Michio Kaku, an author and professor of theoretical physics, returned to Coast this Wednesday evening, with his trademark blend of thought-provoking science. He spoke of a "hyper nova"-- a new kind of object recently discovered, even though its energetic burst took place two billion years ago. The staggering intensity of this event would be like if "the entire energy of our sun burst in a tenth of second," he said, adding that the explosion likely left a black hole in its wake which could be a gateway to a parallel universe.

"What happened before the Big Bang was the Multiverse, a universe of universes," Dr. Kaku said as he traced back time before our universe was created. Parallel universes he explained could exist in the "ten, possibly eleven dimensions" that physicists have speculated may exist beyond our awareness. Further, he believes at some point in the future, we may have instruments to detect these universes, and could even escape in a "cosmic lifeboat," should our universe become uninhabitable.

By the year 2020, "computers will be everywhere and nowhere," like electricity, Kaku said. We'll have intelligent walls and internet connections in our glasses. A "Body Shop" that would "allow us to grow livers and kidneys," may also be coming he said. Next up for Kaku will be two books. One will be a new biography of Einstein from a modern point of view, and the other titled Parallel Worlds will contain "delicious paradoxes" and "mind bending ideas."