• The 4 Percent Universe

  • Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Race to Discover the Rest of Reality
  • By: Richard Panek
  • Narrated by: Ray Porter
  • Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
  • 4.1 out of 5 stars (2,078 ratings)

Access a growing selection of included Audible Originals, audiobooks, and podcasts.
You will get an email reminder before your trial ends.
Audible Plus auto-renews for $7.95/mo after 30 days. Upgrade or cancel anytime.
The 4 Percent Universe  By  cover art

The 4 Percent Universe

By: Richard Panek
Narrated by: Ray Porter
Try for $0.00

$7.95 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $15.56

Buy for $15.56

Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's summary

Over the past few decades, a handful of scientists have been racing to explain a disturbing aspect of our universe: only four percent of it consists of the matter that makes up you, me, our books, and every star and planet. The rest is completely unknown.

Richard Panek tells the dramatic story of the quest to find this “dark” matter and an even more bizarre substance called “dark energy”. This is perhaps the greatest mystery in all of science, and solving it will bring fame, funding, and certainly a Nobel Prize. Based on in-depth reporting and interviews with the major players—from Berkeley’s feisty, excitable Saul Perlmutter and Harvard’s witty but exacting Robert Kirshner to the doyenne of astronomy, Vera Rubin—the book offers an intimate portrait of the bitter rivalries and fruitful collaborations, the eureka moments and blind alleys, that have fueled their search, redefined science, and reinvented the universe.

The stakes couldn’t be higher. Our view of the cosmos is profoundly wrong, and Copernicus was only the beginning: not just Earth, but all common matter is a marginal part of existence. Panek’s fast-paced narrative, filled with original reporting and behind-the-scenes details, brings this epic story to life for the very first time.

©2011 Richard Panek (P)2011 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“It’s the biggest mystery of all: why is the universe expanding at an accelerated rate? At its heart is a search for what forces and particles make up reality. It baffled Einstein, and it now obsesses a cadre of fascinating cosmologists. By brilliantly capturing their passions and pursuits, Richard Panek has made this cosmic quest exciting and understandable.” (Walter Isaacson, New York Times best-selling author of Einstein: His Life and Universe)
“A superior account of how astronomers discovered that they knew almost nothing about 96 percent of the universe…. Panek delivers vivid sketches of scientists, lucid explanations of their work, and revealing descriptions of the often stormy rivalry that led to this scientific revolution, usually a media cliché, but not in this case.” ( Kirkus Reviews)
“Science journalist Panek offers an insider’s view of the quest for what could be the ultimate revelation.... This lively story of big personalities, intellectual competitiveness, and ravenous curiosity is as entertaining as it is illuminating.” ( Publishers Weekly)

Featured Article: The Best Audiobooks for Star Gazers, Amateur Astronomers, and UFOlogists


From the beginning of time, humans have looked up to the sky in adoration and curiosity, a trend that continues today. The future of space exploration is abundant with people curious to discover what lies beyond the little blue marble we call Earth. Whether you’re someone who looks up to the sky and wonders what that one bright star is, or a seasoned astronomy enthusiast looking to become a pro, these audiobooks are full of insights and revelations.

What listeners say about The 4 Percent Universe

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    890
  • 4 Stars
    735
  • 3 Stars
    329
  • 2 Stars
    85
  • 1 Stars
    39
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,029
  • 4 Stars
    523
  • 3 Stars
    166
  • 2 Stars
    30
  • 1 Stars
    13
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    772
  • 4 Stars
    546
  • 3 Stars
    313
  • 2 Stars
    87
  • 1 Stars
    34

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen, even for a novice

I don't usually write reviews , but made made an exception for this audio program. Both the story and the narrator kept me engaged and fascinated throughout the entire book even though I was not familiar with the subject matter.

I recommend this book highly!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Entertaining and interesting.

I enjoyed how the author did not take himself or the subject too seriously. It is a field of study that is exciting because there is so much that is unknown. That may be the one drawback to the book. If you are looking for a difinitive answer about dark matter and dark energy, you will be disappointed with the honest (and well explained) uncertainty on the subject.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

An Audible page turner

I have virtually no math background, just a layman's curiosity about astronomy and particle physics. Panek lightens up the science with insight into the personality of each person on this quest. I was learning about cosmology, but also rooting for the scientists. Well done...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Don't make this one your first book...

Don't make this book your first on this subject. It's more like an intermediate level or you could struggle a bit.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Humbling

Great & lucid explanation of the physics and an extremely humbling reminder if of human insignificance. Both individually & as a species.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • DS
  • 03-04-13

AN ENJOYABLE TRIP TO THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE

I enjoyed this look into the world of Cosmology, Theoretical Physics and Astronomy. The politics were interesting, illuminating and, thank goodness, ultimately not all that important to the discoveries made.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Content and narration

First the subject matter (dark & Light mater) Was vivetting! I most interesting book I've ever listened to! I don't know anything about Phisics or even higher math, but I understood almost everything, from a caveman view of course.
second, Ray Porter is by far the Best narrator in the audio book world!! Thank you!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Nerdom achieved

I did this one as a filler when it was free. Certainly worth my time.
I am a trained engineer but don't judge me.
The insights and history of measuring the cosmos were rather entertaining.
It really surprised me.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful listen, can get long in parts

Overall a wonderful, brilliant coverage of a vast range of topics. At times the story jumps around so much one gets impatient to just get on with the progression. Brilliant narration.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Bigger than God

What a bunch of egotistical and pompous individuals that pretended to be a team. Though this book centers around these interesting theories and topics it always comes back to who did what first and contributed the most. They fight nonstop over who gets to pat themselves on the back with the biggest stick. I did enjoy most of the book, but as it continued the in fighting amongst arrogant scientists just grew and grew. Amazingly no murder occurred (though one on another team in the Artic was eluded to...). I would not recommend listening to this book. Ray Porter is amazing and kept me listening. I'm glad I didn't pay for this one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!