In this fascinating and entertaining collection of essays, acclaimed cosmologist and writer John D. Barrow addresses the many questions that we ponder in our quest to discover the universe. Key topics are: the popularity of Big Science, and physics and cosmology in particular; life on other planets; issues of time and space and quantum reality; the ancient foundations of science, mathematics and their most modern expression–complexity theory; and how science relates to religion and aesthetics. Taken as a whole, these thought-provoking essays provide a rich introduction to contemporary scientific debate. 'Only John Barrow could have assembled this delightful book of diverse essays, which touches on everything from the deepest secrets of Creation to the nature of art and esthetics. Witty, whimsical, and always thought-provoking and entertaining, Barrow takes us on a wild, intellectual joy-ride through the mysteries of spacetime and the mind.' Michio Kaku