BOOKS & ARTS How it happened THE COSMIC CENTURY: A HISTORY OF On our ASTROPHYSICS AND COSMOLOGY bookshelf BY MALCOLM S. LONGAIR Cambridge Univ. Press: 2006. 565 pp. £35/$60 Th e emergence from astronomy of the major as Arthur Eddington, Edwin Hubble, Fritz new theories of astrophysics and physical Zwicky, George Gamow, Fred Hoyle and Out of the Shadows: cosmology over the past century represents Yakov Zeldovich. The book does well in this Contributions of a major triumph of physical theory. We have way; for example, it shows clearly the path- Twentieth-century developed an amazing understanding of the breaking role of Eddington in systematically Women to Physics physical nature and evolution of astronomical applying modern physics to stellar structure, Edited by Nina Byers objects, despite their vast distance from us and so paving the way for astrophysics to and Gary Williams and the faintness of their images. Th e parallel develop. Second, in order to really understand Cambridge Univ. Press: development of new observational techniques, a subject you have to know not only the 2006. 449 pp. £30. together with theoretical understandings ‘right’ way — the mode of understanding that A celebration of 40 based on much of modern physics applied has led to the greatest progress and clearest women who made in this context, have enabled such advances, vision — but also the plausible ‘wrong’ lasting contributions and include the extension of observations ways of doing things, the approaches that to physics during from the visible to the entire electromagnetic seemed good at the time but did not work the years 1876–1976. spectrum and the introduction of photometers, out. If you do not understand them and the Strong role models spectroscopes, photomultipliers, CCDs and reasons why they do not succeed, you will for aspiring young fi bre optics. Th e magisterial survey in Th e be likely, sooner or later, to make the same physicists, both male Cosmic Century charts the broad sweep errors, believing you have made a grand and female. of how this understanding developed to new breakthrough, when in fact you have the present day, giving a clear and well- rediscovered a failed route of endeavour. So, balanced discussion of the major relevant knowing what our predecessors tried and why observational and experimental discoveries, it did not work is the sound foundation of a and the accompanying breakthroughs in deep understanding of a subject, and that is theoretical understanding. provided by the historical approach. I can envisage this book being useful to A good feature of the book is that it clearly physicists from other areas of specialization, separates speculation from well-established who would like an overview of astrophysics theory. Th ere are, of course, in a text of this and cosmology, or for workers in one of these magnitude, places where one will disagree areas who want to broaden their horizons. with the author. In my view, these include not It could also be a text for graduate students emphasizing the key role played by Eddington’s in astronomy, astrophysics or astrophysical proof of the instability of the Einstein static From Cosmos to cosmology, who want a synoptic overview universe in establishing the expanding Chaos: Th e Science of these areas. But is a walk through history universe theory, and Beatrice Tinsley’s role in of Unpredictability the best way to learn a subject? Might it demonstrating, despite strong opposition, by Peter Coles not be better just to give the present-day the importance of understanding galactic Oxford Univ. Press: understanding without having to go through evolution eff ects when interpreting the 2006. 211 pp. £25. the complexities of the rather tortuous way we cosmological magnitude–redshift diagram. came to comprehend them? But these are minor defects in a sound work Is there is link between There is a case that the historical that will be well appreciated. card games, whodunit approach is indeed a good way to develop cases in the courtroom an understanding of the subject. First, it is George Ellis and the Big Bang? interesting to learn of the historical struggles George Ellis is in the Department of Yes: probability theory. that took place, to contemplate the human Mathematics and Applied Mathematics, But don’t look here for face of science and to learn about the iconic University of Cape Town, Private Bag, tips for your next trip heroes who made it happen: people such Rondebosch 7701, South Africa. to the casino. nature physics | VOL 2 | SEPTEMBER 2006 | www.nature.com/naturephysics 577 © 2006 Nature Publishing Group.