What kind of scientist is concerned with mapping the heavens

According to Natarajan, the word 'universe' may be on the verge of its most radical redefinition yet. It's especially welcome as a faithful portrayal of how science is actually done. Moreover, she traces how these ideas struggled to get accepted, providing the reader with an excellent peek at how science gets done. If you want to understand the greatest ideas that shaped our current cosmic cartography, read this book. Riess, Nobel Laureate in Physics, Natarajan writes as an accomplished guide to contemporary astronomy including dark matter and dark energy.

Her phrase 'Mapping the Heavens' is both literal and metaphorical. Natarajan describes the revolutions that have taken place in our ability to explore the structure of our universe. But the point she makes is deeper. Krauss, New York Review of Books. Not what I expected. History of astrophysics.

Interesting read nevertheless. Oct 01, Jeff rated it it was ok. Mapping the Heavens provides a solid summary for the layman of the current state of cosmology and our understanding of the universe and its component parts.

Readers looking for an introduction to the big issues in astronomy and how they developed will find much to like here. Unfortunately, the book is a bit of a hodge-podge. It starts off as a very cursory history of the mapping of the Mapping the Heavens provides a solid summary for the layman of the current state of cosmology and our understanding of the universe and its component parts. It starts off as a very cursory history of the mapping of the heavens, turns to a telling of the astronomical discoveries of the last century, periodically discusses the personal rivalries between scientists and teams, and ends with some general musings about the state of science.

It lacks a thesis, so sometimes the structure is obtuse. While I learned a bit about the most recent astronomical theories and some of the personalities involved in the science, I would have preferred either a deeper and more holistic dive into how scientific disputes are resolved, or a book that is more pointedly about the historical development of skymapping. Apr 17, Kadri rated it really liked it Shelves: astronomy. It's a well written book about some of the most important discoveries in cosmology, about the people behind those discoveries and a bit of discussion about who has gotten the fame and credit for a discovery when someone else might have discovered it before.

I did find that it is certainly a great book to read if you're just getting acquainted with cosmology - you'll start to understand what role Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity plays in modern science, how it was discovered that th It's a well written book about some of the most important discoveries in cosmology, about the people behind those discoveries and a bit of discussion about who has gotten the fame and credit for a discovery when someone else might have discovered it before.

I did find that it is certainly a great book to read if you're just getting acquainted with cosmology - you'll start to understand what role Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity plays in modern science, how it was discovered that the Universe is expanding and doing so at an accelerating pace, how black holes are interesting, how the discoveries of dark matter and dark energy came about and the same for cosmic microwave background radiation.

The author certainly includes more historic people than some other books about the same topic. In this book you can also read a little about how the nature of scientific research has changed in the last years or so, and how recognizing the importance of a scientific idea in modern times wouldn't be stopped anymore just because of one authoritative scientist not believing in it.

In general: very informative and enjoyable easy read. Jun 06, Amy rated it really liked it Shelves: first-reads-giveaways-read. Excellent discussion of the history and development of the field of astronomy. Written in easy to understand terms, the author looks at many of the great turning points in this field. A must read for anyone interested in the current state of astronomy and cosmology.

I received this book as part of a Goodreads giveaway but the opinions expressed are solely my own. Oct 19, Duff rated it really liked it. The author, a scientist, often seems to be that superb conversationalist who weaves stories and facts in a way that is just aimed at you. I'm a non scientist and enjoyed every minute of this private conversation about science, cosmology and a solid hope for the future.

The science, history and theory are all here. But, in a way that was always accessible for me. A splendid read. Aug 15, Bob Brimm rated it did not like it. Very boring and superficial. I love reading about cosmology but there was nothing here to enjoy. A bunch of historical facts that you can find searching Wikipedia.

Apr 16, Tonstant Weader rated it really liked it. Mapping the Heavens: The Radical Scientific Ideas That Reveal the Cosmos is an excellent guide to the many radical discoveries that are remaking our understanding of the cosmos. These potholes reveal the mysterious dark matter whose effects we can map Well, Natarajan can map.

There is a poem that I used to include in my syllabus as a history teacher. I think of it often when reading historical overviews. Authors are always in a double-bind. For me, when I read the overviews, I just tell myself, it will get better and it usually does. The book begins with an extensive overview of the history of cosmology from the earliest observations recorded in cuneiform more as statistical tabulations without any attempt at explanation though the centuries.

Natarajan makes some effort to remind readers that cosmological exploration was not isolated to Europe, reminding us of the invention of the compass by the Chinese, the mapping advances from India and the critical role of Arabs in creating the mathematics that formed the foundation for advanced cosmology.

She also reminds us that the Flat-Earth Society has been a collection of anti-science cranks since Ptolemy, not Columbus — though not in those words. One of the central points she makes is that science is provisional and self-correcting. Throughout the history of science, new technologies enable the collection of new data, new data creates new insights and discoveries, and meanwhile old ideas resist change.

There is a clash of ideas, sometimes people suggest a middle way, but ultimately, the best data and explanations win out because science chooses what is replicable and empirical even when it is uncomfortable.

It is unfortunate that this overview must come first, but it must because all the rest of the book is built on its foundation, but it is far less exciting and interesting than the meat of the book that beings in the second chapter and then just keeps building. The tone of the writing changes dramatically after the first chapter, becoming more conversational, more engaging and far more fascinating. The expanding universe upends everything, after all literature is full of the constancy of the heavens and Hubble broke it.

It makes this science so much more accessible for the general public when she makes this connections with other disciplines like literature and poetry. I love how Natarajan reveals the humanity of the scientists who shape our worldview. Because he did come around. Perhaps those who cling to denial of climate change and evolution will do the same. Maybe not, but the idea that Einstein fudged for a bit makes me feel more optimistic about those who doubt science today.

