown out a few words. The other downside of listening to the audiobook is that I missed what the blurb describes as “dazzling photos and revealing graphics”. Maybe there is a pdf that accompanies the audiobook, but my ARC copy did not include that. Bottom line is that I liked this book and wasn’t totally confused by it, however, if I had it to do over I probably wouldn’t listen to the audiobook. 3.5 stars

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher.

[La Crosse County Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going (2021) is based on Neil deGrasse Tyson's Q & A science podcast StarTalk. I found this book to be engaging, fun, and conversational, almost as if the reader was sitting across from physicist Neil deGrasse Tyson and talking about the big questions of our place in the universe.



The biggest strength of this book for me is that it made big ideas, such as how the universe started, how life emerged on Earth, and the potential for life on other planets, accessible to a general audience outside of the science professions. Not to mention, the photography featured in each chapter was breathtaking and the graphics extremely helpful in trying to visualize say, the multiverse theory or basically any of the mind-bending concepts of theoretical physics or quantum mechanics!

A must-read for all who are curious about our place in the universe!

-Cora



Find this book and other titles within our catalog.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Decent and informative book that would be good for teenagers interested in science. Nothing really new here. But the biggest annoyance is that on every other page Neil deGrasse Tyson has inserted images of his own tweets. Nothing like reading an interesting section on the possibility of extra terrestrial life only to be interrupted by multiple Tyson tweets whining about how Hollywood doesn't make aliens look weird enough. Tyson is a total egomaniac and it was a huge distraction for me that took away from the enjoyment of the book.

[Marta Demianiuk · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐️, ale to Tyson, więc podciągam po 4. Książka jest ciekawie podzielona na rozdziały, jeśli chodzi o ich tematy, ale mam wrażenie, że połowy nie zrozumiałam. Nie, ja mam pewność, że zrozumiałam dokładnie tyle, ile wiemy o kosmosie - 5% 😅. Nie za bardzo lubię takie wydania albumowe, gdzie w tekst wplatane są zdjęcia i ciekawostki, bo przeskakiwanie między treścią główną a nimi mnie niestety rozprasza. Pytanie: po co zatem po nią sięgałam? Bo uwielbiam to, jak o kosmosie pisze Tyson.

[Ярослава]

Ніл ДеҐрас Тайсон - директор Нью-Йоркського планетаріуму, один із найвідоміших популяризаторів науки й зокрема астрофізики у США й ведучий подкасту StarTalk. Cosmic Queries - один із форматів цього подкасту, де слухачі надсилають запитання на заздалегідь задану тему (скажімо, в останні тижні були теми мультиверс, життя на екзопланетах, поява і смерть зірок), а ведучий і запрошений експерт стисло відповідають. Якщо ви раптом ще не слухаєте цей подкаст, то дуже раджу - я завдяки цьому подкасту полюбила понеділки! Бо я нервова й засинаю виключно під якісь подкасти, а нові епізоди StarTalk виходять якраз у понеділок близько першої ночі, і під них засинається найкраще, бо мене заспокоює весь цей космічний масштаб, проти якого маліють наші дрібні земні клопоти)))
Ця книжка - похідне від подкасту: трошки розширеніші відповіді на найпоширеніші запитання (як загине всесвіт? звідки взялося життя? і так далі). Мультиверс і далі залишається неосяжним для мого гуманітарного мозку, а більшість жартів звідси я вже чула в подкасті (здається, дослівно), але мене все одно тішить і заспокоює цей стиль - ну і всякі дрібні factoids штибу 

* червоне небо у "Крику" Мунка цілком може бути не експресіонізмом, а реалістичним наслідком виверження Кракатау - у той час, коли писався "Крик", вулканчик справді забезпечив такі спецефекти по цілому світу
* найпорожніше місце у цілій нашій Сонячній системі - вакуумні труби адронного колайдера. аж гордість бере за наш вид за те, що ми створили найбільшу порожнечу на районі)))
* нам здається, що ми, в цілому, так багато знаємо про світ навколо, але насправді ми знаємо тільки 5% зі складових Космосу, решта припадає на темну матерію, яка насправді радше темна гравітація (28%), і темну енергію, про які ми знаємо приблизно нічого.

