An Infinity of Worlds: Cosmic Inflation and the Beginning of the Universe
Will Kinney
Apr 2022 · MIT Press
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About this ebook
WHAT HAPPENED BEFORE THE BIG BANG? A physics professor offers a theory about the ultimate origin of the universe—and challenges the concept of a multiverse, string theory, and more.
In the beginning was the Big Bang: an unimaginably hot fire almost 14 billion years ago in which the first elements were forged. The physical theory of the hot nascent universe—the Big Bang—was one of the most consequential developments in 20th-century science. And yet it leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the universe so big? Why is it so old? What is the origin of structure in the cosmos? In An Infinity of Worlds, physicist Will Kinney explains a more recent theory that may hold the answers to these questions and even explain the ultimate origins of the universe: cosmic inflation, before the primordial fire of the Big Bang.
Kinney argues that cosmic inflation is a transformational idea in cosmology, changing our picture of the basic structure of the cosmos and raising unavoidable questions about what we mean by a scientific theory. He explains that inflation is a remarkable unification of inner space and outer space, in which the physics of the very large (the cosmos) meets the physics of the very small (elementary particles and fields), closing in a full circle at the first moment of time. With quantum uncertainty its fundamental feature, this new picture of cosmic origins introduces the possibility that the origin of the universe was of a quantum nature.
Kinney considers the consequences of eternal cosmic inflation. Can we come to terms with the possibility that our entire observable universe is one of infinitely many, forever hidden from our view?
In the beginning was the Big Bang: an unimaginably hot fire almost 14 billion years ago in which the first elements were forged. The physical theory of the hot nascent universe—the Big Bang—was one of the most consequential developments in 20th-century science. And yet it leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the universe so big? Why is it so old? What is the origin of structure in the cosmos? In An Infinity of Worlds, physicist Will Kinney explains a more recent theory that may hold the answers to these questions and even explain the ultimate origins of the universe: cosmic inflation, before the primordial fire of the Big Bang.
Kinney argues that cosmic inflation is a transformational idea in cosmology, changing our picture of the basic structure of the cosmos and raising unavoidable questions about what we mean by a scientific theory. He explains that inflation is a remarkable unification of inner space and outer space, in which the physics of the very large (the cosmos) meets the physics of the very small (elementary particles and fields), closing in a full circle at the first moment of time. With quantum uncertainty its fundamental feature, this new picture of cosmic origins introduces the possibility that the origin of the universe was of a quantum nature.
Kinney considers the consequences of eternal cosmic inflation. Can we come to terms with the possibility that our entire observable universe is one of infinitely many, forever hidden from our view?
Ratings and reviews
4.5
2 reviews
Andrea Romance
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February 26, 2022
This book focuses on cosmic inflation and other theories about the origin of the universe. The writing style is one of logical arguments rather than storytelling. For this reason, the book reads more like a textbook than like a book meant for a lay audience. I did learn some things, but I'm going to have to read it again to get a full understanding of the concepts and arguments. Fortunately, the book is short, so rereading it won't be a chore. If you want to know more about the latest theories regarding the Big Bang and cosmic inflation, this book is worth a read. Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Ercules Andrade
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December 27, 2023
Muito boa
About the author
Will Kinney is Professor in the Department of Physics at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York.
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