BARRY BOYCE
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​ 
                     ​ ASTRONOMY & NATURAL HISTORY CONNECTIONS: FROM DARWIN TO EINSTEIN
 
                                                                         TABLE OF CONTENTS
 
I- GETTING CONNECTED -   In the opening chapter,  the author is conducting an astronomy tour to a university outreach group and establishes a teaching system that is easy to learn, fun, and  connects the audience (both the tour group and the reader) to the Cosmos, which is the goal. 
II - EARLY CONNECTIONS  -   Chapter II introduces the outliers throughout history that were  one step ahead in “getting it”. 
  • Prehistory, Mesopotamia, China, Anasazi 
  • Classical Greek Period  – Includes narrative sketches of Pythagoras, Socrates, Hippocrates, Plato Aristotle, and Euclid. 
  • Hellenistic Greek Period  – Includes narrative sketches of Alexander the Great, Eratosthenes, Aristarchus, Archimedes, Hipparchus, Pliny the Elder, Ptolemy, and Galen.
  • The Dark Ages   
  • Tycho Brahe and Johannes Kepler  
  • Galileo Galilei 
  • Sir Isaac Newton  
  • The Transit of Venus and The Lighting of the Standard Candle  – An introduction to of the history of distance measurement  in the Universe, including parallax. 
III - NATURAL CONNECTIONS  -   Chapter III introduces and greatly simplifies the fundamentals of evolutionary biology, beginning with what Darwin said and didn’t say. 
  • Evolution and Natural Selection  – It’s much simpler than you think.
  • What is a Species? – It’s more complex than you think.
  • Exaptation – What in the World is That? 
  • Why do Animals Migrate?  -  It’s one strategy, but not the only one.
  • Is there Disharmony on these Islands?  - It’s a good story.
IV - STARLIGHT CONNECTIONS  -  In Chapter IV, we’re back in the astronomy classroom learning the complexities that go into being a Star, from birth inside a stellar nursery to its final days. 
  • Nucleosynthesis  – The chemistry of nuclear fusion is explained in an easy-to-understand manner. 
  • Nebulae – Emission, Reflection, and Dark Nebulae are discussed as well as Planetary Nebulae. 
  • Red Giants – The fate of our Sun 
  • White Dwarfs and Planetary Nebulae – Old age was never more beautiful.
  • Type 1A Supernovae  – Explosive but useful.
  • Neutron Stars and Pulsars - The odd couple.
  • Heavy Metal  – No elements heavier than iron can be formed by nucleosynthesis.
  •  Black Holes  - Everybody loves Black Holes.
  • Star Clusters–  There’s more than one kind.
  • Galaxies  – Billions and billions. 
  • Groups and Clusters of Galaxies  – Way, way out there.
  • Filaments, Walls, and Voids  – The structure of the Universe.
 
V – RELATIVELY RECENT CONNECTIONS  -   This Chapter takes us through the 20thCentury developments in Astronomy, Astrophysics, and Cosmology. 
  • The Theory of Special Relativity 
  • The Theory of General Relativity 
  • Einstein – The Last Thirty Years  
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Hubble’s Law and our Expanding Universe 
  • The Big Bang 
 
VI - WONDROUS CONNECTIONS -  In this Chapter, I share some moments and concepts that were epiphanies.
  • What Exactly is Life?   
  • Putting Life on Hold 
  • Cold Water on the Equator? 
  • When the North Pole Becomes the South Pole 
  • Growing by Shrinking 
  • Wandering Eyes and Sex Changes . . . In Fish 
  • Incredible Breakthrough in Solar Energy – Photosynthesis 
  • Survival of the Fittest Bacteria 
  • Endosymbiosis Theory 
VII – FUTURE CONNECTIONS   -  We are on the verge of a lot of new discoveries.
  • Dark Matter 
  • Dark Energy
  • Exoplanets 
  • The Search for Life in the Universe  
  • Genetic Switches   
·     The Next Generation of Telescopes  
  • The Future of Manned and Robotic Missions Outside the Solar System.
  • The Colonization of Mars – “The Good, The Bad & The Ugly”. 
  • Staying Connected –The message is to maintain your curiosity, keep learning and enjoy being connected. 
 
                       



© 2017  Barry  Boyce All Rights Reserved
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  • NEW ASTRONOMY BOOK
    • Table of Contents
    • Reviews
    • Overview
    • Sample Section
    • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  • Home
  • ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY
    • GALAXIES
    • NEBULAE
  • Polar
    • Antarctica >
      • Albatross
      • Misc. Birds
      • Penguins
      • Seals & Whales
      • Ice
    • Norwegian Arctic
  • GALAPAGOS
    • INTERTIDAL
    • AMIGOS
    • LAND BIRDS/ SHORE BIRDS
    • LAVA & ROCKS
    • MARINE MAMMALS
    • REPTILES
    • SEABIRDS
    • SNORKELING VIEWS
  • SCUBA
    • GALAPAGOS
    • MONTEREY BAY
    • SNORKELING IN FRENCH POLYNESIA
  • ABOUT