І т.д., і т.і. Як завжди, ідеальні простенькі науково-популярні історії для гуманітаріїв.

[Mara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pre-ordered the book and then went to the bookstore and found a random copy of the book 4 days early...this wasn't planned but I ended up buying the book and canceling my order. From what I've read so far, it's a great summary of the history of astronomy, the origins of the universe, and our possible future while still being enjoyable to read. It's not too technical so I would say beginners to this subject would love this book.

[Nursebookie · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first books I have ever had as a child were the Encyclopedia Britannica sets every family had in the 80's. I loved learning about the vast universe, the unknowns and what is beyond the skies or what it's like in other planets and outer space. I was very curious not just about the cosmos but also about things beyond what we can see with our naked eye.

When I received an opportunity to become one of the early readers for Cosmic Queries by Neil DeGrasse Tyson I was beyond excited. I devoured this book and the beautiful pages with its fantastic and stunning photographs within the book. The illustrations really captures what may be a heavy read into a more pleasant learning experience. The hard copy book is hefty and the pages just gorgeous. This is definitely going to be a star in my collection.

The information presented are for anyone with interest in the science world, curious about astrophysics and have no experience with the lingos of quantum mechanics. So if you ever want to be in the know about Big Bang, the dark matter, and other fascinating queries you didn't even know you wanted and needed to know, this is the book for you.

I highly recommend this book for everyone with curiosity no matter the age.

[Rachel (TheShadesofOrange) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.0 Stars
This was a quick and easy non fiction read. As someone without a science education, I appreciate that the concepts and ideas were explained in simple layman terms. I was actually surprised how much of the information I already knew. I thought the formatting of the book was a bit fragmented. Rather than offering a flowing narrative, this was simply just a question and answer format (like the title implied). I actually found myself wanting more depth from the book so perhaps I'm no longer the intended audience. I would recommend this one to layman readers looking to get a very simple foundation in basic science concepts.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I got to listen to the audio version which I recommend because it was partially narrated by the author.

[Ian D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Κοσμικά ερωτήματα καθημερινής αστροφυσικής. Έτσι για να περνάει η ώρα...

Σοβαρά, όμως, ο Neil deGrasse Tyson και το επιτελείο του καταφέρνουν να καταστήσουν προσιτά θέματα που υπό άλλες συνθήκες (και από κάποιον λιγότερο παθιασμένο με το αντικείμενό του) θα ήταν βαρετά και απροσπέλαστα.
Aγαπημένη στιγμή: "It continues to be true that Flat-Earthers have supporters all around the globe."
(Γιατί τίποτα δεν κάνει ένα βιβλίο εκλαϊκευμένης επιστήμης πιο διασκεδαστικό από ένα καλό τρολλάρισμα)

Ότι είμαι φαν(μπόι) του σας το είπα;
4/5

[rayhanah · Rating 4 out of 5]

felt like a fun science lesson. Informative but still engaging. There were lots of pictures which I loved, cause who wouldn't want to see what the first telescope looked like?? I really like Neil's writing style; never in my life would I have considered a non fiction a page turner. I just kept wanting to know more. His humorous way of explaining things made it feel conversational, and it was super easy to read with easy to grasp examples. I definitely recommend!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cosmic Queries expands on Neil deGrasse Tyson's StarTalk and aims to answer the big questions about the universe.  Tyson has a way of making these very big and difficult concepts easy to understand, bringing the universe down to earth.  Beginning from how we know what we know in space, measurements and some of the scientists who have led to these discoveries we are then led to ask questions of how the universe got to be how it is, what the universe is made out of, what life is, if we are alone, how this all began and eventually, how it will end. 

Whenever I read a book about space I am always amazed about how much I do not know. I revel in being able to learn and understand more about our world and what is beyond.  Cosmic Queries not only gives me a good foundation to begin to understand the questions posed in the book, but reminds me of how much we don't know about what we don't know as well as the fact that "the most interesting questions are the ones we don't yet know to ask."  As I read through each chapter, the knowledge from previous chapters was slowly built upon, helping to expand my thinking and ask further questions. In addition, I learned about some of the pioneers of astronomy and the risks they took in order to get their knowledge out into the world.  Overall, Cosmic Queries is an excellent read for any curious mind.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

[Oleksandr Zholud · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a non-fic collection of short pieces, mainly about how the universe was born and how it will die. I read it as a part of monthly reading for August 2021 at Non Fiction Book Club group.

