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Neil deGrasse Tyson
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Lindsey Nyx Walker
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Cosmic Queries: StarTalk's Guide to Who We Are, How We Got Here, and Where We're Going Kindle Edition

by Neil deGrasse Tyson (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 3,251 ratings
See all formats and editions

In this thought-provoking follow-up to his acclaimed StarTalk book, uber astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson tackles the world's most important philosophical questions about the universe with wit, wisdom, and cutting-edge science.

For science geeks, space and physics nerds, and all who want to understand their place in the universe, this enlightening new book from Neil deGrasse Tyson offers a unique take on the mysteries and curiosities of the cosmos, building on rich material from his beloved StarTalk podcast.

In these illuminating pages, illustrated with dazzling photos and revealing graphics, Tyson and co-author James Trefil, a renowned physicist and science popularizer, take on the big questions that humanity has been posing for millennia--How did life begin? What is our place in the universe? Are we alone?--and provide answers based on the most current data, observations, and theories.

Populated with paradigm-shifting discoveries that help explain the building blocks of astrophysics, this relatable and entertaining book will engage and inspire readers of all ages, bring sophisticated concepts within reach, and offer a window into the complexities of the cosmos.

or all who loved National Geographic's StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos: Possible Worlds, and Space Atlas, this new book will take them on more journeys into the wonders of the universe and beyond.

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  1. Print length
    342 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Sticky notes
    On Kindle Scribe
  4. Publisher
    National Geographic
  5. Publication date
    March 2, 2021
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. File size
    92625 KB
  8. Page Flip
    Enabled
  9. Word Wise
    Enabled
  10. Enhanced typesetting
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  11. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"[An] exuberant and enticing resource."―Booklist

"A lively, richly illustrated celebration of scientific inquiry."―Kirkus Reviews

"A well-organized and well-written book … Tyson explains the cosmos in an understandable way for those who have had some science interest, exposure or classes but who have not majored in science. He is one of the few scientists that can break it down in an understandable way and keep it very interesting."―@litandlife

"Based on the popular talk show and podcast StarTalk, this collection of essays explores many of the universe’s most intriguing mysteries. From dark matter, the Big Bang, and other space oddities to quarks, multiverses, and other quantum curiosities, . . . the authors invite readers to contemplate these fascinating questions which scientists have pondered for centuries. As expected from National Geographic publications, the book is beautifully illustrated. Its stunning color photographs enhance the enjoyment of this cosmic reading journey."―Library Journal

"I love Neil deGrasse Tyson. You can just feel his joy in everything space related and his love of sharing his knowledge."―@bookscookslooks

"In the gulf between the depths of human curiosity and the limits of human ignorance” is a space to ask questions, write astrophysicist Tyson (StarTalk) and physicist Trefil (Imagined Life) in this breezy survey of physics’s curiosities. . . . Lay readers curious about the mysteries of the universe will want to take a look."―Publishers Weekly

"Tyson and Trefil succinctly lead the reader through almost every aspect of cosmic history while addressing age-old questions with new verve. . . . Despite the book’s title, arguably its real value is in just how efficiently it covers what we currently know about this chunk of spacetime we call home."―Forbes.com

"Cosmic Queries is a book that can bring astrophysics into the orbit of even the most novice space explorer. … I have never been so at ease reading a science text in my life. The illustrations were so helpful and the format kept me interested throughout the pages. Neil deGrasse Tyson’s engaging style is what really brought me into the book and kept me glued to its pages."―@amysbooketlist (5-star review)

“If you’re a fan of Neil deGrasse Tyson’s StarTalk podcast, you’re bound to find much in this book to enjoy.”―BBC Sky at Night Magazine (4-star review)

About the Author

Legendary astrophysicist NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON is the host of the acclaimed podcast StarTalk Radio and Emmy award-winning National Geographic Channel shows StarTalk and Cosmos. He earned his BA in physics from Harvard and his Ph.D. in astrophysics from Columbia. The author of more than a dozen books, Tyson is the first Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium. He lives in New York City with his wife and two children. Facebook: Neil deGrasse Tyson. Instagram: @neildegrassetyson. Twitter: @neiltyson.

JAMES TREFIL, Clarence J. Robinson Professor of Physics at George Mason University, is internationally recognized not only as a distinguished scientist but also as an expert in making complex scientific ideas understandable. He is the author of numerous magazine articles and books on science for the general public, including both editions of National Geographic’s highly successful Space Atlas. He lives in Fairfax, Virginia, with his wife.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B08QDZT2CJ
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ National Geographic (March 2, 2021)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ March 2, 2021
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 92625 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ On Kindle Scribe
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 342 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars 3,251 ratings

About the authors

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  1. Neil deGrasse Tyson

    Neil deGrasse Tyson

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    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    THE LATEST BOOK

    I'm Neil deGrasse Tyson, an astrophysicist and servant of those who are insatiably curious. My latest book "Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilization" contains the deepest ideas and thoughts that I've ever put to page. But maybe that's for you to decide. The book offers a view "from above" that is unapologetically scientifically literate while addressing topics such as mind & body, conflict & resolution, law & order, gender & identity, color & race, life & death. Often, the most divisive issues in society simply evaporate when you see them embedded in a larger world-view. Starry Messenger is an offering to civilization, to help it find the guide star it lost long ago.

