The Little Book of Cosmology by Lyman Page, reviewed

By Simon Cocking, review of The Little Book of Cosmology by Lyman Page. Available from Princeton Press here.

Price:$19.95 / £16.99 ISBN:9780691195780 Published: 04/07/2020 Copyright:2020Pages:152

This is a short but deeply insightful look at what scientists are revealing through precise measurements of the faint thermal afterglow of the Big Bang – known as the cosmic microwave background, or CMB – and how their findings are transforming our view of the cosmos.

Blending the latest findings in cosmology with essential concepts from physics, Lyman Page – one of the world’s leading experimental cosmologists – first helps readers to grasp the sheer enormity of the universe, explaining how to understand the history of its formation and evolution in space and time. Then he sheds light on how spatial variations in the CMB formed, how they reveal the age, size, and geometry of the universe, and how they offer a blueprint for the formation of cosmic structure.

Not only does Page explain current observations and measurements, he describes how they can be woven together into a unified picture to form the Standard Model of Cosmology. Yet much remains unknown, and this incisive book also describes the search for ever deeper knowledge at the field’s frontiers—from quests to understand the nature of neutrinos and dark energy to investigations into the physics of the very early universe.

The Little Book of Cosmology by Lyman Page, reviewed

This is a great book for the general reader to take on. Every chapter begins at a point that is understandable, even if at some point it did occasionally lose us, overall we still felt a lot smarter for having read it. It is impressive how far we have come in terms of what we know now, based on observations that followed theoretical hypothesis that were speculated first and then, once the technology was possible, tested based on real data.

It is an exciting time for cosmology and our knowledge of the universe and beyond. The Hubble telescope continues to prove its worth, and now, as new large array telescopes come onto line, both on earth and in orbit around the planet, it means scientists are learning more and more about the universe. More and more often, concepts that were initially theoretical rather than proven, are now being identified and found in the heavens.

Books like this one help to perform a valuable role in making these discoveries accessible and understandable to a wider audience. One that is well worth reading, especially to give some positive news above and beyond current pandemic concerns. Read it for fun and inspiration, the images are also helpful too.

Out today, Lyman Page's new "A Little Book of Cosmology" https://t.co/nR9rfv10vd

— David Spergel (@DavidSpergel) April 7, 2020

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