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How the Universe Got Its Spots by Janna Levin

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How the Universe Got Its Spots

Author
Janna Levin
Narrator
Janna Levin
Publisher
Princeton University Press
Publish Date
10 January 2023
Run Time
8 hours 49 minutes
Format
Audiobook
Genre
Physics, Astrophysics
$13.95

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What to expect

In this audiobook, astrophysicist Janna Levin blends memoir and visionary science to provide a groundbreaking personal account of her life and ideas
Is the universe infinite or just really big? With this question, cosmologist Janna Levin announces the central theme of this book, which established her as one of the most direct, unorthodox, and creative voices in contemporary science. As Levin sets out to determine how big "really big" may be, she offers a rare intimate look at the daily life of an innovative physicist, complete with jet lag and the tensions between personal relationships and the extreme demands of scientific exploration. Nimbly explaining geometry, topology, chaos, and string theory, Levin shows how the pattern of hot and cold spots left over from the big bang may one day reveal the size of the cosmos. The result is a thrilling story of cosmology by one of its leading thinkers.

Critics Review

  • "[A] touchingly personal account."---Jim McClean, The Herald (Glasgow)

    The Herald (Glasgow)

  • "[A] lovely, utterly original book. . . . This intimate account of the life and thought of a physicist is one of the nicest scientific books I have ever read—personal and honest, clear and informative, entertaining and difficult to put down."---Alejandro Gangui, American Scientist

    American Scientist

  • "Gorgeously written."---Mary Carmichael, Newsweek

    Newsweek

  • "Highly original. . . . Few scientists are capable of putting their understanding and experiences into words as effectively."---Peter Coles, Nature

    Nature

See more reviews
  • "Gives a personal resonance to scientists' attempts to understand the mysteries of the universe."

    Washington Post

  • "Levin not only tours the wilder reaches of cosmology, but she also bares her soul."

    New Scientist

  • "How the Universe Got Its Spots is a genuine attempt to break down barriers, both intellectual and emotional, between scientists and their wished-for audience."---Ken Grimes and Alison Boyle, Astronomy

    Astronomy

  • "If the universe is infinite, then its possibilities are infinite as well. But in How the Universe Got Its Spots, the astrophysicist Janna Levin insists that infinity works as a hypothetical concept only, and that it is not found in nature."---Lauren Porcaro, New Yorker

    New Yorker

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Details
Author
Janna Levin
Narrator
Janna Levin
Duration
8 hours 49 minutes
Release Date
10 January 2023
ISBN
9780691250090
Format
Audiobook
Publisher
Princeton University Press
Genre
Physics, Astrophysics

Synopsis

In this audiobook, astrophysicist Janna Levin blends memoir and visionary science to provide a groundbreaking personal account of her life and ideas Is the universe infinite or just really big? With this question, cosmologist Janna Levin announces the central theme of this book, which established her as one of the most direct, unorthodox, and creative voices in contemporary science. As Levin sets out to determine how big "really big" may be, she offers a rare intimate look at the daily life of an innovative physicist, complete with jet lag and the tensions between personal relationships and the extreme demands of scientific exploration. Nimbly explaining geometry, topology, chaos, and string theory, Levin shows how the pattern of hot and cold spots left over from the big bang may one day reveal the size of the cosmos. The result is a thrilling story of cosmology by one of its leading thinkers.

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