Unbeknownst to many, our modern language contains countless words that were inspired by human observations of the cosmos. We now use words like “zenith”, “Monday”, “disaster”, “dog days”, “starfish”, “lunatic”, flu, and so many others, without a second thought for their celestial roots.Famous French astrophysicist Daniel Kunth invites you on a linguistic and scientific journey through space and time to explore these forgotten origins. You will be astonished to rediscover c...

Renowned astronomer Carl Sagan’s classic bestseller that “dives into the past, present, and future of science, dealing with the mind-staggering enormity of the cosmos in which we exist” (Associated Press)—with an Introduction by Ann Druyan and a Foreword by Neil deGrasse Tyson“Sagan dazzles the mind with the miracle of our survival, framed by the stately galaxies of space.”—CosmopolitanTHE INSPIRATION FOR THE FOX MINISERIES...

A fascinating book on the joys of discovering how the world works, by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Cosmos and Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors.“Magnificent . . . Delightful . . . A masterpiece. A message of tremendous hope for humanity . . . While ever conscious that human folly can terminate man’s march into the future, Sagan nonetheless paints for us a mind-boggling future: intelligent robots, the discovery of extraterrest...

A Best Book of 2020 NPRA Best Book of 2020 The EconomistA Top Ten Best Science Book of 2020 SmithsonianA Best Science & Technology Book of 2020 Library JournalA Must-Read Book to Escape the Chaos of 2020 NewsweekStarred review BooklistStarred review Publishers WeeklyAn historically unprecedented disconnect between humanity and the heavens has opened. Jo Marchant...

An up-to-date look at one of science's greatest detective stories: the search for order in the workings of the solar system— "Masterly. . . . Eminently readable. . . . Lucid" ( Wall Street Journal )."[Peterson] is well-suited to wean the general reader away from one of everyday science's most comforting and tenacious illusions—namely, that the solar system operates on a giant stable clockwork system." —

Dava Sobel's The Glass Universe will be available from Viking in December 2016With her bestsellers Longitude and Galileo's Daughter, Dava Sobel introduced readers to her rare gift for weaving complex scientific concepts into a compelling narrative. Now Sobel brings her full talents to bear on what is perhaps her most ambitious topic to date-the planets of our solar system. Sobel explores the origins and oddities of the planets through the...

Journey through time and space with the greatest astronomers in history. Astronomy is one of the oldest of all the sciences. And yet, its history is also so much more than the history of a science, reflecting our entire culture and providing insight into the evolution of humankind's ideas and ideals over the centuries. This fascinating book tells the amazing story of the development of astronomy, through the key characters in its history from Copernicus to Hubble and Halley, the excitement...

From an award-winning author, astronomer, and anthropologist, an exploration of the scientific and cultural significance of the mesmerizing cosmic display.Since the first humans looked up and saw the sun swallowed by darkness, our species has been captivated by solar eclipses. Astronomer and anthropologist Anthony Aveni explains the history and culture surrounding solar eclipses, from prehistoric Stonehenge to Babylonian creation myths, to a confirmation of Einstei...

Experience the cosmos as never before with UNIVERSE: The Solar System and BeyondBeginning with a fascinating overview and then organized by planet, this book takes us on a trip across time and space that includes a front-row seat to the explosive birth of the solar system, a journey to (and then deep inside) each of its eight planets, and even an in-depth exploration of asteroids and comets.With this newly revised edition, the authors' goals are to help you use astronomy to u...

From stone age to space age, every human who has looked up at the night sky has seen the same stars in the same patterns. They reveal our entire history, as well as hinting at our ultimate fate.In Beneath the Night, Stuart Clark tells the full story of this relationship. From prehistoric cave art and Ancient Egyptian zodiacs to the modern era of satellites and space exploration, Clark reveals the history of a fascination that has shaped our scientific understanding; helped...

In the grand tradition of the scholar-adventurer, acclaimed author Richard Cohen takes us around the world to illuminate our relationship with the star that gives us life. Drawing on more than seven years of research, he reports from locations in eighteen different countries. As he soon discovers, the Sun is present everywhere—in mythology, language, religion, politics, sciences, art, literature, and medicine, even in the ocean’s depths. For some ancient worshippers, our star was a man aba...

With beautiful illustrations and a detailed map, Sun Moon Earth has everything you need to get ready for the next solar eclipse.On April 8, 2024, millions of Americans will experience an awe-inspiring phenomenon: a total eclipse of the sun. In Sun Moon Earth, astronomer Tyler Nordgren illustrates how this most seemingly unnatural of natural phenomena was transformed from a fearsome omen to a tourist attraction. From the astrologers of ancient Chin...