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Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything
THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'Explores just about every area of life' DAILY MAIL'If only Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry were on tap to all of us, all the time . . . The pair have such a gift for making life, numbers and the forces at work in the universe all the richer, stranger, funnier and more marvellous.' Stephen FryIn Rutherford and Fry's comprehensive guidebook, they tell the complete story of the universe and absolutely everything in it - skipping over some of the boring parts .This is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans and the fact that amid all the mess, we can somehow make sense of life.Our brains have evolved to tell us all sorts of things that feel intuitively right but just aren't the world looks flat, the stars seem fixed in the heavenly firmament, a day is 24 hours... This book is crammed full of tales of how stuff really works. With the power of science, Rutherford and Fry show us how to bypass our monkey-brains, taking us on a journey from the origin of time and space, via planets, galaxies, evolution, the dinosaurs, all the way into our minds, and wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions that only science can What is time, and where does it come from?Why are animals the size and shape they are?How horoscopes work ( Spoiler : they don't, but you think they do)Does my dog love me?Why nothing is truly round ?Do you need your eyes to see?'A wonderfully engaging blend of wit, enthusiasm, clarity and knowledge.' Bill Bryson'Like the universe itself, this book is multi-faceted, surprising and full of wonders. It's also funny, wise and exceedingly brainy. You really owe it to yourself to read it.' Tim Harford, author of How To Make The World Add Up
304 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 1, 2021
273 people are currently reading
4694 people want to read
About the author
Adam Rutherford
31 books659 followersAdam David Rutherford is a British geneticist, author, and broadcaster. He was an audio-visual content editor for the journal Nature for a decade, is a frequent contributor to the newspaper The Guardian, hosts the BBC Radio 4 programme Inside Science, has produced several science documentaries and has published books related to genetics and the origin of life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 174 reviews
January 14, 2022
I love works of popular science and works of popular history, so naturally I love works of popular science history. One of my favourite books of all time is
A Short History of Nearly Everything
, but it is getting on in years and could use some updating. I rather naively hoped that The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) might be a worthy spiritual successor to that volume. Both Hannah Fry and Adam Rutherford have written books I have enjoyed in the past:
Hello World
and
How to Argue With a Racist
, respectively. I was delighted to be approved for this eARC through NetGalley and publisher W.W. Norton & Company. Alas, the book didn’t quite live up to my lofty expectations—and that is probably on me.
Although the title makes it sound like Rutherford and Fry are taking on the (admittedly daunting) task of explaining everything, the subtitle, Adventures in Math and Science, is a more accurate description of this book. The chapters are a meandering, sometimes unfocused exploration of topics that feel picked somewhat out of a hat, or perhaps through the authors’ interest in them. Through a mixture of history, philosophy, science, and geeky pop culture references, the authors deliver a wonderful backgrounder on the age of the universe (and how we know it), the history of measuring (and defining) time, biases in perception and cognition, human (and animal) emotions, and more.
As I said in the introduction, it’s my fault for wanting this book to be something it isn’t, so I don’t want to be too harsh on it as a result. This book does not take us through the history of life, the universe, and everything with delightful anecdotes from the scientists we meet along the way. Yes, there are delightful anecdotes, and there are also plenty of facts—I definitely learned from this book, including that Charles Darwin had a third work on evolutionary theory, The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals, that no one else has ever mentioned in my presence! There are plenty of allusions and stories about scientific contributions I was familiar with, as well as ones I was not.
But I just couldn’t enjoy the organization of this book. Partly, reading the eARC on a Kindle was hell because there are a bunch of sidebars that don’t get rendered properly, so halfway through a paragraph of the main text it jumps inexplicably to a different topic for three paragraphs before resuming the original topic. This isn’t the authors’ fault, but it did seem emblematic of their writing style in general, which is frenetic and conversational in a way that is meant to be approachable but doesn’t work for me. Again, I’ve enjoyed their writing separately, so I guess it’s the particular combination of their voices that didn’t work.
