STEPHEN HAWKING is Director of Research at the Institute of Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge; he held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge for thirty years. He is widely regarded as one of the most brilliant theoretical physicists since Einstein. In 2009 he was awarded the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honour, by President Obama and has also recently been awarded the Cosmos Award for Outstanding Public Presentation of Science. His adult book A Brief History of Time has been a phenomenal bestseller worldwide and is now available in more than 30 languages. LUCY HAWKING is the author of two adult novels, and has written for the Daily Mail , the Telegraph , The Times and the Evening Standard and has been a guest presenter and regular contributor on radio.