Review: Ahh, yes— “… above all, for the enrichment of motivated individualists everywhere, those free thinkers of our three-dimensional world, let us proceed with the construction of the Natural universe.”... Well said!

    I began reading “The Search for Understanding” and was so transfixed I could not put the Chapter down! What a beautiful introduction and captivating read. I’ve always admired your writing, at its most telling and lyrical, but this one tops them all. What a marvelous beginning to the book and I would not change anything about the lovely flow, context, historicity and science narrative you so brilliantly put together.

    Enjoyed the section “The Mythology Search” with its Roman Gods and so many others; and the section “The Religion-Restricted Search” with its tragic tale of Giordano Bruno. In the section “The Natural Law Search,” I loved the focus on the Greek philosophers and felt overjoyed by the Heraclitus, single sentence fragment DK22B30 (“everliving fire ...”). I found, on page 31, a gold nugget among so many that preceded, and this was the great, J. J. Thomson memoire; so very fitting here! And my applause grew louder as I approached the page-34 material ending with “… cosmology by the end of the century lost all connection with reality.” I also found the Richard Feymman quote very nicely placed on page 38, preceding the section “The Resumption of the Natural Law Search.” ... So too the wonderful quote from Halton Arp, on page 40. He is one of my all-time heros! … There is more, like the segment on the Catholic Church which delighted me and the segment on Giordano Bruno is so deserved and beautifully presented. All in all, you’ve succeeded in grabbing the attention of sophisticated readers. Well done!
–Roger Ferragallo, California (2014-6-20)

Review: According to the famous cosmologist Edward Harrison, "We must sometimes doubt what everybody is sure about."
    Here we examine what Edwin Hubble actually discovered —and find that it wasn't the expansion of the universe. It wasn't what everybody seemed so sure about. –CR

Review: This important chapter reads well and is nicely done ... ideas clearly explicated. The "Gravity Theories" segment is excellent. I remain impressed how beautifully the historical backgrounds are handled and how readers are provided with a helpful summary chart of the various gravity models.
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-7-2)

Review:  Beautifully written and flows like Aether: clear, profound, conveys the heart of the DSSU. Powerful. ... Loved the extended segment on Steven Strogatz and his "Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order"; what a great find. I've not come across this conceptual application of spontaneous synchronization before.
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-7-17)

Review: Chapter 6 absolutely delighted me; all the more so since it resolved, in convincing fashion, some remaining questions I’ve had about Black Holes.  The presentation is right-on, black holes and event horizons are pure fictional fantasia in contrast with the ‘natural’ answer lying in the DSSU, in its aether-deprivation Terminal Process.

    My assessment was decidedly reinforced after reading, cover to cover, Leonard Susskind’s “The Black Hole War.”   I respect Susskind, who writes with wit and clarity.  There is little doubt he is influential and brilliant but this stops short of his having anything convincing to say to me about cosmology and black holes.  His Holographic Principle is fantasy ridden and like so many of his bright colleagues, he is tied at the hip to Big Bang theory.  I enjoyed his back-and-forth personal exchanges with Stephen Hawking at the Santa Barbara conference in 1993 along with Gerard ‘t Hooft, Penrose, and other luminaries, debating the so-called “Black Hole War” that has raged on endlessly for more than a decade.  Susskind’s book, written in 2008, was well worth reading for reasons that went beyond Black Holes into other issues from which I learned a lot.  His particle “propeller” and “hub” metaphors with illustrations were keenly intuitive and more.

    Let me just underscore the contrast between the Natural approach to interpreting the Universe (in Ranzan’s book) and the conventional view by quoting a perplexed but thoughtful Susskind: 

“But it is hard to dismiss most of the universe as nonsense.  There is no evidence that galaxies thin out or come to an end at the horizon [the cosmic visibility limit].  Astronomical observation indicates that they go on as far as the eye, or telescope, can see.  What are we to make of this situation? –The Black Hole War, p438

    And then a few pages later:

“The Holographic Principle was spectacularly confirmed by Maldacena’s theory of anti de Sitter Space, but the geometry of the real universe, if anything, is more like de Sitter Space [expanding space], with its cosmic horizons and bubbling pocket universes.  At the moment, no one knows how to apply String Theory, The Holographic Principle, or other lessons about black hole horizons to cosmic horizons, but the connections are likely to be very deep.  My own guess is that these connections are at the root of many cosmological puzzles.  Someday I hope to write another book explaining how all this eventually plays out, but I don’t think it will be too soon.” –The Black Hole War, p446 

    Stay tuned, Mr. Susskind, help is at hand! A “Guide” book is now available.

