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Product Description
Amazon.co.uk Review
Astronomers and space scientists have made some astonishing discoveries in the past few years, and Extreme Universe, a beautifully illustrated companion to the Channel 4 series, captures the sense of excitement. Propelled by the twin goals of finding life on other planets and preserving life on our own, spacecraft are exploring our solar system while telescopes peer into the most distant reaches of space and time. As biologists discover microbes capable of surviving in the depths of Earth's oceans or in hot, acidic springs, it seems increasingly possible that some form of life might exist on Mars or beneath the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. But life is under constant threat. Massive solar flares, or a nearby supernova, could wipe out all higher life in a radiation storm; near-Earth asteroids sometimes collide with us, as is the case with the impact that wiped out the dinosaurs; and vast cosmic events far away across the galaxy can affect us. Nigel Henbest and Heather Couper, both trained scientists themselves, interview dozens of scientists working at the frontiers of knowledge, following their search for planets circling other stars, the race to track near-Earth asteroids and the ongoing attempts to uncover how the universe itself began. As an introduction to the subject, Extreme Universe works well, but it's a pity that there are no suggestions for further reading or links to any of the excellent astronomical sites available on the Web for those who want find out more.--Elizabeth Sourbut
Product Description
The ultimate adrenaline trip through the Universe, to explore the most violent objects in space and time. Beginning with the many worlds recently discovered. Mysterious Universe visits the most inhospitable planets in the Universe. Some are so close to their own 'sun' that their rocks are boiling red-hot. Many follow long oval orbits so they sear in 'high summer' while their air freezes in 'mid-winter'. And most of these planets face lethal bombardment from storms of interplanetary rocks. From these barren worlds to Magnetars - collapsed stars where magnetism has gone wild. Visit one and its magnetism would rearrange the atoms in your body. But star-death is more violent still. Hypernovae are the most powerful explosions since the Big Bang itself, unleashing the unfettered gravity of a black hole. And a new discovery reveals that these black holes can spew deadly antimatter into space. Finally, Mysterious Universe takes the reader on the first definitive voyage to the edge of the Universe in a unique 'cosmic zoom': a newly completed 3D mapping of stars and galaxies. From a rogue star threatening the Earth, mysterious naked singularities and quasars, to a possible rebirth of the Universe that will wipe out all existing stars and planets, this is an awesome introduction to cosmic threats of ever-increasing magnitude.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Extreme Universe is an exciting and challenging book that explores the most facinating aspects of the universe as we know it today. It combines the scientific knowledge we have of space with the wild and extreme theories being put forward about the world 'out there'. A must for those heavily into space thoery and of immense interest to people who are new to the subject too. It is a book that really makes you think.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
1 review
Explores the most violent & awesome objects in time & space
3 Feb 2004
Format:Hardcover
Nigel Henbest & Heather Couper's EXTREME UNIVERSE explores the most violent and awesome objects in time and space and will appeal to a wide and general interest audience. It deserves ongoing mention as a fine library acquisition, packed with color photos and details rich in scientific history and insights on the Universe's origins.
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