New Releases by Stephen Hawking

În recenta sa scriere memorialistică al cărei titlu trimite, evident, la Scurtă istorie a timpului, steaua cea mai strălucitoare a unei întregi serii de cărţi despre misterele universului, Stephen Hawking se priveşte pentru prima oară pe sine, trecându-şi în revistă viaţa şi opera de fizician teoretician. Bogat ilustrată cu fotografii puţin cunoscute, această autobiografie concisă şi sinceră are accente de umor fin şi de înţelepciune. Autorul n-a ocolit detaliile gravei maladii care, deşi l-a transformat într-un invalid, nu l-a împiedicat să gândească şi să creeze. Un capitol e dedicat îndelungatei geneze a Scurtei istorii a timpului. În alte capitole, Hawking îşi prezintă cu modestie, în fraze simple, esenţializate, remarcabilele contribuţii în cosmologie – ceea ce face ca Scurtă istorie a vieţii mele să se adauge, de fapt, amintitei serii de cărţi despre univers. „Pentru colegii mei sunt un fizician ca oricare altul, dar pentru publicul larg am devenit, probabil, cel mai cunoscut om de ştiinţă din lume. Am avut o viaţă plină şi satisfăcătoare. Am convingerea că invalizii trebuie să se concentreze asupra lucrurilor pe care handicapul nu-i împiedică să le realizeze şi să nu regrete ceea ce nu pot realiza. În ceea ce mă priveşte, am reuşit să fac aproape tot ce am vrut.“ (Stephen W. HAWKING)

Maailman kuuluisimman tiedemiehen omaelämäkerta Kosmologi Stephen Hawkingin teoriat ovat muuttaneet käsitystämme universumin historiasta. Nyt maailman kuuluisin tiedemies kertoo oman tarinansa. Kun Stephen Hawkingilla todettiin 21-vuotiaana hermostoa tuhoava ALS-oireyhtymä, hänen ennustettiin kuolevan pian. Hawking ei kuollut, vaan kehitti mullistavat teoriansa maailmankaikkeuden synnystä ja luonteesta. Elämäkerrassaan 72-vuotias Hawking kertoo hauskasti ja avoimesti elämänsä ja ajattelunsa kehityksestä ja käännekohdista; ei vähiten siitä miten tietoisuus oman elämän rajallisuudesta on ajanut häntä eteenpäin mahdottomilta tuntuvien henkilökohtaisten ja tieteellisten haasteiden edessä. Stephen Hawking (s.1942) on brittiläinen tiedemies, jonka teoriat ajan ja aineen perimmäisestä luonteesta ovat mullistaneet modernia maailmankuvaamme. Suuren yleisön tietoisuuteen Hawking nousi vuonna 1988 suomeksi julkaistulla kirjallaan Ajan lyhyt historia, joka esittelee kosmologian peruskäsitteitä ja Hawkingin omaa ajattelua. Sittemmin monet Hawkingin teorioista ovat saaneet empiiristä vahvistusta, kuten hänen ennustuksensa mustien aukkojen olemassaolosta. Hawkingin elämään perustuva draamaelokuva Theory of Everything saa Suomen ensi-iltansa helmikuussa 2015.

The physicist explores his life and intellectual evolution.

Ein vierseitiges Diskussionspapier, von Stephen Hawking auf der Wissenschaftsplattform ArXiv publiziert, hat die theoretische Physik in Aufruhr versetzt und weltweit für Schlagzeilen gesorgt: Hawking, der seinen Ruhm der Entdeckung verdankte, dass der Ereignishorizont von Schwarzen Löchern nicht so schwarz ist, wie man glaubte, geht jetzt einen entscheidenden Schritt weiter: Schwarze Löcher gibt es gar nicht, erklärt er nun – jedenfalls nicht so, wie die theoretische Physik sie bisher errechnet hat. Und dies deshalb, weil es auch den Ereignishorizont und seine physikalischen Konsequenzen (bis hin zu jeglichem Ende von Raum und Zeit in einer sogenannten Singularität) nicht gebe. Sondern allenfalls eine Art «scheinbaren Horizont», der Materie und Energie zwar ebenfalls ziemlich lange gefangen hält, aber dennoch nur «vorübergehend». Hawking könnte damit seinem und Einsteins Traum von der berühmten «einen Theorie von allem» einen großen Schritt näher gekommen sein. Denn anders als bisher ließen sich Relativitäts- und Quantentheorie in diesem Modell leichter versöhnen. Was bedeutet das für das Weltbild der Kosmologen? In diesem E-Book wird dem Publikum Hawkings Papier in deutscher Übersetzung zugänglich gemacht. Bernd Schuh erklärt im Anschluss für jedermann verständlich, was man über Schwarze Löcher und Stephen Hawkings Beschäftigung damit wissen muss, um das überraschende Papier des berühmten Physikers verstehen und einordnen zu können.

