On the Shores of the Unknown A Short History of the Universe

In this fascinating book, astronomer Joseph Silk explores the Universe from its beginnings to its ultimate fate. He shows how cosmologists study cosmic fossils and relics from the distant past to construct theories of the birth, evolution and future of the Universe. Stars, galaxies, dark matter and dark energy are described, as successive chapters detail the evolution of the Universe from a fraction of a microsecond after the Big Bang. Silk describes how physicists apply theories of subatomic particles to recreate the first moments of the Big Bang, and how astronomers chart the vast depths of space to glimpse how the most distant galaxies formed. He describes the search for dark matter and the dark energy that will determine the ultimate fate of the Universe. This highly readable account will appeal to all those with an interest in the story of the Universe.

Prologue; 1. Building blocks of the cosmos; 2. The expansion of the universe; 3. Cosmic microwave background; 4. The first 10-43 seconds of the Universe; 5. Genesis of baryons and helium; 6. Testing the Big Bang; 7. Dark matter; 8. Baryonic dark matter; 9. Intergalactic matter; 10. Origin of structure; 11. Large-scale structure; 12. Galaxy formation; 13. What lies ahead.

In this fascinating book, astronomer Joseph Silk explores the Universe from its beginnings to its ultimate fate. Stars, galaxies, dark matter and dark energy are described, as successive chapters detail the evolution of the Universe from a fraction of a microsecond after the Big Bang.

Joseph Silk is Savilian Professor of Astronomy in the Department of Physics, University of Oxford.