The Edge of Space-Time

Particles, Poetry and the Cosmic Dream Boogie

Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

• Publisher: Canongate Books
• Year: 2026
• eBook ISBN:
  9781837261062
• Topic: Physical Sciences
• Subtopic: Cosmology

'One of the most accomplished and important science writers of our time' ED YONG
'Chanda Prescod-Weinstein brings light to our universe' ROBIN INCE

In The Edge of Space-Time, Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes readers to the boundaries of the universe, inviting us to spend time at the edge of what we know about space-time – and about ourselves.

Guided by her conviction that science is for everybody, Prescod-Weinstein renders accessible some of the most abstract concepts of theoretical physics and draws on poetry and popular culture – from Queen Latifah to Lewis Carroll to Big K.R.I.T. to Sun Ra and Star Trek – to tell fascinating stories about the fundamental quantum nature of space-time and everything inside of it.

Here we meet the quantum cat that is both dead and alive, learn the difference between dark matter and dark energy, explore the inner workings of black holes and investigate the possibility of a unified theory of quantum gravity.

Through Prescod-Weinstein's clear-eyed and unique perspective, and informed by her deep knowledge of post-colonial history and Black feminist thought, The Edge of Space-Time argues that physics is an essential way for everyone to look at the universe and presents a compelling case that 'the edge' is a powerful vantage point from which to see the big picture. Prescod-Weinstein also shows us how spending time with the cosmos is a vital human activity that enriches all our lives.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Sankofa
• I. The People Could Fly
• II. Queer Phenomenology
• III. Through the Looking Glass
• IV. Let’s Fly
• Acknowledgments
• Notes
• Bibliography and Recommended Reading
• Index
• Illustration Credits