Jayant V. Narlikar

This book offers an engaging and comprehensive introduction to scientific theories and the evolution of science and mathematics through the centuries. It discusses the history of scientific thought and ideas and the intricate dynamic between new scientific discoveries, scientists, culture and societies. Through stories and historical accounts, the volume illustrates the human engagement and preoccupation with science and the interpretation of natural phenomena. It highlights key scientific breakthroughs from the ancient to later ages, giving us accounts of the work of ancient Greek and Indian mathematicians and astronomers, as well as of the work of modern scientists like Descartes, Newton, Planck, Mendel and many more. The author also discusses the vast advancements which have been made in the exploration of space, matter and genetics and their relevance in the advancement of the scientific tradition. He provides great insights into the process of scientific experimentation and the relationship between science and mathematics. He also shares amusing anecdotes of scientists and their interactions with the world around them. Detailed and accessible, this book will be of great interest to students and researchers of science, mathematics, the philosophy of science, science and technology studies and history. It will also be useful for general readers who are interested in the history of scientific discoveries and ideas.

This book offers an engaging and comprehensive introduction to scientific theories and the evolution of science and mathematics through the centuries. It discusses the history of scientific thought and ideas and the intricate dynamic between new scientific discoveries, scientists, culture and societies. Through stories and historical accounts, the volume illustrates the human engagement and preoccupation with science and the interpretation of natural phenomena. It highlights key scientific breakthroughs from the ancient to later ages, giving us accounts of the work of ancient Greek and Indian mathematicians and astronomers, as well as of the work of modern scientists like Descartes, Newton, Planck, Mendel and many more. The author also discusses the vast advancements which have been made in the exploration of space, matter and genetics and their relevance in the advancement of the scientific tradition. He provides great insights into the process of scientific experimentation and the relationship between science and mathematics. He also shares amusing anecdotes of scientists and their interactions with the world around them. Detailed and accessible, this book will be of great interest to students and researchers of science, mathematics, the philosophy of science, science and technology studies and history. It will also be useful for general readers who are interested in the history of scientific discoveries and ideas.

This collection of science fiction writings by Jayant V. Narlikar offers readers a unique glimpse into the world-famous Indian astrophysicist’s vivid and highly imaginative concepts and stories. The fictional material comprises a witty short story ("The rare idol of Ganesha") that cleverly explores the possible consequences of a mirror-symmetric individual in the context of cricket test match performances, as well as the fast-paced, gripping science fiction thriller "The return of Vaman": when an alien container is unearthed by a crew of scientists, the enormous potential technological applications of its contents bring various criminal elements on the scene – but when the real danger becomes apparent it is almost too late to save humanity. Last but not least, the book provides readers with extensive insights into the genesis and scientific background of the fictional material presented in this volume, along with an autobiographical account of the author’s life-long interest in science fiction and his contributions to the genre. About the author:Jayant V. Narlikar is internationally known for his work in cosmology, in particular for championing models alternative to the standard big-bang theory. He was president of the cosmology commission of the International Astronomical Union from 1994 to 1997. He has received several national and international awards and honorary doctorates - he is a Bhatnagar awardee, as well as recipient of the M. P. Birla award, the Prix Janssen of the French Astronomical Society and an Associate of the Royal Astronomical Society of London. He is Fellow of the three Indian national science academies as well as of the Third World Academy of Sciences. Well beyond his scientific research, Prof. Narlikar is widely known as a science communicator through his books, articles and radio/TV programs and he was honored by the UNESCO in 1996 with the Kalinga Award. He made his debut in science fiction writing in 1974, bywinning the top prize in the story writing competition organized by the Marathi Vidnyan Parishad, a non-governmental organization engaged in science popularization.

This book presents in a simple style the success story of modern astrophysics — how the application of known physics to models of stars can, together with the observational data, help us understand what stars are made of, how they live and how they die. The account is non-technical but scientifically accurate. It is interspersed with anecdotes and analogies to make the subject matter readable and understandable even to a lay reader with some basic scientific background.

General relativity is now an essential part of undergraduate and graduate courses in physics, astrophysics and applied mathematics. This simple, user-friendly introduction to relativity is ideal for a first course in the subject. Beginning with a comprehensive but simple review of special relativity, the book creates a framework from which to launch the ideas of general relativity. After describing the basic theory, it moves on to describe important applications to astrophysics, black hole physics, and cosmology. Several worked examples, and numerous figures and images, help students appreciate the underlying concepts. There are also 180 exercises which test and develop students' understanding of the subject. The textbook presents all the necessary information and discussion for an elementary approach to relativity. Password-protected solutions to the exercises are available to instructors at www.cambridge.org/9780521735612.

General relativity is now an essential part of undergraduate and graduate courses in physics, astrophysics and applied mathematics. This simple, user-friendly introduction to relativity is ideal for a first course in the subject. Beginning with a comprehensive but simple review of special relativity, the book creates a framework from which to launch the ideas of general relativity. After describing the basic theory, it moves on to describe important applications to astrophysics, black hole physics, and cosmology. Several worked examples, and numerous figures and images, help students appreciate the underlying concepts. There are also 180 exercises which test and develop students' understanding of the subject. The textbook presents all the necessary information and discussion for an elementary approach to relativity. Password-protected solutions to the exercises are available to instructors at www.cambridge.org/9780521735612.

This book provides an up-to-date and comprehensive account of quasars and active galactic nuclei (AGN). The latest observations and theoretical models are combined in this clear, pedagogic textbook for advanced undergraduates and graduate students. Researchers will also find this wide-ranging and coherent review invaluable. Throughout, detailed derivations of important results are provided to ensure the book is self-contained. Theories and models are critically compared with detailed and often puzzling observations from across the spectrum. We are led through all the key topics, including quasar surveys, continuum radiation, time variability, relativistic beaming, accretion disks, jet sidedness, gravitational lensing, unification and detailed, multi-wavelength studies of individual objects. Particular emphasis is placed on radio, X- and gamma-ray observations - not covered in depth in any previous book. All those entering into this exciting and dynamic area of astronomy research will find this book an ideal introduction.

This book describes the subject of electrodynamics at classical as well as quantum level, developed as an interaction at a distance. Thus it has electric charges interacting with one another directly and not through the medium of a field. In general such an interaction travels forward and backward in time symmetrically, thus apparently violating the principle of causality. It turns out, however, that in such a description the cosmological boundary conditions become very important. The theory therefore works only in a cosmology with the right boundary conditions; but when it does work it is free from the divergences that plague a quantum field theory.

This book describes the subject of electrodynamics at classical as well as quantum level, developed as an interaction at a distance. Thus it has electric charges interacting with one another directly and not through the medium of a field. In general such an interaction travels forward and backward in time symmetrically, thus apparently violating the principle of causality. It turns out, however, that in such a description the cosmological boundary conditions become very important. The theory therefore works only in a cosmology with the right boundary conditions; but when it does work it is free from the divergences that plague a quantum field theory.

This book describes in a non-technical language, one of the success stories of modern (twentieth-century) astronomy. It presents us with the physical picture of what constitutes a star, with a description of how a star evolves with time, how its shape and brightness change, how it manufactures the chemical elements deep in its interior, what makes it explode. The presentation also includes exotic objects such as supernovae, pulsars, neutron stars and white dwarfs, and of course, black holes. The book will be appropriate as supplementary material for an elementary course on astronomy and astrophysics.