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Before the Big Bang
- The Origin of Our Universe from the Multiverse
- Narrated by: Xe Sands
- Length: 5 hrs and 46 mins
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Publisher's summary
A revolutionary new account of our universe’s creation—and a breathtaking exploration of the landscape from which we sprang—from one of the world’s most celebrated cosmologists
What came before the Big Bang, and what exists outside of the universe it created? Until recently, scientists could only guess at what lay past the edge of space-time. However, as pioneering theoretical physicist Laura Mersini-Houghton explains, new scientific tools are now giving us the ability to peer beyond the limits of our universe and to test our theories about what is there. And what we are finding is upending everything we thought we knew about the cosmos and our place in it.
Mersini-Houghton is no stranger to boundaries—or to pushing through them. As a child growing up in Communist Albania, she discovered a universe beyond her walled-off world through the study of math and science, and through music. As a female cosmologist in a male-dominated field, she transcended the limits that society and her profession tried to place on her. And as a trailblazing researcher, she helped to revolutionize the study of our universe by revealing that, far from living in a cosmic Albania, with a world that ends at its borders, we are part of a larger family of universes—a multiverse—that holds wonders we are only beginning to unlock. Mersini-Houghton’s groundbreaking research suggests that we sit in a quantum landscape whose peaks and valleys hide a multitude of other universes, and even hold the secret to the origins of existence itself. Recent evidence has revealed the signatures of such sibling universes in our own night sky, confirming Mersini-Houghton’s theoretical work and offering humbling evidence that our universe is just one member of an unending cosmic family.
The incredible scientific saga of one woman’s mind-expanding journey through the multiverse, Before the Big Bang will reshape our understanding of humanity’s place in the unfathomable vastness of the cosmos.
Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.
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The latest developments in physics have the potential to radically revise our understanding of the world: its makeup, its evolution, and the fundamental forces that drive its operation. Knocking on Heaven's Door is an exhilarating and accessible overview of these developments and an impassioned argument for the significance of science. There could be no better guide than Lisa Randall.
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Too Political
- By Allan on 12-14-11
By: Lisa Randall
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About Time
- Cosmology, Time and Culture at the Twilight of the Big Bang
- By: Adam Frank
- Narrated by: David Drummond
- Length: 13 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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The Big Bang is all but dead, and we do not yet know what will replace it. Our universe's "beginning" is at an end. What does this have to do with us here on Earth? Our lives are about to be dramatically shaken again - as altered as they were with the invention of the clock, the steam engine, the railroad, the radio and the Internet.
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More fluff than science
- By Ivan the Reviewer on 04-15-13
By: Adam Frank
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The Quantum Story
- A History in 40 Moments
- By: Jim Baggott
- Narrated by: Mike Pollock
- Length: 15 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Utterly beautiful. Profoundly disconcerting. Quantum theory is quite simply the most successful account of the physical universe ever devised. Its concepts underpin much of the 21st-century technology that we now take for granted. But at the same time it has completely undermined our ability to make sense of the world at its most fundamental level.
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who's the target reader?
- By Hannah on 09-17-11
By: Jim Baggott
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The World According to Physics
- By: Jim Al-Khalili
- Narrated by: Jim Al-Khalili
- Length: 6 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Shining a light on the most profound insights revealed by modern physics, Jim Al-Khalili invites us all to understand what this crucially important science tells us about the universe and the nature of reality itself. Al-Khalili begins by introducing the fundamental concepts of space, time, energy, and matter, and then describes the three pillars of modern physics - quantum theory, relativity, and thermodynamics - showing how all three must come together if we are ever to have a full understanding of reality.
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excellent book
- By Anonymous User on 05-10-21
By: Jim Al-Khalili
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The Infinity Puzzle
- Quantum Field Theory and the Hunt for an Orderly Universe
- By: Frank Close
- Narrated by: Jonathan Cowley
- Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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The second half of the 20th century witnessed a scientific gold rush as physicists raced to chart the inner workings of the atom. The stakes were high, the questions were big, and there were Nobel Prizes and everlasting glory to be won. Many mysteries of the atom came unraveled, but one remained intractable-what Frank Close calls the "Infinity Puzzle."
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Succinct exposition
- By Gary on 06-26-12
By: Frank Close
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Euclid's Window
- The Story of Geometry from Parallel Lines to Hyperspace
- By: Leonard Mlodinow
- Narrated by: Robert Blumenfeld
- Length: 8 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Through Euclid's Window Leonard Mlodinow brilliantly and delightfully leads us on a journey through five revolutions in geometry, from the Greek concept of parallel lines to the latest notions of hyperspace. Here is an altogether new, refreshing, alternative history of math revealing how simple questions anyone might ask about space -- in the living room or in some other galaxy -- have been the hidden engine of the highest achievements in science and technology.
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Wow!
- By Eric on 08-13-10
By: Leonard Mlodinow
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Stephen Hawking: His Life and Work
- By: Kitty Ferguson
- Narrated by: Carole Boyd
- Length: 12 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Stephen Hawking is one of the most remarkable figures of our time, a Cambridge genius who has earned international celebrity as a brilliant theoretical physicist and become an inspiration and revelation to those who have witnessed his courageous triumph over disability. This is Hawking's life story by Kitty Ferguson, who has had special help from Hawking himself and his close associates and who has a gift for translating the language of theoretical physics for non-scientists.
