No study of Dark Matter is legitimate without frequent references to Vera Rubin (Vera Florence Cooper Rubin, 1928 - 2016). She is the astronomer who’s observations and calculations provided the first evidence of Dark Matter. Rubin’s rock-solid mathematics exposed a discrepancy between what conventional models predicted and what was actually observed. Her work strongly suggested that there were vast elements of the universe (roughly 96%!) still unaccounted for.

I am convinced that the best indicator of a truly great scientific discovery is the “scoff.” If you, as an astronomer, stand before an assembly of your peers and give a presentation—one that is augmented with slides and notes and pages and pages of calculus—and, at its conclusion, everyone stands and applauds then there is a good chance that you need to rethink your hypothesis. Historically speaking, all the great ideas are met with tepid golf claps, indifference, or outright animosity. Vera Rubin’s thesis, one that eventually changed the course of modern cosmology, was initially greeted with an eye roll and a scoff. The scoff is key. If your dissertation is scoffed then you know you’re on to something extraordinary (just a thought).

There is much more to Richard Panek’s book than the exaltation of Vera Rubin, but Panek is nothing if not cognizant and reverent of her importance. Rubin gets substantial ink in this engaging scientific chronology and that is reason enough to recommend it.