The Inflationary Universe.

fixing the big bang theory

First edition, first printing of cosmologist Alan Guth's popular account of his groundbreaking discovery of cosmic inflation. A fine copy in the dust jacket.

The concept of the big bang was first proposed by Georges Lemaitre in 1931, but by the late 1970s it was clear that there were significant pieces missing from the theory. Author Alan Guth (1947 - ) was studying particle physics as a post-doc at Columbia when he and colleagues began investigating these issues, arriving at the elegant solution of inflation: the early universe expanded exponentially rather than at a steady rate. In this volume Guth describes the process of discovery and the significant implications of cosmic inflation for our understanding of the universe.

First edition, first printing; 8vo; illustrations throughout the text; a fine copy in the dust jacket; 358pp.