If scientists can't touch the Sun, how do they know what it's made of? And if we can't see black holes, how can we be confident they exist? Gravitational physicist David Garfinkle and his brother, science fiction writer Richard Garfinkle, tackle these questions and more in "Three Steps to the Universe", a tour through some of the most complex phenomena in the cosmos and an accessible exploration of how scientists acquire knowledge about the universe through observation, indirect detection, and theory. From the Sun and black holes, the authors lead us further into the unknown, to the dark matter and energy that pervade our universe, where science teeters on the edge of theory and discovery. Returning from the depths of space, the final section of the book brings readers back down to Earth for a final look at the practice of science, ending with a practical guide to discerning real science from pseudoscience among the cacophony of print and online scientific sources. "Three Steps to the Universe" will reward anyone interested in learning more about the universe around us and shows how scientists uncover its mysteries.

戴维·加芬克尔，美国奥克兰大学物理系教授，主要研究领域为引力生物学；

理查德·加芬克尔，美国科幻作家，主要作品有《Celestial Matters》、《All of an Instant》；《Celestial Matters》曾获1997年的康普顿·克罗克奖（Compton Crook Award）；

庾君伟，北京大学天文学系研究生毕业，师从徐仁新教授，对天文痴迷，曾在英国《皇家天文月刊》（Monthly Notices of Royal Astronomical Society，MNRAS）等国内外核心天文期刊上发表SCI科研论文5篇。