It’s also important to remember that any book as general and broad as this can be susceptible to mistakes. Fry is a mathematician, Rutherford a geneticist, yet they seek to explicate topics as intense as radiological dating and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle—and in the latter case, they actually perpetuate a common yet incorrect explanation (they repeat misconception #2 in this wonderful video from Looking Glass Universe should you be curious, which is how I recognized this explanation as incorrect). That was just a particular nuance that jumped out at me; I am sure there are more.
So in this way, The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) is likely going to be a big hit with some readers. It certainly has the potential to introduce you to a wide range of very interesting topics, which I hope will lead people to read more specialized books about those topics. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the writing style or how the book was organized, which made it difficult to appreciate the book as a whole. While I therefore can’t enthusiastically recommend it, I’m also not panning it either—just not my particular cup of tea, which honestly surprised me a great deal.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
Although the title makes it sound like Rutherford and Fry are taking on the (admittedly daunting) task of explaining everything, the subtitle, Adventures in Math and Science, is a more accurate description of this book. The chapters are a meandering, sometimes unfocused exploration of topics that feel picked somewhat out of a hat, or perhaps through the authors’ interest in them. Through a mixture of history, philosophy, science, and geeky pop culture references, the authors deliver a wonderful backgrounder on the age of the universe (and how we know it), the history of measuring (and defining) time, biases in perception and cognition, human (and animal) emotions, and more.
As I said in the introduction, it’s my fault for wanting this book to be something it isn’t, so I don’t want to be too harsh on it as a result. This book does not take us through the history of life, the universe, and everything with delightful anecdotes from the scientists we meet along the way. Yes, there are delightful anecdotes, and there are also plenty of facts—I definitely learned from this book, including that Charles Darwin had a third work on evolutionary theory, The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals, that no one else has ever mentioned in my presence! There are plenty of allusions and stories about scientific contributions I was familiar with, as well as ones I was not.
But I just couldn’t enjoy the organization of this book. Partly, reading the eARC on a Kindle was hell because there are a bunch of sidebars that don’t get rendered properly, so halfway through a paragraph of the main text it jumps inexplicably to a different topic for three paragraphs before resuming the original topic. This isn’t the authors’ fault, but it did seem emblematic of their writing style in general, which is frenetic and conversational in a way that is meant to be approachable but doesn’t work for me. Again, I’ve enjoyed their writing separately, so I guess it’s the particular combination of their voices that didn’t work.
It’s also important to remember that any book as general and broad as this can be susceptible to mistakes. Fry is a mathematician, Rutherford a geneticist, yet they seek to explicate topics as intense as radiological dating and the Heisenberg uncertainty principle—and in the latter case, they actually perpetuate a common yet incorrect explanation (they repeat misconception #2 in this wonderful video from Looking Glass Universe should you be curious, which is how I recognized this explanation as incorrect). That was just a particular nuance that jumped out at me; I am sure there are more.
So in this way, The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged) is likely going to be a big hit with some readers. It certainly has the potential to introduce you to a wide range of very interesting topics, which I hope will lead people to read more specialized books about those topics. Unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy the writing style or how the book was organized, which made it difficult to appreciate the book as a whole. While I therefore can’t enthusiastically recommend it, I’m also not panning it either—just not my particular cup of tea, which honestly surprised me a great deal.
Originally posted on Kara.Reviews, where you can easily browse all my reviews and subscribe to my newsletter.
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November 24, 2023I like both the authors but this felt perhaps a tad less than the sum of their parts. It has a 'collection of essays' feel without much of a driving theme and I didn't feel like I learned anything hugely new. However, if you are looking for a place to start with 'why science is a good toolkit for humans' this is a fun, accessible read.