This is a concise but dense with facts book based on podcast by Neil deGrasse Tyson. If you aren’t aware what quarks are or how physics proves that the universe is expanding – this book is a great introduction. If you are in the know, it is a nice refreshment of your knowledge. It also spends some time on how the scientific ideas developed. One that stroke me as curious (I knew quite a few from my earlier readings) was that before Tycho Brahe’s spotting of supernova, it was assumed that no new stars are born after the creation, so it was quite a stir!

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Non-fiction, Science, Physics 5 Stars
This might be the best book about 'the universe' and our struggle to understand it that I've read. It's a dry topic (for most people) but the author has made it very accessible and even funny at times. If you're on the fence and fear this will be a boring read--just do yourself a favor and give it a try. You'll be pleasantly surprised.
The 'aside boxes' and extra info was all worthwhile information but I found it a little distracting and had to decide between finishing the flow of the main text or perhaps forgetting to flip back to the boxes. That's the only negative critique I have of this book: the formatting of extra info lol.

The cheeky tweets by Tyson were enjoyable.

"For all you know, the Sun could have exploded five minutes ago, but you'll have to wait another three minutes to find out."

"When we employ scientific knowledge toward a specific purpose, and toss in some clever engineers, you get technology."

"Scientific Method is doing whatever it takes not to fool oneself into thinking what's true is false, or what's false is true."

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is obviously just a recap from Cosmic Queries on StarTalk, but I loved it all the same.

[Geoff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally entertaining and educational. I learned a few things (like the big bounce theory and false vacuum) that I hadn't know of before, but this was a generally standard tour through the history of cosmology and the development of answers to cosmological questions (like, where did the universe come from? how big is it? is there other life out there?). The inclusion of tweets was kind of annoying; Neil deGrasse Tyson is a far better educator than comedian.

**Thanks to the authors, publisher, and Netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kelly {SpaceOnTheBookcase] · Rating 5 out of 5]

I attended a lecture about new math curriculum in my daughter's school district. The math teacher walked up to the front and said the single most harmful thing some people tell themselves is that they are not “math people.” I am someone who can do math, but I don’t find enjoyment in it. However, with science, I have always identified as someone who isn’t a “science person”. Cosmic Queries made me look at science more broadly.

What I appreciated, and frankly what helped me understand the material, is that Cosmic Queries was written for the average person to comprehend. I began reading with a basic understanding of the universe but finished Cosmic Queries with a deeper pool of knowledge. Included were tweets from Neil deGrasse Tyson that often made me laugh. You don’t always think humor and science, but it aided in keeping the book relevant and engaging.

This book is set up like a reference book so not only will you find text (obviously), but also pictures that help reinforce what you’re reading about. The pictures elevate the concepts because even if you’re someone who doesn’t see mental images organically, they’re right there on the page.

Whether you think of yourself as a “science person” or not, I think everyone will come out learning something new.

As a side note, my thirteen-year-old brainiac took one look at the book and said she was next in line to read it once I was finished. My husband also wanted to read it, but lost in the coin toss and will have to wait for our daughter to finish first.

Thank you tlcbooktours for providing me with this gifted copy in exchange for a review.

[Carly Friedman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I <3 Neil DeGrasse Tyson and this book was no exception. All I know about physics, astrophysics, etc. I have learned from nonfiction books like this... which is not much! This book was at just the level I enjoy - accessible but challenging. While some of it was review, like the scientific method and some science history, much of it was informative and new to me. I loved learning about the start of the universe, the age of the universe, forms of matter and energy, and how the universe may end.

One note: I highly recommend the book rather than the audiobook for this one. The pictures added a great deal to the experience and it was much more rewarding for me to read it rather than listen to it. Still, I love his voice! It was nice to mix listening and reading the book.

[Cynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Like my friend Carly, I am in literary love Neil deGrasse Tyson. He is so full of personality and enthusiasm, how can I resist?

