Igor Novikov has been hailed as ‘Russia’s answer to Stephen Hawking’. In this popular account of the cosmic importance of black holes, he explores the properties and significance of these mysterious phenomena, which represent the most condensed state of matter in the Universe. Black holes are formed by the force of gravity, warping space and time, crushing stars and perhaps galaxies until they fall in on themselves. Novikov’s fascinating account, illustrated with a series of inspired cartoon drawings, illuminates this most enigmatic feature of our Universe with exemplary clarity.