October 14, 2021
Brilliant. Not only did it expand my mind, it generated enhanced levels of chuckles, sniggers and explosive laughter. Adam and Hannah combined have such extensive expertise, but are equally kind inclusive and hilariously human. Buy one for yourself and a mathematically affordable increased number for loved ones.
January 16, 2023
This is a decent book. Quite entertaining and it does a fine job of educating the masses.
But, there isnt much to distinguish it from other books of similar ilk and there isn't anything in it that elevates it to greatness/ must-read.
But, there isnt much to distinguish it from other books of similar ilk and there isn't anything in it that elevates it to greatness/ must-read.
October 30, 2021
This book was fantastic!!! Full of fascinating facts as well as laugh out loud moments. I love Adam and Hannah’s radio show and felt like I could practically hear their voices narrating this book as I read. 10/10 would recommend!
January 26, 2022
I’m a huge fan of Rutherford & Fry’s podcast the curious cases so I just had to get this book. It was so witty, entertaining and crammed full of amazing science and wonders of the universe.
Right from the first page it captured my imagination and I so enjoyed reading it. The pages flew by and I honestly could put it down.
It was so engaging and read so well. I learnt a lot and definitely had my mind blown a few times and it was just such a fun book to read. Learning without really feeling like you were learning, and the banter between Adam and Hannah burst out the pages. I seriously loved it and I hope they’ll both write more together!!
Right from the first page it captured my imagination and I so enjoyed reading it. The pages flew by and I honestly could put it down.
It was so engaging and read so well. I learnt a lot and definitely had my mind blown a few times and it was just such a fun book to read. Learning without really feeling like you were learning, and the banter between Adam and Hannah burst out the pages. I seriously loved it and I hope they’ll both write more together!!
March 16, 2024
I was expecting something more cohesive. Some topics were interesting. Others weren't. The authors think that they are very funny. I am questioning their understanding of chirality.
June 20, 2024
Fun but unoriginal: a mishmash of every other pop science book. Good audiobook recording though, with the authors switching back and forth between sections, but it felt like it was a continuation of their radio show, not a full cohesive book.
April 24, 2022
If you like Rurtherford and Fry's podcast, this book is definitely for you. If you don't like Rutherford and Fry, this book is also for you. It focuses on a few areas on science and does this in an accessible and entertaining way. It was a joy to read.
December 11, 2021
Maravilloso recorrido por unos cuantos temas, todos ellos interesantísimos. El libro empieza fuerte, con la Biblioteca de Babel de Borges, explicando cómo tener en nuestras manos TODO el conocimiento no es algo tan bueno como pudiera parecer. Siguen fuerte, hablando de cómo la toxoplasmosis hace a las ratas amar la orina de gato (que normalmente rehúyen) y así ponerse en su camino y ser devoradas por gatos, que se contagiarán al comerse a las ratas y seguirán transmitiendo el virus, y relacionan esto con la existencia del libre albedrío. Pasan por mil temas, como algunas de las maneras en que nuestro cerebro nos engaña al enseñarnos el mundo <-- Hilo MUY recomendable, o si podemos decir que nuestras mascotas "nos quieren", o si existe la suerte, todas ellas con un cierto grado de profundidad filosófica y muy bien narradas. Por supuesto, está salpicado de datos curiosos pero inútiles, como que Fritz Zwicky fue quien acuñó la expresión "hijoputa esférico" para alguien que es un hijoputa lo mires desde donde lo mires, y coasas así. Me ha encantado el libro. Fascinante.
October 22, 2021
Amusingly written and the authors' personalities come through, but this is a very light book and, as is unfortunately the case with a lot of pop science, it seems to assume you've never read any science before.
May 4, 2022
I enjoyed it and now need to try and remember the amazing things I now know. I liked the humour in the book
January 14, 2022
“Science has got an awful lot wrong over the years. One could argue that it is, in fact, science’s job to get things wrong, as that is the place for which you can start to be less wrong and after a few rounds get things right.”
Genre: Nonfiction, Science
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.
