Gravitational Waves — Volume 2: Astrophysics and Cosmology

  • Michele Maggiore
OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS: 2018. 848 PP. £60.00

The detection of gravitational waves in 2015 is surely one of the most exciting scientific developments in our lifetimes. In addition to their importance to fundamental physics, gravitational waves are inextricably linked to astrophysics and cosmology. Michele Maggiore’s textbook spends equal effort reviewing the astrophysical and cosmological theories behind the production of cosmic gravitational waves and discussing the observational constraints that could be gleaned from the handful of LIGO/Virgo detections, the pulsar timing arrays and upcoming facilities like LISA.

Jupiter

  • William Sheehan &
  • Thomas Hockey
REAKTION BOOKS LTD: 2018. 192 PP. £25.00

The gas giant planet Jupiter, with its red spot and ever-changing meteorology, has fascinated human curiosity since as far back as records exist thousands of years ago. William Sheehan and Thomas Hockey add to the Kosmos series of books exploring our Solar System and beyond by looking not only at the historical and cultural context of Jupiter’s continued significance but also by exploring its parts, from its atmosphere and weather patterns, to its rings and moons. They present the knowledge accumulated from the earliest observations by Galileo to the Juno mission’s latest discoveries.

Wacky and Wonderful Misconceptions About Our Universe

  • Geoffrey Kirby
SPRINGER NATURE: 2018. 258 PP. £19.50

As long as humankind has observed the sky, there have been theories — oftentimes bizarre — to explain the wonders of the cosmos. While the scientific method has been key in separating the fictitious from the physically sound, many people still refuse to believe that the Earth is round or that astrology is not a science. Geoffrey Kirby takes it upon himself to expose some of the wackiest ‘theories’ out there and the (non-scientific) arguments behind them, starting from theories of the hollow Sun, and moving on to other bodies in our Solar System and beyond.

Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics

  • Talithia Williams
RACE POINT PUBLISHING: 2018. 224 PP. £17.99

Women have long been woefully represented in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and mathematics in particular, a result of societal expectations of women and often systematic obstacles for those trying to engage with these subjects. Talithia Williams, a professor of mathematics herself, showcases the stories of 30 women who defied expectations, surmounted obstacles and went on to excel in their representative STEM fields. From Sofia Kovalevskaya to Mary Golda Ross and Shakuntala Devi, these women are a testament of the untapped talent and harmful effects gendered exclusion can have on science.