findings. There he interrupts Lee Harvey Oswald's assassination attempt on President John F. Kennedy, attacking the shooter and sending the would-be fatal third shot awry. Though seriously injured, Kennedy survives. This paradox creates an alternate universe and forever ends the contact with the original 1998. The concluding chapters portray the 1998 of the original timeline as a bleak, failing world, the intensified ecological disaster taking a noticeable toll on the human way of life. Peterson retreats to a fortified country farmhouse which he has obviously prepared well in advance. Renfrew continues to send out signals (including the more coherent one that Gordon receives) until the building's generator gives out. Before it does, however, he receives a signal purportedly from the year 2349. In the final chapter, set in the alternate 1974, an awards ceremony is held for achievement in science. In light of Kennedy's survival, the United States President giving out the awards is William Scranton, who is said to have defeated Bobby Kennedy due to a telephone tapping scandal. The scientists whose work stemmed from the signal are honored, including Bernstein, who receives the Enrico Fermi Prize for his discovery of the tachyon. See also Source of Benford's law of controversy Thrice Upon a Time (1980), by James P. Hogan Prince of Darkness (1987), horror film directed by John Carpenter 11/22/63 (2011), novel by Stephen King SF Masterworks References External links Timescape at Worlds Without End 1980 American novels 1980 science fiction novels American science fiction novels Cultural depictions of John F. Kennedy Cultural depictions of Lee Harvey Oswald Fiction set in 1998 Hard science fiction John W. Campbell Award for Best Science Fiction Novel-winning works Nebula Award for Best Novel-winning works Novels about time travel Novels by Gregory Benford Novels set in San Diego Novels set in University of Cambridge