Professor Publishes Whimsical Book on Gravity and Black Holes

November 21, 2006

"The bubbles were swirling all around me, massaging my body…As I luxuriated in this fantastic bubble bath, my eyes grew heavy and I drifted into a supremely blissful slumber." So begins Alfie's encounter with a remarkable and revelatory bathtub purchased from a mysterious neighbor named Al.

Einstein's Enigma or Black Holes in My Bubble Bath by C.V. Vishveshwara is a humorous and informal rendition of the story of gravitation theory from the early historic origins to the latest developments in astrophysics, focusing on Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity and black-hole physics. Through engaging conversations and napkin-scribbled diagrams, the rudiments of relativity, spacetime and much of modern physics are presented.

The story is narrated with high didactic and literary talent, and each subject is embedded in casual lessons given by a worldly astrophysicist to his friend.

Professor C.V. Vishveshwara is a renowned theoretical physicist who participated in the golden age of black-hole physics, making pioneering contributions. He is the author of a number of technical papers and the editor of several books on relativity, astrophysics, and cosmology. Also an enthusiastic teacher and planetarium director, he has written popular-level articles and scripts for planetarium shows and produced documentary movies on science.

More information:

C.V. Vishveshwara
Einstein's Enigma or Black Holes in My Bubble Bath
Springer 2006, 360 pp.
Hardcover, EUR 19.95, Ł15.50, $27.50, sFr 36.50
ISBN: 978-3-540-33199-5


Source: Springer


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