I have been trying to get my pretty brain wrapped around our place in the universe for a number of years now. I started with cosmology and now am trying astrophysics. Whatever popular readers can understand, I understand about 2/3. Not to worry: I am not full of myself. We humans as a (large) group only know about 5 per cent of what there is to know about the universe. In part, so much of it is what we cannot see, dark energy and dark matter.

So I just read along, enjoying, and gradually inderstanding a but if what there is to understand :-)

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

The science major in me loved this book! After having read (and listened to) "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" a few years ago, I knew I wanted to pick up more books (specifically audiobooks) by Neil deGrasse Tyson.

This wasn't quite what I expected when I picked it up, but it was a fun and rather refreshing listen nonetheless. Where "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" is very straightforward as a science book, "Cosmic Queries" is an extension of his podcast StarTalk. The book dives into bigger or more complex questions than can generally be discussed in the traditional podcast format. As a result, the book feels very much like a podcast: There are themes and common topics grouped together, so it kind of feels like each chapter could be a podcast episode. Because of that, this book has kind of broken my rating system, but I'm going to attempt to make it fit the mold anyways.

Structure and Formatting 4/5
The podcast-style format will not appeal to everyone, but this really piqued my interest in podcasts again, and of course StarTalk in general. I used to listen to several podcasts, and they are something I generally enjoy, but I fell off listening to them a while ago for whatever reason. In any case, if podcasts are not something you enjoy, this format may not appeal to you, but it worked fine for me.

Thoroughness of Research 5/5
This is a hard one to rate because you get the sense that all the research has been done ages ago and the narrators are just spewing off knowledge they've already acquired through constant seeking of new knowledge and publications. There's no "problem" they're trying to solve; they're just an expert panel answering questions from the readers/listeners. I don't know if any of the questions they answered would have stumped them in a live format, but the flow of it just felt very natural and like they generally just know what they're talking about. Which leads into the next point...

Storytelling/Writing 4/5
Not only do the narrators know what they're talking about, but they break it down for fellow scientists/science nerds/science enthusiasts so they can understand. (More on this point in my "prior knowledge needed section.) I really enjoyed the metaphors and comparisons made in this book. Neil deGrasse Tyson's humor really shines, especially in audio format. But, as a result of the podcast formatting, it can feel a little disjointed at times. Each chapter kind of stands alone as far as content goes, so you have to mentally be prepared to shift gears a little bit for each new topic. I found it fun, and again, it made me want to listen to his podcast for more, but it may not be a style for everyone.

Level of Enjoyment 5/5
I enjoyed this one a lot. I'm so glad I picked it up, especially at the time I did. I've been really focusing on early American history books lately. My interest in history is much newer for me compared to my interest in science, so this book has some nostalgic vibes as it reminded me of my 5th grade dreams of be an astronomer. :-)

Prior Knowledge Needed 4/5
I clarify that the book is broken down specifically for science people because they're going to use words you may have heard in your school science classes, but unless science was a class you loved or continued to study, you may have forgotten some of the terminology. This generally works for them though because I doubt many non-science nerds would be reaching for this book (or listening to their podcast) in the first place. If you're just wanting to dive into this book and it's been a while since you thought about science, you may want to keep a web browser open or at least a notes app to keep track of things you want to google later to refresh on who that was or what that thing they discovered was.

Overall 4.4/5
When I fall in the middle of two ratings, I normally let my enjoyment rating push the rating one direction or the other. I intentionally rounded down for this one though strictly due to the formatting and because I know this one won't be for everyone. It was very much a format and style I enjoy, and I don't want to overhype that for people who may find it jarring or unsatisfying. There's no story being told in this book. It's just a series of (what I thought were) fascinating questions being answered by some smart and oftentimes funny people. For people like my husband who like podcasts on just about any topic but rarely seeks out books on the topics he listens about, I think he would enjoy this. People in the field or who actively study these topics probably won't gain anything new from this other than some good science jokes or tweet-able phrases. I definitely recommend it on audio if that's a reading format you enjoy or have been curious about trying.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent pop science that doesn’t treat the reader like they’re dumb.

