Atticus Rare Books

A Cyclic Model of the Universe in Science, 296, 5572, May 24, 2002 [SINGLE ISSUE IN ORIGINAL WRAPS]

Steinhardt, Paul J.; Turok, Neil Geoffrey

New York: American Association for the Advancement of Science. FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL WRAPS OF STEINHARDT & TUROK’S CYCLIC THEORY OF THE UNIVERSE. “The cyclic universe theory is a model of cosmic evolution according to which the universe undergoes endless cycles of expansion and cooling, each beginning with a “big bang” and ending in a “big crunch” (Steinhardt, Cyclic Universe Theory, 2009). The model has also been known as the ekpyrotic cyclic universe theory. In it, D-Branes collide every trillion years or so, creating a burst of new energy and material that result in what is normally attributed to the big bang. The gravitational potential between these branes is the source of dark energy, and its current increase is indicative of the fact that the branes are moving apart at the moment. We have a second copy of the 2006 paper and offer it separately; we also separately offer the 2002 paper together with the 2006 paper.


When they start to approach each other again the dark energy will diminish. Paul Joseph Steinhart is an American theoretical physicist and cosmologist, currently the Albert Einstein Professor in Science at Princeton University. Beginning in 2001 and working with the South African physicist Neil Geoffrey Turok, Steinhardt and Turok put forth the ekpyrotic theory which, in essence, envisions a big bounce rather than a big bang. “According to this model, the current expanding universe emerges from a bounce that occurred 13.7 billion years ago and that is a result of the preceding (contracting) universe. The smoothing and flattening of the universe and the generation of density variations occur during the phase of slow contraction before the bounce and remain after the bounce” (Wikipedia).

In 2002 and with the paper offered, Steinhardt and Turok rolled their ekpyrotic theory into a far broader one, the cyclic theory of the Universe. This model theorizes that the Universe has been expanding and contracting repeatedly “over timescales that make the 13.7 billion years that have passed since the Big Bang seem a mere blink. This makes the Universe vastly old. And that in turn means that the mysterious 'cosmological constant', which describes how empty space appears to repel itself, has had time to shrink into the strangely small number” (Cyclic Universe Could Explain Cosmic Balancing Act, 4 May 2006).

In Steinhardt and Turok’s own words: “The Cyclic Model attempts to resolve the homogeneity, isotropy, and flatness problems and generate a nearly scale-invariant spectrum of fluctuations during a period of slow contraction that precedes a bounce to an expanding phase. Here we describe at a conceptual level the recent developments that have greatly simplified our understanding of the contraction phase and the Cyclic Model overall. The answers to many past questions and criticisms are now understood” (Steinhardt & Turok, Science, 24 May 2002). Item #952

CONDITION & DETAILS: New York: AAAS. Complete 1st edition in original wraps, complete. 8vo. Mailing label on the front wrap. Very slight scuffing. Very good condition.

Price: $250.00