En 1988 apareció un libro que iba a cambiar de arriba abajo nuestra concepción del universo y que se convirtió en uno de los mayores best-sellers científicos: Historia del tiempo, de Stephen Hawking, el mayor genio del siglo XX después de Einstein. Pese a su éxito colosal, aquel libro presentaba algunas dificultades de comprensión para el público menos familiarizado con los principios de la física teórica.

Stephen Hawking har under årtionden fängslat läsare världen över med sina bästsäljande böcker där han beskriver universums mysterier. Han har fått miljoner människor att lockas av tankarna på Big Bang, svarta hål och universums uppkomst. Hans böcker har översatts till 40 språk och sålt i miljontals exemplar och han har uppnått ikonstatus redan under sin livstid. Med sin självbiografi bjuder han för första gången in läsaren till sitt eget liv och man får komma nära en av vår tids absolut skarpaste hjärnor. I boken får man följa Hawkings fascinerande livsöde, från barndomen i efterkrigstidens London via studier i Oxford och Cambridge till hans internationella genombrott och världsberömmelse. Hawking beskriver på ett ödmjukt och humoristiskt sätt sin intellektuella utveckling och läsaren får följa både hans yrkeskarriär och hans privatliv. Hawking drabbades av nervsjuku00addomen ALS vid tjugoett års ålder, och trodde att han bara hade några få år kvar att leva. Mot alla odds har han överlevt, och fortsatt att bidra med hisnande vetenskapliga upptäckter. Det är en liten pärla till memoarbok, illustrerad med en mängd fina svartvita bilder från hela Hawkings liv, vilket ytterligare levandegör ett av vår tids mest fascinerande livsöden. Hawking har skrivit boken helt själv, trots att han är nästan totalt förlamad. Med hjälp av nyutvecklade avancerade tekniska hjälpmedel kan han använda käkmusklerna till att forma ord och meningar.

Stephen Hawking conquistou leitores de todo o mundo com best-sellers que explicam os mistérios do universo. Agora, pela primeira vez, um dos mais brilhantes cosmologistas de nossos tempos volta o olhar para sua própria história de vida e evolução intelectual. Minha breve história conta a improvável trajetória de Hawking, desde a infância na Londres do pós-guerra até o reconhecimento científico internacional. Com fotos pessoais, raramente publicadas, este relato conciso e divertido — o primeiro escrito inteiramente pelo autor, sem a ajuda de terceiros, desde Uma breve história do tempo — apresenta o leitor a um Hawking quase nunca vislumbrado nos livros anteriores: o estudante curioso que foi apelidado de Einstein; o brincalhão que já apostou com um colega sobre a existência de um buraco negro; e o jovem marido e pai lutando para alcançar prestígio no mundo da física e da cosmologia. Com simplicidade e bom humor, Hawking discorre sobre os desafios que precisou enfrentar após o diagnóstico de esclerose lateral amiotrófica aos 21 anos. Ao contar sobre o desenvolvimento de sua carreira, ele explica que a ideia de uma morte prematura o instou a se dedicar com mais afinco às descobertas intelectuais e fala sobre a origem de sua obra-prima, Uma breve história do tempo, um dos livros mais importantes do século XX. Perspicaz, íntimo e inteligente, Minha breve história abre uma janela para o universo pessoal de Hawking. “Stephen Hawking tem um cérebro invejável, que o permite ver e entender coisas inalcançáveis para a maioria de nós. E ainda possui uma modéstia admirável.” Daily Mail “Em um livro comovente, Hawking nos fala diretamente a partir do buraco negro de sua condição física, sem a ampliação e a elaboração fornecidas pelos coautores com os quais ele escreveu seus últimos livros.” Financial Times “As palavras de um homem que, diante da perspectiva de uma morte prematura, fez muito com a vida.” The Guardian

