Foreword / Neil deGrasse Tyson -- Introduction: An Invitation to Our Readers / Cornelia Dean -- Chapter 1. THE NATURE OF MATTER. Quantum Theory Tugged, and AH of Physics Unraveled / Dennis Ouerbye -- Investigating Light Waves -- Prof. Reontgen's X-Rays -- Character of the X-Rays -- About X-Ray Photography -- The Mystery of Radium -- A Lecture by M. Curie -- Atom of Matter Can Be Detected -- Madame Curie's Genius -- Pictures Electrons Speeding in Atom --Discusses Atom from New Point -- Atomic Theory Clears Some Cosmic Problems / W. J. Luyten -- Details Concepts of Quantum Theory / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Super X-Rays Reveal the Secret of Creation / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Tests of the Electron Indicate It Is a Wave / Clinton J. Davisson -- To Speed Hydrogen to Break Up Atoms -- Discovers Neutron, Embryonic Matter -- Chadwick Calls Neutron "Difficult Catch" / Ferdinand Kuhn Jr. -- Bombardment of Atoms -- Jekyll-Hyde Mind Attributed to Man / William L. Laurence -- Fermi Measures Speed of Neutron -- Bohr and Einstein at Odds / William L. Laurence -- Discovery of the Antiproton Ends a Long Search, Confirms Einstein's Equation / Waldemar Kaempffert -- Discovery of New Particle Called "Crucial Test" of Theory / Walter Sullivan -- Two Men in Search of the Quark / Lee Edson -- Einstein: Relativity in the Kitchen / Walter Sullivan -- Signs of Quark Discovery Cited in Stanford Report / Walter Sullivan -- Detection of the Elusive "Gluon" Exciting Scientists / Malcolm W. Browne -- New Quarks Stir Debate on Basic Laws of Nature / Walter Sullivan -- Microscopes Peer Ever Deeper into Small World / Walter Sullivan -- Reagan to Press for 6 Million Dollar Atom Smasher / Ben A. Franklin -- The Supercollider's Demise Disrupts Many Lives and Rattles a Profession / Malcolm W. Browne -- Europe Is Ready to Pick Up the Pieces in Particle Research / Barry James -- Top Quark, Last Piece in Puzzle of Matter, Appears to Be in Place / William J. Broad -- Physicists Manage to Create the First Antimatter Atoms / Malcolm W. Browne -- Stuck in Traffic? Consult a Physicist / Malcolm W. Browne -- Mass Found in Elusive Particle; Universe May Never Be the Same / Malcolm W. Browne -- Almost in Awe, Physicists Ponder "Ultimate" Theory / George Johnson -- New Dimension in Dance: Thinking Man's Macarena / George Johnson -- In Quantum Feat, Atom Is Seen in Two Places at Once / George Johnson -- Art + Physics = Beautiful Music / James Glanz -- No Hope of Silencing the Phantom Crinklers of the Opera / James Glanz -- Scientists Bring Light to Full Stop, Hold It, Then Send It on Its Way / James Glanz -- With Little Evidence, String Theory Gains Influence / James Glanz -- Quantum Stew: How Physicists Are Redefining Reality's Rules / George Johnson -- String Theory, at 20, Explains It All (or Not) / Dennis Overbye -- A Giant Takes on Physics's Biggest Questions / Dennis Overbye -- Physicists Find Elusive Particle Seen as Key to Universe / Dennis Overbye --
Chapter 2. THE PRACTICAL ATOM. Wireless Signals across the Ocean -- Light-Energy Ideas Told by Millikan -- Compton to Strive for Atomic Energy -- Radar-I / Hanson W. Baldwin -- Radar-II / Hanson W. Baldwin -- Dec. 2, 1942-The Birth of the Atomic Age / William L. Laurence -- Drama of the Atomic Bomb Found Climax in July 16 Test / William L. Laurence -- Atomic Bombing of Nagasaki Told by Flight Member / William L. Laurence -- Visit to Hiroshima Proves Its World's Most-Damaged City / William H. Lawrence -- Five Atomic Piles in Operation Here -- Tiny Radios Made by Armed Services / T. R. Kennedy Jr. -- Ending of All Life by Hydrogen Bomb Held a Possibility / William L. Laurence -- Major Gains Seen in New Amplifiers / William L. Laurence -- Hydrogen Is Fused for Peace or War / William L. Laurence -- Silicon "Battery" Represents a New Approach in Long Efforts to Harness Sun's Power / Waldemar Kaempffert -- New "All-Transistor" Calculator May Surpass Electronic Models -- The Laser Lights Up the Future Maya Pines -- New Photo Technique Projects a World of Three-Dimensional Views / Walter Sullivan -- Nuclear Power Gain Reported, But Experts Express Doubts / Malcolm W. Browne -- Claim of Achieving Fusion in Jar Gains Support in Two Experiments / Malcolm W. Browne -- Physicists Debunk Claim of a New Kind of Fusion / Malcolm W. Browne -- In the Quantum World, Keys to New Codes / James Glanz -- Computing, One Atom at a Time / George Johnson -- Brain Surgery, Without Knife or Blood, Gains Favor / Laurie Tarkin --
