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The killer app for Mac is now even better than ever!
Parallels Desktop for Mac enables you to run Windows, Linux, and more side-by-side with Mac OS X on any Intel-powered Mac, without rebooting. With Parallels' award-winning virtualization technology, you can run Mac OS X and your favorite Windows applications at the same time. You can even drag-and-drop files between desktops!

The latest release of Parallels Desktop for Mac comes packed with 50+ new features and enhancements, including SmartSelect, Snapshots, and 3D graphics. Learn more about the new capabilities in the latest release of our award-winning product.

Top 5 reasons to run Parallels:
	Run Windows-only applications on your Mac. Many of today's most popular applications are windows-only. Parallels enables you to run these applications on your Mac. Play computer games? Most PC games only run on Windows. With Parallels, you no longer have to sacrifice your favorite games!
	Run Selected 3D Games and Applications. OpenGL and DirectX support lets you explore a whole new world of 3D games and applications right on your Mac.
	Use any phone, MP3 player, and camera with your Mac. With Parallels, you can use your favorite devices, even if they're Windows-only. Connect your Blackberry, phone, camera, and MP3 player to your Mac!
	Run OS X, Windows, and Linux at the same time. With Parallels, you can run all of your favorite applications at the same time, regardless of the OS! No more rebooting to switch between OSes to use the applications you need.
	No-worry migrations! Parallels Transporter takes the hassle out of migration. No more losing valuable data, customizing your computer all over again, or reinstalling software. In just a few simple steps, you can move your entire existing Windows system to your new Mac.

With the latest version of Parallels, you can:

• Use Windows and Mac OS X at the same time... without rebooting
• Run Windows programs like native Mac applications with Parallels Coherence
• New! Open Windows files with Mac programs and Mac files in Windows programs with Parallels SmartSelect
• Share files and folders between Windows and Mac OS X
• New! Browse through Windows folders and access files without launching Windows with Parallels Explorer
• New! Run today's most popular PC games on a Mac with support for 3D graphics
• Achieve maximum performance by leveraging Intel Virtualization Technology
• New! Protect your Windows with Parallels Snapshots
• Migrate your entire existing PC to your Mac with Parallels Transporter

Coherence
With Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac, you can run Windows applications like they were native to your Mac! Experience the new Coherence mode to enjoy the benefits of both operating systems, without managing two desktops. In Parallels Desktop 3.0, Coherence has been enhanced to make running both operating systems simultaneously even easier and more user-friendly.

Using Parallels Desktop 3.0's Coherence, you can:

• Navigate Windows using the Windows taskbar directly on your Mac desktop
  
• Hide the Windows taskbar until you need it
  
• Launch your favorite Windows applications and access the Windows Start menu straight from your Mac Dock
  
• Use your Windows applications right on your Mac desktop, without resizing Windows itself
  
• Manage your open documents and files on the Windows taskbar while enjoying your favorite Mac Dock applications at the same time
  
• View Windows applications in Dock at your convenience! Choose your level of integration from Never, Always, and Only in Coherence.
  
• Maintain seamless access to all of your Windows and Mac documents, files, applications, hardware, and devices, making your user environment truly hassle-free
  
• Drag-and-drop files and folders instantly between Windows and Mac OS X
  
• Choose the best application for your needs, without flipping from one operating system to another
  
• Prefer Coherence over managing two desktops? Boot your virtual system to Coherence at startup, and truly avoid switching between operating systems.
  
• Mount your Windows operating system directly on your Mac desktop and enjoy instant access to all of your files, regardless of their OS Enjoy two operating systems while managing only one desktop. Coherence eliminates your having to switch between operating systems to enjoy your favorite Windows and Mac applications. You can almost forget that you're running two OSes!

Transporter
Transporter is a powerful tool that enables you to migrate your entire PC system to a Parallels virtual machine. Migrate your entire PC system, including operating system, applications, files, and personal settings--without losing data or reinstalling any software.

NEW! Now you can convert VMware Workstation/Server and Virtual PC virtual hard disks to a Parallels virtual machine AND migrate directly to your Mac using FireWire!

Installation Assistant built-in tool
Thanks to Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac's Installation Assistant, installing Windows on your Mac is now even easier than installing it on a PC! This new built-in tool is already included in Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac.

How does it work?
With a powerful, easy to use "Express Windows OS Installation Mode" for Windows Vista and Windows XP, the Installation Assistant completely automates the virtual machine setup and installation of Windows--with almost no user interaction.

