Judging by the number of TV programmes, magazine and newspaper articles, books, and talks and lectures that are currently available, it is clear that Popular Science as a genre is well-named. Professor Brian Cox's TV programmes have even led to an increase in the sales of telescopes. Even though things do sometimes go wrong, it is surely clear to most people that in general, science works.
The remote control turns on the TV, spacecraft arrive at their destinations as planned, photographs appear on the camera screen, antibiotics cure infections, and so on. Having said that, there are still many things that science cannot yet answer. How did the Universe begin, how did Life begin, are there any other Universes, do aliens exist, is time travel possible, does prayer work, is there a Creator, will we ever know everything, etc? Even though many of these questions are currently unanswerable, that doesn't mean that we can't make a Best Guess based on what we do know. It also doesn't mean that we have to invoke supernatural explanations. If we don't know the answer to a question, that just means that we haven't worked it out yet.
This book poses 18 questions and, where there is clearly no absolute answer, attempts to give a Best Guess answer. The reader is encouraged to assess the available evidence and to reach a conclusion based on this evidence rather than on wishful thinking. Yes, it would indeed be nice if after death we all passed into some alternative existence with everyone who has ever lived – estimated at about 100 billion people – and where we would be re-united with our family and friends. But where is the evidence for this?
It's just a story taken from books that are several thousand years old. Wanting something to be true doesn't make it true. Chapter 17 however does present a scenario where something like this might be possible. You'll have to read it to learn more.
Table of Contents
Preface
Part One: Why do things happen the way they do?
A How long is a piece of string?Why the physical constants are the values that they are.
B The Laws of Physics
C Evidence and how to assess it;
Part Two: The Questions
Introduction: Answerable and unanswerable questions
Question 1: How did the Universe begin?
Question 2: Are there other Universes?
Question 3: How did Life begin?
Question 4: How old are the Earth and the Universe?
Question 5: Do UFOs exist?
Question 6: Have alien astronauts visited Earth?
Question 7: Alien Encounters - true or false?
Question 8: Is there extra-terrestrial intelligent life?
Question 9: Could we travel to other galaxies?
Question 10: Is Time Travel possible?
Question 11: Does Astrology work?
Question 12: Do coincidences mean anything?
Question 13: Does prayer work?
Question 14: Could we live forever?
Question 15:What happens when we die?
Question 16: Is there a creator?
Question 17: How and when will the World end?
Question 18: Will we ever know everything?
And finally.......
Index