Explained mostly in a language that can be understood by the general public, “The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged): Adventures in Math and Science” does its best at trying to make science accessible for all. With anecdotes and examples spread around here and there, this book is anything but monotone—something that is hard to achieve when tackling scientific writing.
Touching on subjects ranging from the concept of time (solar, atomic, circadian—measured by clocks or corals or humans) to the relativity of colors (how certain are you that the green I see is the same green you see?), this book really does try to give you countless bits and pieces of information of important science-related topics.
I personally loved the audiobook. This book is written like a conversation, and having the authors of the book read it felt more like a fun podcast rather than a heavy university textbook. Being a scientist myself, there were few things in this book that I hadn’t heard before, but I am absolutely certain that this will not be the case for everyone. And even knowing these things, I found this book incredibly entertaining.
I would highly recommend this book if you’re a science enthusiast and enjoy fun science. This book reminds me of educational videos made by ASAPScience or Crash Course in its cleverness and humor. I feel like this would be an awesome gift for senior high school students who have an interest in STEM or even adults who are generally interested in science and would like to learn more.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“To us, the passing of time is not fixed. No matter how accurate a clock we can build, our experience of time is subjective and depends on our psychological state from moment to moment. (…) Experience is what colors our existence.”
Genre: Nonfiction, Science
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.
Explained mostly in a language that can be understood by the general public, “The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged): Adventures in Math and Science” does its best at trying to make science accessible for all. With anecdotes and examples spread around here and there, this book is anything but monotone—something that is hard to achieve when tackling scientific writing.
Touching on subjects ranging from the concept of time (solar, atomic, circadian—measured by clocks or corals or humans) to the relativity of colors (how certain are you that the green I see is the same green you see?), this book really does try to give you countless bits and pieces of information of important science-related topics.
I personally loved the audiobook. This book is written like a conversation, and having the authors of the book read it felt more like a fun podcast rather than a heavy university textbook. Being a scientist myself, there were few things in this book that I hadn’t heard before, but I am absolutely certain that this will not be the case for everyone. And even knowing these things, I found this book incredibly entertaining.
I would highly recommend this book if you’re a science enthusiast and enjoy fun science. This book reminds me of educational videos made by ASAPScience or Crash Course in its cleverness and humor. I feel like this would be an awesome gift for senior high school students who have an interest in STEM or even adults who are generally interested in science and would like to learn more.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“To us, the passing of time is not fixed. No matter how accurate a clock we can build, our experience of time is subjective and depends on our psychological state from moment to moment. (…) Experience is what colors our existence.”
April 5, 2023
Wenn du an Aliens denkst, wie sehen sie aus? Glatte Haut, großer Kopf und riesige schwarze Augen? Oder irgendwie eidechsen-artig - grün mit schuppiger Haut und Säure als Blut?
Wieso sich ein Großteil von uns Aliens in einer dieser beiden Varianten vorstellt, wird in „Der ultimative Guide zu absolut allem* (*gekürzt)” von Hannah Fry und Adam Rutherford beschrieben. Adam Rutherford ist Wissenschaftler, der sich auf Genetik und Evolution spezialisiert hat und Hannah Fry, eine Mathematikerin, die sich auf komplexe Systeme und Algorithmen konzentriert. Das Autorenduo vermittelt hier Wissen aus verschiedenen wissenschaftlichen Bereichen und hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, komplexe wissenschaftliche Konzepte klar und verständlich zu erklären und dabei einen unterhaltsamen Ton beizubehalten. Es ist wirklich herrlich geschrieben!
Das Buch ist in verschiedene Kapitel unterteilt, die sich mit diversen Themen befassen, wie zum Beispiel der Entstehung des Universums, der menschlichen Evolution, der Quantenphysik und der künstlichen Intelligenz. Jedes Kapitel ist gut strukturiert und bietet eine Menge an Informationen, die durch Beispiele und Illustrationen veranschaulicht werden. Dabei verwenden die Autoren eine klare Sprache und erläutern Fachbegriffe, die für Laien schwer zu verstehen sein könnten.
