The Edge of Space–Time

The universe, reimagined, through pop culture, poetry and theoretical physics - from the award-winning author of The Disordered Cosmos

In The Edge of Space-Time, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes readers to the boundaries of the universe, inviting us to spend time at the edge of what we know about space-time - and about ourselves.

Guided by her conviction that science is for everybody, Prescod-Weinstein renders accessible some of the most abstract concepts of theoretical physics and draws on poetry and popular culture - from Queen Latifah to Lewis Carroll to Big K.R.I.T. to Sun Ra and Star Trek - to tell fascinating stories about the fundamental quantum nature of space-time and everything inside of it.

Here we meet the quantum cat that is both dead and alive, learn the difference between dark matter and dark energy, explore the inner workings of black holes and investigate the possibility of a unified theory of quantum gravity.

Through Prescod-Weinstein's clear-eyed and unique perspective, and informed by her deep knowledge of post-colonial history and Black feminist thought, The Edge of Space-Time argues that physics is an essential way for everyone to look at the universe and presents a compelling case that 'the edge' is a powerful vantage point from which to see the big picture. Prescod-Weinstein also shows us how spending time with the cosmos is a vital human activity that enriches all our lives.

Review

"With this extraordinary book, Prescod-Weinstein cements her status as one of the most accomplished and important science writers of our time; as polymath, griot, teacher and more; as the guide to the universe that we don't deserve but absolutely need. She has given us a book about physics as story and metaphor, as revelation and revolution, as answer and antidote. It's suffused with gorgeous poetry, full of righteous anger and frequently very, very funny" -- ED YONG, author of AN IMMENSE WORLD

"Chanda Prescod-Weinstein brings light to the universe. This is a book of beautiful ideas about our cosmos, but it is a book of poetry too. This is what science books should be, full of love and fascination and a sense of how vital progress is, not just in how we view the universe but how we view each other" -- ROBIN INCE, comedian, actor and author

"Lots of books talk about the universe. The Edge of Space-Time talks about the universe from the perspective of a real human living within it - a person with a body, embedded in a community, burdened by history, fuelled by curiosity, sustained by hope. A great read for any human being who lives in the universe" -- SEAN CARROLL, author of THE BIGGEST IDEAS IN THE UNIVERSE

"A homage to the big questions that made Dr. Prescod-Weinstein want to become a physicist in the first place" ― New York Times

"Astonishing" ― Los Angeles Times

"Distils the knowns and unknowns of our universe in a heady brew of astronomical observation, complex calculus, personal anecdote and political polemic. . . . Buckle up and shoot for the stars" ― TIME

"Nothing short of mind-blowing . . . A brilliant book that explores what we can learn about life here on Earth by looking up" ― Book Riot

"A fresh and wholly unique take on space-time and on where science fits into our history and society . . . In a crowded field of science communicators who tackle advanced topics, Prescod-Weinstein's voice continues to be a refreshing standout" ― American Scientist

"A cosmologist and particle physicist who also happens to be a great writer with wonderful cross-cultural fluencies, Prescod-Weinstein seems possessed of an off-kilter and roving curiosity ideally suited to answering all the bigger questions about where we are, why we're here and where, exactly, are we going" ― LitHub

"An accessible take on a flabbergasting subject . . . Draws from just about every intellectual nook and cranny - from Bantu linguistics and Star Trek, to hip-hop and gender theory - to weave an idiosyncratic illustration of the universe as physicists understand it today" ― NPR

About the Author

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein is an associate professor of physics and astronomy and core faculty in women's and gender studies at the University of New Hampshire. She is a columnist for New Scientist and Physics World. She conducts award-winning theoretical physics research on dark matter, the early universe and neutron stars, while also researching Black feminist science studies. Her first book, The Disordered Cosmos: A Journey into Dark Matter, Spacetime and Dreams Deferred, won the 2021 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in science and technology, the 2022 Phi Beta Kappa Award in Science and a 2022 Josephine Miles Award from PEN Oakland. Born in Los Angeles, she has roots spanning from Christ Church, Barbados to Kilburn, London.