[Solaris · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tbh I only initially picked up the book because I thought it said cosmic queers but alas kept it because I like space. This book would probably really cool for fans of Neil deGrasse Tyson but for me it just didn't hit all the right spots. While the imagery was great the design layout of the book could sometimes be confusing. The tweets from Tyson weren't necessary either since the information in them ends up being covered in the text below. In the long run I can see Tweet screenshots as being a dated addition. Overall this book was meh. I don't think it was terrible but I wont pick it up again.

[LeAnn L Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neil DeGrasse Tyson is always a delight.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Imagine a world where nations find the search for life in the universe more interesting than the taking of life on Earth." Neil deGrasse Tyson

[Jeszcze Jedna Strona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gdybym w szkole z taką pasją i zaangażowaniem czytała książki popularnonaukowe, co teraz z własnej nieprzymuszonej woli, to byłabym orłem nauki. Taaa, jasne, gdyby babcia miała wąsy, toby była dziadkiem.

Wszechświat jest jak tort podzielony na trzy nierówne części. Największą stanowi ciemna energia (68%). To dzięki niej wszechświat się rozszerza, jednak nic poza tym o niej nie wiadomo. Drugi kawałek to ciemna materia (27%). To dzięki niej w pewnych miejscach tworzą się galaktyki i gwiazdy, jednak jej poznanie ciagle się wymyka naukowcom. Ostatnim kawałkiem tego „ciasta” jest materia barionowa (5%), czyli to co jest zbudowane ze zwykłych cząstek. Tak, wszystko co znamy i co jest w stanie wyjaśnić nauka, stanowi zaledwie 5% Wszechświata. To mało, bardzo mało. I dlatego nauka jest świetna! Nie dlatego, że tak mało wiemy, lecz przez to jak wiele czeka jeszcze na odkrycie.

Neil deGrasse Tyson wraz z Jamesem Trefilem zabierają czytelników w międzygwiezdną podróż, w przeszłość i przyszłość, by oglądać obiekty tak małe jak atomy i tak ogromne jak całe galaktyki. Jak zaczął się świat i jak się skończy? Jaki nasz w tym los? Czy istnieje życie pozaziemskie i jak wygląda? Pytań w trakcie czytania pojawia się jeszcze więcej, niż na początku. Zaczynając od starożytności, a kończąc na przyszłości, obserwujemy osiągnięcia uczonych, astronomów i naukowców. Dowiadujemy się, że Wszechświat, choć na początku był gorący i gesty, przez miliardy lat studził się i rozszerzał. Mikrofalowe promieniowanie tła oraz pozostałe relikty przeszłości pomagają w poznaniu jego początków, jednak to ciagle za mało. Aktorzy skutecznie podsycają ciekawość czytelników i pokazują, że astrofizyka i kosmologia są piękne. Same wstawki z tweetami Tysona są już fantastyczne! Edukujące, chwytliwe i z humorystycznym twistem!

Każdy z nas zamieszkuje kosmos i ciekawie jest coś o nim wiedzieć, a wiedza ta z pewnością jest przejmująca. Książka jest świetna, napisana przystępnym językiem, uzupełniona mnóstwem fotografii. Autorzy wszelkie zawiłości tłumaczą na prostych przykładach, znanych nam z codzienności. I do tego otrzymujemy ogromną dawkę humoru! Warto czasem stanąć, zadrzeć głowę i popatrzeć w niebo 🪐✨

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“...at least some of the universe is knowable to the human mind. But we must also humbly recognize that as the area of our knowledge grows, so too does the perimeter of our ignorance.”

As always, Neil deGrasse Tyson’s latest book brings astrophysics down to a highly relatable, down-to-earth, and easily consumable level.

Cosmic Queries is a perfect starter text on all things about our universe, covering topics such as the formation of the universe, dark energy and dark matter, what counts as a planet, the various particles and elements everything is made of, and so on. This book is presented in a conversational tone, answering common questions about our universe in an easy to understand, relatable matter with highly creative yet successful analogies to explain more complex concepts.

However, this book is not just for those just starting to dip their toes into astrophysics. The tone of voice is so fun (and the visuals included in the physical copy so stunning), that it’s still a perfect time for those who have read more complex books on these topics as well.

