Description

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"Riveting."—Science



A Forbes, Physics Today, Science News, and Science Friday Best Science Book Of 2018

Cosmologist and inventor of the BICEP (Background Imaging of Cosmic Extragalactic Polarization) experiment, Brian Keating tells the inside story of the mesmerizing quest to unlock cosmology’s biggest mysteries and the human drama that ensued. We follow along on a personal journey of revelation and discovery in the publish-or-perish world of modern science, and learn that the Nobel Prize might hamper—rather than advance—scientific progress. Fortunately, Keating offers practical solutions for reform, providing a vision of a scientific future in which cosmologists may finally be able to see all the way back to the very beginning.

About the Author

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Brian Keating is a professor of physics at the University of California, San Diego; a Fellow of the American Physical Society; a commercially rated pilot; and the director of the Simons Observatory. He received the 2007 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for his work on BICEP. He lives with his family in La Jolla, California.

Praise For…

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Charming and clever, Losing the Nobel Prize bounces between clear explanations of nitty-gritty science, accounts of personal relationships and historical lessons.

— ScienceNews

By losing the Nobel Prize, Keating… has led us to an even greater victory: the recognition that there are more important things in this Universe… than the fleeting glory of an earthly award.
— Forbes

A compelling personal memoir, a fascinating history of cosmology, and an interesting firsthand account of a dramatic scientific adventure.
— Physics Today

[Keating] is a deft writer, interweaving the science with personal musings.
— Ron Cowen - Nature

An engaging examination of challenges that scientists, especially cosmologists, face today.
— Ramin Skibba - Undark

Engaging and accessible.… Science enthusiasts and scientists alike will enjoy delving into this exciting extragalactic drama.
— Library Journal

Brian Keating's riveting new book tells the inside story of the search for cosmic origins, emphasizing the influence of Nobel dreams and laying bare the question of whether the lure of grand prizes is ultimately a good thing for science.
— Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe

A fascinating autobiographical account, full of intriguing detail, of the passions and inspirations that underlie the scientific quest to comprehend the nature and origins of our universe.… A highly thoughtful and informative book.
— Sir Roger Penrose, Emeritus Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford, and author of The Emperor’s New Mind

Visionary Brian Keating takes us along on a refreshing and honest journey to see how great discoveries are made and unmade. This is one of the greatest stories told in cosmology. I couldn’t put it down!
— Stephon Alexander, professor of physics, Brown University; jazz musician; and author of The Jazz of Physics

In this riveting personal account, Brian Keating writes frankly of his challenges, frustrations, and motivations during the years spent building and operating the instruments used to tackle one of the most fundamental problems in science: how our universe began.
— Martin J. Rees, Astronomer Royal and author of Universe