Start taking advantage of running Windows on your Mac in just three easy steps:

• Select which Windows operating system you want to install,
• Enter your name, company and Windows activation key,
• Click finish--and let the Installation Assistant do the rest!

After Windows is installed, the Installation Assistant automatically installs Parallels Tools, a free set of useful add-ons that improve networking, video, and sound support, syncs mouse activity and OS system clocks, and enables you to cut, copy, and paste of data, as well as file sharing, between Windows and OS X.

Need to run other operation systems on your Mac?
The Installation Assistant provides improved and user-friendly setup for other versions of Windows, plus any Linux distribution, FreeBSD, Solaris, OS/2, eComStation, and MS-DOS.

NOTE! If you are already using Parallels Desktop for Mac, updating Parallels Desktop 3.0 does not require a reinstall of any guest operating systems or applications. After updating, you should only reinstall Parallels Tools.

SmartSelect
Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac's new SmartSelect enables Mac users to open any Windows or Mac file with whichever software they choose--regardless of its original OS! Now you can open Windows files with any Mac software and Mac files with any Windows software.

With support in both Windows and Mac OS X and deep document, email, and web-browser integration between the two operating systems, Parallels Desktop 3.0's SmartSelect frees you to choose the best software for the job, without interrupting your workflow.

Previously, Parallels Desktop users had to copy a file into either Windows or Mac OS X to open the file with the application they wanted. Now, in Parallels Desktop 3.0, you can open any file from either OS and view it with the software of your choice.

With SmartSelect, you can:

• View and edit a file with any compatible PC or Mac software available on your Intel Mac
  
• Set file-associations to open a file-type with specific Mac or PC software
  
• Set SmartSelect software settings "on the fly" or as the default

Imagine being able to double-click on a text document in Mac Finder and immediately launch Microsoft Word in Windows. Or synchronizing your digital life by playing all the MP3s in your music library with Mac iTunes--even if the files are located in Windows.

Parallels Desktop 3.0's SmartSelect goes beyond document integration. It also supports email and web browsing. Immediately view a PPT file a colleague sent you in Apple Mail using Windows PowerPoint. Click on any hyperlink in an email or document and have your default web-browser--such as Apple's Safari or Microsoft's Internet Explorer--launch. With SmartSelect, the possibilities are endless.

Snapshots
Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac's new Snapshots enables you to erase mistakes and recover your virtual machine from system crashes and viruses with the click of a button. Enjoy peace of mind with Parallels Desktop 3.0's Snapshots.

A complete record of your virtual machine at the state it was created--OS, data, software, and settings--Parallels Desktop 3.0's Snapshots enables you to quickly and easily create and save multiple snapshots, even while your virtual machine is running.

In the event a virus or a Windows system crash, you can conveniently rollback your virtual machine to any previously saved state with all of your data and software intact. (As opposed to losing all of your data and reinstalling Windows and all your PC software.) Additionally, periodically creating a set of backups facilitates faster recovery time to get back on your feet, if disaster strikes.

With Parallels Desktop 3.0's Snapshot Manager, you can manage and view all of your snapshots in a tree pane that includes screen shots for each snapshot. Snapshot Manager enables you to revert back to previous snapshots, delete snapshots, and edit description information for each snapshot.

Snapshots are excellent for:

• Bulletproofing your Windows virtual machine from viruses and spyware
  
• Creating a regularly scheduled backup to revert your virtual machine to any previous stable state
  
• Rolling back your virtual machine after a software update, system crash, or software testing

Access your Windows files and folders directly from your Mac desktop without even launching Windows using Parallels Explorer.

View the Explorer demo.

Parallels Explorer
Just need that one document? Where did that pdf go? Thanks to Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac's new Parallels Explorer, now you can access your Windows files and folders directly from your Mac desktop, without even launching Windows. With a deeper integration between Mac OS X and Windows, Parallels Desktop 3.0 makes it even easier to run Windows on your Mac.

Using Parallels Desktop 3.0's Explorer, you can:

• Access your Windows files and documents directly from your Mac Desktop
  
• Browse your Windows system directly on your Mac Dock
  
• Maintain access to your important Windows documents, even if the virtual machine crashes
  
• Drag-and-drop files and folders between Windows and OS X
  
• Save time with direct access to all of your critical files, without having to wait for your virtual machine to start and Windows to boot
  
• Create and delete files in your Windows system "on the fly"
  
• Troubleshoot your Windows system for tricky file errors and deleted folders
  
• ...all without even launching Windows.

