Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe
Lisa RandallIn this brilliant exploration of our cosmic environment, the renowned particle physicist & New York Times bestselling author of Warped Passages and Knocking on Heaven’s Door uses her research into dark matter to illuminate the startling connections between the furthest reaches of space & life here on Earth.
Sixty-six million years ago, an object the size of a city descended from space to crash into Earth, creating a devastating cataclysm that killed off the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of the other species on the planet. What was its origin? In Dark Matter & the Dinosaurs, Lisa Randall proposes it was a comet that was dislodged from its orbit as the Solar System passed through a disk of dark matter embedded in the Milky Way. In a sense, it might have been dark matter that killed the dinosaurs.
Working through the background and consequences of this proposal, Randall shares with us the latest findings—established & speculative—regarding the nature & role of dark matter & the origin of the Universe, our galaxy, our Solar System, & life, along with the process by which scientists explore new concepts. In Dark Matter & the Dinosaurs, Randall tells a breathtaking story that weaves together the cosmos’ history & our own, illuminating the deep relationships that are critical to our world & the astonishing beauty inherent in the most familiar things.
Lisa Randall's work has involved improving our under-standing of the Standard Model of particle physics, supersymmetry, baryogenesis, cosmological inflation, & dark matter. Randall’s research also explores ways to experimentally test & verify ideas & her current research focuses in large part on the Large Hadron Collider & dark matter searches & models.