PDF Summaries - Astrophysics For People In a Hurry by Neil DeGrasse Tyson (Book Summary)

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INTRODUCTION

T OO BUSY FOR SCIENCE ? But still a little curious about the universe? Fortunately we have America's most famous, popular, and approachable astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson. His latest book "Astrophysics for People in a Hurry" offers a shortcut to scientific literacy, with entertaining, bite-sized chapters that explore cosmic questions.

The universe is as daunting as it is expansive. How did it all come to be? What is it made of? What is our place in the history of the cosmos? These are questions that many would consider to be way above their level. These are considered mysteries that are only comprehensible to the brilliant scientific minds of someone like a Newton or an Einstein.

However, in this book the renowned astrophysicist Mr. Tyson, illustrates how the greatest mysteries of the universe are accessible to everyone with the common curious mind.

Throughout his witty and pointed presentation of the history and nature of the universe from the big bang to the discoveries of dark matter and dark energy, Tyson confirms his reputation as a world-class science educator. In twelve concise and digestible chapters, readable anywhere at any time, Tyson offers fascinating facts about our planet, our galaxy, and the vastness beyond, while painting an awe-inspiring picture of the cosmic order.

Tyson easily explains how and why astrophysics is able to be fascinating to each and every one of us. Because we all have looked up at the stars at night. We have all, at some point, asked questions about our existence and what it all means.

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 1

The Greatest Story Ever Told

I T IS ESTIMATED THAT the very beginning was over fourteen billion years ago. Everything in the universe was contained in a speck the size of a period. This condensed matter and energy quickly expanded in to what is termed the Big Bang. The formation can be described like a soup of the most basic elements we know today. Quarks, leptons (electrons and neutrinos). And bosons (photons) along with their respective antimatter counterparts.

Many scientist feel that we are merely at a trillionth of a second in the history of the universe. As it continues to expand and cool, quarks combine to form hadrons which in turn result in the emergence of protons and neutrons. Consequently, in under a second, the universe grew to a width that was a few light years across. And while it cooled considerably, protons fused with other protons and neutrons to form atomic nuclei and create a universe composed of 90 percent hydrogen and 10 percent helium. For the next billion years, matter concentrated into galaxies made up of hundreds of billions of stars with cores undergoing thermonuclear fusion and thus manufacturing distinct and heavier elements than the hydrogen making up most of the universe. As these stars exploded they distributed the seeds of life into the universe.

Then approximately 9 billion years later, the Sun was born. And it brought along with it a series of orbiting objects among which was our planet Earth. The particular distance of the Earth from the sun was the key. It was too close for water to freeze. And too far for it to evaporate. This is what allowed oceans to form and shelter anaerobic bacteria. Which In turn, transformed the carbon-dioxide rich atmosphere into one with sufficient oxygen (O2) for aerobic organisms to develop while also forming a protective ozone (O3) layer that shields the earths surface from the Suns ultraviolet rays. Though astrophysics can ever more accurately understand the Big Bang and the creation of the universe as we know it, what comes before the beginning remains an absolute mystery.