A gripping first-person account of how scientists came to understand our universe's mysterious structureJ. Richard Gott was among the first cosmologists to propose that the structure of our universe is like a sponge made up of clusters of galaxies intricately connected by filaments of galaxies-a magnificent structure now called the "cosmic web"

"Always riveting and thought-provoking, Gott deftly drills down, tunneling through our spongelike universe to reveal wide vistas for contemplation."—Siobhan Roberts, author of Genius at Play: The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway"If you're baffled by such things as dark matter, dark energy, and the curvature of space-time, help is at hand. J. Richard Gott is an eminent physicist who has made fundamental contributions to our understanding of the cosmos—but he also has a gift for expressing complex ideas in clear, compelling language. The Cosmic Web is a terrific guide to what astrophysicists know about the universe, what they don't know, and how they're searching for answers."—Michael D. Lemonick, author of Mirror Earth: The Search for Our Planet's Twin"Cosmology fans and budding cosmologists will benefit from Gott's story of the personalities and ideas behind a century of discovery about our universe and its structure. We learn of Gott's role in the concept of the multiverse and many other aspects of modern cosmology—and, as he puts it, whether the universe resembles meatballs or Swiss cheese."—Jay M. Pasachoff, Williams College"With lucidity and dry wit, Gott tells the story of how he and his colleagues mapped the large-scale structure of the universe, drawing together the physics of large and small in what must rank among the most significant scientific attainments of modern times. The Cosmic Web is easily accessible to general readers, but I'm betting that even cosmological aficionados will learn from it. Essential reading for everyone interested in how the cosmos got to be what it is today.—Timothy Ferris"This is an excellent book written by a major contributor to the research on cosmic structure. Gott shows how theory, simulations, and galaxy redshift surveys combine to give us a detailed understanding of the ‘cosmic web,' and convincingly describes how our knowledge has advanced as computation and observational capabilities have improved."—Chris Impey, coauthor of Dreams of Other Worlds: The Amazing Story of Unmanned Space Exploration"By going beyond a sort of ‘Cosmology 101' pseudo-history. . . Gott provides a complement to this more conventional story, artfully recounting the excitement, debates, and false directions that led to our current ‘best bet' theoretical description of the universe."—Martin Bucher,Physics World"Not only do astronomers know the extent and content of the universe, they know where it all came from. . . . It is a picture of our universe that previous generations would have killed for. Gott describes all of this with clarity, charm and infectious enthusiasm. . . . Excellent."—Marcus Chown,Times Higher Education