Enjoy two operating systems while managing only one desktop. Parallels Explorer eliminates your having to wait for your virtual machine to start and Windows to boot just to access your key Windows files, folders, and documents. Running Windows and Mac has never been easier!

3D Graphics
NEW! Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac now supports DirectX 9 and OpenGL 1.5! No need to dedicate a separate Windows machine to running favorite 3D games and key graphics applications. Parallels Desktop 3.0 now brings the world of Windows 3D straight to your Mac like never before!

With Parallels Desktop 3.0, you can:

• Play Windows-only 3D games, such as Half-Life, World of Warcraft, and Unreal Tournament
  
• Render in complex 3D CAD programs such as AutoCAD 2008
  
• Work with CPU-intensive video and sound editing software such as Sony Vegas
  
• Run mission-critical 3D applications on your Mac
  
• Enjoy your favorite Windows-only games and graphics applications directly in your Windows virtual machine at full native speed--without rebooting

By including deep support for both DirectX and OpenGL, Parallels Desktop 3.0 for Mac brings a world of Windows-only key productivity and entertainment software to Mac users for the first time. Now you can truly experience the best of both worlds on one machine!

Coherence 4.0 makes Windows programs run and act like Mac applications. Click to enlarge.

Run Mac OS X and Windows side-by-side. Click to enlarge.

Comprehensive internet security and privacy tools. Click to enlarge.

Performance and Innovation Make Parallels #1. Now Includes More than 50 Powerful New Features! Click to enlarge.

Run Windows on Your Mac the Easy Way. Right Alongside Mac OS X.
Parallels Desktop for Mac makes it possible to run Windows XP or Vista, Linux, and more side-by-side with Mac OS X without rebooting. With Parallels' award-winning virtualization technology, you can run Mac OS X and your favorite Windows applications at the same time. You can even drag-and-drop files between desktops! Launch Windows applications like Mac applications--right from your Mac's dock.

Parallels Desktop for Mac 4.0 is the biggest upgrade ever with over 50 new features. It also comes with a complete suite of essential tools you need to run Windows on a Mac. Parallels Desktop now ships with $175 in bonus software including Kaspersky Internet Security, Acronis Disk Director and Acronis True Image.

Lightning-fast performance
Parallels Desktop takes advantage of Intel Core Duo and Core 2 Duo processors and Intel VT-x hardware accelerated virtualization, for near-native speed and rock-solid performance. With support for up to 8 GB RAM, 2TB virtual hard disks and up to 4 CPUs, Parallels Desktop for Mac delivers maximum performance.

Unmatched Compatibility
Enjoy all the benefits of having a Mac and keep running the Windows programs you can't live without. Parallels Desktop for Mac runs thousands of Windows applications and is compatible with your favorite USB devices including mobile phones, printers, scanners and GPS devices. With Parallels Desktop you can run any version of Windows, including Vista and XP, as well as Linux, FreeBSD, even MS-DOS, at the same time as OS X! Parallels also supports running Mac OS X Leopard Server in a virtual machine.

Remotely manage your Parallels virtual machine with our Free iPhone App. Click to enlarge.

Comprehensive Protection and Privacy
Parallels Internet Security by Kaspersky protects your Windows programs from virus and spyware threats and even includes a firewall and anti-spam tools. Parallels Desktop also includes SmartGuard instant "snapshots" which make backup and recovery easier than ever.

Features

• Advanced virtualization engine with lightning-fast performance
• Use Windows on your Mac without rebooting
• Install Windows XP and Vista in 3 easy steps
• New--Coherence 4.0 makes Windows programs run and act like Mac applications
• Run thousands of Windows applications at near native speed
• New--Support for OpenGL and DirectX 9.0 3D graphics software including games
• Drag and drop files between Windows XP, Vista and Mac OS X.
• New--Parallels Energy Saver maximizes notebook battery life
• New--Built-in Windows virus and spyware protection
• Migrate your existing PC to your Mac. Even import Boot Camp partitions and VMware Fusion virtual machines.
• New--Use iPhone to manage virtual machines
• New--Speech recognition support. Use your voice to control major Parallels commands.
• Unmatched Ease of Use

Includes $175 in Essential Windows Software

• Kaspersky Internet Security 2009 protects against virus and spyware threats, plus firewall and antispam. $79.99 value
  
  
• Acronis TrueImage Home backup and recovery software for Windows. $49.99 value
  
  
• Acronis Disk Director Suite disk partitioning software for Windows. $49.95 value

With more than 1 million users worldwide, the award-winning Parallels Desktop for Mac is the #1 Mac System Utility.*

90 Day Money Back Guarantee
If you are not completely satisfied with Parallels Desktop for Mac for any reason, you may return the software directly to Nova Development within 90 days of purchase for your money back.