NATIONAL BESTSELLER Stephen Hawking has dazzled readers worldwide with a string of bestsellers exploring the mysteries of the universe. Now, for the first time, perhaps the most brilliant cosmologist of our age turns his gaze inward for a revealing look at his own life and intellectual evolution. My Brief History recounts Stephen Hawking’s improbable journey, from his postwar London boyhood to his years of international acclaim and celebrity. Lavishly illustrated with rarely seen photographs, this concise, witty, and candid account introduces readers to a Hawking rarely glimpsed in previous books: the inquisitive schoolboy whose classmates nicknamed him Einstein; the jokester who once placed a bet with a colleague over the existence of a particular black hole; and the young husband and father struggling to gain a foothold in the world of physics and cosmology. Writing with characteristic humility and humor, Hawking opens up about the challenges that confronted him following his diagnosis of ALS at age twenty-one. Tracing his development as a thinker, he explains how the prospect of an early death urged him onward through numerous intellectual breakthroughs, and talks about the genesis of his masterpiece A Brief History of Time—one of the iconic books of the twentieth century. Clear-eyed, intimate, and wise, My Brief History opens a window for the rest of us into Hawking’s personal cosmos.

Alkuräjähdyksestä mustiin aukkoihin! Aikamme kuuluisin fyysikko kertoo pääteoksessaan seikkaperäisesti, miten nykyinen maailmankuvamme on muodostunut.Stephen W. Hawking on vuosisatamme merkittävimpiä tiedemiehiä. Ajan lyhyen historian Hawking kirjoitti meille tavallisille ihmisille, jotta mekin voisimme perehtyä tieteen nykyisiin käsityksiin ajan luonteesta ja maailmankaikkeuden rakenteesta. Hawking kertoo seikkaperäisesti, miten nykyinen maailmankuvamme on kehittynyt aiempien käsitysten pohjalta yhä täydellisemmäksi ja samalla pääsemme tutustumaan huippututkijan ajatuksenkulkuihin.Hawking johdattelee lukijan syvän avaruuden kaukaisiin galakseihin ja mustiin aukkoihin. Samalla tutustumme myös äärimmäisen pienten kvarkkien makuihin ja väreihin , antimateriaan, hiukkasten spineihin ja erityyppisten aikojen erilaisiin suuntiin ja kuin huomaamatta olemme tempautuneet tähän kiehtovaan maailmaan.Yksi Hawkingin hätkähdyttävistä päätelmistä on, että reunaton maailmankaikkeuden malli saattaakin panna yleisesti hyväksytyn alkuräjähdysteorian viralta. Samalla hän asettaa Jumalan aseman kaiken luojana vähintäänkin kyseenalaiseksi.

Explore how the universe began—and thwart evil along the way—in this cosmic adventure from Stephen and Lucy Hawking that includes a graphic novel. George has problems. He has twin baby sisters at home who demand his parents’ attention. His beloved pig Freddy has been exiled to a farm, where he’s miserable. And worst of all, his best friend, Annie, has made a new friend whom she seems to like more than George. So George jumps at the chance to help Eric with his plans to run a big experiment in Switzerland that seeks to explore the earliest moment of the universe. But there is a conspiracy afoot, and a group of evildoers is planning to sabotage the experiment. Can George repair his friendship with Annie and piece together the clues before Eric’s experiment is destroyed forever? This engaging adventure features essays by Professor Stephen Hawking and other eminent physicists about the origins of the universe and ends with a twenty-page graphic novel that explains how the Big Bang happened—in reverse!

