Table of Contents

Foreword Neil deGrasse Tyson xi

Introduction: An Invitation to Our Readers Cornelia Dean xiii

Chapter 1 The Nature of Matter

Quantum Theory Tugged, and AH of Physics Unraveled Dennis Ouerbye 2

Investigating Light Waves 10

Prof. Röntgen's X-Rays 11

Character of the X-Rays 18

About X-Ray Photography 21

The Mystery of Radium 27

A Lecture by M. Curie 30

Atom of Matter Can Be Detected 31

Madame Curie's Genius 33

Pictures Electrons Speeding in Atom 37

Discusses Atom from New Point 42

Atomic Theory Clears Some Cosmic Problems W.J. Luyten 44-

Details Concepts of Quantum Theory Waldemar Kaempffert 48

Super X-Rays Reveal the Secret of Creation Waldemar Kaempffert 49

Tests of the Electron Indicate It Is a Wave Clinton J. Davisson 57

To Speed Hydrogen to Break Up Atoms 61

Discovers Neutron, Embryonic Matter 62

Chadwick Calls Neutron "Difficult Catch" Ferdinand Kuhn Jr. 64

Bombardment of Atoms 66

Jekyll-Hyde Mind Attributed to Man William L. Laurence 68

Fermi Measures Speed of Neutron 72

Bohr and Einstein at Odds William L. Laurence 74

Discovery of the Antiproton Ends a Long Search, Confirms Einstein's Equation Waldemar Kaempffert 78

Discovery of New Particle Called "Crucial Test" of Theory Walter Sullivan 80

Two Men in Search of the Quark Lee Edson 84

Einstein: Relativity in the Kitchen Walter Sullivan 95

Signs of Quark Discovery Cited in Stanford Report Walter Sullivan 97

Detection of the Elusive "Gluon" Exciting Scientists Malcolm W. Browne 100

New Quarks Stir Debate on Basic Laws of Nature Walter Sullivan 105

Microscopes Peer Ever Deeper into Small World Walter Sullivan 111

Reagan to Press for $6 Million Atom Smasher Ben A. Franklin 116

The Supercollider's Demise Disrupts Many Lives and Rattles a Profession Malcolm W. Browne 120

Europe Is Ready to Pick Up the Pieces in Particle Research Barry James 124

Top Quark, Last Piece in Puzzle of Matter, Appears to Be in Place William J. Broad 126

Physicists Manage to Create the First Antimatter Atoms Malcolm W. Browne 131

Stuck in Traffic? Consult a Physicist Malcolm W. Browne 134

Mass Found in Elusive Particle; Universe May Never Be the Same Malcolm W. Browne 139

Almost in Awe, Physicists Ponder "Ultimate" Theory George Johnson 144

New Dimension in Dance: Thinking Man's Macarena George Johnson 151

In Quantum Feat, Atom Is Seen in Two Places at Once George Johnson 153

Art + Physics = Beautiful Music James Glanz 158

No Hope of Silencing the Phantom Crinklers of the Opera James Glanz 164

Scientists Bring Light to Full Stop, Hold It, Then Send It on Its Way James Glanz 166

With Little Evidence, String Theory Gains Influence James Glanz 169

Quantum Stew: How Physicists Are Redefining Reality's Rules George Johnson 172

String Theory, at 20, Explains It All (or Not) Dennis Overbye 175

A Giant Takes on Physics's Biggest Questions Dennis Overbye 184

Physicists Find Elusive Particle Seen as Key to Universe Dennis Overbye 195

Chapter 2 The Practical Atom

Wireless Signals across the Ocean 200

Light-Energy Ideas Told by Millikan 202

Compton to Strive for Atomic Energy 205

Radar-I Hanson W. Baldwin 207

Radar-II Hanson W. Baldwin 209

Dec. 2, 1942-The Birth of the Atomic Age William L. Laurence 212

Drama of the Atomic Bomb Found Climax in July 16 Test William L. Laurence 218

Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki Told by Flight Member William L. Laurence 226

Visit to Hiroshima Proves Its World's Most-Damaged City William H. Lawrence 234

Five Atomic Piles in Operation Here 240

Tiny Radios Made by Armed Services T. R. Kennedy Jr. 242

Ending of All Life by Hydrogen Bomb Held a Possibility William L. Laurence 244

Major Gains Seen in New Amplifiers William L. Laurence 248

Hydrogen Is Fused for Peace or War William L. Laurence 250

Silicon "Battery" Represents a New Approach in Long Efforts to Harness Sun's Power Waldemar Kaempffert 253

New "All-Transistor" Calculator May Surpass Electronic Models 255

The Laser Lights Up the Future Maya Pines 257

New Photo Technique Projects a World of Three-Dimensional Views Walter Sullivan 262

Nuclear Power Gain Reported, But Experts Express Doubts Malcolm W. Browne 271

Claim of Achieving Fusion in Jar Gains Support in Two Experiments Malcolm W. Browne 273