Equally fascinating, it is something so simple as photographic plates that enabled the real breakthroughs in observation that advanced the radical theories we have now come to accept. Natarajan brings the same enthusiastic passion to revealing the nonlinear push and pull advancements that led to the discovery of black holes, dark matter, background radiation, the accelerating universe and will, I am certain, the discovery of other worlds and other sentient, curious, imaginative and creative beings.

But when Natarajan talks about other worlds, she does not mean just habitable planets with sentient life out there somewhere lost in the stars, but also other worlds in the multiverse and whether there could be life where the cosmological parameters necessary for the universe as we know it are different. This is radical stuff, revealing that scientists are some of the wildest and most radical thinkers on the planet.

Taking what we know, what we can observe and then getting freaky with it? Always presuming of course, the evidence backs it up. Natarajan has a way of taking theory and all its complexity and explaining it so this non-scientist can easily understand it. She effectively explains the ideas that develop and the historical and technological waves that eventually erode those past explanations and replace them with new constructs, new ideas.

She makes the process of interesting, human and fun, with little tidbits of gossipy details that bring revered scientists to life. I have always loved physics, took one astronomy class in college and worked at a planetarium As an usher, believe me hearing the same presentation 6 times a weekend for 3 months ingrains those particular ideas forever, so I am not intimidated by science, but I have no real science background, no expertise, and yet never felt overwhelmed by the science.

I like her holistic approach, combining literature and cultural information as ways of showing how radical some of these new concepts are. There are wonderful illustrations. It took me a few weeks to read this, but that is generally how I read nonfiction. I read until I come to a concept I need to think about and internalize and switch to some fiction, coming back when I have chewed it over a bit and am ready to learn something new.

My mind still lets go a thousand things, but this book is full of falling petals and they are beautiful in their mystery and magnificence. Mapping the Heavens will be released on April 26th. I received an electronic advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley. May 26, Paul rated it liked it. This is a pretty good book. Strengths: the approach is historical, so one gets a sense of how ideas about the cosmos evolved, and how, in particular research and discoveries about atoms and sub-atomic particles and forces on the one hand, and research and discoveries about what is observed in space, on the other, ultimately came to be part of the same overall intellectual endeavor.

The historical approach also permits Natarajan to discuss the process of science, not just its "results", and to de This is a pretty good book. The historical approach also permits Natarajan to discuss the process of science, not just its "results", and to demonstrate how that process is both socially constructed i.

Weaknesses: frankly, I got lost int the science. After the reading the book, I couldn't explain dark matter, dark energy, or the cosmological constant to anyone. Apr 10, Adam rated it liked it Shelves: physics , history , reviewed , astronomy-astrophysics.

Covers topics such as celestial physics, black holes, dark matter, the big bang and string theory. A brief account of technological advances that improved scientific analyses throughout history. There is the strange assertion that biologists think only Earth harbours life - including no citation - but on the whole it's decent. I do think that Astrophysics for People in a Hurry is a little better. Jul 30, Ruben Garcia rated it it was amazing. Incredibly researched thorough explanation of how the current view of the universe came into fruition.

It's peppered with tons of insight of how the world and specially the scientific community's reaction to proposed discoveries changed since ancient times to now.

Specifically, how science has become a mainstream worldwide effort where communities, not singular geniuses like Einstein or Newton, rule it. Certainly a slow read, wrote notes as it went along and that helped immensely to let the mater Incredibly researched thorough explanation of how the current view of the universe came into fruition. Certainly a slow read, wrote notes as it went along and that helped immensely to let the material marinate. Multiplied by knowledge of astronomical history and overall knowledge.

Dec 31, Aditya Sundararajan rated it really liked it. An engaging summary of how astronomy has evolved over the centuries since the scientific revolution. The author also includes anecdotes of scientific discourse on more modern discoveries such as black holes, dark matter, and dark energy that showcase how influence, clout, and the race to be the first can sometimes dilute or detract from the true essence of this field- to map the heavens and answer questions about the unknown.

Jan 09, Caitlin Merriman rated it really liked it Shelves: non-fiction , science , challenge. Really interesting book, the narrative of how we came to have our current understanding of the universe is a fascinating one, and looking at how science itself has changed is a very effective way of anchoring the discussion. Some of the writing is a little trite and some of the technical descriptions could be clearer very very possible I just didn't get them but overall it was very good Really interesting book, the narrative of how we came to have our current understanding of the universe is a fascinating one, and looking at how science itself has changed is a very effective way of anchoring the discussion.

Some of the writing is a little trite and some of the technical descriptions could be clearer very very possible I just didn't get them but overall it was very good Good and clear explanation of where we currently find ourselves in our understanding of the universe end our place in it and how we managed to find our way to this knowledge. Advances in cosmology have led to the discovery of dark matter and dark energy, mysterious forces that shape our Universe.

But how do you map what you cannot see? Astrophysicist Priyamvada Natarajan will be your guide to the biggest questions in modern astrophysics and their surprising answers. She will take us on a journey through some of the radical scientific ideas that shape our current cosmic view. Priyamvada Natarajan is a theoretical astrophysicist interested in cosmology, gravitational lensing and black hole physics. Her research at Yale University involves mapping the detailed distribution of dark matter in the universe, exploiting the bending of light en-route to us from distant galaxies.

In particular, she has focused on making dark matter maps of clusters of galaxies, the largest known repositories of dark matter.

Gravitational lensing by clusters can also be utilized to constrain dark energy models and she has been developing the methodology and techniques to do so. Her work has demonstrated that cluster strong lensing offers a unique and potentially powerful laboratory to test evolving dark energy models.

Copies of Priyamvada's book, Mapping the Heavens, will be available for purchase and signing after the talk. The doors will open at approximately pm, with a prompt start at pm.