–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-7-25)

Review:  I am left breathless by “Spatial Infinity” because it is eminently readable, erudite, compelling and powerful. Yes, all-encompassing and beautifully written without a hiccup to be found. I absolutely love the concluding Ockham-Razor, Cosmological Principle, Philosophical Arguments and how the Chapter closes with the last word on Time and motion. … All in all, a fine chapter—an organic whole and one that relegates Big Bang theories to the dust bin, once and for all.
–R. Ferragallo, (2014-8-12)

Review:  I had to read this chapter twice. … I found the chapter done fantastically well: start to finish. I might only question the “global warming” metaphor on page 178 but it’s a minor issue not worth discussing.

    Redshift, Hubble distance, powerful CBR discussion, Universe as a Thermodynamic System (Laws) and (Fig. 9-1, 9-2, & 9-3) are truly masterful and convincing to any and all awake lay and sophisticated readers. Defining the deeply misunderstood cosmic reality of CBR destroys, once and for all, the century old torch carried by the Big Bang crowd and their minions. Successfully hammers them with beautifully written informative erudition, “The Ultimate Test” (Fig. 9-4); all truly well done.

    I also found everything on pages 183-191 riveting because you minced no words when discussing Heraclitus (powerful fragments) and contrasting this with ancient Brahmanic-Vedic cosmology followed with Friedman, Steinhardt-Turok, Hoyle, Eddington discussion. I especially admire how you beat up on the “fireworks” crowd. Indeed, DSSU theory, heralding the natural perpetual “Universe Is” concept, uniquely breaks away from all cosmologies from the past.

    Your concluding pages are much appreciated because they filled in many philosophical insights and comparatives that I have thought a lot about over these past years of DSSU study. These latter pages contain the remarkably profound segment on the “necessity of limited existence” which I found exciting and will continue to ponder over.

    Yes, indeed, the Heraclitus “eternal fire” universe is timeless but the “stuff” (energy processes) as it is described coming into being for some 100 billion years must in the end find its Terminal Annihilation. This is not yet totally absorbed in my mind even though I take seriously the concluding admonition “not to overextend the principle of limited existence.”  Unequivocally,“the universe is the sum total of what is and what is continually coming into existence and what is passing out of existence. Nothing more, nothing less. In the context of processes, the universe is the sum total of the energy process(es) and termination process(es).”  I understand the depth of this, but I question not the postulated logic but the philosophical consequences that comes with a human brain/mind (each of us possess) powered by 200 billion neurons with synaptic connections in the cerebral cortex alone, equal in number to all the stars within 1,500 Milky Way galaxies! (Yes, of course, small potatoes when considering the DSSU infinite cellular universe to be sure: BUT I have questions about this...?) The DSSU universe has no beginning and can have no end. In this way the universe is perpetual—its being is forever... and yet, as the chapter conclusion reminds us, “you cannot have a universe that is perpetual in time.” I was left excited and breathless by your concluding thoughts!

    Again, Chapter 9: wonderful, provocative, logical and the science impeccable, and, I must say, held some surprises for me!
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-9-1)

Author’s comment: Chapter 9 contains what I consider to be the ultimate test of validity of ANY theory of the Universe! I intended it to be the hidden gem in the book —and a most useful test for justifying the rejection of rival theories. –CR

Review:  I read Chapter 10 several times because it is readable and flows without a hitch.  It covers a lot of important ground, clarifying the riddle of gravitation and mass, giving a clear understanding of historical aether, giving it the attention it deserves, and always maintaining the connection to the DSSU; it supports all earlier chapters extremely well.

    The sections “Resolving the Riddle of Gravitation,” “Simplification of Fundamental Forces,” “Elliptical Galaxies,” “Gyrating Galaxies,” “Agreement with Special Relativity,” and “Resolving the Mystery of Mass” are all very clearly presented and nicely done.

