Understanding The Universe: From Quarks To Cosmos (Revised Edition)

A veteran of many popular talks on physics, (Lincoln) charmingly relates the tale of humankind’s almost insatiable curiosity about the ultimate nature of nature and the quest to determine the basic particles of matter. – Library Journal “Library Journal”Don Lincoln takes us on a rollicking tour of the universe: The reader finds out what we particle physicists understand about it, how we arrived at that understanding and where we think we’re going next with our research… – American Scientist “American Scientist”Don Lincoln, an experimentalist on DZero at Fermilab, motivates his tale of the development of particle physics, from its origins to its current state, almost entirely by experiments, a refreshing alternative to the usual theoretical treatments. – Symmetry “Symmetry”Knowledgeably written … ‘Understanding the Universe’ provides the nonspecialist general reader with a fascinating and informative introduction to the complex world of quarks, leptons, and the forces that govern particle physics. – Midwest Book Review “Midwest Book Review”Lincoln has an infectious love for physics … (and) demonstrates a humorous writing style that successfully engages the reader. – Publishers Weekly “Publishers Weekly”Lincoln offers lay readers a complete tour of particle physics … (he) writes very well, using a mixture of humor, history and analogies as well basic scientific explanations … (and) does a particularly good job of covering the full gamut of particle physics. – Choice “Choice”The author is well equipped to write a book on the topic … It is not light reading, but worth the effort … Lincoln is careful to distinguish between what is known versus what is merely dreamed. – Mensa Bulletin “Mensa Bulletin”This book is addressed to the curious layman, with only a murky recollection of school physics, who wants to know how far mankind has gone in understanding the world around us … It is an excellent reference for any scientist who is occasionally unsure how best to explain a particular physics concept to a non-specialist audience … – CERN Courier “CERN Courier”

Don Lincoln is an experimental physicist on the scientific staff of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, the world’s premier particle physics laboratory. Born in 1964, he received his PhD in 1993 from Rice University, where he was the Lodieska Stockbridge Vaughn Fellow. He then moved to the University of Michigan as a Research Fellow, where he joined the DA experiment, one of two large international collaborations where the highest-energy research is performed. In 1998, he joined the Fermilab scientific staff. During his tenure at DA , he has been responsible for a number of multi-million-dollar and very high-tech projects. It was during this time that the DA experiment (along with its sister experiment) announced the exciting discovery of the top quark. A prolific author, Don has coauthored over 120 scientific papers in prestigious journals. Don has a passion for public speaking and conveying the meaning of cutting-edge physics research to various audiences. While he has delivered scientific lectures on three continents and in many countries, he has also given over 100 talks to a wide range of audiences, including nonphysicist collegiates, teachers, children of all ages, and many adult groups. He is as comfortable speaking to an audience of hundreds as he is to an audience of one. He is heavily involved with the Fermilab Education and Public Outreach programs and feels that it is the duty of any practising scientist to share the excitement of their research with others.