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Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs
Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness of the Universe | Lisa Randall
10 posts | 9 read | 12 to read
In this brilliant exploration of our cosmic environment, the renowned particle physicist and New York Times bestselling author of Warped Passages and Knocking on Heavens Door uses her research into dark matter to illuminate the startling connections between the furthest reaches of space and life here on Earth. Sixty-six million years ago, an object the size of a city descended from space to crash into Earth, creating a devastating cataclysm that killed off the dinosaurs, along with three-quarters of the other species on the planet. What was its origin? In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Lisa Randall proposes it was a comet that was dislodged from its orbit as the Solar System passed through a disk of dark matter embedded in the Milky Way. In a sense, it might have been dark matter that killed the dinosaurs. Working through the background and consequences of this proposal, Randall shares with us the latest findingsestablished and speculativeregarding the nature and role of dark matter and the origin of the Universe, our galaxy, our Solar System, and life, along with the process by which scientists explore new concepts. In Dark Matter and the Dinosaurs, Randall tells a breathtaking story that weaves together the cosmos history and our own, illuminating the deep relationships that are critical to our world and the astonishing beauty inherent in the most familiar things.
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review
shanaqui
Mehso-so

This feels like two separate books squished together. It starts with a primer about the universe that explains the problem of dark matter, then goes on what feels like a tangent to go in depth about asteroid impacts and the consequences, then it goes back to dark matter -- no dinosaurs so far and we're over 80% of the way through -- and then it finally very briefly ties in the dinosaurs.

It's not badly explained, but it's a bait-and-switch.

shanaqui I wasn't in it for “majority dark matter, one section of one chapter about the impact of dark matter on the dinosaurs“, so I'm cranky about it. I didn't expect a full book about dinosaurs, obviously, and knew it would be much more about physics... but I think if the book had been called “The Dark Matter Disk“ or something more appropriate, and the in-depth primer about asteroid impacts had been linked in more closely, it would've been better. 3y
8 likes1 comment
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shanaqui

I'm within 50 pages of the end and I'm still waiting for any connection, any connection at all, between dark matter and the extinction of the dinosaurs...

rwmg You mean alliteration isn't enough? Sheeesh 🙃😉 3y
11 likes1 comment
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shanaqui

Chapter 12 (about halfway through) and we're FINALLY onto the dinosaurs.

Despite the enticing title, it's at least 50% pop-sci 101. Which is not a bad thing, and Randall explains pretty well... but it's not something I *need*, so I've been dragging my feet about reading.

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shanaqui

I've been wondering about this book for so long. It's time to give it a try! Despite the promise of dinosaurs in the title, it's mostly physics, so I might end up having a crisis of faith in my own existence (which is what physics normally does to me), but let's see...

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Briary
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Well, I've been meaning to read this for ages, for here is a book that combines my two intense interests: astrophysics and dinosaurs. And that doesn't happen everyday, let me tell you. 😂

At 250 pages in, I'm quite pleased with my reading experience so far. Not just surface briefing, and the book is long enough that the writer has space to scope stuff out. Not the most eloquent writer, but interesting on the science-front.

7 likes1 stack add
review
alisonrose
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Mehso-so

This was certainly an interesting read with a fascinating topic ... but for me it was a bit dry, which kept it from being more engaging. The author sometimes delved too far into tangents and there was a good amount of repetition too. I liked learning more about some of the topics, but it just felt like she was trying to cram more into the one book than was needed or expected. But still definitely informative. 3/5 ⭐️

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alisonrose
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Sounds like a group of scientists formed a band on the side. #nowreading

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erzascarletbookgasm
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This is an interesting book I found thanks to Google. ‘Randall conjectures that dark matter may have indirectly led to the extinction of dinosaurs. Other scientists generally regard this as a credible hypothesis..‘
#adelesmaymashup #amillionyearsago

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
readordierachel Sounds fascinating! 7y
vkois88 Pretty cool 7y
66 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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GlassAsDiamonds
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I lasted .... an hour before running back to the bookstore and buying two more books... 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ 😊😊😊😊😊

#zeejlf

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speljamr
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Buy two get one free deal! #SeptemberBookHaul #bookhaul

MinDea Golem and the Jinni is really good! 7y
Kristy_K I almost bought Dark Matter... today. Interested in seeing your review. 7y
DrexEdit The Golem and the Jinni is one of my all time favorites! 💜 7y
82 likes3 comments