    I certainly enjoyed the description of elliptical galaxies.  I’ve not had any interest in ellipticals but will not look at them the same after reading the splendidly original presentation.  I detoured through Google to find the literature on this and found a lot of confusion about these objects.  I had always thought that ellipticals (with their abundance of old stars) were subject to angular momentum and thought they generally rotated but this appears not the case (even though there may be some exceptions).  The highly interesting Figs: 10-1, -2, -3, & -4 show the natural progression and relationship of ellipticals to majestic spiral galaxies that caused me to study this ever more closely.  It would appear that ellipticals (variously sized in appearance), perhaps very early on (billions of years) within DSSU voids and likely before our Milky Way/Andromeda spirals began their dynamic pulling, gyrating dance to coalesce as one all the while bound toward their inevitable nodal-cluster destination.  I like how the Milky Way, Andromeda and nodal Virgo Cluster were woven into this discussion.  I appreciate realism and observation with DSSU and enjoy citing this with friends.

     The aether historical background so beautifully woven into mass and the direct cause of gravitation is an awesome presentation and utterly revolutionary in scope.  No one has succeeded as well as Ranzan has in connecting aether, mass (“resolving the mystery of mass”), and gravitation.  Climactic and splendidly done.

    I love the author’s expression, “Our conceivable and perceivable Cosmos is an electromagnetic manifestation on a regenerative aether substrate”... Simply, beautifully stated.   I remain with a philosophical question or two about the cosmic aether, but who among us has not when confronted with an utterly beautiful universe pondered its relationship to life and consciousness?  By all accounts, this aether substrate is truly amazing in its ability to solve long-standing mysteries. The concluding segment, “Resolving the Mystery of Mass” should be mandatory reading for all aether deniers and dreamers of the Higgs field/particle.
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-9-10)

Review:  Chapter 11 is a gem. It deserves the highest possible praise throughout.

    Due diligence is given to the late Halton Arp, who I greatly admired. I try to imagine how he felt all those years of being denied the use of the great observatories of his day (by the gatekeepers of the orthodox view) so as not to give credence to the anomalous observational evidence he uncovered. The account of the redshift anomalies, distance and motion discrepancies, spiral and field galaxies plus the excellent visuals, Fig. 11-1 and Fig. 11-2, in the Chapter introduction is wonderfully readable and presented.

    The section “Galaxy Rotation and Dark Matter Redundancy” puts to rest the puzzling conundrum surrounding why spiral galaxies rotate as they do and why their star flows maintain orbital distances and velocities contrary to the Newtonian-Keplerian rule that prevails within the solar system. Together Fig. 11-4 and 11-5 beautifully illustrate spiral galaxies and the motion of their stars; all in accordance with a natural gravity postulate that embeds the aether into a dynamic process that gives reason and credence to why star distance and velocities are as they are. If this were not the case their stars would be flung away from galaxy cores into the beyond and spiral galaxies would cease to exist. Fig. 11-5 exemplifies the reality that rotating spiral galaxies are maintained and predisposed by two aether effects: aether inflow and aether acceleration. This segment is well done and should be taught in all classrooms in America and beyond.

    The segment on “Cosmic-Scale Structure” is great; especially enjoyed the Kona Conference context that drives a stake through the heart of current theories, namely the Big Bang model. I like the entire context that leads up to discussing the void, galaxy clusters, extended walls of galaxies, ninety-degree-wall structures, linear filaments, etc. Indeed, just the right place to introduce cosmic dodecahedral geometry all nicely presented and illustrated with Fig. 11-6, which deals with 4- and 8- arm structure with convincing realism. I particularly appreciate the paragraph (page 236) that addresses the Coma, Virgo cluster examples related to 8- and 4- arm galaxy clusters; and how all this is put into a context with our Milky Way. I wish there had been more in identifying the all-important "void" (Sculptor Void) we are a party to and other contiguous voids (Fornax, Canes Major, etc.). All in all, "Cosmic-Scale Structure" is nicely presented.

    “A Selection of Other Tests" leads to a climatic crescendo with David Layzer's concept that makes it clear that gravitational forces must regard [i.e., incorporate] center-and-edge architecture and, as the author puts it, "there must be a center-of-gravity location." The concept fits DSSU theory to a tee and destroys what little is left of Big Bang cosmology! Beautifully done throughout! It is made abundantly clear on page 240 where the need for a source energy is noted and where the chapter finishes off with Ockham's rule of simplicity —the application of this rule simply destroys all of the crazy theories and models out there that cannot hold a candle to the DSSU natural construction.
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-9-20)

Review:  Without a single equation, Chapter 12 made my day.

