Counted among the best of contemporary science popularizers, Dr. Lawrence Krauss presents an edifying and eminently readable guide through the scientific theories of cosmogony, as well as the history of scientific research and discovery on the topic, all to answer the question, “Is there truly such a thing as nothing?”

An award-winning theoretical physicist and cosmologist, Krauss explains various theories and evidence including the Big Bang versus steady state theory, cosmic inflation, particle physics, string theory (of which he is not necessarily a proponent), dark energy, dark matter, cosmic microwave background radiation, the “cosmic jerk” effect on the accelerating universe, and much more. He also spends several pages pondering whether cosmologists and astronomers trillions of years from now will be able to ascertain the true origins of the universe once it has expanded to a point where so much physical evidence may no longer be available.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that an underlying theme of Krauss’s book is the dismissal of theology and all Creation myths as possessing any factual basis for the origin of the universe—a point which Krauss touches on sporadically at various points.

One aspect that I enjoy as much as the science is learning about the history of scientific theories and discovery. As the book unfolds, Krauss—like Carl Sagan, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Michio Kaku, and others—takes the time to offer brief anecdotes and background information on several of the notable physicists, mathematicians, astronomers, and cosmologists who have contributed to our knowledge of the universe over the past century.