Books in Mysteries of Science series

Cosmic inflation is the theory that the early universe went through fast, exponential expansion for a fraction of a second after the Big Bang and then slowed down to the current rate of expansion. Simplified explanations of complex scientific concepts such as dark energy, dark matter, and the cosmic microwave background and dynamic images will help students comprehend how the study of cosmic inflation has reshaped our understanding of how the universe was born, evolved, and might be in the future. This book correlates with the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on scientific collection and analysis of data and evidence-based theories. Informative sidebars explore related timely topics in depth, while a Further Reading section provides several resources for additional study.

The Big Bang theory describes the very beginnings of the universe, when it was infinitesimally small and infinitely dense, and follows its rapid expansion and evolution, from the formation of nuclei within the first few minutes to the creation of the first galaxies a billion years later. The Big Bang theory is a cornerstone of modern cosmology, and although astronomers cannot directly observe the birth of the universe, the theory is widely accepted because it makes concrete predictions of the current observable universe, which have been tested repeatedly with striking success. Supporting the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on scientific collection and analysis of data and evidence-based theories, this book will help students understand the observational evidence supporting the Big Bang theory and speculate on the ultimate fate of the universe it implies.

On December 26, 2015, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detected gravitational waves generated from merging black holes for the first time in human history. Through an engaging, easily accessible approach, the origins, dynamics, and ultimate fate of black holes are thoroughly unraveled so that students without a scientific background can grasp complex physics theories. This book supports the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on scientific collection and analysis of data and evidence-based theories by discussing the methods research universities and space agencies use to explore black holes.