    BRIEF BIOGRAPHY

    Neil deGrasse Tyson was born in New York City the same week NASA was founded. His interest in the universe traces back to age 9, after a first visit to the Hayden Planetarium of the American Museum of Natural History. He was educated in the public schools of New York City through his graduation from the Bronx High School of Science. And after an BA in Physics from Harvard and a PhD in Astrophysics from Columbia and a Postdoctoral research fellowship at Princeton, Tyson became the Frederick P. Rose Director of the Hayden Planetarium, where he has served since 1996.

    See more on the author's page
  2. Lindsey Nyx Walker

    Lindsey Nyx Walker

    Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
    Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

    Lindsey Nyx Walker is the senior producer and head writer at StarTalk— a popular science podcast and a four-time Emmy nominated television show on the National Geographic Channel. Before co-authoring To Infinity and Beyond she was editor of Cosmic Queries, the second book in the publishing collaboration between StarTalk and National Geographic.

    In college she earned dual degrees in biology and journalism while being a Division I athlete. At dinner parties, she’ll be the one probing your nerdiest interests and your deepest held beliefs about alien life.

    She and her partner live in Manhattan.

    You can find her on TikTok @spacetok

    See more on the author's page
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Customer reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars
4.8 out of 5
3,251 global ratings
A new favorite! So grateful for this book!
5 Stars
A new favorite! So grateful for this book!
I'm a long-time fan of Star Talk and have been eagerly awaiting this book since I first heard of its upcoming release. I've just spent the evening strolling laps around my apartment, skimming, reading, laughing, and "wow"ing at the gorgeous photos and fascinating blurbs inside.It's basically formatted as the perfect book for me, it's got long-form chapters for a traditional "sit down" read, but is also peppered throughout with fascinating blurbs and summaries and factoids and stunning pictures to gawk at, making it the perfect book to either curl up with or pick up and skim through at your fancy. It's the main course and the dessert all in one perfect bite. I know I'll be up with it all night tonight.I am an avid science enthusiast but I lack any advanced or formal education, and some books on the subject are a lot less accessible for me, requiring me to slow down quite a bit while reading, but this book delivers all the goods at full speed. I can recognize Tyson's voice in the words, and can enjoy his trademark knack for communicating incredible knowledge and concepts in a fun and memorable way.I am a more scientifically literate, dedicated, and driven person because of this man. Thank you, Dr. Tyson and the whole Star Talk team and Nat Geo for making this book!
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Top reviews from the United States

Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars A new favorite! So grateful for this book!
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2021
Verified Purchase
I'm a long-time fan of Star Talk and have been eagerly awaiting this book since I first heard of its upcoming release. I've just spent the evening strolling laps around my apartment, skimming, reading, laughing, and "wow"ing at the gorgeous photos and fascinating blurbs inside.

It's basically formatted as the perfect book for me, it's got long-form chapters for a traditional "sit down" read, but is also peppered throughout with fascinating blurbs and summaries and factoids and stunning pictures to gawk at, making it the perfect book to either curl up with or pick up and skim through at your fancy. It's the main course and the dessert all in one perfect bite. I know I'll be up with it all night tonight.

I am an avid science enthusiast but I lack any advanced or formal education, and some books on the subject are a lot less accessible for me, requiring me to slow down quite a bit while reading, but this book delivers all the goods at full speed. I can recognize Tyson's voice in the words, and can enjoy his trademark knack for communicating incredible knowledge and concepts in a fun and memorable way.

I am a more scientifically literate, dedicated, and driven person because of this man. Thank you, Dr. Tyson and the whole Star Talk team and Nat Geo for making this book!
Customer image
Mike
5.0 out of 5 stars A new favorite! So grateful for this book!
Reviewed in the United States on March 16, 2021
I'm a long-time fan of Star Talk and have been eagerly awaiting this book since I first heard of its upcoming release. I've just spent the evening strolling laps around my apartment, skimming, reading, laughing, and "wow"ing at the gorgeous photos and fascinating blurbs inside.

It's basically formatted as the perfect book for me, it's got long-form chapters for a traditional "sit down" read, but is also peppered throughout with fascinating blurbs and summaries and factoids and stunning pictures to gawk at, making it the perfect book to either curl up with or pick up and skim through at your fancy. It's the main course and the dessert all in one perfect bite. I know I'll be up with it all night tonight.

