Dark - James Wilkins

Ever wanted to know more about the Big Bang but didn't have Brian Cox's email address? Ever wanted to cry out, 'What on Earth is a black hole?' but been afraid you'd be shouting into the abyss? Ever wanted to find out how gravity works but never found the book to pull you in?

Well, have no fear: DARK is an easily digestible beginner's guide to the Universe in a handy A to Z format, with entries on everything from Dark Matter and Quantum Physics to NASA and the Zoo Hypothesis.

What's more, the book is beautifully presented, so you'll want to keep it out on display, dipping in to check exactly when it is that we humans are likely to be engulfed by the furnace of the Sun. It boasts a number of stunning design elements throughout, including original artworks and bespoke lettering to accompany each of the twenty-six chapters, as well as inspiring, enlightening and amusing quotes about space rendered in exquisitely considered typography.

So, if you want to brush up on your astronomical ABCs while simultaneously receiving a visual massage from some rather splendid art and design, then this may well be the cosmic coffee-table book for you.