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How Did We Find Out #24
How Did We Find Out About the Universe?
Explains how our conception of the size of the universe has changed as astronomers and their instruments have become more sophisticated.
- GenresNonfiction
64 pages, Library Binding
First published February 1, 1983
44 people want to read
About the author
Isaac Asimov
4,354 books28k followersWorks of prolific Russian-American writer Isaac Asimov include popular explanations of scientific principles,
The Foundation Trilogy
(1951-1953), and other volumes of fiction.
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
Isaac Asimov, a professor of biochemistry, wrote as a highly successful author, best known for his books.
Asimov, professor, generally considered of all time, edited more than five hundred books and ninety thousand letters and postcards. He published in nine of the ten major categories of the Dewey decimal classification but lacked only an entry in the category of philosophy (100).
People widely considered Asimov, a master of the genre alongside Robert Anson Heinlein and Arthur Charles Clarke as the "big three" during his lifetime. He later tied Galactic Empire and the Robot into the same universe as his most famous series to create a unified "future history" for his stories much like those that Heinlein pioneered and Cordwainer Smith and Poul Anderson previously produced. He penned "Nightfall," voted in 1964 as the best short story of all time; many persons still honor this title. He also produced well mysteries, fantasy, and a great quantity of nonfiction. Asimov used Paul French, the pen name, for the Lucky Starr, series of juvenile novels.
Most books of Asimov in a historical way go as far back to a time with possible question or concept at its simplest stage. He often provides and mentions well nationalities, birth, and death dates for persons and etymologies and pronunciation guides for technical terms. Guide to Science, the tripartite set Understanding Physics, and Chronology of Science and Discovery exemplify these books.
Asimov, a long-time member, reluctantly served as vice president of Mensa international and described some members of that organization as "brain-proud and aggressive about their IQs." He took more pleasure as president of the humanist association. The asteroid 5020 Asimov, the magazine Asimov's Science Fiction, an elementary school in Brooklyn in New York, and two different awards honor his name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_As...
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 16, 2021
This book is not in the Core collections for libraries and no one has checked it out since 1999. I gave it a quick read before letting it go. It's a little text bookish for today's audience. I have new books with Hubble Photos and full color graphs that just circulate better. I do appreciate David Wool's illustrations and Mr. Asimov's straight forward text. I love the conclusive sentence: "There's still a great deal to find out about the universe, but then, think how dull it would be for scientists, and for all of us, if all the questions about the universe were answered and there was nothing more to find out."
December 30, 2024
I agree with Ashley: Asimov’s last sentence is just perfect!
“There’s still a great deal to find out about the universe, but then, think how dull it would be for scientists, and for all of us, if all the questions about the universe were answered and there was nothing more to find out.” p. 61.
While I am certain this is out of date, my knowledge is not great enough to point and say this item is wrong. Some of this is Asimov’s doing. He knew enough to know which bit of knowledge was most uncertain and hedge that area of knowledge. I still think even with potential new info that could make some of the facts here incorrect, that it was worth reading! One “fact” may be on the point of being right again after being wrong! Asimov refers to our solar system as having 9 planets, since it was written a long time before scientists defined the term “planet” and classified Pluto as a plutoid or dwarf planet. So for a long time our solar system had 8 plants and many dwarf planets, particularly in the asteroid belt. However, scientists have been debating information that seems to indicate there really might be a ninth planet in our system! To be continued! The excitement of learning is so contagious, that that alone makes this worth reading! Recommended in spite of its age.
“There’s still a great deal to find out about the universe, but then, think how dull it would be for scientists, and for all of us, if all the questions about the universe were answered and there was nothing more to find out.” p. 61.
While I am certain this is out of date, my knowledge is not great enough to point and say this item is wrong. Some of this is Asimov’s doing. He knew enough to know which bit of knowledge was most uncertain and hedge that area of knowledge. I still think even with potential new info that could make some of the facts here incorrect, that it was worth reading! One “fact” may be on the point of being right again after being wrong! Asimov refers to our solar system as having 9 planets, since it was written a long time before scientists defined the term “planet” and classified Pluto as a plutoid or dwarf planet. So for a long time our solar system had 8 plants and many dwarf planets, particularly in the asteroid belt. However, scientists have been debating information that seems to indicate there really might be a ninth planet in our system! To be continued! The excitement of learning is so contagious, that that alone makes this worth reading! Recommended in spite of its age.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews