Disclaimer: machine translated by DeepL which may contain errors.
20th Century Scientific Papers: The Birth of Modern Cosmology
Taro Hitosugi, Professor, Department of Chemistry
| Yasushi Suto(ed.) 20th Century Scientific Papers: The Birth of Modern Cosmology |
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Iwanami Bunko (2022) |
This year's theme is “Space”! At my daughter's nursery school, they're doing crafts and listening to stories all about space. I bet many of you have let your imaginations run wild about space too. Space is both vast and strangely familiar.
The history of exploring the universe is long, having inspired myths since ancient times and deepened philosophy. In modern times, the universe has become a subject of science, with its age and components measured with astonishing precision. This great shift from philosophy to science occurred in the 20th century, beginning with Einstein's General Theory of Relativity and leading to discoveries like the expanding universe and the cosmic microwave background radiation.
Numerous introductory books on cosmology exist, and many readers likely possess some prior knowledge. But have you ever encountered the original papers that marked pivotal turning points in cosmology? This book presents key research: “General Relativity,” “The Introduction of the Cosmological Constant,” “The Expanding Universe Solution,” “The Discovery of Cosmic Expansion,” “The Big Bang Model,” and “The Discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.” It allows readers to engage with the original papers in Japanese, accompanied by expert commentary. While challenging equations, concepts, and unfamiliar observational data appear, explanatory notes aid comprehension. Reading the original papers alongside commentary allows readers to sense the immediacy of the discoveries and the trial-and-error process of the scientists. Why not pick up this book and journey to the origins of modern cosmology?