The Universe Next Door by New-Scientist -- Read -- Imperial Library of Trantor

Index

Cover Books by New Scientist include Title Page Copyright Contents Welcome to THE UNIVERSE NEXT DOOR 1. Playing Dice with the Universe

2. You’re Not Here

What if Earth didn’t have a moon? What if the dinosaurs hadn’t been wiped out? What would Earth be like without us? Could electric motors have powered the industrial revolution? What would a world without fossil fuels look like? What if the Enlightenment had spluttered out? Could anyone but Newton have put the heavens in order? What if Darwin had not sailed on the Beagle? What if Einstein had been ignored? What if the Nazis had won World War II? What if we’d never stopped travelling to the moon?

3. The Fork in the Road

What if we find ET? … And what if we don’t? What if we could see the future? … But could do nothing about it? What if we decide that God exists? … And could we have religion without one? What if we’re not the only intelligent species on Earth? … But intelligence is a dead end?

4. Life, But Not as We Know It

What if we could start over? Could 100 babies left on an island rebuild civilisation? What if we could redesign the planet? Could we save the world by going vegetarian? Is there an alternative to countries?

5. What Happens Next?

Could the climate be controlled? Will human-made life forms roam the planet? What if we don’t need bodies? Is consciousness just a state of matter? Will artificial starlight power the world? Could replicators end material scarcity? Will genetically engineered people conquer the world? Will the rise of robots put humans in second place? What if the population bomb implodes? How will early settlers colonise Mars? What will our descendants know about us?

6. AD 100,000: Journey to the Deep Future

Will we still be here? What will future humans be like? How will our language evolve? Where will we live? Will there be any nature left? Where will we explore? Will we run out of resources?

7. Journey’s End

Are all societies doomed to collapse? What will become of the last humans? What if everything died out tomorrow? What will the last days of life on Earth be like? Could our planet escape a dying sun? Could Earth outlive the Milky Way? What will happen at the end of the universe?

Epilogue Acknowledgements About the contributors Further reading