Un interesante y fascinante debate entre dos gigantes de la ciencia, Stephen Hawking y Roger Penrose, sobre el origen y el futuro del universo. Einstein afirmaba que lo más incomprensible acerca del universo es que es comprensible. ¿Estaba en lo cierto? ¿Pueden la teoría cuántica de campos y la teoría de la relatividad general de Einstein, las dos teorías, más precisas y exitosas de toda la física, unirse en una única teoría cuántica de la gravedad? Aunque se ha avanzado mucho en esta búsqueda, Hawking y Penrose insisten en que es necesario llegar mucho más lejos. En La naturaleza del espacio y el tiempo, estos dos gigantes de la física entablan un debate fundamental sobre el origen del universo. Un libro escrito a cuatro manos, con un epílogo actualizado, en el que los autores resumen cómo los recientes acontecimientos han provocado que sus posturas difieran en cuestiones tan importantes como la geometría espacial del universo o la paradoja de la desaparición de información en los agujeros negros. La prensa especializada opina... «Una obra reveladora sobre dos aproximaciones distintas a algunos de los mayores problemas sin resolver de la gravitación y la cosmología.» New Scientist «Un debate entre Hawking y Penrose alimenta las expectativas del lector por asistir a un intercambio extraordinario de ideas. En este texto, animado con el sentido del humor de Hawking, las expectativas se cumplen con creces.» The Higher Education «Un magnífico y estimulante intercambio intelectual entre dos mentes de primera categoría.» Library Journal «Una lectura interesantísima para el presente que promete ser aún más interesante para las futuras generaciones de físicos.» Science «Un documento de gran rigor científico.» Physics World

El 1988 va aparèixer el llibre que canviaria de dalt a baix la nostra concepció de l''Univers, i que es va convertir en un dels més grans best-sellers científics: Història del temps, de Stephen Hawking, el geni més gran del segle XX després d''Einstein.Malgrat el gran èxit que va tenir, el llibre presentava algunes dificultats de comprensió per al públic menys familiaritzat amb els principis de la física teòrica. Ara, disset anys després, el professor Hawking ha escrit aquest llibre meravellós i senzill que, potenciat per imatges increïbles, posa a l''abast dels mortals els grans misteris del món i de la vida.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Thirteen extraordinary essays shed new light on the mystery of the universe—and on one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time. “[Hawking] sprinkles his explanations with a wry sense of humor and a keen awareness that the sciences today delve not only into the far reaches of the cosmos, but into the inner philosophical world as well.”—The New York Times Book Review In his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking literally transformed the way we think about physics, the universe, reality itself. In these thirteen essays and one remarkable extended interview, the man widely regarded as the most brilliant theoretical physicist since Einstein returns to reveal an amazing array of possibilities for understanding our universe. Building on his earlier work, Hawking discusses imaginary time, how black holes can give birth to baby universes, and scientists’ efforts to find a complete unified theory that would predict everything in the universe. With his characteristic mastery of language, his sense of humor and commitment to plain speaking, Stephen Hawking invites us to know him better—and to share his passion for the voyage of intellect and imagination that has opened new ways to understanding the very nature of the cosmos.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A landmark volume in science writing by one of the great minds of our time, Stephen Hawking’s book explores such profound questions as: How did the universe begin—and what made its start possible? Does time always flow forward? Is the universe unending—or are there boundaries? Are there other dimensions in space? What will happen when it all ends? Told in language we all can understand, A Brief History of Time plunges into the exotic realms of black holes and quarks, of antimatter and “arrows of time,” of the big bang and a bigger God—where the possibilities are wondrous and unexpected. With exciting images and profound imagination, Stephen Hawking brings us closer to the ultimate secrets at the very heart of creation.

মহিমান্বিত নকশা অনুবাদ: আশরাফ মাহমুদ Bengali (Bangla) translation of The Grand Design by Stephen Hawking & Leonard Mlodinow https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Grand_Design_(book)

Pourquoi et comment l’Univers a-t-il commencé ? Pourquoi y a-t-il quelque chose plutôt que rien ? Quelle est la nature de la réalité ? Comment expliquer que les lois naturelles soient aussi finement ajustées ? Et nous, pourquoi donc existons-nous ?Longtemps réservées aux philosophes et aux théologiens, ces interrogations relèvent désormais aussi de la science. C’est ce que montrent ici avec brio et simplicité Stephen Hawking et Leonard Mlodinow, s’appuyant sur les découvertes et les théories les plus récentes, qui ébranlent nos croyances les plus anciennes. Pour eux, inutile d’imaginer un plan, un dessein, un créateur derrière la nature. La science explique bel et bien à elle seule les mystères de l’Univers. Des réponses nouvelles aux questions les plus élémentaires : lumineux et provocateur ! Le premier ouvrage important de Stephen Hawking depuis dix ans. Célébrissime auteur d’Une brève histoire du temps, de Trous noirs et Bébés univers et de L’Univers dans une coquille de noix, Stephen Hawking est professeur à l’Université de Cambridge. Leonard Mlodinow est physicien au California Institute of Technology.

