"Previously the domain of philosophers and linguists, information theory has now moved beyond the province of code breakers to become the crucial science of our time. Seife draws on his gift for making cutting-edge science accessible to explain how this new tool is deciphering everything from the purpose of our DNA to parallel universes. The result is an exhilarating adventure that deftly combines cryptology, physics, biology, and mathematics to cast light on the new understanding of the laws that govern life and the universe. Now in paper. 304 pp."