Pressestimmen
"Scharf's explanations are vivid and accessible, evoking the awe of cosmic grandeur in a way that's as humbling as it is fascinating." --"Publishers Weekly" (starred review)
"In "Gravity's Engines", Caleb Scharf tells the mind-blowing story of 'supermassive' black holes, the true masters of the Universe. Black holes are smaller than the Solar System yet project their power across the cosmos, sculpting entire galaxies of stars. They might appear esoteric and remote, but as Scharf explains, life on Earth may have been utterly impossible without them." --Marcus Chown, author of "Solar System" and "Solar System for iPad"
"Caleb Scharf's fun book takes you behind the scenes of the universe itself, to see how the celestial heavyweights we call 'black holes' help shape the cosmos." --Sean Carroll, theoretical physicist at the California Institute of Technology, and author of "From Eternity to Here"
"An intelligent explanation of a weird but essential feature of the universe . . . rich, satisfying . . ." --"Kirkus"
Kurzbeschreibung
We've long understood black holes to be the points at which the universe as we know it comes to an end. Often billions of times more massive than the Sun, they lurk in the inner sanctum of almost every galaxy of stars in the universe. They're mysterious chasms so destructive and unforgiving that not even light can escape their deadly wrath. Recent research, however, has led to a cascade of new discoveries that have revealed an entirely different side to black holes. As the astrophysicist Caleb Scharf reveals in "Gravity's Engines", these chasms in space-time don't just vacuum up everything that comes near them; they also spit out huge beams and clouds of matter. Black holes blow bubbles. With clarity and keen intellect, Scharf masterfully explains how these bubbles profoundly rearrange the cosmos around them. Engaging with our deepest questions about the universe, he takes us on an intimate journey through the endlessly colourful place we call our galaxy and reminds us that the Milky Way sits in a special place in the cosmic zoo - a "sweet spot" of properties. Is it coincidental that we find ourselves here at this place and time? Could there be a deeper connection between the nature of black holes and their role in the universe and the phenomenon of life? We are, after all, made of the stuff of stars.