New books & media

What’s Eating the Universe? And Other Cosmic Questions, Paul Davies, U. Chicago Press, 2021, $22.50

Understanding theoretical physics is a daunting task, but cosmologist Paul Davies’s new book What’s Eating the Universe? is here to guide readers through the field. Davies covers general relativity, antimatter, time travel, the multiverse, and just about any other topic he could fit into the book’s 200 pages. Each chapter is short—less than 10 pages—but jargon-free and full of information. Davies uses a conversational tone to draw the reader in as he skims the history, experiments, and significance of each concept. Regardless of the reader’s prior physics knowledge, the book provides an accessible introduction to cosmology. —mrb

How Space Works: The Facts Visually Explained, DK, 2021, $22.00

How big is the universe? What preceded the Big Bang? Why do stars appear to move across the night sky? Those are just some of the questions addressed by How Space Works, an introductory reference book aimed at beginning astronomers, ages 12 and up. Featuring colorful graphics and brief, nontechnical text, the book starts off with a discussion of space from the vantage point of Earth before moving on to explore the solar system, stars, galaxies, and the universe. Among the many topics the book touches on are dark matter, star formation, cosmic rays, and even the search for alien life. The seven-page index should help readers navigate the book’s encyclopedic format. —cc

Quantum Technology: Our Sustainable Future, The Quantum Daily/Teralon, 2021

Computation is a notoriously energy-intensive task, and classical computers just won’t cut it. They aren’t powerful enough to simulate impossibly complex chemical systems—but quantum computing could be. The new minidocumentary Quantum Technology argues that the future of quantum computing should be approached with sustainability in mind. The film features interviews with leaders in the quantum world who suggest that a useful quantum computer could need as much energy as the top classical supercomputer. Researchers must find ways to limit energy demands and efficiently cool the superconductors needed for computation. Quantum Technology argues that quantum computing must be sustainable if it is to be done ethically. —mrb

Brave New Worlds, Mickey McDonald, Kickstarter, 2020, $65.00

In Brave New Worlds, a board game created by physicist Mickey McDonald, 2–6 players compete to explore our solar system. To do so, they must send satellites, rovers, and astronauts to planets like Mars, moons like Titan, and dwarf planets like Pluto. But they must balance their desire to explore with the fuel considerations necessary to get spacecraft across interplanetary space. Fortunately, just as mission control does in real life, players can send their probes by planets like Jupiter and Saturn to gain gravity assists that enable them to reach distant worlds more quickly. McDonald received a PhD in atomic, molecular, and optical physics from Columbia University and says he created the game to inspire children and adults about the wonders of the solar system. Although the rule book could be streamlined, the game is brisk, fun, and relatively easy to learn. A companion book contains information about the heavenly bodies featured in the game. —rd

Ten Patterns That Explain the Universe, Brian Clegg, MIT Press, 2021, $29.95 (paper)

Science writer Brian Clegg presents an introduction to the cosmos through 10 patterns in this new book. Interestingly, Clegg chooses to feature not only patterns that scientists have discovered in nature, such as the cosmic microwave background and Earth’s complex weather systems, but also those developed by researchers to explain natural phenomena, like Feynman diagrams and the periodic table. Using beautiful illustrations and illuminating diagrams, the book is a feast for the eyes. The final chapter, on symmetries in nature of all shapes and sizes, is particularly enlightening. Anyone interested in the natural world will enjoy the unique perspective offered in the book. —rd