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A number of people have made this book possible, and I would like to
acknowledge their collaboration publicly.
My closest ally is Maribel Arévalo, my companion, my friend, and my love.
She sifted through each chapter as I wrote it, giving her honest and pointed
criticisms, while consigning the early versions to the wastepaper bin.
The second filter —literary and grammatical—was the philologist Juncal
García-Ramos Arévalo, a cultivated and well-read lady of exquisite taste.
Thirdly, I express my gratitude to Casiana Muñoz-Tuñón, astrophysicist,
my ally in many battles, a deep and dependable person. Among other things,
she prevented me from occasionally committing overheated and inappropriate remarks to paper.
With her dedicated, meticulous, and whole-hearted approach to all that
the IAC represents, Mariam Mónica Gutiérrez, a very special person, must
receive particular mention. She undertook the delicate and complex task of
repeatedly formatting and correcting the text.
Terry Mahoney, with his usual professionalism, took on the task of translating the book into English. He also aptly proposed a number of additions to
the Spanish version.
Dr Carmen del Puerto, our resident journalist and former director of the
Science and Cosmos Museum, among her many other duties, and currently
head of the IAC’s Press and Outreach Unit and defender of women in science,
supervised the entire production process of the Spanish version of the book,
including its attractive cover, designed by Inés Bonet.
To all, my deepest thanks.
Acknowledgements