The author, one of the pioneers of string theory, has produced an accessible guide for the general reader to some of the most formidable modern concepts of mathematics and physics. These include string theory itself, hyperspace, non-Euclidean geometry, Kaluza-Klein theory and supergravity.

This volume collects the research of today's scientists to explore the possibilities of the science of tomorrow. Among the issues covered are how decoding DNA will allow us to alter and reshape our genetic heritage, and how quantum physicists will harness the energy of the Universe.

Was there a beginning of time?, Could time run backwards? and Is the universe infinite are just some of the questions considered in this book for the non-scientific layman. The author begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein and then delves into the secrets which lie at the heart of space and time.

String theory proclaims that all of the wondrous happenings in the universe are reflections of one grand physical principle and manifestations of one single entity: microscopically tiny vibrating loops of energy. This text relates the scientific story and the human struggle behind this theory.

Unravelling the latest amazing breakthroughs in theoretical physics, Stephen Hawking guides the reader through the evolution of Einsteinian physics to a universe of ten dimensions and a so-called theory of everything.