There are several hundred billion stars in our Milky Way Galaxy, yet out of all of these Earth is the only planet with intelligent life on it. Why? In The Reason Why John Gribbin shows just what it is that makes our planet so special. For the first time, he makes the link between the whole series of cosmic events that gave rise to our civilization - a unique set of circumstances that have not, and could not, occur anywhere else. John Gribbin is our best, most accessible guide to the big questions of science. In this book, he explores the biggest questions of all- why are we here, what does it mean to be alone in the universe - and do we have a future? 'John Gribbin explains just how our home world appears to be special, and exactly what we have to be thankful for.' The Times Higher Education 'A fascinating journey through space and time . . . this book presents an exciting insight into the many fortuitous events and cosmic quirks that have all come together to make Earth such a life-friendly world.' Science Focus