Physicists Debunk Claim of a New Kind of Fusion Malcolm W. Browne 277

In the Quantum World, Keys to New Codes James Glanz 282

Computing, One Atom at a Time George Johnson 286

Brain Surgery, Without Knife or Blood, Gains Favor Laurie Tarkin 291

Chapter 3 The Fate of the Universe

The Greatest Telescope in the World Garrett P. Serviss 297

Einstein Expounds His New Theory 302

Lights All Askew in the Heavens 305

Science Seeks Secret of Life in Star Rays Waldemar Kaempffert 307

Giant Telescope of Immense Range to Dwarf All Others 315

Studies of the Cosmic Ray Point to Endless Creation William L. Laurence 318

New Radio Waves Traced to Center of the Milky Way. 326

New Dimensions Given to Universe William L. Laurence 328

Finds Galaxy Goes 100 Miles a Second Lawrence E. Davies 333

Palomar Observers Dazzled in First Use of 200-inch Lens William L. Laurence 337

Studies Reported in Star Evolution William L. Laurence 341

Universe Growing, Dr. Hubble Thinks 344

Birth of Universe Traced to Blast William L. Laurence 345

Radio Telescope to Expose Space John W. Finney 347

Rival Cosmologies Walter Sullivan 351

Satellite Challenges Theory of Universe John W. Finney 355

Signals Imply a "Big Bang" Universe Walter Sullivan 357

An X-Ray Scanning Satellite May Have Discovered a "Black Hole" in Space Walter Sullivan 361

End of Universe in "Black Hole" Foreseen Walter Sullivan 364

First Photo Taken by New Telescope Walter Sullivan 366

Galaxy's Speed through Universe Found to Exceed a Million MPH Walter Sullivan 368

Antennas Sharpen Radio "View" of Heavens Walter Sullivan 372

Island in Hawaii Is Becoming a World Astronomy Center Walter Sullivan 376

Gravity "Lens" Is Found in Space Walter Sullivan 379

"Big Bang" Has a Revival in New View of Universe Walter Sullivan 382

Cosmic Powerhouse Finally Seen in Detail Walter Sullivan 386

New View of Universe Shows Sea of Bubbles to Which Stars Cling Walter Sullivan 389

Powerful Source of Gravity Detected Deep in the Universe Walter Sullivan 392

Huge Stellar Explosion Detected Close Enough for Careful Study Malcolm W. Browne 397

Elated by Supernova, Astronomers Watch Their Theories Come to Life Malcolm W. Browne 400

Massive Clusters of Galaxies Defy Concepts of the Universe John Noble Wilford 405

Shuttle Soars 381 Miles High, with Telescope and a Dream John Noble Wilford 409

5,000-Mile Radio Telescope Set to Probe Depths of Time and Space Malcolm W. Browne 413

Big Bang's Defenders Weigh "Fudge Factor," a Blunder of Einstein's, as Fix for New Crisis John Noble Wilford 420

Age of Universe Is Now Settled, Astronomer Says Malcolm W. Browne 425

New Era Is Promised for Optical Telescopes Malcolm W. Browne 429

At Other End of "Big Bang" May Simply Be a Big Sputter John Noble Wilford 434

Peek at Black Holes' Feast Reveals Awful Table Manners John Noble Wilford 437

In Chilean Desert, Observatory for 21st Century Takes Shape John Noble Wilford 441

Pictures Give Hints of Universe at Its Dawn John Noble Wilford 447

Where Does the Time Go? Forward, Physics Shows Malcolm W. Browne 449

Hubble Telescope Yields Data for Recalculating Age of Universe John Noble Wilford 454

Galaxies' Vastness Surprises Scientists James Glanz 457

In the Dark Matter Wars, Wimps Beat Machos James Glanz 462

Before the Big Bang There Was … What? Dennis Overbye 465

A New View of Our Universe: Only One of Many Dennis Overbye 473

Radio Telescope Proves a Big Bang Prediction Dennis Overbye 480

Cosmos Sits for Early Portrait, Gives Up Secrets Dennis Overbye 483

Astronomers Report Evidence of "Dark Energy" Splitting the Universe Dennis Overbye 487

Remembrance of Things Future: The Mystery of Time Dennis Overbye 490

A Trip Forward in Time. Your Travel Agent: Einstein Dennis Overbye 498

Dark, Perhaps Forever Dennis Overbye 500

The Struggle to Measure Cosmic Expansion Dennis Overbye 507

Particle Hunt Nets Almost Nothing; the Hunters Are Almost Thrilled Dennis Overbye 512

There's More to Nothing Than We Knew Dennis Overbye 515

At the End of the Earth, Seeking Clues to the Universe Simon Romero 518

American Physics Dreams Deferred Dennis Overbye 522

Appendices 527

Nobel Laureates in Physics 527

Physics Timeline 535

Contributors' Biographies 539

Image Credits 542

Index 543