The 4 Percent Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality

By: Richard Panek

Narrated by: Ray Porter

Over the past few decades, a handful of scientists have been racing to explain a disturbing aspect of our universe: only four percent of it consists of the matter that makes up you, me, our books, and every star and planet. The rest is completely unknown.

Richard Panek tells the dramatic story of the quest to find this “dark” matter and an even more bizarre substance called “dark energy”. This is perhaps the greatest mystery in all of science, and solving it will bring fame, funding, and certainly a Nobel Prize. Based on in-depth reporting and interviews with the major players—from Berkeley’s feisty, excitable Saul Perlmutter and Harvard’s witty but exacting Robert Kirshner to the doyenne of astronomy, Vera Rubin—the book offers an intimate portrait of the bitter rivalries and fruitful collaborations, the eureka moments and blind alleys, that have fueled their search, redefined science, and reinvented the universe.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Our view of the cosmos is profoundly wrong, and Copernicus was only the beginning: not just Earth, but all common matter is a marginal part of existence. Panek’s fast-paced narrative, filled with original reporting and behind-the-scenes details, brings this epic story to life for the very first time.

©2011 Richard Panek (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“It’s the biggest mystery of all: why is the universe expanding at an accelerated rate? At its heart is a search for what forces and particles make up reality. It baffled Einstein, and it now obsesses a cadre of fascinating cosmologists. By brilliantly capturing their passions and pursuits, Richard Panek has made this cosmic quest exciting and understandable.” (Walter Isaacson, New York Times best-selling author of Einstein: His Life and Universe)

“A superior account of how astronomers discovered that they knew almost nothing about 96 percent of the universe…. Panek delivers vivid sketches of scientists, lucid explanations of their work, and revealing descriptions of the often stormy rivalry that led to this scientific revolution, usually a media cliché, but not in this case.” ( Kirkus Reviews)

“Science journalist Panek offers an insider’s view of the quest for what could be the ultimate revelation.... This lively story of big personalities, intellectual competitiveness, and ravenous curiosity is as entertaining as it is illuminating.” ( Publishers Weekly)

The recent history in Astronomy / Cosmology

What this book is not, 1) a text book or 2) detailed explanation of Astrophysics.
What this is a history of Astronomy for the last 40 years.
Richard Panek is a journalist and this book is a detailed account in the personalities in Astronomy for the last 40 years that lead to the ideas that we can see only 4% of the Universe and how we see inflation.
Given that i've been out of school for 30 years my math can't follow the detailed cosmology text book but this book provides a clear reasoning why we believe the universe is accelerating and the problems that provides for theatrical physicists. If you love Astrophysics/Cosmology books give this a read.

Starts with the revelation and flashes back to how it happened

Wonderfully written more like a story of the lives of some very notable people. Includes brief examples of home life and how it pushed them harder or complicated their efforts. Includes the contributions by people I did not know their work had influenced the chase of the "missing mass" problem, later known as Dark Matter. Gives great story of the race between 2 collaborations working on super nova as a standard candle. Could say it was MIT vs Berkley but the collaborations were so much larger than that. The dirty tricks pulled by people who knew better. The eventual resolution of priority of discovery whether you agree or not. Very well written story that communicates all the technical aspects so that anyone can understand and enjoy the story as it unfolds

An Audible page turner

I have virtually no math background, just a layman's curiosity about astronomy and particle physics. Panek lightens up the science with insight into the personality of each person on this quest. I was learning about cosmology, but also rooting for the scientists. Well done...

Fascinating

Fascinating update on the current status of cosmology. Focuses on the scientists involved. You will want to keep a list of characters – there are a lot of individuals in this story.

Fascinating Stuff

I am neither a scientist, a physicist, or a cosmologist so don't be intimidated by this book if you have an interest in the subject matter. By purchasing the audible version I was spared struggling to pronounce unfamiliar names and words and could look them up at my leisure. The subject matter is presented in a story like form and the narrator does an awesome job.
If you have a curiosity of the universe and how current theories have evolved I think you will really enjoy this book.