New Eyes on the Universe Twelve Cosmic Mysteries and the Tools We Ne
Today's scientists have at their command a wide range of sensitive and powerful instruments, not only those that capture electromagnetic radiation but also 'telescopes' for cosmic rays, neutrinos, gravitational waves, and dark matter. Using the vast amoun
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Stephen Webb
New Eyes on the Universe Twelve Cosmic Mysteries and the Tools We Need to Solve Them
Published in association with
Praxis Publishing Chichester, UK
Dr. Stephen Webb University of Portsmouth Portsmouth U.K.
SPRINGER–PRAXIS BOOKS IN POPULAR ASTRONOMY SUBJECT ADVISORY EDITOR: John Mason, M.B.E., B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
ISBN 978-1-4614-2193-1 ISBN 978-1-4614-2194-8 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-1-4614-2194-8 Springer New York Heidelberg Dordrecht London Library of Congress Control Number: 2012934535 # Springer ScienceþBusiness Media, LLC 2012 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. Exempted from this legal reservation are brief excerpts in connection with reviews or scholarly analysis or material supplied specifically for the purpose of being entered and executed on a computer system, for exclusive use by the purchaser of the work. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the Copyright Law of the Publisher’s location, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Permissions for use may be obtained through RightsLink at the Copyright Clearance Center. Violations are liable to prosecution under the respective Copyright Law. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. While the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication, neither the authors nor the editors nor the publisher can accept any legal responsibility for any errors or omissions that may be made. The publisher makes no warranty, express or implied with respect to the material contained herein
Cover design: Jim Wilkie Printed on acid-free paper Springer is part of Springer ScienceþBusiness Media (www.springer.com)
To my brother, Peter
Contents Preface
ix
1 Introduction
1
2 The oldest light in the Universe
27
3 Through a glass, darkly
53
4 A problem of some gravity
79
5 Where God divides by zero
105
6 The ‘Oh my God’ particles
135
7 Deep sea, deep snow ... deep space
159
8 Far as human eye can see
179
9 A new messenger from the cosmos
203
10 The cosmic-wide web
227
11 Nurseries in space
247
12 Other Earths
271
13 Listening out for life
295
Glossary of terms
313
Glossary of facilities and experiments
333
Bibliography
353
Index
361
vii
Preface
T
hese are amazing structures: thousands of optical sensors deployed on kilom
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