The Red Limit tells the story of the discoveries that led to our current understanding of the universe. In the past, our picture was one of a static universe containing only one galaxy (the Milky Way). Over time, scientific discoveries have shifted our view to a dynamic universe that began with the big bang, expanded to its present size, is filled with hundreds of billions of galaxies, and is continuing to expand at an ever increasing rate. Along with this understanding, humanities view of itself has had to shift from one in which the earth (and by association, humanity) was at its center, to one in which we are but a speck in an undistinguished arm of one of many billions of galaxies.

Ferris does a good job recounting this history of these discoveries including the many missteps that led to confusion and unproductive areas of research. The story also provides an instructive lesson regarding the way in which science really works. Although science is not always perfect and may not get the answer correct on the first try, it is our best method of obtaining true knowledge and over time, accumulates evidence so that an increasingly accurate picture of the universe is obtained.

The book is interesting and well researched, if a bit on the dry side.