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A brief history of time : from the big bang to black holes
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A brief history of time : from the big bang to black holes

by Stephen Hawking, Ron Miller

First published in 1988, this work explores the fundamental concepts of cosmology and theoretical physics. It introduces general readers to complex scientific ideas about the nature of the universe, spanning the micro- and macro-cosmic worlds.

Accession 5456 ISBN 0593015185 Publisher Bantam Press
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TAGS
Curated Derived
Astronomy History Philosophy Science Time
CONNECTIONS
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State
on_shelf
True
position_updated_at
2026-06-01 16:37
orientation
vertical
Details

Physical

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Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured

Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
M:N3:15 5 Current vertical
5 days, 1 hour ago
G:W1:7 5 vertical
3 weeks, 1 day ago
Book Location
Updated 5 days, 1 hour ago
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Identity

name→ title
A brief history of time : from the big bang to black holes
vernon_id
9268
accession_no→ accession_number
5456
vernon_slug
a-brief-history-of-time-from-the-big-bang-to-black-holes-stephen-w-hawking-introduction-by-carl-sagan-illustrations-by-ron-miller

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
On Shelf, Stored
location_name
Zone N3/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA
location_reason
On Shelf
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
0593015185

Descriptive

production_date
1988
object_type
Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
A Brief History of Time attempts to explain a range of subjects in cosmology, including the Big Bang, black holes and light cones, to the nonspecialist reader. Its main goal is to give an overview of the subject but, unusual for a popular science book, it also attempts to explain some complex mathematics. The 1996 edition of the book and subsequent editions discuss the possibility of time travel and wormholes and explore the possibility of having a universe without a quantum singularity at the beginning of time. The author notes that an editor warned him that for every equation in the book the readership would be halved, hence it includes only a single equation: E = mc2. Early in 1983, Hawking approached Simon Mitton, the editor in charge of astronomy books at Cambridge University Press, with his ideas for a popular book on cosmology. Mitton was doubtful about all the equations in the draft manuscript, which he felt would put off the buyers in airport bookshops that Hawking wished to reach. It was with some difficulty that he persuaded Hawking to drop all but one equation. In addition to Hawking's notable abstention from presenting equations, the book also simplifies matters by means of illustrations throughout the text, depicting complex models and diagrams.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Stephen Hawking, Ron Miller, Carl Sagan
tags→ tags
Science, Philosophy, Astronomy, Physical sciences, Cosmology, Physics, Space sciences, Space, Metaphysics, Universe, Outer space, Space and time
subject_people
Albert Einstein (b.1879, d.1955)
subject_objects
—

Cover image

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58964

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Topics and Themes