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Not What it Appears
- By Heizenberg on 04-04-12
By: Kitty Ferguson
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Warped Passages
- Unraveling the Mysteries of the Universe's Hidden Dimensions
- By: Lisa Randall
- Narrated by: Donna Postel
- Length: 17 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Warped Passages is an altogether exhilarating journey that tracks the arc of discovery from early 20th-century physics to the razor's edge of modern scientific theory. One of the world's leading theoretical physicists, Lisa Randall provides astonishing scientific possibilities that, until recently, were restricted to the realm of science fiction. Unraveling the twisted threads of the most current debates on relativity, quantum mechanics, and gravity, she explores some of the most fundamental questions posed by Nature.
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Physics textbook without the math
- By Victor on 05-13-18
By: Lisa Randall
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The Universe in the Rearview Mirror
- How Hidden Symmetries Shape Reality
- By: Dave Goldberg
- Narrated by: Chris Sorensen
- Length: 10 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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A physicist speeds across space, time, and everything in between showing that our elegant universe from the Higgs boson to antimatter to the most massive group of galaxies is shaped by hidden symmetries that have driven all our recent discoveries about the universe and all the ones to come. Why is the sky dark at night? Is it possible to build a shrink-ray gun? If there is antimatter, can there be antipeople? Why are past, present, and future our only options? Are time and space like a butterfly's wings? No one but Dave Goldberg, the coolest nerd physicist on the planet, could give a hyper-drive tour of the universe like this one.
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Good, but for whom?
- By Michael on 08-31-13
By: Dave Goldberg
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Quantum Enigma
- Physics Encounters Consciousness
- By: Bruce Rosenblum, Fred Kuttner
- Narrated by: Christopher Grove
- Length: 8 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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In trying to understand the atom, physicists built quantum mechanics, the most successful theory in science and the basis of one-third of our economy. They found, to their embarrassment, that with their theory, physics encounters consciousness. Authors Bruce Rosenblum and Fred Kuttner explain all this in nontechnical terms with help from some fanciful stories and anecdotes about the theory's developers. They present the quantum mystery honestly, emphasizing what is and what is not speculation.
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Wow. Very Informative and mind boggling.
- By Kevin Harper, Realtor on 08-11-17
By: Bruce Rosenblum, and others
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The Cosmic Cocktail
- Three Parts Dark Matter
- By: Katherine Freese
- Narrated by: Tamara Marston
- Length: 9 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
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The ordinary atoms that make up the known universe - from our bodies and the air we breathe to the planets and stars - constitute only 5 percent of all matter and energy in the cosmos. The rest is known as dark matter and dark energy, because their precise identities are unknown. The Cosmic Cocktail is the inside story of the epic quest to solve one of the most compelling enigmas of modern science - what is the universe made of? - told by one of today’s foremost pioneers in the study of dark matter.
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I was looking for a book about science....
- By Jeff on 03-27-15
By: Katherine Freese
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Coming of Age in the Milky Way
- By: Timothy Ferris
- Narrated by: Timothy Ferris
- Length: 2 hrs and 44 mins
- Abridged
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Humans have long sought to comprehend the enormities of cosmic space and time. Here, best selling science writer Timothy Ferris tells the story of that quest. He interweaves the majestic themes of astronomy, physics, religion, and philosophy with fresh and lasting portraits of the men and women who created what has been called our society's most precious treasure - its conception of the universe at large.
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Brief survey of discovery from Columbus to now
- By serine on 01-23-16
By: Timothy Ferris
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In the beginning was the Big Bang: an unimaginably hot fire almost fourteen billion years ago in which the first elements were forged. The physical theory of the hot nascent universe—the Big Bang—was one of the most consequential developments in twentieth-century science. And yet it leaves many questions unanswered: Why is the universe so big? Why is it so old? What is the origin of structure in the cosmos? In An Infinity of Worlds, physicist Will Kinney explains a more recent theory that may hold the answers to these questions and even explain the ultimate origins of the universe.
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Raised my interest in inflation
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ABSOLUTE MUST READ!
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Sean Carroll is creating a profoundly new approach to sharing physics with a broad audience, one that goes beyond analogies to show how physicists really think. He cuts to the bare mathematical essence of our most profound theories, explaining every step in a uniquely accessible way. Quantum field theory is how modern physics describes nature at its most profound level. Starting with the basics of quantum mechanics itself, Sean Carroll explains measurement and entanglement before explaining how the world is really made of fields.
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Failed to tell a story
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Raised my interest in inflation
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- On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself
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Already internationally acclaimed for his elegant, lucid writing on the most challenging notions in modern physics, Sean Carroll is emerging as one of the greatest humanist thinkers of his generation as he brings his extraordinary intellect to bear not only on the Higgs boson and extra dimensions but now also on our deepest personal questions. Where are we? Who are we? Are our emotions, our beliefs, and our hopes and dreams ultimately meaningless out there in the void?
