Summary of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson

By C.B. Publishers

The book covers topics such as the nature of time and space, the history of astronomy, and the current understanding of the universe, black holes, and dark matter.
The writing style is clear and concise, making the information accessible to a wide range of readers, including students, science enthusiasts, and curious minds. The focus is on presenting the information in a succinct manner, without sacrificing the depth of the original content.
Whether you're looking to brush up on your knowledge of astrophysics or simply seeking an introduction to the subject, this summary book will provide a valuable resource. With its clear explanations and concise format, you'll gain a solid understanding of the basics of astrophysics in no time.
This summary book can help the buyer make an informed decision about purchasing the original "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" by Neil deGrasse Tyson, as it provides a preview of the comprehensive and accessible understanding of astrophysics offered in the original book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: C.B. Publishers
• Release date: Jan 30, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215966143

C.B. Publishers

"With certain books, one wonders: who will read them? And with certain people you wonder: what will they read? And finally, books and people meet ”.

Book preview

OVERVIEW

Before the universe, the origins are unknown, but scientists theorize it started as a tiny dot containing all matter, which rapidly expanded. Within the first trillionth of a second, the laws of physics emerged and it took 380,000 years for light to separate from matter and become visible. Today, the universe is estimated to be nearly 14 billion years old and contains 100 billion galaxies, each with billions of stars.

100 billion galaxies

Our sun and its planets, including Earth, with its suitable temperature, allow life to thrive and evolve, resulting in the existence of humans who ponder the universe. Newton's laws of gravity apply universally and were the first proof that physics operates throughout the entire universe, including beyond our planet, which is composed of the same materials and follows the same laws.

Prior to the discovery of the cosmic microwave background, a glimpse of the early universe, cosmologists could only speculate on the universe's nature. Now, scientists have a better understanding of the age, size, and shape of our cosmos and know that most of its matter and energy are still mysterious.

The universe is a vast and mysterious expanse that continues to captivate us with its awe-inspiring beauty and complexity. Billions of galaxies dot the cosmos, serving as shining cities that draw our attention. Yet, between these galaxies lies an even larger area filled with hydrogen gas and other matter that weighs up to 10 times as much as the galaxies themselves. This matter, known as dark matter, is a source of great fascination for scientists and has puzzled the scientific community for decades. Despite its huge gravitational influence on everything around it, it remains invisible and undetectable by ordinary means, suggesting that it may represent an entirely new principle about the universe yet to be discovered.

In addition to dark matter, the universe also holds a great deal of dark energy, an expansive force that is responsible for its accelerated expansion. This discovery made Einstein's constant, which he originally added to his equations to keep the universe from collapsing due to gravity, obsolete. However, later observations showed that the cosmos was expanding at an ever-increasing rate, so Einstein's constant once again became relevant. Despite years of research and study, the nature of dark energy remains a mystery, and it constitutes two-thirds of the universe's total makeup.

One of the most important discoveries in the study of the universe was the cosmic microwave background, ancient light that provides evidence of the early universe. With this information, scientists have been able to determine the age, size, and shape of our cosmos, as well as determine that most of its matter and energy are made of substances that we do not yet understand.

cosmic microwave background

Cosmic microwave background

The laws of physics, which emerged in the first trillionth of a second after the universe began as an infinitesimally small dot that contained everything and expanded rapidly, apply everywhere in the universe and are represented by Newton's laws of gravity. These laws show that the realm beyond our planet is not a separate, heavenly space, but instead is made of the