“What binds us to space-time is our rest mass, which prevents us from flying at the speed of light, when time stops and space loses meaning. In a world of light there are neither points nor moments of time; beings woven from light would live “nowhere” and “nowhen”; only poetry and mathematics are capable of speaking meaningfully about such things.”— Yuri I. Manin
We at Brooklyn Public Library have our gaze directed upwards quite a bit lately as we approach the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission. A half century of space between our first moonwalk and the present seems an opportune moment to contemplate time's passage, don't you agree? Perhaps you feel as though that there are not enough hours in the day? Perhaps rather that you have too much time on your hands? Reclaim and rethink time altogether by giving these great books a read or a listen during while commuting, while getting things done around the house or perhaps whilst winding down for the day.
Did you know that time passes faster on a mountain than if you're at sea level? Italian astrophysicist Carlo Rovelli explains this and other quirks of time and encourages us to think about it in new ways in his 2018 book, The Order of Time. Available as a print book, ebook, and soon as an audiobook narrated in a dulcet murmur by Benedict Cumberbatch, this approachable book explores time and makes liberal use of poetry, pop culture, and philosophy in its quest to illuminate ideas and raise new questions.
According to author James Gleick in Time Travel: A History, “time travel is a fantasy of the modern era” and for him, H.G. Wells was an outsize influence on its emergence into our consciousness and culture. Deftly weaving together concepts and travels through time in both classical and popular media--Saint Augustine, Mark Twain, Felix the Cat, and Doctor Who all make appearances here--Gleick is our tour guide on a non-linear pop science voyage. Audiobook, print, and ebook.
Ride the gravitational wave with Ripples in Spacetime: Einstein, Gravitational Waves, and the Future of Astronomy by Govert Schilling. This accessible book opens with a scene from Interstelllar and some of the science involved then dives deep into an amazing narrative of history and the beginnings of science up through Einstein’s discoveries and how that all ties into the discovery of the faint “chirp” of black holes merging over a billion years ago. Print, ebook, and audiobook coming soon.
Short on time? Never fear, there’s Astrophysics for People in a Hurry. Popular astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson offers listeners a whirlwind tour through major topics science, space, time, and the universe in layperson's terms. Print, ebook, and audiobook coming soon.
If you want to give your ears some rest, all of the above books are available in print and ebook formats too. No time for a book? With Flipster, we’ve got an assortment of science-focused magazines for the latest popular science magazines. You can also learn some basic astronomy solo or with the whole family at one of our free programs or with the Amateur Astronomers Association of NY.
This blog post reflects the opinions of the author and does not necessarily represent the views of Brooklyn Public Library.
Post a Comment
While BPL encourages an open forum, posts and comments are moderated by library staff. BPL reserves the right, within its sole discretion, not to post and to remove submissions or comments that are unlawful or violate this policy. While comments will not be edited by BPL personnel, a comment may be deleted if it violates our comment policy.
eNews Signup
Get the latest updates from BPL and be the first to know about new programs, author talks, exciting events and opportunities to support your local library.