British mathematician and astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle (1915-2001) coined the phrase "big bang theory" to describe the currently accepted explanation of the beginning of the universe. Hoyle's work centered on the origins of stars and on the elements within stars. To the general public, he was known more as a prolific writer of popular science books, in which he offered his ideas on the nature of our expansive and fascinating cosmos. In this compilation of popular lectures delivered in 1964, Hoyle comments on the nature of the scientific enterprise, delivers his view of life on Earth from the perspective of astronomy, and speculates about the future.<BR>Among the ideas discussed in this book is Hoyle's suggestion that "the emergence of intelligent life is not a meaningless accident." In conclusion, he conjectures that contact with more advanced civilizations may prove vital to learning how to address the most daunting problems of life on Earth, such as avoiding nuclear war and managing the global stresses of population explosion.