Origins: Fourteen Billion Years of Cosmic Evolution by Neil deGrasse Tyson
(out of 5 stars)
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has taken up the reins from the late Carl Sagan as the leading advocate for science education and instructional entertainment. Seen on outstanding programs such as PBS's NOVA series (which he now hosts), Tyson has Sagan's gift for expressing enthusiam for science which is infective. Origins, which Dr. Tyson wrote with astronomer Donald Goldsmith, offers the reader straightforward glimpses at some of the most fascinating processes and products in our Universe, from galactic clusters to biological evolution.
The writing in Origins is approachable by any level of science reader. There are only a couple of places where complex terms might fly over the head of a novice, but the authors keep the book focused on educating a reader new to the subjects without a dense recital of the math and theory behind each one.
The opening chapters deal with the early Universe, including the problems and possibilities of dark matter and dark energy, and then move on to galaxies and stars.
The authors spend a short time on planets before moving on to biological origins of life on earth and the possibilities of discovering life or the conditions which make life possible somewhere other than Earth.
While most of this information is well-known to any intermediate science reader (and likely to a great number of novice readers), the presentation is engaging and, in Tyson's unique way, enlightening even on subjects with which the reader is already familiar. The way chemistry is weaved into the discussion of star and planet formation, as well as how life depends on specific chemistries (or possibly not, as is also discussed) was very presented and added an excellent layer of insight into the astrophysical subject matter. Highly recommended for novice readers or for anyone who loves to read popular science that isn't dumbed down but also is not densely packed with high-level science jargon and data. Four stars.