*No. 1 claim based on NPD Techworld Reports for the period 8/1/06 - 8/31/08. Reviews and awards cited may be for previous versions of Parallels Desktop for Mac. Windows operating system sold separately.

VMware Fusion transforms Windows applications to work seamlessly like native OS X applications. Now you can share data back and forth between Windows and Mac using Shared Folders; drag and drop files, and even copy and paste styled text. Instantly launch Windows applications from any Mac file, the Dock, Spotlight and more. Minimize Windows applications to the Dock and quickly switch between Windows and Mac applications using Exposé.

VMware Fusion makes your Windows-on-Mac experience safe and reliable, with great features like AutoProtect automated snapshotsand a complimentary 12-month subscription to McAfee VirusScan Plus.

Moving to VMware Fusion has never been easier. Windows Easy Install gets you up and running in a couple of clicks. Plus, importingnon-VMware virtual machines is as easy as point-and-click.

For current Boot Camp users, you can run VMware Fusion right on top of your existing Boot Camp partition. And when youre ready, just import your Boot Camp partition and reclaim unused space.

Built from the ground up for Mac usersand with an obsessive eye toward being a good Mac citizen VMware Fusion is the easiest, most Mac-friendly way to run Windows on the Mac. A Mac-first user interface guarantees the features you expect, like searchable Apple help, Boot Camp support, Quick Look integration and more.

Who says you can't have it all? Get the best of both worlds and seamlessly run your favorite Windows applications on the Mac with VMware Fusion. Click to enlarge.

Mac and Windows unite with VMware Fusion's powerful "Unity" view. Click to enlarge.

Share data back and forth between your Windows and Mac with ease. Click to enlarge.

Run 3D games, design software and other graphic-intensive applications. Click to enlarge.

VMware Fusion 2 doubles the number of virtual CPUs you can attach to a virtual machine, with experimental support for 4-way vSMP virtual machines. Click to enlarge.

Get the best of both worlds.

Moving to the Mac is easy.
Getting started is a breeze. Import your existing Windows PC with VMware Converter, or easily install a new Windows OS in a few simple steps with Windows Easy Install.

Graduate from Boot Camp.
VMware Fusion is the perfect complement to Apple's Boot Camp. No more choosing between Mac or Windows on boot; run Windows side-by-side with Mac OS X from your existing partition. And when you're ready, import your Boot Camp partition to reclaim extra space and enjoy great features such as Snapshots, AutoProtect, and Suspend and Resume.

3D for you and me.
Run 3D games, design software and other graphics-intensive apps with support for DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 2 3D hardware-accelerated graphics.

Displays for days.
Use Windows applications across as many displays as you please--up to eight screens.

Mac to the core.
Built from the ground up for the Mac, VMware Fusion works the way you expect with customizable tool bars, Quick Look integration, searchable Apple help and more.

Airbags for your Mac.
Take snapshots of your Windows installation, and always have the option to roll back to a safe state in case of trouble. And with AutoProtect, automated snapshots let you easily go back in time to before problems occurred.

USB without limits.
VMware Fusion lets you use Windows-only USB devices on your Mac--from GPS receivers, to cell phones, PDAs and even Apple iSight cameras.

Keep the bugs away.
To keep Windows XP and Windows Vista on your Mac as safe as possible, VMware Fusion includes a complimentary 12-month subscription to McAfee VirusScan Plus.

Maximize your Mac.
Take your Mac to the max by running virtual machines with up to four virtual CPUs, 8GB of RAM and with 64-bit operating systems.

Features:

• Seamlessly integrate Windows applications with the Mac
• Instantly launch Windows applications from any Mac file, the Dock and more
• Run Windows side-by-side with Mac OS X without rebooting
• Minimize Windows applications to the Dock
• Use Exposé to switch between Windows and Mac applications
• Import an existing PC with VMware Converter
• Install new Windows OS with Windows Easy Install
• Run Windows applications across multiple screens
• Use Windows-only USB devices on your Mac, including GPS receivers, cell phones, PDAs, and iSight cameras
• Run 3D games, design software and other graphics-intensive apps with support for DirectX 9.0 Shader Model 2 3D hardware-accelerated graphics
• Winner of more than a dozen industry awards

Run Windows and other operating systems on your Mac.