La esperada gran obra tras casi una década de uno de los grandes pensadores de nuestro tiempo.Aun antes de aparecer, este libro ha venido precedido, en todos los medios de comunicación, de una extraordinaria polémica sobre sus conclusiones: que tanto nuestro universo como los otros muchos universos posibles surgieron de la nada, porque su creación no requiere de la intervención de ningún Dios o ser sobrenatural, sino que todos los universos proceden naturalmente de las leyes físicas. En efecto, en los últimos años, el desarrollo de la teoría “M” (en realidad toda una familia de teorías enlazadas sobre física cuántica) y las recientes observaciones realizadas por los satélites de la NASA, nos permiten ya enfrentarnos a la pregunta fundamental: la Cuestión Última de la Vida, el Universo y el Todo. Si esta teoría última es verificada por la observación científica, habremos culminado una búsqueda que se remonta a hace más de tres mil años: habremos hallado el Gran Diseño.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A whirlwind tour of fundamental physics and cosmology.”—The Wall Street Journal “Fascinating . . . a wealth of ideas [that] leave us with a clearer understanding of modern physics in all its invigorating complexity.”—Los Angeles Times When and how did the universe begin? Why are we here? What is the nature of reality? Is the apparent “grand design” of our universe evidence of a benevolent creator who set things in motion—or does science offer another explanation? In The Grand Design, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow present the most illuminating scientific thinking about these and other abiding mysteries of the universe, in nontechnical language marked by brilliance and simplicity. According to quantum theory, the cosmos does not have just a single existence or history. The authors explain that we ourselves are the product of quantum fluctuations in the early universe and show how quantum theory predicts the “multiverse”—the idea that ours is just one of many universes that appeared spontaneously out of nothing, each with different laws of nature. They conclude with a riveting assessment of M-theory, an explanation of the laws governing our universe that is currently the only viable candidate for a “theory of everything”: the unified theory that Einstein was looking for, which, if confirmed, would represent the ultimate triumph of human reason. A succinct, startling, and lavishly illustrated guide to discoveries that are altering our understanding and threatening some of our most cherished belief systems, The Grand Design is a book that will inform—and provoke—like no other.

Korean edition of THE GRAND DESIGN by the great theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow. This book offers the answers to the fundamental questions Hawking had made in his earlier book, A Brief History of Time (1988). For instance, Why is there a universe? Why do we exist? Why are the laws of nature what they are? Did the universe need a designer and creator? Great overview with clear explanation and easy to understand for nonscientist readers. In Korean. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

George and Annie explore the galaxy in this cosmic adventure from Stephen Hawking and Lucy Hawking, complete with essays from Professor Hawking about the latest in space travel. George is heartbroken when he learns that his friend Annie and her father are moving to the US. Eric has a new job working for the space program, looking for signs of life in the Universe. Eric leaves George with a gift—a book called The User’s Guide to the Universe. But Annie and Eric haven’t been gone for very long when Annie believes that she is being contacted by aliens, who have a terrible warning for her. George joins her in the US to help her with her quest—and before he knows it, he, Annie, Cosmos, and Annie’s annoying cousin Emmett have been swept up in a cosmic treasure hunt, spanning the whole galaxy and beyond. Lucy Hawking''s own experiences in zero-gravity flight and interviews with astronauts at Cape Kennedy and the Johnson Space Center lend the book a sense of realism and excitement that is sure to fire up imaginations. The book includes essays written by Professor Hawking and his colleagues, in which they provide the latest thoughts on space travel.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHORS The science classic made more accessible • More concise • Illustrated FROM ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT MINDS OF OUR TIME COMES A BOOK THAT CLARIFIES HIS MOST IMPORTANT IDEAS Stephen Hawking’s worldwide bestseller A Brief History of Time remains a landmark volume in scientific writing. But for years readers have asked for a more accessible formulation of its key concepts—the nature of space and time, the role of God in creation, and the history and future of the universe. A Briefer History of Time is Professor Hawking’s response. Although “briefer,” this book is much more than a mere explanation of Hawking’s earlier work. A Briefer History of Time both clarifies and expands on the great subjects of the original, and records the latest developments in the field—from string theory to the search for a unified theory of all the forces of physics. Thirty-seven full-color illustrations enhance the text and make A Briefer History of Time an exhilarating and must-have addition in its own right to the great literature of science and ideas.

