Universe in Creation: A New Understanding of the Big Bang and the Emergence of Life
May 2018 · Harvard University Press
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“In a unique take on the cosmos, Gould makes the case that the emergence of a great many things are not only pre-ordained, but predictable.” (Forbes)
We know the universe has a history, but does it also have a story of self-creation to tell? Yes, in Roy R. Gould’s account. He offers a compelling narrative of how the universe?with no instruction other than its own laws?evolved into billions of galaxies and gave rise to life. Far from being a random accident, the universe is hard at work, extracting order from chaos.
Making use of the best current science, Gould turns what many assume to be true about the universe on its head. The cosmos expands inward, not outward. Gravity can drive things apart, not merely together. And the universe seems to defy entropy as it becomes more ordered, rather than the other way around. Strangest of all, the universe is exquisitely hospitable to life, despite its being constructed from undistinguished atoms and a few unexceptional rules of behavior. Universe in Creation explores whether the emergence of life, rather than being a mere cosmic afterthought, may be written into the most basic laws of nature.
“A must-have for all avid popular science fans.” —Astronomy Now
“Gould . . . proposes a fascinating thesis about life’s emergence in this eloquent debut” —Publishers Weekly
“A joyous romp through a cosmos full of wonders.” —Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Laureate and author of Beyond the Finite
“Exciting, original, and extremely well written.” —Avi Loeb, Harvard University, New York Times bestselling author of Extraterrestrial
“Fascinating. . . . Gould artfully describes various . . . highlights in universal history, like the formation of stars and planets. Many of these moments are majestic.” —New Republic
We know the universe has a history, but does it also have a story of self-creation to tell? Yes, in Roy R. Gould’s account. He offers a compelling narrative of how the universe?with no instruction other than its own laws?evolved into billions of galaxies and gave rise to life. Far from being a random accident, the universe is hard at work, extracting order from chaos.
Making use of the best current science, Gould turns what many assume to be true about the universe on its head. The cosmos expands inward, not outward. Gravity can drive things apart, not merely together. And the universe seems to defy entropy as it becomes more ordered, rather than the other way around. Strangest of all, the universe is exquisitely hospitable to life, despite its being constructed from undistinguished atoms and a few unexceptional rules of behavior. Universe in Creation explores whether the emergence of life, rather than being a mere cosmic afterthought, may be written into the most basic laws of nature.
“A must-have for all avid popular science fans.” —Astronomy Now
“Gould . . . proposes a fascinating thesis about life’s emergence in this eloquent debut” —Publishers Weekly
“A joyous romp through a cosmos full of wonders.” —Roald Hoffmann, Nobel Laureate and author of Beyond the Finite
“Exciting, original, and extremely well written.” —Avi Loeb, Harvard University, New York Times bestselling author of Extraterrestrial
“Fascinating. . . . Gould artfully describes various . . . highlights in universal history, like the formation of stars and planets. Many of these moments are majestic.” —New Republic
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About the author
Roy R. Gould is Principal Investigator and Education Analyst at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.
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