    I admire the opening segment “Unification as a Guide to deeper Understanding” for its transparency and intelligibility.  The Brian Greene quotes are well targeted for what follows, what amounts to an excellent summary of DSSU unification which unmistakably elucidates the heart of the non-material aether and resultant emergence of energy, mass, photon, electromagnetic effects, the cause of gravitation, special relativity, speed-of-light illusion, and time as process.

    The next segment “The Photon-Gravity Connection” focuses on a relatedness that many theorists have sought, including Einstein who had searched during many years of his life. “And the key was, as Einstein had suspected, the aether.”   Revisiting this connection is of great consequence here.

    “The Mainspring of Existence” section delivers a devastating blow to the orthodoxies and wrong-headed cosmologies.  Very convincing and great lead-in to “… back to the real world”!  And in the real world, there exists an essential “Primary Cause process on the smallest possible scale … essential, because the Universe cannot exist without a root-cause process.”

    The mainspring of existence elucidation is followed by the “Concept Map of the Natural Universe.” This extremely important segment is profound, brilliant and beautifully crafted —start to finish.  Altogether, a clear and well organized presentation of the 4 axioms and 4 postulates:  a very decisive, defining moment within the pages of this book and the very heart and soul of Chapter 12 that defines the Natural construction. The addition of the flowchart (Fig 12-1) works well to bring together the remarkably balanced perpetual processes embodied in the four axioms and four postulates.

    I liked the breakaway discussion surrounding axioms Essence Process I and II, which, for some, may strike a metaphysical chord.  Assuredly it is challenging to accept the very deep nature and subtle distinctions drawn between Axioms I and II since they are necessarily deep sub-quantum non-material processes.  The metaphysical question was handily put to rest throughout page 256.  Bravo!  Readers are sure to come away from the clearly drawn "concept map" that views a Natural construction cutting through the morass of errant cosmologies (with their fine tuning problems and all).  I hadn't realized that the four postulated processes carry such an exquisite balance according to which “increasing their rates” affects only cosmic cell size and changes mainly the distance between nodes!  Again, the calculations, reasoning and logic preserve our extraordinary construction from A to Z. 

    I must mention, the similarity between Postulate #I and essence process II sent me to revisit Ranzan’s earlier journal-published Paper, “The Processes of Gravitation.”  It was breathtaking to read again the precise numbers describing aether points a kilometer apart that grow barely over 3 centimeters every million years. But scaled cumulatively within colossal cosmic voids, the prodigious space-medium expansion boggles the mind; meanwhile, the opposite occurs at nodal gravity wells where contractile aether dissipation (via Postulate #2) and resultant end-process extinction take place.

    The closing segment “Apparent Chaos and Concealed Order” explains in unambiguous terms why an intrinsically highly-ordered cellular universe appears to be so chaotic.  It explains the misguided confusion among astronomers who see and interpret the evidence of explosion, disorder, randomness and chaos, evidence that grows more pronounced the deeper they peer into space with their telescopes. And yet the distortions are, in fact, the line of sight consequences of a highly ordered cellular universe.  I enjoyed the discussion of observational gravitational lensing.  True enough!  Astronomy, must come to terms with the observational line-of-sight realities.  The unending plethora of powerful nodal gravity wells bend and distort the light the deeper one peers into space.  Hidden in the chaos is the beautiful aesthetic order of DSSU multi-cellularity.

    The writing and erudition I found to be masterful! All in all, a very well done chapter indeed.
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-10-8)

Review:   I've immersed myself mightily in the last chapter, "The Secret of the Universe" and have come away with ever increasing understanding of the finer details that brought this book, over the years, to fruition. This chapter is wonderfully written with crystal clear summation of all the preceding chapters. The opening "Wherein the Secret Lies" sets the stage and reveals a recurring historical pattern; we learn the root of Einstein's insistence that the universe had to be balanced.  Indeed, it becomes clear that the true secret lies in “balancing the positive and negative energy of the universe.” And the challenge has always been in achieving that balance. The segment “Energy Balance in the Natural DSSU,” with the aid of Table 13-2 and 13-3, brings into sharp focus the difference between the approach that fails and the one that succeeds. The energy-accounting comparison clearly shows the physics community has had it wrong by ignoring the role of aether and Lambda with respect to gravity, mass and energy. The author succeeds in untangling the morass of confusion. Without reiterating the obvious, it is enough to say that Lambda stands as a perpetual font, ever positive and ever in harmonious opposition to absolutely all forms of "negative" energy —radiation, mass/matter, and gravitation, which must by cosmic necessity annihilate aether units singly or en masse in order to exist. And so it is that both sides, negative and positive, exist as opposites in harmony and epitomize "the secret of the universe."