Wirklich herausragend finde ich, wie die Autoren die Bedeutung der Wissenschaft für unser tägliches Leben hervorheben und sich dabei nicht nur auf Fakten beschränken, sondern die Leser:innen auch dazu anregen, kritisch zu denken. Als einziges „Manko“ würde ich hier darauf verweisen, dass die Themen sehr vielfältig sind und daher kein „roter Faden” existiert. Ich denke, hier haben die Autoren versucht, die interessantesten Fragen aus den Gebieten aufzuklären.
Insgesamt ist „Der ultimative Guide zu absolut allem* (*gekürzt)" ein interessantes Buch für alle, die sich für Wissenschaft und Technologie interessieren und Sendungen wie zum Beispiel Mythbusters oder Quarks&Co mögen.
Wieso sich ein Großteil von uns Aliens in einer dieser beiden Varianten vorstellt, wird in „Der ultimative Guide zu absolut allem* (*gekürzt)” von Hannah Fry und Adam Rutherford beschrieben. Adam Rutherford ist Wissenschaftler, der sich auf Genetik und Evolution spezialisiert hat und Hannah Fry, eine Mathematikerin, die sich auf komplexe Systeme und Algorithmen konzentriert. Das Autorenduo vermittelt hier Wissen aus verschiedenen wissenschaftlichen Bereichen und hat es sich zur Aufgabe gemacht, komplexe wissenschaftliche Konzepte klar und verständlich zu erklären und dabei einen unterhaltsamen Ton beizubehalten. Es ist wirklich herrlich geschrieben!
Das Buch ist in verschiedene Kapitel unterteilt, die sich mit diversen Themen befassen, wie zum Beispiel der Entstehung des Universums, der menschlichen Evolution, der Quantenphysik und der künstlichen Intelligenz. Jedes Kapitel ist gut strukturiert und bietet eine Menge an Informationen, die durch Beispiele und Illustrationen veranschaulicht werden. Dabei verwenden die Autoren eine klare Sprache und erläutern Fachbegriffe, die für Laien schwer zu verstehen sein könnten.
Wirklich herausragend finde ich, wie die Autoren die Bedeutung der Wissenschaft für unser tägliches Leben hervorheben und sich dabei nicht nur auf Fakten beschränken, sondern die Leser:innen auch dazu anregen, kritisch zu denken. Als einziges „Manko“ würde ich hier darauf verweisen, dass die Themen sehr vielfältig sind und daher kein „roter Faden” existiert. Ich denke, hier haben die Autoren versucht, die interessantesten Fragen aus den Gebieten aufzuklären.
Insgesamt ist „Der ultimative Guide zu absolut allem* (*gekürzt)" ein interessantes Buch für alle, die sich für Wissenschaft und Technologie interessieren und Sendungen wie zum Beispiel Mythbusters oder Quarks&Co mögen.
October 26, 2021
I had a blast reading this book! Even for people who is very scietific literate, the way Fry and Rutherford explain the scientific quest is unique! It is so fun, but also so informative and insighful. I truly believe that if science (at least in my country, Mexico) was taught the way Fry and Rutherford teach it in their book, schools, unis and colleges would be enjoyable places and not the tedoius buildings most people believe they are.
Thanks for the laughs and the knowledge Fry and Rutherford!
Thanks for the laughs and the knowledge Fry and Rutherford!
March 20, 2022
Presumably an ok book for young teenagers or children, basically an inferior version of Carl Sagans Cosmos.
June 17, 2022
Really enjoyed this. A lot of fun! Will never look at pigeons in the same way again!
July 17, 2022
I admit it, I'm quite the fan of Hannah Fry, so my review might be slightly skewed, but this book is awesome.
