Einstein's Universe：Gravity at Work and Play

OnAlbertEinstein'sseventy-sixthandfinalbirthday,afriendgavehimasimpletoymadefromabroomstick,abrassballattachedtoalengthofstring,andaweakspring.Einsteinwasdelighted:thetoyworkedonaprinciplehehadconceivedfiftyyearsearlierwhenhewasworkingonhisrevolutionarytheoryofgravity--aprinciplewhoseimplicationsarestillconfoundingphysiciststoday.Startingwiththiswinninganecdote,AnthonyZeebeginshisanimateddiscussionofphenomenarangingfromtheemergenceofgalaxiestothecurvatureofspace-time,evidencefortheexistenceofgravitywaves,andtheshapeoftheuniverseinthefirstnanosecondsofcreationandtoday.Makingcomplexideasaccessiblewithoutoversimplifying,ZeeleadsthereaderthroughtheimplicationsofEinstein'stheoryanditsinfluenceonmodernphysics.Hisplayfulandlucidstyleconveystheexcitementofsomeofthelatestdevelopmentsinphysics,andhisnewAfterwordbringsthingsevenfurtherup-to-date.