Anyone interested in a “light” read on cosmology this summer? Consider the following book: “The 4% Universe – Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the race to discover the rest of reality”. It’s written by Richard Panek, a noted science writer, who contributes to Discover, The Smithsonian, and other publications. It starts with the discovery of the cosmic microwave background, and works its way to the current, baffling realization that the universe is accelerating in size. He captures the human side of the science, with all its rivalries and doubts regarding the surprising results obtained. The occasional digression to explain the science behind what the scientists were looking for keeps the book grounded as a true science mystery.
This book is a welcome break from trying to decipher Brian Greene’s recent books attempting to explain string theory to laymen! Enjoy.