Current news articles and science books give one the distinct impression that the great questions of science have been answered, and we have reached the "end of science": the great forces of the universe are known, and the basic building blocks of life have been discovered. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. While countless books have explored the at times breathtaking breakthroughs in science over the last two centuries, none has explored the vast- and crucial-questions for which we do not have answers. After all, these are the burning issues and questions driving current research across the globe. What are the great questions upon which the vast machinery of science is spinning its collective gears? InWhy Aren't Black Holes Black'scientists Robert M. Hazen and Maxine Singer (President of the Carnegie Institution) take us into the worlds of chemistry, physics, earth sciences and biochemistry, to explore the secrets for which science does not have an answer-and the relentless, coordinated efforts to bring those secrets to light. From the origins of the universe and the nature of life, to the consuming search for a unified field theory and quest to plumb the composition of the earth's core, Hazen & Singer take the reader on a fascinating journey into the realm of the unknown. Written in the mini-essay format that made books likeExtraordinary Origins of Everyday ThingsandWhy Do Clocks Run Clockwise?New York TimesbestsellersWhy Aren't Black Holes Black'is popular science at its best and most entertaining.