Splinters Of Infinity

"Splinters of Infinity is set in a paradigm-shattering era of physics and science, as a series of rapid-fire discoveries and new ideas completely upend humanity's conception of the universe. Among these revolutions, America's two foremost physicists, Robert Millikan and Arthur Compton, find themselves locked in an intense, often deeply personal, conflict about cosmic rays, one of the era's most fascinating and puzzling discoveries: cosmic rays seemed to promise a path into the deepest heart of science, a chance to answer questions that might just explain everything -- or reveal the mind of God"--

The riveting story of a modern age scientific feud between two Nobel Prize-winning scientists over the nature of cosmic rays and the universe. Set in a revolutionary era of physics and science when a series of rapid-fire discoveries was upending our understanding of the universe, Splinters of Infinity by Mark Wolverton tells a little-known story: the tale of two of America’s foremost physicists, Robert Millikan (1868–1953) and Arthur Compton (1892–1962), who found themselves locked in an intense, often deeply personal, conflict about cosmic rays. Confirmed in 1912, cosmic rays—enigmatic forms of penetrating radiation—seemed to raise all new questions about the origins of the universe, but they also offered the potential to explain everything—or reveal the existence of God. In engaging, accessible prose, Wolverton takes the reader through the twists and turns of the Millikan-Compton debate, one of the first major public examples of how heated the controversies among scientists could become—and the lengths that scientists would go to settle their disputes. What set them apart, at least in most cases, Wolverton shows, was their ability to concentrate finally on what mattered: the science. Along the way, Wolverton probes the forever elusive question, still unanswered today, about where cosmic rays come from and what they reveal about black holes, distant galaxies, the existence of dark matter and dark energy, and the birth of the universe, concluding that these splinters of infinity may not hold the keys to the secret of creation but do bring us ever closer to it.

Von Speyr continues her wonderful reflections on the Gospel of John, concentrating here on The Farewell Discourses of Jesus, which reveal both the heart of John's Gospel and the Heart of Our Lord. Adrienne von Speyr was a contemporary Swiss convert, mystic, wife, medical doctor and author of some 70 books on spirituality and theology. She entered the Church under the direction of one the greatest theologians and spiritual writers of the 20th century, Fr. Hans Urs von Balthasar, who became her spiritual director and confessor for the last 30 years of her life. Her writings, recognized as a major contribution to the great mystical writings of the Church, are being translated and published by Ignatius Press. Among her most important works are Book of All Saints, Confession, The World of Prayer, Handmaid of the Lord, and The Passion from Within.

The fight against the Dominion has never been simple. Or convenient. Or easy. But it has changed.Kyle Griffin and his Infinity team made sure of that. After the assault on Aeron's palace, the galaxy suddenly seems turned upside down. The Splinter revolution is no longer an afterthought. Poised to make their first true push toward overthrowing the established order, Commander Griffin takes the reigns of an eager and burgeoning army, leading them into a new age in the galaxy, one where the Dominion doesn't appear invincible. However, they soon learn that their advancement may be nothing but a ruse. A new power is ascending to the throne, bringing with it a ferocity that even the Dominion had never known before. In order to keep their fragile confidence intact, Kyle must search out this dangerous enemy even as he struggles to grasp his own place in the natural order. Can he tame his infamous rage long enough to salvage the progress their victories have brought? Or will more betrayals and loss make the tragedies of war become all too real? Find out in The Splinter's Seige, The Infinity Chronicles, Volume 2.

A witty, conversational, and accessible tour of math's profoundest mysteries. Mathematical symbols, for mathematicians, store worlds of meaning, leap continents and centuries. But we need not master symbols to grasp the magnificent abstractions they represent, and to which all art aspires. Through language, anyone can come to delight in the works of mathematical art, which are among our kind's greatest glories. Taking the concept of infinity, in its countless guises, as a starting point and a helpful touchstone, the founders of Harvard's pioneering Math Circle program Robert and Ellen Kaplan guide us through the “Republic of Numbers,” where we meet both its upstanding citizens and its more shadowy dwellers, explore realms where only the imagination can go, and grapple with math's most profound uncertainties, including the question of truth itself-do we discover mathematical principles, or invent them?

It is easy to be wary of mathematics - but as this book shows, drawing on science, literature and philosophy, its patterns are evrywhere. In witty and eloquent prose, Robert and Ellen Kaplan take mathematics back to its estranged audience, bringing understanding and clarity to a traditionally difficult subject, and revealing the beauty behind the equations. Only by letting loose our curiosity can we learn to appreciate the wonder that can be found in mathematics - an 'art' invented by humans, which is also timeless.

The Genesis of Genesis is about the mytho-empiricism of creation—cosmogony. In its attempt to compare the mythologies of the ancient Eastern Mediterranean cultures—Egyptian, Greek, Judaic and Mesopotamian—the Judaic cosmogony of genesis, which is unique in its reliance on the word as creative agent, is contrasted with the Egyptian, Greek and Mesopotamian mythologies, which are more deterministic.