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Easily Digestible Presentation of Complex Topics
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Uneven
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Great content, very poor reading
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The Best Layperson Book on Quantum Physics
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Sleep is one of the most important but least understood aspects of our life, wellness, and longevity. Until very recently, science had no answer to the question of why we sleep, or what good it served, or why we suffer such devastating health consequences when we don't sleep. Compared to the other basic drives in life - eating, drinking, and reproducing - the purpose of sleep remained elusive.
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I recommend this to EVERYONE
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What listeners say about Before the Big Bang
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- marcia harter
- 08-09-22
Excellent
A beautiful and provocative book weaving together both a fascinating autobiography and the latest in cosmology. Highly recommend it
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- Amazon Customer
- 01-03-23
Amazing book it’s a must read for those that are curious about the beginning of our universe
This book is so well written it is a must read if you want to understand how our universe came to be, and what lies beyond it. The multi-verse.
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1 person found this helpful
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- HMac8
- 10-18-22
Cosmology simplified but not oversimplified
This is a terrific exposition of the science behind the Big Bang and more well presented. I had to rewind a few times to consider what was said but it never got too dense.
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1 person found this helpful
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- Heather
- 02-04-23
We are not alone in this universe
I loved her writing style mixing her personal life and history with physics. Great read.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Jeannie Fontana
- 09-20-22
Absolutely loved this story, this tale, the incredible journey from the shores on the beach to the edges of the multi universes
Interwoven personal storytelling with a brilliantly, finely honed instrument of mind; sharing insights of the cosmos and the heart, brings childlike joy to this listener
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1 person found this helpful
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- Darryl
- 03-21-23
Enjoyable for a non-physicist
Wonderful tale and dive into the cosmos. We rarely get opportunities to learn about the most advanced sciences without feeling overwhelmed as laymen. This book offers just that
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- Praelay
- 07-24-22
Definitely a book worth reading
According to Albert Einstein, “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” Definitely, Professor Laura Mersini-Houghton’s book fits Einstein’s definition. Professor Mersini-Houghton pioneered the most complex and revolutionary theory of the origin of our universe making it clear and simple for the masses. In the same way, as Darwin fathered the theory of evolution making us, humans, aware of our place in the process of evolution, Mrs. Houghton goes further and develops a ground-breaking theory of the origin of our universe answering the impossible question. It is a fascinating book worth reading.
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- Rick B
- 01-14-23
A NEW FAVORITE!
This audio book is a very personal life journey of the author Laura Mersini Houghton from growing up under a dictatorship in once past Albania, to freedom of choice in the United States. It is deeply touching and reveals the challenges of her as a young child to her career as a scientist in the fields of astrophysics and cosmology, to her family life with her husband and daughter Grace. The title of the book is what most intrigued me, BEFORE THE BIG BANG, The ORIGIN of the UNIVERSE and WHAT LIES BEYOND. How could she know this deeply hidden property that seems to extend beyond any known place and time? What Laura does through math and physics reaches beyond those unseen limits to reveal a new place and time that can be actually tested and has been revealed through current satellite technology. I relistened again to this incredible story and have added it to my favorites.
One word about the author, she is a brilliant mathematician & Physicists who incorporates "String Theory" to develop her and her colleague's techniques. Some of the topics can be difficult if you have never been exposed to this type of math, but the book is narrated exceptionally well by Xe Sands. It's as if you are in the presence of Laura as she reads with perfect annunciation of the math and science terms as well as the foreign languages sometimes incorporated.
I highly recommend this audio if you love science and math and find pleasure in learning. I have added this to my New Favorites!
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- K. Peterson
- 01-14-23
Informing, Interesting, and A Personable touch
This book presents a "Before the Big Bang" theory in an informative, interesting and enjoyable way. Doctor Laura Mersini-Houghton has a writing style that makes it interesting by adding some background about her personal life. If your looking for a book that just presents the theory ("Just the facts mam, Just the facts" -- Dragnet circa 1950's) then skip this one and read an executive summary someplace else. If your looking for a book that explains Dr. Laura's theory and how she came about her genius epiphany then listen/read this book. I learned a lot and was entertained at the same time. Amazing!
Narration: Five stars plus. I felt like Dr. Laura was talking to me personally even though it was narrated by Xe Sands.
Story: To me it was five stars plus. To my wife it would be minus five stars......she would stop after reading the title.
Overall: I am fascinated by all things surrounding earths origin. This book adds to that facilitation.
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- TDR85
- 08-06-22
An Excellent Story on the Possible Origin of Our Univers
The author gives us the necessary background information to understand how her theory of the origin of our universe comes within a ‘quantum landscape’ of universes, or multiverse. It is occasionally difficult but a few rereadings of these sections usually allowed me to get a handle on what she was saying. It does help that she writes effortlessly. As well this is a memoir and a very interesting one from her youth in communist Albania to a professor of physics at UNC. I highly recommend this work of popular science. Xe Sands narration is perfect for the story, steady and clear in the science sections, and occasionally infused with appropriate emotion in parts of the memoir. A true joy and I will undoubtedly listen again to this audiobook.
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