The New Cosmology

The New Cosmology, Harold W.G. Allen, Perspective Books, 2002

Based on a lifetime of interest in, and research on, earth and its place in the cosmos, the author asserts some startling theories about the state of the universe.

Allen is not a creationist, but he does not dismiss the influence of a force or principle at work that some people call God. The fundamental nature of the cosmos is such that all life contains spirit (specific and varying segments of perfection, or whatever God consists of) and that it is able to rise to higher levels, eventually terminating in none other than God himself.

Did you know that the universe has an impenetrable boundary? The solar system is rushing toward it, but the period of time before it will become a problem can be measured in millions of years.

The author spends much of the book exposing several large holes in the Big Bang theory of universe creation. He asserts that the observable evidence just doesn't add up. A much better theory is that of Continuous Creation (a series of smaller Bangs). At a certain point, universe expansion turns into universe contraction, eventually leading to another Small Bang. Most of his other objections to the Big Bang were beyond this reviewer.

Allen takes the reader painlessly through cosmology, starting with the earth, the sun and the solar system, and spreading out to nearby stars, quasars, pulsars, black holes and continuing on to nearby galaxies. There is a blessed lack of equations and technical jargon in this book. He does a fine job at "layman level" science, but the point comes at which some previous knowledge of cosmology would help. For professional scientists, and for those who simply want a different view of the universe, this book is well worth reading.