Alpha and Omega: The Search for the Beginning and the End of the Universe - Tapa dura

We've all heard of the Big Bang - but what about the Big Splat, the particle zoo, and cosmic background radiation? Sub-titled 'The Search for the Beginning and the End of the Universe', Seife's intriguing book is a lively report on the current state of play in the subject. A report on how, that is, having glimpsed the cradle of the universe, astronomers and physicists are beginning to peer into its grave. Seife introduces the subject with an informative account of the historical background - from Aristotle to Einstein and beyond - before bringing us up to the cutting edge. The fact that he is both a researcher and a journalist shows in the clarity and accessibility of his book, as it did in his award-winning Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea.

The astronomical community has been on tenterhooks awaiting the outcome of a set of experiments that should throw light on ultimate questions of the universe. This book unveils the results of these experiments.