The audiobook is mainly narrated by Lauren Fortgang, with the asides (probably about 1/4 to 1/3 of the book) narrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson. At first I found myself wishing deGrasse Tyson narrated the entire book just because he has such a great voice, but Fortgang held her own and narrated her portions in a very engaging way.

I look forward to buying a physical copy to page through when I want a quick does of astrophysical knowledge or to admire the accompanying imagery. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

[karebear · Rating 5 out of 5]

some of my fav parts
- the transition between “ever look up at the stars and feel small? don’t— feel large. atoms in our bodies trace to the remnants of exploded stars, we are stardust, the universe is alive within us”
to “how will it all end? the end of earth- unpredictable doomsday” killed me
-same energy as above "…leading to earth vaporizing into the vacuum of space, have a nice day!”

-the analogies specifically about quantum mechanics and cinderella—where particles can pop in and out of existence, like magic, as long as they disappear before midnight were a gem
-the explanation of complex phenomena using ice skating is something I keep seeing in his books and im here for it

- “you matter, unless you multiply yourself by the speed of light squared—then you’re energy” all the dad jokes

- mention of Marie Curie and Copernicus 🫶🏻

-his takes on aliens are intriguing, especially the thought that there's no reason to assume they'd have the same senses we do—taste, smell, and all that. they could have senses we can't even imagine. then the other one when he asks if a worm would understand us if we said hello. we might seem incomprehensible to aliens as a human is to a worm

neil makes me want to read everything from quantum physics to astrobotany

[GONZA · Rating 4 out of 5]

N.DGT has always made me laugh, and this time too it did not disappoint, plus the photos were beautiful. Some of the topics and information were ultra familiar, while others I learned on this occasion. At this particular moment in history then Drake's equation would be so timely, especially if extraterrestrials came to save us from the climate of murderous madness that pervades the planet....

A me N.DGT ha fatto sempre ridere e anche stavolta non mi ha deluso, inoltre le foto erano bellissime. Alcuni degli argomenti e delle informazioni erano ultra note, altre invece le ho imparate in questa occasione. In questo particolare momento storico poi l'equazione di Drake sarebbe cosí attuale, specialmente se gli extraterrestri ci venissero a salvare dal clima di follia omicida che pervade il pianeta....

[Matt Mansfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

To the Ends of the Universe and Back

Pondering our place and fate midway between the micro and macro scales of the quantum and astronomical worlds has been a popular topic in recent publishing.

During the past few years several well-known science theorists have written extensively about this area and been featured on several television shows:

• David Christian (2018 “Origin: A Big History of Everything”)
• Sean Carroll (2019 “Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime”
• Brian Greene’s 2020 (“Until the End of Time: Mind, Matter and the Search for Meaning in the Evolving Universe”).

These contributions also just happen to coincide with the unrelated political assault on the credibility of science relating to the pandemic response. And they remind us how important science is and how much we have yet to learn.

The latest entry is an excellent addition from Neil deGrasse Tyson and James Trefil with their 2021 collaboration, “Cosmic Queries: Star Talk’s Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We’re Going” published with the National Geographic.

Written and presented in a straightforward style for a broad audience with scientific curiosity, the work is beautifully illustrated with colorful photographs, classic illustrations, renderings and charts that support a trim text. The book is intended to provide a perspective about historical and current findings without intimidation.

These ten chapters are presented from a humanist point of view to address familiar questions as well as current topics such as the Dark Matter, Dark Energy mysteries, the antimatter problem, and “The Multiverse” theory:

• What is Our Place?
• How Do We Know What We Know?
• How Did the Universe Get to be This Way?
• How Old is the Universe?
• What is the Universe Made Of?
• What is Life?
• Are We Alone in the Universe?
• How Did It All Begin?
• How Will It All End?
• What Does Nothing Have To Do With Everything?

Sprinkled throughout are short, pithy observations from the New York Hayden Planetarium’s Tyson with his usual twinkle: “If Pinocchio said, ‘My nose is about to grow?’ I wonder what would actually happen.”

With your family or by yourself, this is a treat to appreciate what we have learned and how much we have yet to know without the tinnitus of political distraction.