A Yale physicist tells the story of dark matter, its discovery, and its importance to our understanding of the universe. 

          Through various observational findings and theoretical studies, astronomers and physicists engaged in cosmological research have been persuaded that most of the mass in the universe is embedded in "dark matter” not visible in optical telescopes. This apparent fact has a critical effect on current notions about both the origin and the future of the universe. Krauss, a research physicist, reviews the details and then proceeds to describe several possible types of exotic substances, none of them as yet proven to exist, which might constitute the dark matter. In doing this, he leads his readers through some of the most mind-stretching areas of theoretical physics and cosmology. Although the book is not highly technical, lay readers had best start with some knowledge of modern physics.