Alex Vilenkin Boeken

This book is a gentle introduction for all those wishing to learn about modern views of the cosmos. Our universe originated in a great explosion – the big bang. For nearly a century cosmologists have studied the aftermath of this explosion: how the universe expanded and cooled down, and how galaxies were gradually assembled by gravity. The nature of the bang itself has come into focus only relatively recently. It is the subject of the theory of cosmic inflation, which was developed in the last few decades and has led to a radically new global view of the universe. Students and other interested readers will find here a non-technical but conceptually rigorous account of modern cosmological ideas - describing what we know, and how we know it. One of the book's central themes is the scientific quest to find answers to the ultimate cosmic questions: Is the universe finite or infinite? Has it existed forever? If not, when and how did it come into being? Will it ever end? The book is based on the undergraduate course taught by Alex Vilenkin at Tufts University. It assumes no prior knowledge of physics or mathematics beyond elementary high school math. The necessary physics background is introduced as it is required. Each chapter includes a list of questions and exercises of varying degree of difficulty.

Exploring cutting-edge theories in cosmology, the director of the Tufts Institute delves into concepts like dark matter, space-time ripples, and the possibility of multiple universes. This volume provides a comprehensive overview of how recent theoretical advancements are shaping a new understanding of the universe, making complex ideas accessible to readers interested in the latest developments in the field.

Recent discoveries in cosmology have led to a bizarre new worldview that (to paraphrase Niels Bohr) may be crazy enough to be true. Just consider the litany of mind-boggling new ideas being bandied about lately: the acceleration of cosmic expansion, dark energy (on top of dark matter, yet!), primordial “ripples” in space-time, the quantum creation of the universe from nothing, eternal cosmic inflation, multiple universes . . .Sound crazy enough for you? Fortunately, the new theoretical advances also lead to testable predictions, and we may soon witness the confirmation of some of these predictions by fresh astronomical findings. Alex Vilenkin’s own scientific work has been closely tied to the emergence of the new worldview, from the original ideas to the most recent developments. In Many Worlds in One, he gives an exciting, surprisingly entertaining firsthand account of the birth of the new cosmology, and its fascinating—and at times disturbing—implications.

Alex Vilenkin, einer der kreativsten Kosmologen unserer Zeit, richtet sich mit diesem Buch erstmals an ein breites Publikum. Mit Humor und unterhaltsamen Anekdoten beschreibt er das faszinierende Weltbild der modernen Kosmologie. Er erklärt die Urknall-Theorie und deren Erweiterung durch das Szenario der Kosmischen Inflation. Vilenkin führt den Leser an die vorderste Forschungsfront und stellt die neuesten Ideen der Kosmologen vor, viele davon stammen von ihm selbst. Er erläutert, wie es zum Urknall kam und warum ständig neue Universen entstehen. Eine der erstaunlichsten Aussagen seiner Theorie ist, dass es unendlich viele Regionen im Kosmos gibt, die mit unserer identisch sind – Welten mit exakten Doppelgängern von uns. Dies führt dazu, dass wir uns von der Vorstellung unserer Einzigartigkeit verabschieden müssen. Das Anthropische Prinzip, welches die physikalischen Eigenschaften unseres Universums erklärt, erhält durch Vilenkins Prinzip der Mittelmäßigkeit eine neue Deutung. Wer sich für die großen naturwissenschaftlichen und philosophischen Fragen zum Kosmos und der Stellung des Menschen darin interessiert, findet in diesem reich illustrierten Buch viele verblüffende Antworten. Die gebundene Ausgabe wird als eines der besten populärwissenschaftlichen Bücher gelobt – fachkundig, unterhaltsam und für interessierte Laien nachvollziehbar.