Endless Universe

Endless Universe: Beyond the Big Bang by Paul J. Steinhardt and Neil Turok
Instead of a "big bang" where time and space sprang into existence 14 billion years ago, the authors postulate a cyclical universe that has always existed and will continue to exist. The authors theorize there have been countless big bangs -- calling this M theory. This theory says the universe contains objects called "branes" (short for membranes). Two branes engage in an endless cycle of "collision, rebound, stretching and collision again."
I understand virtually nothing of the rationale behind this new theory except that it is intriguing to me that this theory apparently answers the multitude of questions/problems that arise when considering the Big Bang model. Even Stephen Hawking calls it "a challenging alternative to the accepted picture of the Big Bang and the future of the universe."

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Jinx by Meg Cabot

Jean Honeychurch hates her nickname “Jinx,” – though she does believe it is well deserved – remember the tornado that hit the day she was born. She moves to Manhattan to stay with relatives in order to get away from a “situation” that had developed back home in Iowa. At least she had been looking forward to seeing her cousin Tory. But the Tory she meets is far different than the fun-loving girl she remembers and it is very obvious that Tory does not want Jinx there.

Tory is playing a dangerous game with magic and seems to think that Jinx knows all about it and is in competition with her. Jinx tries to behave as if that is silly, but is it? Add the boy that they both have a crush on in the mix, and the competition really becomes fierce.

This is a suspenseful story that leaves you guessing until the end. Young adults will enjoy it.

Beyond the Earth

If you want to learn about the world beyond terra firma, these are the two books to read: An Ocean of Air by Gabrielle Walker and Death by Black Hole by Neil de Grasse Tyson. Both are well-written and geared to the lay person readers. I now understand -- in the most simplistic of terms (smile) -- the skies beyond terrestial earth -- from earth's atmosphere to the farthest reaches of the universe.
Did you know?
Because of the broiling activity taking place in the sun, it takes 1,000,000 years for a photon to travel from the center of the sun and finally leave the sun. If that same photon were able to travel without interference, that journey would take 2-3 seconds.
All the water in the oceans can be accounted for by the water added by comets (those icy snowballs from the outer solar system) hitting the earth for the past 4.5 billion. That puts into perspective how long a billion years really is.