How did our sun come into being? What keeps it hot and luminous, and what will be its ultimate fate? In this fascinating and informative book, George Gamow - renowned physicist and author of the best-seller One Two Three... Infinity - outlines the discoveries and theories that illuminate the evolution of our world. One of the founders of Big Bang theory, Gamow employs language that's both scientifically accurate and simple enough for nonspecialists to trace the development of atomic theory from its earliest articulation in 375 B.C. through studies of nuclear reactions and radioactive decay. Along the way, he discusses the formation of the stars and planets, the nature of red and white dwarfs, the dimensions of our stellar system, and the infinity of space. 1952 ed. 60 figures. 18 halftones.