    I can only applaud, loudly what follows with “A Historical Quirk, a Fateful Imbalance” all nicely put forth in clear prose, along with Table 13-4, which speaks for itself. Surprised by Feynman's taking the positive view entirely, which he bases on the presumption that all one needs is to have everything work out mathematically; the same may be said of Dirac. I'm convinced by the Natural view that “all matter and antimatter represent negative energy” and the logic of placing mass, radiation, electric fields, magnetic fields, and gravity on the same side of the accounting chart. I continue to be most pleased that DSSU elevates the photon and reinforces its fundamental position once again.

    High applause, too, for the “Source Energy” segment. I especially love the “principle of limited existence.”  All of nature from lowly bacterium to the mighty spiral galaxy must, by natural law, have limited existence whether considered philosophically or scientifically. Both play in the same yard and by the same rules. Order prevails, but defining "order" becomes an interesting open question restrained only by cosmic law; and particular emphasis is given to “source energy as unique” and assuredly not a "seed" in any sense of the word. The discussion of the cosmic essence process inspired me to higher levels of visualization. … Yes, indeed, the essence process is a "special" philosophical mysterious process. I like the rendition, Fig.13-1, because the balance-scale image is logical and identifies “the secret lies in the perpetual balance between Source Energy and Sink Energy.” … I'm particularly stirred by the flowchart (Fig.13-2).

    Now, "On the Balance of the Evidence": I like the discussion within this segment and very much appreciate, as will other readers, the Table 13-5 and 13-6 summaries. They are both excellent and well put together. The contrasts between the expanding universe paradigm and Natural cellular cosmology columns are clear and telling. Well done and nicely placed, particularly as they present a factual realistic critique that gives clarity and realism where it is most needed. Here, surely, the Book succeeds in driving a silver stake through the heart of the expanding universe paradigm.

    The section “Fateful Assumptions” works well with the preceding segment because it recapitulates the historical record of "self-delusion" and worse. I like the writing style throughout this entire Chapter and especially in this concluding section where we find some fiery prose with a certain genuine passion. Here we find writing reinforced by the honest convictions of a dedicated scientist who believes in the power of study, research, love of science, focus of mind, and respect of history for conveying reality —particularly the reality that comes from inspired truth about the mystery of existence.
–R. Ferragallo, California (2014-11-1)

The "Guide to the Construction of the Natural Universe" with its powerful 4 Axioms and 4 Postulates brings a stunning 21st-century cosmology and breath of fresh air to the unbridled confusion brought on today by all the expanding universes, big bangs, multi-verses, cyclical concoctions, fractal hierarchies, and more. While these models contribute to public excitement, they unfortunately also hold sway with unmitigated influence in the halls of science, academia and the popular press. This highly-original well-written and illustrated 317-page book unfolds a natural universe based on tangible realism and astronomical observation. It adds remarkable new science that renders a profound understanding of fundamental aether that ties a cosmic space-medium (having a positive Lambda nature) to what no one had accomplished in the history of science: the historic DSSU discovery of the contractile processes of negative-energy gravitation and the cosmic cell-structure thereby sustained. With uncommon originality the 'cellular' Dynamic Steady State Universe embodies a revolutionary cosmology that also brings forth a unique realistic view of particle physics joined directly to the processes of gravitation, mass-energy, radiation, magnetism, spiral galaxies and to the very largest structure we observe beyond the Milky Way. What we have here is an inspired, beautifully presented, all inclusive, fundamental vision made crystal clear with erudite logic, rigorous research founded in natural science and objective truth. In the course of the universe "construction" Conrad Ranzan thoughtfully acknowledges the contributions and insights of great minds both past and contemporary, including Heraclitus, Newton, Maxwell, Dirac, Einstein, Williamson, Feynman, Susskind, Greene, Primack, and others. What a magnum opus this seminal work represents! A most exciting book, it is a must read not only for anyone interested in cosmology but anyone wishing to expand their consciousness, their awareness of reality. – (2014-11)