The Universe Explained to My Grandchildren

Book excerpt: Grandpa, how big is the universe? How far are the stars? How can we tell the sun's age? Are we stardust? What is thunder? Is the universe expanding? Do black holes exist? What is the future of the universe? "The book was born from conversations I had with one of my granddaughters, on certain summer evenings. All during its writing, I was able to relive those August evenings when the children showered me with questions while we awaited the shooting stars. The contemplation of the heavenly vault and the sense of our presence among the stars inspired a shared wish to know more about this mysterious cosmos in which we live. Here we will be talking about science, but that in no way rules out poetry." Hubert Reeves In this book, master astrophysicist Hubert Reeves unlocks the secrets of the universe. This is his spiritual testament to younger generations and a perfect occasion for us all to revise our conceptions about the cosmos.