I am an avid science enthusiast but I lack any advanced or formal education, and some books on the subject are a lot less accessible for me, requiring me to slow down quite a bit while reading, but this book delivers all the goods at full speed. I can recognize Tyson's voice in the words, and can enjoy his trademark knack for communicating incredible knowledge and concepts in a fun and memorable way.

I am a more scientifically literate, dedicated, and driven person because of this man. Thank you, Dr. Tyson and the whole Star Talk team and Nat Geo for making this book!
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35 people found this helpful
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Geraldine
5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT GIFT
Reviewed in the United States on April 18, 2024
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I bought this for a gift. She loved it.
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Paul B Seymour
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!!!
Reviewed in the United States on August 18, 2023
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Can’t say enough good things and this book. It’s well written, and informative. The information is easy to understand and fun to read. Highly recommend this book to anyone who likes science.
6 people found this helpful
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Kausar
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Read though a bit esoteric to understand
Reviewed in the United States on November 10, 2023
Verified Purchase
Loved most of the book especially the parts which are relatable and easy to understand. Many new topics or words introduced sound like the ‘best possible hypothesis’ that can explain something, for now. A lot of these are introduced without any background or basic explanation. But I skimmed through those aspects and enjoyed others as I love NDT.
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Donald P. Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars another fine read
Reviewed in the United States on February 29, 2024
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the man can write
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Kindle Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on February 18, 2024
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Quick response
One person found this helpful
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Smart
5.0 out of 5 stars A exceptional gift
Reviewed in the United States on February 5, 2024
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Let the truth be known, you can believe this guy , teach your children well !
One person found this helpful
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Robert G Yokoyama
5.0 out of 5 stars I learned so much from reading Cosmic Queries.
Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2021
Verified Purchase
Neil Degrasse Tyson uses two methods to communicate information in the book. Tyson does an excellent job of making science enjoyable through the text and photographs.

The first method Tyson uses to communicate information is through the text. One interesting fact I learned is that there are 100 billion galaxies in the universe and that 10 stars are created each year. Another interesting fact I learned from reading the test is that the planets are classified in three different ways. The Earth, the planet Mars and Venus are rocky planets. Saturn is a gas planet. Neptune and Uranus are icy planets I did not know that the planets could be grouped as such. I learned that dark matter in the field of astrophysics like dark matter and dark energy that need to be explored. Dark matter is a gravitational force that sucks matter in the universe in. The last piece of information I learned from the text is the water is not only liquid that can be used to detect life on other planets The detection of liquid methane and ammonia are two other signs that life is possible on other planets.

Neil Degrasse Tyson uses photographs to communicate information in this book. I like the photograph of an European space probe called Gaia. This probe's function is to photograph all of the stars in the sky. There is a beautiful photograph of the surface of Antarctica. This picture is a reference that meteorites landed on the continent and suggests that Antarctica is an starting point of origin of the earth. There is a beautiful photograph of the sky in Acadia National park in Maine. I like this picture because the natural beauty of Maine is on display here. There is a picture from the movie Star Wars that illustrates the concept of exo sociology. Exo sociology is the practice of human beings interacting with aliens from other worlds. I did know there is a field of study called exosociology. I had fun learning that a scene from a sci fi movie is an actual study. I learned so much about the universe from reading Cosmic Queries.
58 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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Nicolas Boisvert
5.0 out of 5 stars Tellement bon que je voulais la copie imprimée
Reviewed in Canada on January 10, 2022
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J'avais d'abord emprunté l'ouvrage en version numérique mais les sujets couverts et la vulgarisation sont tellement bons que j'en voulais une copie papier. J'en ai aussi offert une à mes nièces de 12 ans.
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RAFAEL GARIBAY
5.0 out of 5 stars UN LIBRO CIENTÍFICO PARA QUE TODO MUNDO LO ENTIENDA
Reviewed in Mexico on December 18, 2021
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EL LIBRO ES PARA REGALO, PERO SE ME HIZO MUY INTERESANTE Y ESTÁ ESCRITO POR UNA GRAN MENTE, LA DE NEIL DE GRASSE TYSON.
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Jose Gonzalez
5.0 out of 5 stars Alles wunderbar
Reviewed in Germany on November 30, 2023
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Alles in Ordnung
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Jayanta Sanyal
5.0 out of 5 stars Must read book. Asset for anyone who loves reading.
Reviewed in India on July 3, 2023
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Nicely compiled, and interesting information's.
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Martina
5.0 out of 5 stars Strepitoso
Reviewed in Italy on June 3, 2022
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Questo libro è strepitoso. Annoiata dei soliti libri italiani ho voluto provare un titolo famoso in lingua originale. Il libro è cartonato spesso con le pagine a colori. Ideale per curiosi adulti e ragazzi. Scrittura di facile comprensione, capitoli brevi con numerosi focus.
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