This book describes our gradual awareness of a vast, previously
concealed Universe. It is a story of expanding horizons and the
discovery of invisible worlds, made possible with new technology and
novel telescopes that have broadened our range of perception. The Cosmos
is evolving. But even though we are pushing the boundaries of knowledge
closer to an understanding of the origins and destinies, of either the
Universe or Life, the ultimate answers to these grand questions still
lie hidden behind the Cosmic Veil. This voyage of discovery is presented
within universal themes, such as invisibility, motion, content, form,
impermanence, violence and emptiness, beginnings and ends. These are
topics that concern us all, helping us take the Universe personally, so
each chapter begins with the human aspect of some of these themes. The
book is additionally broadened by including the perceptions of artists,
poets and writers, as well as with line drawings that forcefully compact
a scientific insight.