A.2.9        Review of Wrinkles in Time

George Smoot and Keay Davidson, Wrinkles in Time (New York: Avon, 1993),Pb, 331 pp. US$13.50/C$18.00 ISBN 0-360-72044-2

A.2.9.1       Review

George Smoot worked on NASA’s Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite, which proved the predictions of Inflation Theory, a refinement of the Big Bang Theory. The book was given to me by my son, David, for Christmas.

 

To make a long story short, Inflation Theory was developed to explain why there were “wrinkles” in the space-time continuum. The question was what was it about the Big Bang that resulted in slightly non-uniform conditions, conditions which allowed for the creation of heavy elements (anything beyond helium) and galaxies, stars and planets. It also answered questions in the Big Bang theory which seem to suggest that somehow different parts of the universe had shared information at speeds faster than the speed of light. It turns out that this is because there was a period of hyper-inflation at the very beginning (before about 1 x 10^^-23 seconds). Space expanded (and continues to expand) at a speed faster than the speed of light, which doesn’t contradict Einstein’s dictum. Einstein said nothing *in* the universe could travel faster than the speed of light, but the universe isn’t expanding “in” anything – it’s space itself that is expanding faster than the speed of light. 

 

Anyway, it’s a very readable book – the co-author, Keay Davidson, is the SF Chronicle science columnist.

 

My judgement as to its reading level: Grade XII AP; or a mature person with some exposure to science. Not for the rank beginner, but speaks down a bit to people with university training in science. That’s why I gave it a Grade XII AP rating. Oh, also, it’s very out-of-date for those with considerable training or background in cosmology and particle physics. For people like that it’s an interesting history. For beginners it’s a good introduction to things like the Big Bang and Inflation Theory.

A.2.9.2 Blurbs

“The scientific discovery of the century, if not all time” – Stephen Hawking [exaggerating a bit, imo]

 

“Behold the Handwriting of God”

 

Astrophysicist and adventurer George Smoot spent twenty years pursuing the “holy grail of science” – a relentless hunt that led him from the rain forests of Brazil to the frozen wastes of Antarctica. For decades he persevered – struggling against time, the elements, the forces of ignorance and bureaucratic insanity. And finally, on April 23, 1992, he made a startling announcement that would usher in a new scientific age. For George Smoot and his dedicated team ofBerkeley researchers had proven the unprovable – uncovering, inarguably and for all time, the secrets of the creation of the Universe.

 

Remarkable…deserves to be widely read…a rewarding entrée to modern cosmology, a rare glimpse of important science in the making and a rollicking adventure yarn, all rolled into one, ‘Wrinkles in Time’ breathes life and romance into science.” – David Darling, “The New York Times Book Review.

 

“It is a wonder…the fast-forward account of a great moment of affirmation” – Publishers Weekly.

“A nova burst of fine astronomy writing…one of the best scientific popularizations of the year” – Kirkus Reviews.

 

Shocking…impressive…a highly personal account…the reader needs bring nothing to the book but curiosity.” Curt Suplee, “Washington Post Book World”

 

“Succeeds better than just about any book I know in capturing the excitement of major scientific discoveries…a must read for anyone interested in the way science is really done.” John L. Casti, author of “Paradigms Lost.”