Ever since the first rocket entered space, science and technology have become the obsessions of the 20th century. With their aid it seems possible that man can discover his own origins and learn the history of the cosmos. This book is the story of the cosmologists whose job discription is to determine the fate of the universe. As well as the creation myths, there are radically opposing theories of the world"s origin. Some hold the "big bang" theory, by which the world began in a fiery cataclysm and might disapear again in an equally spectacular crash. Others believe that the universe is infinite and always the same. This is a tribute to the human beings who, with the help of science, might eventually reach the truth.