Science, Ferris explains, has more in common with art than most people believe. “Creation” considers where the universe came from, and our attempts to explain our own existence. “Time” looks at how old the Earth is and how scientists try to place an age on the universe. It highlights the scientists who changed our understanding of space. Ferris divides Coming of Age in the Milky Way into three sections: “Space,” “Time,” and “Creation.” “Space” covers the earliest astronomical discoveries. Most game-changing discoveries happen entirely by accident. Although we associate great things with these scientists now, we must remember that they didn’t plan to change the world. These scientists simply set out to learn more about the cosmos and our place within it. Einstein did not expect to discover an expanding universe or the theory of relativity. Fraunhofer, for example, did not plan to establish the science known as astrophysics. Every civilization tries to make sense of the stars this passion for the cosmos brings humanity together.įerris reminds us that scientists very rarely set out to make revolutionary discoveries. Throughout the ages, civilizations have one thing in common-the sky above us.
No matter how far we have come, there is still so much more to learn, and we may never uncover the universe’s secrets. Ferris acknowledges that, the more we understand about the cosmos, the more we realize that we know nothing. It is a popular book with scientists and laypeople alike. Although the book discusses scientific theories, Ferris writes in an accessible manner. Ferris attempts to show how we have arrived at our current understanding of three things: the cosmos, time, and Earth. Coming of Age in the Milky Way is a history of both astrophysics and astronomy. He has taught in five scientific disciplines across four American universities. Known as the most talented science writer of his generation, he is one of the most popular science writers in the English language. Ferris is a prolific nonfiction writer and documentary creator. The book won the 1988 American Institutes of Physics Science Writing Award, and it received a 1989 Pulitzer Prize nomination. Coming of Age in the Milky Way (1988) by Timothy Ferris is a detailed history of scientific and astronomical knowledge that analyses the great minds behind the discoveries.
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