Universe in Creation: A New Understanding of the Big Bang and the Emergence of Life

284 Pages·2018·14.875 MB·English

by  Roy R. Gould

UNIVERSE IN CREATION

U N I V E R S E I N
C R E AT I O N
A New Understanding of
the Big Bang
and the Emergence of Life
Roy R. Gould
Cambridge, Mas sa chu setts
London, England
2018
Copyright © 2018 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of Amer i ca
First Printing
Library of Congress Cataloging- in- Publication Data
Names: Gould, Roy, 1947– author.
Title: Universe in creation : a new understanding of the big bang
and the emergence of life / RoyR. Gould.
Description: Cambridge, Mas sa chu setts : Harvard University Press, 2018. |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2017047932 | ISBN 9780674976078 (alk. paper)
Subjects: LCSH: Universe. | Life— Origin. | Creation. |
Big bang theory. | Beginning.
Classification: LCC QH325 .G68 2018 | DDC 570.1— dc23
LC rec ord available at https:// lccn . loc . gov / 2017047932
Jacket photo: Bert Myers/Cultura RM Exclusive/Getty Images
Jacket design: Jill Breitbarth
To Leora

Contents
Introduction 1
Part One
WHERE DOES THE UNIVERSE COME FROM?
1. What Is the Universe— and How Large Is It? 19
2. Galaxies Misbehave 37
3. What’s the Big Idea? 43
4. Einstein, Gravity, and the Universe 51
5. The Big Bang and Beyond 70
6. Building Plans 83
viii Contents
Part Two
HOW DID STRUCTURE ARISE FROM CHAOS?
7. An Apple Pie from Scratch 95
8. Into the Abyss 105
9. Into the Cauldron 111
10. Into the Light 124
Part Three
IS LIFE MERELY A ROLL OF THE COSMIC DICE?
11. The Great Inventor 143
12. Information, Please! 164
13. Is Evolution Predictable? 185
14. The Sensational Sensations 204
15. Design without a Designer? 213
16. “Who’s There?” 222
Epilogue: What Is Worthy of Our Won der? 239
Notes 247
Acknowl edgments 267
Index 269
UNIVERSE IN CREATION