A Brief History of Time

"A Brief History of Time" by Stephen Hawking is one of the cornerstones of modern popular science literature. In this book, the author tries to answer the most complex and intriguing questions about the universe: when and why did the... universe begin? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? Has time always flowed along the familiar vector? Is time travel possible? What awaits the cosmos in the distant future? Stephen Hawking does not draw unequivocal conclusions, as no one at the forefront of science dares to do so yet. However, he translates the most complex principles of theoretical physics into a lively and vivid language, transporting the reader to the astonishing realms of antimatter, superstrings, quarks, black holes, and gravitational waves — where God seems even more incomprehensible and omnipotent. By resorting to unexpected imagery rather than formulas — the exception being Einstein's E = mc2 — Stephen Hawking brings us closer to solving the mystery that lies at the very heart of the universe. Under this cover is the complete text of the popular science bestseller. The text is accompanied by notes and clarifications that report on the achievements of modern cosmologists and astronomers.