Chapter 3. THE FATE OF THE UNIVERSE. The Greatest Telescope in the World / Garrett P. Serviss
Einstein Expounds His New Theory
Lights All Askew in the Heavens
Science Seeks Secret of Life in Star Rays / Waldemar Kaempffert
Giant Telescope of Immense Range to Dwarf All Others
Studies of the Cosmic Ray Point to Endless Creation / William L. Laurence
New Radio Waves Traced to Center of the Milky Way
New Dimensions Given to Universe / William L. Laurence
Finds Galaxy Goes 100 Miles a Second / Lawrence E. Davies
Palomar Observers Dazzled in First Use of 200-inch Lens / William L. Laurence
Studies Reported in Star Evolution / William L. Laurence
Universe Growing, Dr. Hubble Thinks
Birth of Universe Traced to Blast / William L. Laurence
Radio Telescope to Expose Space / John W. Finney
Rival Cosmologies / Walter Sullivan
Satellite Challenges Theory of Universe / John W. Finney
Signals Imply a "Big Bang" Universe / Walter Sullivan
An X-Ray Scanning Satellite May Have Discovered a "Black Hole" in Space / Walter Sullivan
End of Universe in "Black Hole" Foreseen / Walter Sullivan
First Photo Taken by New Telescope / Walter Sullivan
Galaxy's Speed through Universe Found to Exceed a Million MPH / Walter Sullivan
Antennas Sharpen Radio "View" of Heavens / Walter Sullivan
Island in Hawaii Is Becoming a World Astronomy Center / Walter Sullivan
Gravity "Lens" Is Found in Space / Walter Sullivan
"Big Bang" Has a Revival in New View of Universe / Walter Sullivan
Cosmic Powerhouse Finally Seen in Detail / Walter Sullivan
New View of Universe Shows Sea of Bubbles to Which Stars Cling / Walter Sullivan
Powerful Source of Gravity Detected Deep in the Universe / Walter Sullivan
Huge Stellar Explosion Detected Close Enough for Careful Study / Malcolm W. Browne
Elated by Supernova, Astronomers Watch Their Theories Come to Life / Malcolm W. Browne
Massive Clusters of Galaxies Defy Concepts of the Universe / John Noble Wilford
Shuttle Soars 381 Miles High, with Telescope and a Dream / John Noble Wilford
5,000-Mile Radio Telescope Set to Probe Depths of Time and Space / Malcolm W. Browne
Big Bang's Defenders Weigh "Fudge Factor," a Blunder of Einstein's, as Fix for New Crisis / John Noble Wilford
Age of Universe Is Now Settled, Astronomer Says / Malcolm W. Browne
New Era Is Promised for Optical Telescopes / Malcolm W. Browne
At Other End of "Big Bang" May Simply Be a Big Sputter / John Noble Wilford
Peek at Black Holes' Feast Reveals Awful Table Manners / John Noble Wilford
In Chilean Desert, Observatory for 21st Century Takes Shape / John Noble Wilford
Pictures Give Hints of Universe at Its Dawn / John Noble Wilford
Where Does the Time Go? Forward, Physics Shows / Malcolm W. Browne
Hubble Telescope Yields Data for Recalculating Age of Universe / John Noble Wilford
Galaxies' Vastness Surprises Scientists / James Glanz
In the Dark Matter Wars, Wimps Beat Machos / James Glanz
Before the Big Bang There Was . . . What? / Dennis Overbye
A New View of Our Universe: Only One of Many / Dennis Overbye
Radio Telescope Proves a Big Bang Prediction / Dennis Overbye
Cosmos Sits for Early Portrait, Gives Up Secrets / Dennis Overbye
Astronomers Report Evidence of "Dark Energy" Splitting the Universe / Dennis Overbye
Remembrance of Things Future: The Mystery of Time / Dennis Overbye
A Trip Forward in Time. Your Travel Agent: Einstein / Dennis Overbye
Dark, Perhaps Forever / Dennis Overbye
The Struggle to Measure Cosmic Expansion / Dennis Overbye
Particle Hunt Nets Almost Nothing; the Hunters Are Almost Thrilled / Dennis Overbye
There's More to Nothing Than We Knew / Dennis Overbye
At the End of the Earth, Seeking Clues to the Universe / Simon Romero
American Physics Dreams Deferred / Dennis Overbye
Appendices: Nobel Laureates in Physics
Contributors' Biographies.
