“The End of Everything (Astrophysically speaking)” is a wild, imaginative, and intense ride! The Author, Dr. Katie Mack, is a Theoretical Cosmologist at NC State University (my alma mater!). This book discusses the possibilities, the probabilities, and some insanely creative speculations about how the ultimate end of the Universe would look like. Think Neil deGrasse Tyson on steroids - the same enthusiasm, the same energy, and the passion coupled with an astute ability to explain complex, theoretical concepts in a fairly easy-to-digest form!
“Beginnings imply and require endings.”
There is a slew of literature about the Big Bang and in general about the “the beginning” of everything. Not so much about “the end”. The ideas discussed in this book are mind-boggling and do bring out the contemplative side of things. The last chapter is particularly interesting where the possible mechanics of “the end” are put aside and the philosophical implications are discussed - still keeping the tone of the book as fun & informative and never getting preachy.
“Acknowledging an ultimate end gives us context, meaning, even hope, and allows us, paradoxically, to step back from our petty day-to-day concerns and simultaneously live more fully in the moment. Maybe this can be the meaning we seek.”
Just beware though - even though this book is under 250 pages, it is extremely dense. For an astrophysics layman like me, I had to stop and look up on Wikipedia a few times to get more context about the various ideas discussed here. But it was well worth it. A solid 4/5.
“Cosmology requires thinking creatively. This doesn’t mean fully unconstrained flights of fancy. You can’t just randomly make stuff up. But what you can (and must) do is constantly find new ways to look at problems to wring a little more insight out of whatever data the universe has to offer.”
