In 1995, Barry Edwards is an ordinary bloke working on his astrophysics PhD until, one day, he finds what he thinks is a black hole. Years later he re-discovers it and his life changes forever, along with that of the rest of humanity. His comfortable and prosaic life becomes a kaleidoscope of unimaginable adventures and, because of him, a lazy young English holidaymaker finds himself propelled to superstardom, a psychotic lunatic manages to live out his deranged fantasies and the most beautiful woman ever seen arrives on the planet.