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Did you know that your stomach generates heat at a greater rate than a chunk of the Sun of the same size? Or that the brain is 10,000 times more energyefficient than a supercomputer? I know I didn\u2019t! <\/p>\n\n
The One Thing You Need To Know <\/em>by Marcus Chown is a book for those curious about scientific concepts, but who were perhaps put off by the mind-boggling details of typical science books. Because to understand gravitational waves you first need to understand Einsteinian gravity in excruciating detail and be an expert in tensor calculus, right? Wrong! <\/p>\n\nChown takes 21 concepts and cleverly starts with just one thing that you need to know to understand that topic, then shows how everything else that follows is a logical consequence. For instance, to understand special relativity, you need to know that light is uncatchable. This structural and thematic approach therefore makes the book accessible to just about every reader. On the whole, Chown does this very well, although perhaps not all of the topics in the book flow from just one idea. But what is equally fantastic about this book is that each chapter is bite-sized, taking only around 15 minutes to read. So, in this world where everyone is time-limited, you can get the idea of quantum theory while your dinner is cooking.<\/span><\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/GettyImages_1192609742-1024x1024.png\")
Today\u2019s sunlight was created during the Ice Age \u2013 just one of the things you need to know <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\nThe main themes of the book are astronomy and physics topics, including quantum computers, black holes, the Higgs field and electricity. But it\u2019s refreshing that the author also discusses global warming, plate tectonics and human evolution. At first, these chapter titles may seem out of place among the other subjects covered, but Chown does a good job of making the narrative of the book flow. In addition to the science, he also discusses the people who\u2019ve contributed to our knowledge of some of the subjects, along with cute facts that you will remember, such as today\u2019s sunlight was made at the height of the last Ice Age. <\/p>\n\n
This book will surely spark many people\u2019s interests in science by introducing them to an idea they can understand, be passionate about and pursue further.<\/span><\/p>\n\nLaura Nuttall <\/strong>is a Future Leaders Fellow at the University of Portsmouth <\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>
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Interview with the author Marcus Chown<\/h4>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/01-Marcus-Chown-headshot.png\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\nHow did you select the book\u2019s topics? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nI picked topics that were important but which also had something interesting and fun to write about. Global warming is important. But it was interesting for me because I got to write about Eunice Foote, who in 1856 discovered that carbon dioxide traps heat and was the first person in history to speculate that the climate would change if the amount of that gas in the atmosphere changed. She\u2019s been written out of history. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Which topic do we know least about? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe standard model of particle physics, describing how just three fundamental forces glue together three fundamental particles to create the world around us. But the theory does not tell us why the particles have the masses they have, why the forces have the strengths they have, or anything about the two things accounting for 95 per cent of the mass energy of the Universe: dark matter and dark energy. Only experiments and observations can change this, but so far we have had precious few clues! <\/p>\n\n\n\n
What scientific challenges lie ahead? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nScience, since the Second World War, has become big science, which means finding the money to build bigger experiments on the ground and in space. Persuading taxpayers is hard, especially when what scientists are doing appears increasingly esoteric. But it\u2019s critical that the public and politicians understand science since many of the world\u2019s problems, such as global warming, can be appreciated only with a level of scientific education. That\u2019s why magazines such as this play an important role. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Marcus Chown <\/strong>is a science writer, journalist and broadcaster <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/77\/2023\/03\/02-Hunter_9780816548125_Cover300dpi_preview-663x1024.jpg\")
<\/figure><\/div>\n\nThe Sky at Night<\/h4>\n\n
Tim Hunter <\/strong>
University of Arizona Press \u00a325.95 \u25cf <\/span>PB<\/span><\/p>\n\n
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