Extreme States of Matter, Revised Edition

Book excerpt: Extreme States of Matter, Revised Edition takes the reader on a journey across the most exciting scientific frontiers of the 21st century. Supported by full-color illustrations, this reference describes the unusual characteristics and properties of matter at extreme states. Such extreme states include matter at exceptionally high temperatures, exceptionally low temperatures, incredibly high pressures, intense magnetic fields, and intense gravitational fields. Readers will explore how the properties and characteristics of extreme-state matter might influence the course of human civilization in this century in this up-to-date reference edition. Chapters include: An Initial Look at Matter Nearing Extreme Conditions Birth of the Universe Atomism Very Hot Matter Life Cycles of Stars The Dark Side of the Universe Very Cold Matter Antimatter Beyond Einstein Living and Thinking Matter.