Written when landing on the moon was still a dream, made into one of the most influential films of our century, brilliant, compulsive, prophetic, 2001: A Space Odyssey tackles the enduring theme of man’s place in the universe. Including a new Foreword by the author and a fascinating new introduction by Stephen Baxter, this special edition is […]

Volume I of this comprehensive three-part guide to the thousands of celestial objects outside our solar system ranges from Andromeda through Cetus. Objects are grouped according to constellation, and their definitions feature names, coordinates, classifications, and physical descriptions. Additional notes offer fascinating historical information. Hundreds of visual aids. 1977 edition.

In our century, the subject of time has become an area of serious inquiry for science. Theories that contain time as a simple quantity form the basis of our understanding of many scientific disciplines, yet the debate rages on: why does there seem to be a direction to time, an arrow of time pointing from […]

From the best-selling author of The Elegant Universe and The Fabric of the Cosmos comes his most expansive and accessible book to date—a book that takes on the grandest question: Is ours the only universe? There was a time when “universe” meant all there is. Everything. Yet, in recent years discoveries in physics and cosmology have led a number […]

Behold the Handwriting of God! Astrophysicist and adventurer George Smoot spent twenty years pursuing the “holy grail of science” — a relentless hunt that led him from the rain forests of Brazil to the frozen wastes of Antarctica. For decades he persevered — struggling against time, the elements, the forces of ignorance and bureaucratic insanity. […]

Wolf’s readers should get ready for a wild intellectual ride through the convoluted realms of quantum mechanics, relativity, black holes and imaginary time. The physicist ( Starwave ) is a strong proponent of the “many-worlds” interpretation of quantum mechanics, and he launches a ferocious assault on conservative scientists who espouse the “Copenhagen” interpretation. Essentially, the […]

At the root of particle physics is an invincible sense of curiosity. Leon Lederman embraces this spirit of inquiry as he moves from the Greeks’ earliest scientific observations to Einstein and beyond to chart this unique arm of scientific study. His survey concludes with the Higgs boson, nicknamed the God Particle, which scientists hypothesize will […]

Scientist and writer Morris ( Dismantling the Universe , S. & S., 1984) is infinitely patient here in this readable and engaging update on contemporary physics and cosmology. While he does a thorough job of explaining the delightfully strange myriad theories about the origins of the universe, the book’s real value is the gentle and […]

Is the universe actually a giant quantum computer? According to Seth Lloyd—Professor of Quantum-Mechanical Engineering at MIT and originator of the first technologically feasible design for a working quantum computer—the answer is yes. This wonderfully accessible book illuminates the professional and personal paths that led him to this remarkable conclusion. All interactions between particles in […]

With its unique combination of depth, clarity, and humor that has enchanted millions, this beloved classic by bestselling author Gary Zukav opens the fascinating world of quantum physics to readers with no mathematical or technical background. “Wu Li” is the Chinese phrase for physics. It means “patterns of organic energy,” but it also means “nonsense,” […]