Einstein's Telescope september 2009 BBC Sky at Night

Apologies to Evalyn Gates, but it would be wonderful if her book ‘Einstein’s Telescope’ became completely obsolete within the next few years. Actually, I’m pretty sure she fully agrees on that. After all, cosmologists have no clue about what the Universe is made of. Twenty-three percent mysterious dark matter particles, seventy-two percent even more mysterious dark energy. Our Universe is one big question mark, eagerly waiting to be answered.
But even when the true nature of dark matter and dark energy will be brought to light by future experiments and telescopes, ‘Einstein’s Telescope’ remains a worthwhile read. The book chronicles the bewildering developments in cosmology in the past quarter century or so, and it is a real tribute to the cleverness and perseverance of theoretical physicists, observational astronomers and instrument builders, who joined forces in one of the biggest quests in the history of science.
‘Einstein’s Telescope’ is also a tribute to high-quality science writing. Gates, who is assistant director of the Kavli Institute for Cosmological Physics, goes into all the nitty-gritty of particle physics, relativity and gravitational lensing without losing her readers, thanks to her clear prose, well-chosen analogies and obvious passion for the story she tells. It may not be a bedside book – it even contains mathematical formulas! – but if you want to be updated on the latest insights in cosmology, you won’t be disappointed.
EINSTEIN’S TELESCOPE
The Hunt for Dark Matter and Dark Energy in the Universe
Evalyn Gates