In this tour-de-force of the ultimate and extreme in astrophysics, renowned astrophysicist and author J. Craig Wheeler takes us on a breathtaking journey to supernovae, black holes, gamma-ray bursts and adventures in hyperspace. This is no far-fetched science fiction but an enthusiastic exploration of ideas at the cutting edge of current astrophysics. This book follows the tortuous life of a star, from birth, evolution, and death, and leads on to ideas of complete collapse to a black hole, worm-hole time machines, the possible birth of baby bubble universes, and the prospect of a revolutionary view of space and time in a ten-dimensional string theory. Along the way we look at evidence that suggests that the Universe is accelerating, and recent developments in understanding gamma-ray bursts - perhaps the most catastrophic cosmic events of all. With the use of lucid analogies, simple language and crystal-clear cartoons, this book makes accessible some of the most exciting and mind-bending objects and ideas in the Universe.