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The Next Wave
The Missing Matter
A dramatic new series of books at the cutting edge where science meets science fiction.
- GenresScience Fiction
360 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published December 1, 1991
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March 2, 2023The book begins with a non-fiction intro discussing the science of dark matter. It concludes that we don't know for sure what it is and the author wants to speculate about this in a novel.
After that, there is a science fiction novel of about 300 pages. It begin at a research station in the Pluto-Charon system. They detect a strange physical phenomena out beyond Pluto. A spaceship is sent to investigate and as they approach a planet appears. While exploring the new planet they notice the constellations have shifted. Upon checking this out, they conclude they're in a parallel universe. They then find they shift from one parallel universe to another, each with a solar system similar to ours, but different in some ways. Each time, the new planet changes universe with them - apparently taking the spaceship with it. They find each universe has somewhat different physical constants.
At first, the various universes are similar enough that they detect radio / TV signals from an Earth which has had differing evolution of life, and whose intelligent life has designed their technology (such as TV signal formats) differently. In two of the universes, there are encounters with "alien" civilizations from parallel Earths.
The changes in universes become more frequent, and as the physical constants change, the crew's bodies function somewhat differently. It appears the ship is headed toward universes with conditions that will be fatal to the crew. Then, one universe changes their body functions in a way making them smarter. They are able to make a theory of a new kind of sub-atomic particle that travel between universes and can pull regular matter along with it. This allows them to leave the new planet and collect enough of the new particles to travel back through the universes toward a familiar Earth.
While the novel does eventually refer to these new particles, it doesn't exactly link them to dark matter.
After the novel, there is a lengthy essay about the scientific history of evidence that there seems to be more mass in the universe than can be accounted for by regular matter, attempts to test this, attempts to explain it, etc.
After that, there is a science fiction novel of about 300 pages. It begin at a research station in the Pluto-Charon system. They detect a strange physical phenomena out beyond Pluto. A spaceship is sent to investigate and as they approach a planet appears. While exploring the new planet they notice the constellations have shifted. Upon checking this out, they conclude they're in a parallel universe. They then find they shift from one parallel universe to another, each with a solar system similar to ours, but different in some ways. Each time, the new planet changes universe with them - apparently taking the spaceship with it. They find each universe has somewhat different physical constants.
At first, the various universes are similar enough that they detect radio / TV signals from an Earth which has had differing evolution of life, and whose intelligent life has designed their technology (such as TV signal formats) differently. In two of the universes, there are encounters with "alien" civilizations from parallel Earths.
The changes in universes become more frequent, and as the physical constants change, the crew's bodies function somewhat differently. It appears the ship is headed toward universes with conditions that will be fatal to the crew. Then, one universe changes their body functions in a way making them smarter. They are able to make a theory of a new kind of sub-atomic particle that travel between universes and can pull regular matter along with it. This allows them to leave the new planet and collect enough of the new particles to travel back through the universes toward a familiar Earth.
While the novel does eventually refer to these new particles, it doesn't exactly link them to dark matter.
After the novel, there is a lengthy essay about the scientific history of evidence that there seems to be more mass in the universe than can be accounted for by regular matter, attempts to test this, attempts to explain it, etc.
April 28, 2011
This book kind of went off on some tangents but all in all it was an entertaining story. I really enjoyed it.
There is also an essay at the end that explains some of the concepts of dark matter that is the main theme of the story put into easy to understand terms.
I guess I can no longer blame lost socks in the dryer on a paralell universe anymore since the dryer can not reach escape velocity speed.
The book tried to make statements about how we should be while it was also trying to establish how we might react and interact with another intelligent life form if we ever came across it. Sometimes this got annoying but not enough for me to become disinterested in the story.
I did think it was funny how the author incorporated things from T.V. shows and made them similar to shows we would know but different, like, Carlo's Angels, My three Clones, Gidget goes to Mars etc. And then there is the Robot named Sly. Not going to spoil it for anyone but it had the image of a movie star everyone should recognize.
A good read if you can ignore the soapbox like tangents.
There is also an essay at the end that explains some of the concepts of dark matter that is the main theme of the story put into easy to understand terms.
I guess I can no longer blame lost socks in the dryer on a paralell universe anymore since the dryer can not reach escape velocity speed.
The book tried to make statements about how we should be while it was also trying to establish how we might react and interact with another intelligent life form if we ever came across it. Sometimes this got annoying but not enough for me to become disinterested in the story.
I did think it was funny how the author incorporated things from T.V. shows and made them similar to shows we would know but different, like, Carlo's Angels, My three Clones, Gidget goes to Mars etc. And then there is the Robot named Sly. Not going to spoil it for anyone but it had the image of a movie star everyone should recognize.
A good read if you can ignore the soapbox like tangents.
February 19, 2013
A novel filled with hard science ideas: alien planets, alien life, alien civilizations, alternate universes and a strange future earth exploring the solar system. Characters are flat and I didn't care about them. Still, the plot is lively with ideas. Also has an essay on dark matter at the end. Recommended for SF fans.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews