  The cosmic stellar birth rate can be measured by standard astronomical
techniques. It can also be probed via the cosmic stellar death rate, though
until recently, this was much less precise. However, recent results based on
measured supernova rates, and importantly, also on the attendant diffuse fluxes
of neutrinos and gamma rays, have become competitive, and a concordant history
of stellar birth and death is emerging. The neutrino flux from all past
core-collapse supernovae, while faint, is realistically within reach of
detection in Super-Kamiokande, and a useful limit has already been set. I will
discuss predictions for this flux, the prospects for neutrino detection, the
implications for understanding core-collapse supernovae, and a new limit on the
contribution of type-Ia supernovae to the diffuse gamma-ray background.
