Heaven & Earth: Unseen by the naked eye

Description

Now available as a mini paperback, Heaven & Earth charts an awe-inspiring voyage of discovery through the infinite world of science - from the smallest particles on the earth's surface to tiny dots in galaxies that are light years away. Featuring the extensive range of matter contained in the cosmos, the book navigates an unfamiliar world and celebrates the beauty and boundless mysteries of planet earth and the universe. These beautiful photographs are presented in sequence according to scale and distance within distinct chapters, and are accompanied by extended captions. Through the lens of a microscope or the shaft of a telescope exists a universe of life and beauty that is unknown to many. Hidden from sight because of the restricted ability of the human eye, atoms, ice crystals, grains of pollen, snowflakes, butterfly wings, cloud formations, searing comets, and showers of stars are born, live and die. Heaven & Earth charts an awe-inspiring voyage of discovery through this infinite world that is science - from the smallest particles on the earth's surface to tiny dots in galaxies that are light years away. Featuring the extensive range of matter contained in the cosmos, the book navigates a fascinating trajectory through an unfamiliar world and celebrates the beauty and boundless mysteries of planet earth and the universe. The images are presented in sequence according to scale and distance within distinct chapters. All the images are taken with some form of camera or instrument used to view these fragments of life and nature - microscope, x-ray, satellite, telescope, etc. - and nothing can be seen with the naked eye. Presented as art, these beautiful but unfamiliar images are accompanied by extended captions. The captions explain what we are looking at, how small or far away it is, how it was photographed and where it can be found, as well as offering an interesting snippet of scientific information that enables us to associate with it on a human scale. A glossary of scientific terms is also included.

David Malin is a well-known astronomer and a leader in astronomical photography. He was formerly Photographic Scientist at the Anglo-Australian Observatory in New South Wales and is currently Adjunct Professor of Scientific Photography at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. Recent winner of the prestigious Lennart Nilsson prize, Malin's pioneering photographs of space have revolutionized our knowledge and understanding of the universe. Widely published, Malin has written numerous scientific papers and books. He has also lectured on science, astronomy and photography at institutions worldwide. Katherine Roucoux is a freelance science writer and a Research Fellow at the University of Leeds. She has a PhD in Quaternary palaeoecology from the University of Cambridge and an MSc in Science Communication from Imperial College, London. As well as acting as editorial researcher on Heaven & Earth, Roucoux has written the image captions and glossary for the book.

'Once you've seen a snowflake magnified 6500 times or an x-ray image of the sun, you will never look at the world in quite the same way. This beautifully illustrated book reveals the startling, hidden beauty of our universe.' The Good Book Guide 'For transcendendant beauty, buy Heaven & Earth: Unseen by the Naked Eye.' Evening Standard 'Visually, the book is a work of art but the subject is scientifically fascinating ... An exceptional book' Focus 'an immaculately presented source of information ... A unique exploration of the boundless relationship between science and art.' Creative Review 'Heaven and Earth sends us back with renewed vision to the heaven and earth in which we live, more able, as the poet William Blake wrote: "To see a world in a grain sand / And a heaven in a wild flower / Hold infinity in the palm of your hand / And eternity in an hour."' Times Education Supplement 'Both educational and inspirational ... a breathtaking journey' Geographical Magazine