There is so much more to learn, the universe is an amazing thing 😍
There is so much more to learn, the universe is an amazing thing 😍
December 1, 2023
Great for brainy older kids as an introduction to amazing science facts and concepts. Might be a little basic if you read a lot of science books.
March 3, 2024
Funny + educational
August 1, 2022
A very accessible guide to a selection of complicated scientific concepts that doesn't shy away from admitting there's a whole lot scientists got wrong in the past, that more will turn out not to be right after all, there's a shedload we don't know and some stuff we'll probably never know. Proper science explained properly.
February 5, 2023
Hilarious and informative. Just like a long version of their podcast which I love. Listening to it was a pleasure and went by very fast.
February 11, 2024
interesting
March 21, 2022
Fun science book.
The chapter on probability discusses infinite universes and the possibility of everything that is going to happen & already written out (library of babel) - and this is something I've not read elsewhere.
The chapter on probability discusses infinite universes and the possibility of everything that is going to happen & already written out (library of babel) - and this is something I've not read elsewhere.
February 17, 2022
Absolutely exquisite, Rutherford and Fry had me in a chokehold. Read this if you are interested in science, and definitely read this if you are not.
5 sterretjes, prachtig
5 sterretjes, prachtig
March 9, 2022
A pretty fun book from silly smart people, this book presented a lot of facts I already knew but helped to reenforce them in my brain. I also found that the theme and ideology of this book works well I think this was recommended through a podcast ad and it was worth the quick read!
December 30, 2022
Wait.... What? The Milky Way smells like rum and raspberries? I had no idea our universe is so magical!
November 11, 2021
'Forget all you know or think you know; all you require is your intuition' turns out that's bad advice (Thanks High Aldwin) as human intuition is genuinely a terrible tool. But don't take my word for it as scientists Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry have released
Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything
to show us why;
'reality is not what it seems; but if you're ready and willing to set off in search of it, then this is your guide.'
The truth bombing duo's approach to presenting science is enjoyably informal, enthused with the joys of science and chocked full of nerdy humour, pop culture references and a slight edge of sardonic criticism that strays perilously close to scientists trying hard to be cool n hip.
The good Doctors' talents for making science relatable and fun is immense and the informalness of the guide hides (mostly) the hard science so we the reader don't have to strain ourselves understanding the complexities we gave up on in high school. Simply relax and marvel at the astute knowledge offered that may help us understand our little world a little bit better.
The cogitating pair enlighten the reader on a range of important sciencey questions, facts and preconceptions, such as how spheres aren't all that spherey, what aliens look like; neither small grey and probey nor actors in alien suits. Aliens may well look like whales, have many legs, be winged and be colourful but odds aren't in bipedal hominids favour.
Now we've all heard of Leap Years but did you know about Leap Seconds? And if you ever felt that some days just seem longer, that's because they fucking physically are, well by a few minutes or seconds at least. Which is better than millions of years ago when a year was 420 days long! In the far future a year will be quite a few days less! And what's Coral actually got to do with this? Besides it's all relativity anyway. Time is as confusing as my ranting, but this handy guide is well worth a read for a proper explanation!
The science enthused double act range far and wide, discussing maths, science, history, unravelling the mysteries as they go. Not only do they give some surprising answers but they also illustrate the hows and whys, offering examples as to why these answers are important, effects! Consequences! And all that deep meaningful stuff. A chapter may start with asking about something fundamental like humanity's capacity for free will. But the answers are found through the Many World's Theory, having arrived there via Hypnotic Mind Control Zombification Hexes and the parasitic castrator (a rejected Harry Potter title), with a diversion through late-nineteenth century French philosophy and the Gwyneth Paltrow film Sliding Doors, including a biting remark around her vagina scented candles...ohh edgy...in a middle-class middle aged well renowned scientists kind of way...
The insanely knowledgeable twosome really do make science a hoot though, and reading Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything* *Abridged I find I am literally dumbfounded by truths or err science. A shame it’s abridged I’m going need a bigger book.
