A User’s Guide to the Universe: Surviving the Perils of Black Holes, Time Paradoxes, and Quantum Uncertainty

(Wiley) In this book, the authors give nonphysicists an overview of popular physics topics, answering questions such as “Are black holes real, or are they just made up by bored physicists?” and “Is it possible to build a Star Trek-type transporter or a working time machine?” Serving up neither math nor equations (save one: E=mc²), they instead begin each chapter with a cartoon illustration by Blomquist that features an “inexcusably terrible pun” and a “question about how the universe works.” The chapter then provides the answer. A physicist interested in the interface between science and pop culture, Goldberg has contributed to Slate.com and appeared on WNYC’s Studio 360 to discuss time travel.   He is associate professor of physics at Drexel University. Blomquist is an engineer at Boeing Aerospace.