Joseph Silk is a leading astrophysicist. He is a professor of physics at the Institut d’Astrophysique, in Paris, a professor of physics and astronomy at Johns Hopkins University and an emeritus fellow of Oxford University. The winner of the 2011 Balzan Prize, he is the author of more than 500 publications, including several books for the general reader. Editions Odile Jacob published the French editions of three of his earlier books, The Big Bang, The Infinite Cosmos and A Short History of the Universe.

In the field of cosmology, Joseph Silk is known for realising that the infinitesimal fluctuations that followed the Big Bang resulted in the magnificent galaxies in the sky today.
In this book, the reader will also find out how a London schoolboy, and keen Tottenham Hotspur supporter, grew up to become an eminent astrophysicist and internationally known university professor. The answer lies not only in his immense mathematical talent but also in his boundless curiosity and love of adventure.
Before the COBE, Planck and WMAP satellites successfully mapped the cosmic microwave background — thus providing us with a picture of the post-Big Bang Universe — theoretical cosmologists had to rely on dubious speculations and partially reliable observations to construct the scenario that is now widely accepted. In this work, Joseph Silk broaches such fascinating subjects as the origins of the Universe, its vast structure, multiple universes, the anthropic principle, the development of consciousness and the possibility of space travel.
More importantly, cosmology links the future of the Universe to the quantity of matter it contains. The mysterious concepts of dark matter and dark energy will determine the ultimate fate of the Universe: collapse or eternal expansion?

• A clear, concise overview of some of the major issues of contemporary cosmology.
• The biography of an outstanding astrophysicist.