Follows the adventures of a young boy and his neighbor friend as they travel through a computer portal into outer space, where they explore such mysteries as black holes and the origins of the universe, while trying to evade an evil scientist.

Now, available for the first time in a deluxe full-color edition with never-before-seen photos and illustrations, Hawking presents an even more comprehensive look at our universe, its creation, and how we see ourselves within it.

Este libro que el lector tiene en sus manos es una pieza única por su contenido y por quien lo ha compilado. En efecto, el gran científico Stephen Hawking ha reunido en él, por primera vez en la historia de la edición, las cinco obras que a su juicio representan el canon de la cultura universal en el campo de la Física y la Astronomía y ha escrito una introducción a cada una, explicando lo que han significado para la ciencia, vinculádolas entre sí y ofreciéndonos cinco soberbios retratos de los genios que las escribieron: * Nicolas Copérnico, Sobre las revoluciones de los orbes celestes. * Galileo Galilei, Diálogo sobre dos nuevas ciencias. * Johannes Kepler, Las armonías del mundo. * Isaac Newton, Principios matemáticos de la filosofía natural. * Albert Einstein, El principio de la relatividad.

Where the science of black holes, gravitational waves, and time travel will likely lead us, as reported by spacetime''s most important theoreticians and observers.

Stephen Hawking’s phenomenal, multimillion-copy bestseller, A Brief History of Time, introduced the ideas of this brilliant theoretical physicist to readers all over the world. Now, in a major publishing event, Hawking returns with a lavishly illustrated sequel that unravels the mysteries of the major breakthroughs that have occurred in the years since the release of his acclaimed first book. The Universe in a Nutshell • Quantum mechanics • M-theory • General relativity • 11-dimensional supergravity • 10-dimensional membranes • Superstrings • P-branes • Black holes One of the most influential thinkers of our time, Stephen Hawking is an intellectual icon, known not only for the adventurousness of his ideas but for the clarity and wit with which he expresses them. In this new book Hawking takes us to the cutting edge of theoretical physics, where truth is often stranger than fiction, to explain in laymen’s terms the principles that control our universe. Like many in the community of theoretical physicists, Professor Hawking is seeking to uncover the grail of science — the elusive Theory of Everything that lies at the heart of the cosmos. In his accessible and often playful style, he guides us on his search to uncover the secrets of the universe — from supergravity to supersymmetry, from quantum theory to M-theory, from holography to duality. He takes us to the wild frontiers of science, where superstring theory and p-branes may hold the final clue to the puzzle. And he lets us behind the scenes of one of his most exciting intellectual adventures as he seeks “to combine Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity and Richard Feynman’s idea of multiple histories into one complete unified theory that will describe everything that happens in the universe.” With characteristic exuberance, Professor Hawking invites us to be fellow travelers on this extraordinary voyage through space-time. Copious four-color illustrations help clarify this journey into a surreal wonderland where particles, sheets, and strings move in eleven dimensions; where black holes evaporate and disappear, taking their secret with them; and where the original cosmic seed from which our own universe sprang was a tiny nut. The Universe in a Nutshell is essential reading for all of us who want to understand the universe in which we live. Like its companion volume, A Brief History of Time, it conveys the excitement felt within the scientific community as the secrets of the cosmos reveal themselves.

Après Une brève histoire du temps et Trous noirs et bébés univers, Stephen Hawking fait le point sur les stupéfiantes percées théoriques qui ont eu lieu depuis la publication de son précédent livre. Avec le style à la fois érudit et accessible qui le caractérise, il nous fait découvrir tour à tour la relativité einsteinienne, le principe d''incertitude, la mécanique quantique, les cinq théories des cordes, la théorie M et les mystérieuses p-branes -voie d''accès, peut-être, au Graal de la physique : la " théorie de tout ". Nous faisant partager l''enthousiasme croissant de la communauté scientifique, il nous guide, telle Alice au pays des merveilles, à travers un univers à onze dimensions qui ne correspond peut-être qu''à l''une des innombrables histoires alternatives dans lesquelles les trous noirs s''évaporent, les supercordes s''enroulent sur elles-mêmes et des univers parallèles se contractent jusqu''à disparaître. Stephen Hawking est professeur à l''Université de Cambridge, où il occupe la chaire jadis détenue par Isaac Newton.