Bang!! 2: The Complete History of the Universe

In 2004 a rock star, a TV astronomer and a young research astronomer sat down to write the story of the Universe in the order in which it happened, from its birth at the Big Bang 13.7 billion years ago, through to its ultimate demise in the infinitely far future.

The aim of this book is to explain the Big Bang and everything that followed in a way that made sense, in the strict order in which events occurred, and without using maths, so it would be understandable to everyone, regardless of educational background. The original edition of Bang! was a bestseller, and a go-to for anyone wanting to understand the story of the origins and evolution of our Universe that did not duck the science.

Since the first edition, thousands of planets have been discovered, the 'habitable zone' has expanded and a flotilla of new satellites has explored our own solar system, bringing back fresh images and new science. In this book all the latest findings about the evolution of stars and galaxies are included, and the current thinking about our ultimate origins. The latest ideas about Dark Matter and Dark Energy are explained, all illustrated with new images from the world's largest telescopes and space missions.

This is the new, updated, popular guide to 'Life, the Universe, and Everything' - The Complete History of the Universe.

Though best known as the lead guitarist for the supergroup Queen, Brian May also studied for a PhD in astrophysics before giving up the academic life for rock music.

Professor Chris Lintott is an astrophysicist, author and broadcaster. He co-presented, with Patrick, The Sky at Night. He took his first degree in Physics at Cambridge, then his PhD in Astrophysics at University College London, and is doing further research at Oxford. In 2020 he was elected a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society.

Patrick Moore was the world's best-loved astronomer, author of more than 80 books and presenter of the world's longest running TV programme, BBC's The Sky at Night. He was knighted in 2001, the same year he was appointed an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. In 2002, Buzz Aldrin presented him with a BAFTA award for services to television. He died in 2012.