How the Universe Got Its Spots

This is not a book for mathematically and spatially challenged readers, unless they can tolerate not understanding vast swathes of the text. But for anyone acquainted with the basics of physical science it's a fascinating journey. Levin's aim is to communicate the ideas current in cosmology to the lay reader, which involves trying to explain Einstein's revision of Newton's theory of gravity, and some of the mathematical reasoning that underpins the notion of infinity. She also discusses the success of string theory in unifying gravity with other forces. The idea of strings has been accepted to such an extent that atomic particle theory has been discarded as an account of reality: leptons, quarks and gravitons are now perceived to be no more than the resonances of strings. Another advantage of string theory is that it does away with any necessity to explain singularities, a phenomenon which has baffled many astrophysicists including Stephen Hawking. The 'spots' of the title are the radiation spots of the universe. But this book is more than an introduction to cosmology. It is also an exploration of the ways in which contemporary scientists live. Their thoughts filled with the motions of the planets, the birth of galaxies, the contemplation of time and space, how can they relate to their partners, let alone to those with whom they share beaches or streets or trains? Levin alludes to an emotional life which is often left in tatters, as the uncomprehending outsiders who have attempted to share their lives with the research-possessed fall by the wayside. The attempt to link cosmological theory and the seeming randomness of personal biography at times seems strained, but the points at which it works - most notably, at the book's ending - render the effort impressively worthwhile. (Kirkus UK)