First published in 1973, this influential work discusses Einstein's General Theory of Relativity to show how two of its predictions arise: first, that the ultimate fate of many massive stars is to undergo gravitational collapse to form 'black holes'; and second, that there was a singularity in the past at the beginning of the universe. Starting with a precise formulation of the theory, including the necessary differential geometry, the authors discuss the significance of space-time curvature and examine the properties of a number of exact solutions of Einstein's field equations. They develop the theory of the causal structure of a general space-time, and use it to prove a number of theorems establishing the inevitability of singularities under certain conditions. A Foreword contributed by Abhay Ashtekar and a new Preface from George Ellis help put the volume into context of the developments in the field over the past fifty years.

Author: Stephen W. Hawking, George F. R. Ellis
Binding Type: Hardcover
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 02/16/2023
Series: Cambridge Monographs on Mathematical Physics
Pages: 410
Weight: 1.75lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.00d
ISBN: 9781009253154