How does our Universe evolve? And how did structures like stars and galaxies form? In recent years, scientists' understanding of these profound questions has developed enormously. This book presents a clear and detailed picture of contemporary cosmology for the general reader. Unlike existing popular books on cosmology, After the First Three Minutes does not gloss over details, nor shy away from explaining the underlying concepts. Instead, with a lucid and informal style, the author introduces all the relevant background and then carefully pieces together an engaging story of the evolution of our Universe. We are left with a state-of-the-art picture of scientists' current understanding in cosmology, and a keen taste of the excitement of this fast-moving science. Throughout, no mathematics is used; and all technical jargon is clearly introduced and reinforced in a handy glossary at the end of the book. For general readers who want to get to grips with what we really do and don't know about our Universe, this book provides an exciting and uncompromising read.

‘From the tiny to the large, from there to here, from then to now, the cosmic itinerary is successfully completed in a lucid exposition that will undoubtedly be reachable and easy to follow for the general reader who already has a basic understanding of mathematics and physics. Never have I read such a non-mathematical account of cosmology in one go. It reads well, is coherent, and makes a brilliant use of vivid examples from everyday life in order to explain issues that otherwise would have seemed incomprehensible, at least to the general reader. Overall, the book appears to be self-contained, well-balanced and structured, and it remains highly stimulating to the very end. I would strongly recommend it as an essential guide to the formation of structures within the framework of contemporary cosmology, and I hope that the reader will enjoy reading it as much as I did.’

Vaggelis Kolokotronis Source: The Observatory

‘A renowned cosmologist who has contributed much to the technical literature of his field, Thanu Padmanabhan offers an enjoyable account of our current understanding of galaxy formation and evolution, as well as a comprehensive tour of the necessary physics in After the First Three Minutes ... it’s nice to have a book that gets down to the nitty-gritty … I enjoyed it.’

Paul Parsons Source: New Scientist

‘ … a no nonsense popular science book on structure formation in the Universe … The book develops a clear, detailed picture of cosmology without glossing over details or shying away from difficult concepts : for the serious reader who really wants to learn about the current thinking on cosmology, this is a learn about the current thinking on cosmology, this is a must.’

Laurence Quigley Source: Astronomy and Space

‘Anyone with more than a passing interest in cosmology will enjoy this book.’

Pam Spence Source: Astronomy Now