How the Universe Got its Spots: Diary of a Finite Time in a Finite Space.
JANNA LEVINThis collection of unsent letters to the author's mother reflect 2 years in the life and mind of a theoretical physicist. Levin eagerly shares what it's like to be a scientist working on the cutting edge, while explaining the mind-bending ideas that drive her field. With a particular interest in the interface between topology (the study of shapes) and cosmology, she explains how the topology and geometry of the universe are now coming into focus--a strange map of space full of black holes, chaotic flows, time warps, and invisible strings. She argues on behalf of the controversial idea that this map is edgeless but finite--that the universe is huge but not unending. In the process of advancing this idea, she succinctly details the tenets of chaos theory, general relativity, and other theories that define the cosmos. Princeton U Pr, 2002, 208 p., b&w photos/illus., hardcover, $22.95.
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| Publication: | Science News |
|---|---|
| Article Type: | Book Review |
| Geographic Code: | 1USA |
| Date: | Apr 27, 2002 |
| Words: | 151 |
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