Superstar astrophysicist and sagacious citizen of the universe Neil deGrasse Tyson really needs no formal introduction in the case of all matters of a cosmic nature.
The esteemed scientist, lecturer, writer, podcaster, NASA consultant, online educator and TV personality enjoys a popularity often ascribed to heavy metal rock idols, and his role as an elder statesman of astronomy provides laypersons a broad understanding of all the pieces from black holes to time travel.
Now the host of the Emmy Award-winning “Cosmos” has teamed up with longtime StarTalk colleague Lindsey Nyx Walker to offer fresh perspectives on the most recent astronomical discoveries of their recent 320-page book released September 12 from National Geographic titled “To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery.”
Here’s the book’s official synopsis:
“Nobody could make the mysteries of the universe more comprehensible and fun than Neil deGrasse Tyson. Drawing on mythology, history, and literature — alongside his trademark wit and charm — Tyson and StarTalk senior producer Lindsey Nyx Walker bring planetary science right down to Earth and principles of astrophysics within sight. On this entertaining book, illustrated with vivid photographs and art, readers travel through space and time, starting with the Big Bang and voyaging to the far reaches of the universe and beyond. Along the way in which, science greets popular culture as Tyson explains the triumphs — and bloopers — in Hollywood’s blockbusters: All a part of an entertaining ride through the cosmos.
“The book begins as we leave Earth, encountering recent truths about our planet’s atmosphere, the character of sunlight, and the numerous missions which have demystified our galactic neighbors. However the farther out we travel, the weirder things get. What’s a void and what’s a vacuum? How can light be a wave and a particle at the identical time? After we finally arrive within the blackness of outer space, Tyson takes on the spookiest phenomena of the cosmos: parallel worlds, black holes, time travel, and more.”
We recently connected with Tyson regarding this informative and highly entertaining guide covering a multiverse of mindblowing material, and the way its topical contents should keep backyard astronomers and space junkies fixated for an eternity.
Space.com: What makes this book different from similar volumes about space science, cosmology and astronomy?
Neil de Grasse Tyson: Yes, there’s updated content from any book that was published even just just a few years ago, any book that is attempting to bring people into the know in regards to the status of our understanding of the universe. It is the third StarTalk book in a series of collaborations with National Geographic Books. “To Infinity and Beyond” continues to capture the StarTalk DNA, which is science blended with humor and popular culture. It’s that threading that we have found has the best reach. For individuals who don’t need the humor, I’ve got other stuff for them. There are individuals who just need to rejoice and think a little bit bit, I’ve got stuff for them too.
That is the proper combination that we have landed upon to inform the story of the human quest to ascend Earth’s surface. Going back to Icarus and the results of what it was to construct wax wings. People thought back then that the upper you go, the closer to the sun you get. It gets hotter and melts the wings and he falls to his death. Not knowing that the sun heats the Earth’s surface, it does indirectly heat the air.
As you ascend it gets colder and colder. So now we have to ask what would our response be when hearing the story of Icarus. Is it, ‘Okay we’re not trying that ever again.’ Or is it advice on learn how to construct a greater flying device? How do you reply to failure?
Space.com: How did you organize sections of “To Infinity and Beyond” to offer a logical stairway to the heavens for readers to soak up and ponder?
Tyson: There are 4 sections that go from Earth into the air, then Earth into the planets, then amongst the celebrities, galaxies after which the universe and all the methods and tools of science and technology that get us there. It is not just the best hits.
That is too easy and everybody’s written that. It’s where did we fail as well, and the way did people get better and how much delay did it put if people were scared. So it is a candid have a look at the history of human attempts to go from Earth into the universe and back. Throughout, we draw upon examples in popular culture, typically first-run movies or songs or things that you simply otherwise care about since it’s in popular culture, but then you definitely learn there is a lesson or insight in there. And that is a part of the threading of what makes StarTalk a novel product on this landscape of science education.
Space.com: A number of the more extreme material exists towards the back of the book so readers can warm up before plunging deep into the astrophysical abyss. Which elements of that final cerebral section did you enjoy presenting?
Tyson: Within the “Beyond” part, we discuss traveling through space and serious restrictions that exist on time machines. Next time you see a movie about time travel take into consideration this: You step into the time machine and for example you return per week to repair something. You return per week after which come out of the machine and in the event that they did it right you would be within the vacuum of empty space. Earth will not be here per week ago. So any time machine has to even be a space-time machine. All of the platforms on which you are conducting your time travel are in motion. The sun, and all the pieces in orbit around it, is moving across the center of the galaxy. Earth is rotating. Should you return an hour in your time machine, then you definitely’re in a whole time zone away. These are little things to think about and we discuss the results in case you don’t do it right.
Within the film “Back to the Future,” they beautiful much did it right. When Marty goes back in time, he goes back exactly 30 years, from 1985 to 1955. So in case you return in yr increments, Earth goes to be in the identical place in its orbit. Within the wee hours of the morning he finally ends up on the farm where the strip mall was built. They get a thumbs up for considering that through.
Space.com: In compiling this far-reaching book, were there any fringe subjects touched upon that reignited discoveries you hadn’t thought of for some time?
Tyson: That is the nice value of a co-author. Lindsey Walker has been with StarTalk for seven or eight years as producer. She cut her teeth as a journalist writing about astrobiology for NASA’s astrobiology magazine, so her mind is there and she or he’s an amazing author. More importantly, she was in a position to think in regards to the biological dimension of what we’d add to this. Human physiology up to now and in the longer term. What can we survive? Her input was to make sure that that that a part of these conversations were explored. What could be the physiology of an alien be if we come upon one?
Any movies to reference that would highlight that? It adds a vital side of this discuss space as this book unfolded as a project. Also it was her initiative to have as much attention that we gave to space-time diagrams. It was a little bit dangerous because plotting something doesn’t all the time make things easier for people.
We also discuss an area elevator. Should you’re a fan of science fiction sometimes it’s a giant a part of the story and the concept in a geostationary orbit you may just hoist yourself up a cable. So we talk in regards to the feasibility of that and why it is advisable to try this. It hasn’t been realized yet, but that is to infinity and beyond. If we will do it, is that any different than Icarus? These are our efforts to send us into space and have space grow to be our next and final frontier.
“To Infinity and Beyond: A Journey of Cosmic Discovery” was released on Sept. 12, 2023.