Run any version of Windows.

Full support for Windows, Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD.

Run Windows applications just like Mac applications
Say goodbye to the Windows desktop and use the VMware Fusion Launch Palette or Spotlight to easily launch your Windows applications. Switch between all your Windows and Mac applications using Expose. Keep your favorite applications in the Dock, bring forward only the application you care about, and use your familiar Mac keyboard shortcuts the whole time.

Turn back time on your PC
Capture and save the exact state of your virtual machine with VMware Fusion's innovative Snapshot feature. If your Windows virtual machine becomes unresponsive, use the Snapshot feature to rollback to a known stable state with the click of a button.

Get the most out of your Mac hardware
Take full advantage of 64-bit and multi-core processors of your Mac for maximum flexibility. You can run 64-bit operating systems such as Windows Vista Ultimate 64-bit Edition or leverage Virtual SMP to create and run multi-processor virtual machines.

Our cutting-edge 3D technology even lets you to play select DirectX 8.1 games on your Mac. Plus, get full read/write support for CDs and DVDs and complete USB 2.0 support--even for proprietary video cameras, Bluetooth devices and other Windows-only peripherals.

Run multiple operating systems on your Mac with ease
Easily use UNIX-based operating systems such as Linux and Solaris right alongside Windows and Mac OS X, with the ease and simplicity you've come to expect from your Mac. Only VMware Fusion makes it possible to copy and paste text between Mac and Linux or Solaris, or to drag and drop files from the Mac desktop to Linux or Solaris.

Get up and running with your favorite Windows applications quickly.

Enjoy access to Windows applications through a familiar Mac interface.

Customize your toolbar for integration with Fusion.

Built for the Mac

Run Windows applications like Mac applications
VMware Fusion transforms your Windows applications with VMware Unity feature, giving you the seamless Mac experience you expect. Minimize Windows applications to the Dock, switch between Windows or Mac application with Expose, find and instantly launch any Windows application, and use familiar Mac keyboard shortcuts to copy and paste between Windows and Mac applications.

Designed for the Mac user
Get up and running with your favorite Windows applications quickly. VMware Fusion's user interface was designed exclusively for the Mac so things will work the way you expect them to, including customizable toolbars and configuration sheets.

Run Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Mac OS X at the same time
Run Microsoft Vista Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate 32-bit or 64-bit editions or any Windows XP edition side-by-side with Mac OS X.

Use your Boot Camp install side by side with your mac
Run Windows XP side-by-side with Mac OS X from your existing Boot Camp partition, which VMware Fusion automatically detects and when run the first time is updated to use optimized drivers when run as a virtual machine. Access your existing Boot Camp partition with the flexibility of running Windows natively or as a virtual machine. In addition, VMware Fusion has experimental support for Microsoft Vista on Boot Camp partitions.

Install Windows easily
Answer a few simple questions, insert a Windows CD and VMware Fusion does the rest to create a Mac-ready Windows virtual machine without you becoming a Windows expert.

Roll back and recover
Rollback allows you to take a Snapshot of the virtual machine at any point in time. If problems occur later, you can roll your virtual machine back to that known-good state with a single click.

Start where you left off
The suspend feature stores your applications' states so you can quickly resume work without restarting Windows and opening all your applications.

Move your virtual machine by copying a file
Exclusive feature:Your complete virtual machine is stored in a single, easy-to-manage package. Move your virtual machines to another hard drive or Mac simply by copying a file.

Use Shared Folders to share your Mac home folder or other folders to your virtual machines.

The suspend feature stores your applications' states so you can quickly resume work without restarting Windows.

Keep an eye on your laptop's battery level from Windows.

The Most Complete Virtualization Platform

Full support for Windows, Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD on your Mac
Exclusive feature: Run 32-bit or 64-bit editions of Windows, Linux, Solaris, and FreeBSD on your Mac. Copy and paste text and drag and drop files between your virtual machines and the Mac. Use Shared Folders to share your Mac home folder or other folders to your virtual machines. Resize the virtual machine window and the resolution of the virtual machine automatically changes. You can even download pre-configured Linux or Solaris virtual machines from the VMware Virtual Appliance Marketplace to get started.

Future Proof with 32-bit and 64-bit virtual machines
Exclusive feature: Run both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems in VMware Fusion virtual machines. As the world moves to 64-bit applications, you will be ready with 64-bit virtual machines on the latest Intel Core 2 Duo and Xeon Macs.

