What We Still Don't Know (2004)

Science in the twenty-first century inherits a fantastic record of accomplishment. Yet there remain enormous questions to answer - some of them revealed by those very past successes. Why is 95 per cent of the universe undetectable dark matter', and does it control the cosmos - how it began, its eventual fate and whether it is finite or infinite? Is our universe the only one, or could there be an infinity of others? Do other universes operate on different physical laws. Is there complex life in other star systems. If so, how far could it outstrip our intelligence? Could a sufficiently advanced life form even create new universes to its own design? In this playful and accessible book, Britain's best-known commentator on the most profound questions in science looks at whether they could be answered and asks, if they are, will the human brain be capable of comprehending the results? What we Still Don't Know looks beyond the edge of current scientific understanding, and poses problems for a new generation of inquiry.

Three (3) Part Series

Watch using FLASH movie player format - First Part: Are We Alone?

Sir Martin explores the possibility that life exists on planets beyond our own. He unveils an unsettling scientific debate that has startling consequences for us Earthlings. Do you believe in aliens? If not, a quick glance through these pages might change your mind!

Watch using FLASH movie player format - Second Part: Why Are We Here?

Everything you thought you knew about the universe is wrong. It’s made of atoms, right? Wrong. Atoms only account for a measly 15% of everything that exists. The mass of the universe consists of something so mysterious and elusive that it has been dubbed ‘dark matter’.

Watch using FLASH movie player format - Third Part: Are We Real?

There is a fundamental chasm in our understanding of ourselves, the universe, and everything. To solve this, Sir Martin takes us on a mind-boggling journey through multiple universes to post-biological life. On the way we learn of the disturbing possibility that we could be the product of someone else’s experiment.