The story of 15 billion years of cosmic evolution, transforming matter and life into consciousness, how science and civilization grew up together and the forces and individuals who helped shape modern science. The book aims to make scientific ideas accessible and exciting.

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.

Tells the human story of the nine planets of our solar system. This work traces the lives of each member, from myth and history, astrology and science fiction, to the data from the robotic space probes. It gives a view of the heavenly bodies that have captured the imagination since humanity's first glimpse of the glittering night skies.

Updated through 2010, this field guide for the new millennium is a must- have for anyone interested in the night sky.

From the international best-selling author of Longitude, Galileo's Daughter is the fascinating story of the relationship between the great Italian scientist Galileo and his daughter, Virginia.

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.

Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely in his own study at home, he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. This book is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization.

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.

Part biography of a book and a man, part bibliographic and bibliophilic quest, this book is a captivating piece of writing, a testament to the power both of books and the love of books. Logging thousands of hours and thousands of miles, the author uncovers a treasure trove of material on the life of a book and the evolution of an idea.

In December 1999, a multi-national team journeys out to the stars, to the most awesome encounter in human history. Who - or what - is out there?

Covering subjects ranging from the personal to the scientific, this is a collection of Stephen Hawking's essays and other pieces. They reveal him as scientist, man, concerned world citizen and imaginative thinker. A transcript of his conversation on Desert Island Discs is included.

Introduces readers to the physics of black holes, examines the needless friction between science and religion in the context of historical conflicts and assails the movie industry's feeble efforts to get its night skies right.

A classic book by the world's most famous scientist and science visionary, back in print with a new 2000 perspective.

In this revised edition, Stephen Hawking includes recent developments in the field of cosmology. Explaining his theories through a visual dimension, the book is designed to help the lay reader to understand abstract ideas, such as the big bang , black holes, and particle physics.

The author of 'Fermat's Last Theorem' and 'The Code Book' tells the story of the brilliant minds that deciphered the mysteries of the Big Bang. An exploration of the ultimate question: how was our universe created?

This title offers lively, clear explanations of the most widely held astronomy myths and misperceptions, from why the sky is blue to the reasons we have seasons. It steers clear of the false astronomy that has been glamorized in the media, movies, and even in school.