Multi-core for maximum flexibility
Exclusive feature: Leverage the full power of your Intel Mac by using two-way Virtual SMP to assign multiple cores with your virtual machines for maximum flexibility.

Easily share data between virtual machines and your Mac
Use Shared Folders to share your Mac home folder or other folders to your virtual machines. Copy and paste text and drag and drop files between your virtual machines and the Mac.

Run more virtual machines
Exclusive feature: VMware Fusion can use the full 16 GB of memory available with the Mac Pro or Xserve to run more virtual machines at the same time.

Accelerated 3D graphics let you run DirectX 8.1 3D savvy applications and play select DirectX 8.1 games.

Accelerated 3D graphics
Experimental hardware with accelerated 3D graphics let you run DirectX 8.1 3D savvy applications and play select DirectX 8.1 games in Window XP with Service Pack 2 virtual machines.

USB 2.0 support
VMware Fusion offers complete USB 2.0 support--even for proprietary video cameras, GPS, Bluetooth, and other devices that only work in Windows.

CD and DVD burning
SuperDrive is fully supported in any virtual machine with VMware Fusion.

Seamless, powerful networking
Windows shares your Mac's network connections and provides effortless switching between wired and AirPort/Wi-Fi connections. Add up to ten virtual network interfaces to support private and public networks. Or use host-only networking to keep your virtual machine isolated from the network for maximum safety.

Battery pass-through
Exclusive feature: Keep an eye on your laptop's battery level from Windows, ideal when running Windows full screen.

ACPI support
Your virtual PC shuts down completely when you say shut down and supports hibernation when using Boot Camp partition virtual machines.

Move to the Virtual World

Migrate your existing Windows PC to a virtual machine
Migrate your existing Windows PCs into Mac-ready virtual machines with the free VMware Converter Starter.

Virtual appliances
Choose from over 450 3rd party virtual appliances, pre-configured virtual machines designed to meet specific needs, at the VMware Virtual Appliance Marketplace.

Fully compatible with other VMware products
Existing VMware customers can leverage existing VMware virtual machines created with other VMware products, including VMware Workstation, VMware Server, and VMware Infrastructure 3, which are all fully compatible with VMware Fusion.

Is our universe dying?
Could there be other universes?
In Parallel Worlds, world-renowned physicist and bestselling author Michio Kaku—an author who “has a knack for bringing the most ethereal ideas down to earth” (Wall Street Journal)—takes readers on a fascinating tour of cosmology, M-theory, and its implications for the fate of the universe.

In his first book of physics since Hyperspace, Michio Kaku begins by describing the extraordinary advances that have transformed cosmology over the last century, and particularly over the last decade, forcing scientists around the world to rethink our understanding of the birth of the universe, and its ultimate fate. In Dr. Kaku’s eyes, we are living in a golden age of physics, as new discoveries from the WMAP and COBE satellites and the Hubble space telescope have given us unprecedented pictures of our universe in its infancy.

As astronomers wade through the avalanche of data from the WMAP satellite, a new cosmological picture is emerging. So far, the leading theory about the birth of the universe is the “inflationary universe theory,” a major refinement on the big bang theory. In this theory, our universe may be but one in a multiverse, floating like a bubble in an infinite sea of bubble universes, with new universes being created all the time. A parallel universe may well hover a mere millimeter from our own.

The very idea of parallel universes and the string theory that can explain their existence was once viewed with suspicion by scientists, seen as the province of mystics, charlatans, and cranks. But today, physicists overwhelmingly support string-theory, and its latest iteration, M-theory, as it is this one theory that, if proven correct, would reconcile the four forces of the universe simply and elegantly, and answer the question “What happened before the big bang?”

Already, Kaku explains, the world’s foremost physicists and astronomers are searching for ways to test the theory of the multiverse using highly sophisticated wave detectors, gravity lenses, satellites, and telescopes. The implications of M-theory are fascinating and endless. If parallel worlds do exist, Kaku speculates, in time, perhaps a trillion years or more from now, as appears likely, when our universe grows cold and dark in what scientists describe as a big freeze, advanced civilizations may well find a way to escape our universe in a kind of “inter-dimensional lifeboat.”

An unforgettable journey into black holes and time machines, alternate universes, and multidimensional space, Parallel Worlds gives us a compelling portrait of the revolution sweeping the world of cosmology.