A Cosmic Odyssey: A Cosmic Odyssey

Linked to a special season of the award-winning StarTalk podcast, this enlightening illustrated narrative by the world’s most celebrated astrophysicist explains the universe from the solar system to the farthest reaches of space with authority and humor.No one can make the mysteries of the universe more comprehensible―and fun―than Neil deGrasse Tyson. With wit, charm, and everyday analogies, he brings planetary science down to earth and principles of astrophysics within reach. In this entertaining book, illustrated with vivid photographs and art, readers travel with him through space and time, starting with the big bang and voyaging to the far reaches of the universe and beyond. Along the way, we glean facts of science, triumphs, and bloopers from history and pop culture―all part of a joyful ride through the cosmos with a wise and effervescent guide.The book begins as we leave Earth and encounter new truths about our planet’s atmosphere, the nature of sunlight, and the many missions that have demystified our galactic neighbors. But the farther out we travel, the weirder things get. What’s a void and what’s a vacuum? Is light a wave or a particle? Classic physics experiments intersect with iconic Hollywood movie scenes to explain the universe and our place in it. When we finally arrive in the blackness of outer space, Tyson takes on the spookiest phenomena of the cosmos: parallel worlds, black holes, time travel, and more.For space enthusiasts, astrophysics brainiacs, and the millions who follow Tyson’s podcast and social media posts, Cosmic Conundrums is a provocative window into the intricacies of the cosmos