Nucleus: A Trip into the Heart of the Matter (Hardcover)

"Beautifully produced. In every lavishly illustrated page, every fascinating aside (did you know, for instance, that there are more atoms in a single glass of water than there are glasses of water in all the earth's oceans?) the book demonstrates the central role of nuclear physics in our exploration of nature." -- Jane Matthews, Sesame

"In this competently written, well-illustrated, and attractively composed book, the history of nuclear physics is explained in a clear but sophisticated manner... They have done a very good job presenting the material illustrations, figures, and photographs are superior in quality to other available works." -- Choice

"The authors have produced an attractive book... The relaxed, informal style is easy on the reader and the story istold in a way I find appealing." -- W. Gelletly, Nuclear Physics Review

"A valiant attempt to convey the history, subject matter, and applications of subatomic research, and then place them in the context of astronomy... Anyone with an interest in the subject matter will want to read Nucleus several times, and the authors make the experience enjoyable." -- Chad Boutin, Astronomy

At the core of the atom, enshrouded by electrons, lies the nucleus. The discovery of the nucleus transformed the past century and will revolutionize this one. Though many persons associate nuclear physics with weapons of mass destruction, it is an exciting, cutting-edge science that has helped to save lives through innovative medical technologies, such as the MRI. In nuclear astrophysics, state-of-the-art theoretical and computer models help to explain the powerful stellar explosions known as supernovas, to account for how stars shine, and to describe how the chemical elements in the universe were formed.

Nucleus: A Trip into the Heart of Matter by Ray Mackintosh, Jim Al-Khalili, Bjorn Jonsen, and Theresa Penae is a lavishly illustrated book filled with lively prose and captivating details that describe the evolution of our understanding of this phenomenon. The authors, who include expert nuclear physicists and acclaimed science journalists, tell the story of the nucleus from the early experimental work of the quiet New Zealander Lord Rutherford to the huge atom-smashing machines of today and beyond. Nucleus tells of the protons and neutrons of which the nucleus is made, why some nuclei crumble and are radioactive, and how scientists came up with the "standard model," which shows the nucleus composed of quarks held together by gluons. Nucleus is also the tale of the people behind the struggle to understand this fascinating subject more fully, and of how a vibrant research community uses the power of the nucleus to probe unanswered scientific questions while others seek to harness the nucleus as a tool of twenty-first-century medicine.

Intended for a general audience, this book unravels the scientific mysteries that surround the subject of the nucleus. Anyone with a passing interest in science will delight in this guide to the nuclear age.