When and how did the universe begin? Why are we where we are? Why did something replace the ominous nothingness? What is the nature of reality? Why is the universe finely tuned to precisely the subtlest degree that allows human existence? And finally, is the established order in our world evidence of a higher design by an omnipotent Creator who determined the nature of things, or can science offer a different explanation? Fundamental questions about the origin of the universe and life itself, once the preserve of philosophy, are now the domain of philosophers, theologians, and scientists, who tirelessly debate. In this book, the authors, Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow, present current scientific hypotheses about the mysteries of the universe—in a popular form, in language that is both simple and precise. A remarkable book that provides new, unexpected answers to the fundamental questions of existence.