Ever wondered what the end of the universe might actually look like? Why the number 42 is so significant? Or whether time travel really would put a stop to history as we know it? If so you are clearly a fan of Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, releasing as a major motion picture in the summer of 2005. While much of the book is comprised of whimsical fantasy, such as talking mattresses, the Vogons, triple-breasted prostitutes and that Ol' Janx Spirit, like all good science fiction it drew on scientific fact. Adams was a science and technology enthusiast and his books were inspired--and sometimes, prefigured--by many of the great scientific debates of our times. The Science of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a lighthearted, accessible and informative tour of the real cutting-edge research behind this much-loved classic, including space tourism, parallel universes, instant translation devices, sentient computers, and more.