'reality is not what it seems; but if you're ready and willing to set off in search of it, then this is your guide.'
The truth bombing duo's approach to presenting science is enjoyably informal, enthused with the joys of science and chocked full of nerdy humour, pop culture references and a slight edge of sardonic criticism that strays perilously close to scientists trying hard to be cool n hip.
The good Doctors' talents for making science relatable and fun is immense and the informalness of the guide hides (mostly) the hard science so we the reader don't have to strain ourselves understanding the complexities we gave up on in high school. Simply relax and marvel at the astute knowledge offered that may help us understand our little world a little bit better.
The cogitating pair enlighten the reader on a range of important sciencey questions, facts and preconceptions, such as how spheres aren't all that spherey, what aliens look like; neither small grey and probey nor actors in alien suits. Aliens may well look like whales, have many legs, be winged and be colourful but odds aren't in bipedal hominids favour.
Now we've all heard of Leap Years but did you know about Leap Seconds? And if you ever felt that some days just seem longer, that's because they fucking physically are, well by a few minutes or seconds at least. Which is better than millions of years ago when a year was 420 days long! In the far future a year will be quite a few days less! And what's Coral actually got to do with this? Besides it's all relativity anyway. Time is as confusing as my ranting, but this handy guide is well worth a read for a proper explanation!
The science enthused double act range far and wide, discussing maths, science, history, unravelling the mysteries as they go. Not only do they give some surprising answers but they also illustrate the hows and whys, offering examples as to why these answers are important, effects! Consequences! And all that deep meaningful stuff. A chapter may start with asking about something fundamental like humanity's capacity for free will. But the answers are found through the Many World's Theory, having arrived there via Hypnotic Mind Control Zombification Hexes and the parasitic castrator (a rejected Harry Potter title), with a diversion through late-nineteenth century French philosophy and the Gwyneth Paltrow film Sliding Doors, including a biting remark around her vagina scented candles...ohh edgy...in a middle-class middle aged well renowned scientists kind of way...
The insanely knowledgeable twosome really do make science a hoot though, and reading Rutherford and Fry's Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything* *Abridged I find I am literally dumbfounded by truths or err science. A shame it’s abridged I’m going need a bigger book.
January 14, 2022
“Science has got an awful lot wrong over the years. One could argue that it is, in fact, science’s job to get things wrong, as that is the place for which you can start to be less wrong and after a few rounds get things right.”
Genre: Nonfiction, Science
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.
Explained mostly in a language that can be understood by the general public, “The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged): Adventures in Math and Science” does its best at trying to make science accessible for all. With anecdotes and examples spread around here and there, this book is anything but monotone—something that is hard to achieve when tackling scientific writing.
Touching on subjects ranging from the concept of time (solar, atomic, circadian—measured by clocks or corals or humans) to the relativity of colors (how certain are you that the green I see is the same green you see?), this book really does try to give you countless bits and pieces of information of important science-related topics.
I personally loved the audiobook. This book is written like a conversation, and having the authors of the book read it felt more like a fun podcast rather than a heavy university textbook. Being a scientist myself, there were few things in this book that I hadn’t heard before, but I am absolutely certain that this will not be the case for everyone. And even knowing these things, I found this book incredibly entertaining.
I would highly recommend this book if you’re a science enthusiast and enjoy fun science. This book reminds me of educational videos made by ASAPScience or Crash Course in its cleverness and humor. I feel like this would be an awesome gift for senior high school students who have an interest in STEM or even adults who are generally interested in science and would like to learn more.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“To us, the passing of time is not fixed. No matter how accurate a clock we can build, our experience of time is subjective and depends on our psychological state from moment to moment. (…) Experience is what colors our existence.”
Genre: Nonfiction, Science
Actual Rating: 4 stars
Content Warnings: None that I can think of.
Explained mostly in a language that can be understood by the general public, “The Complete Guide to Absolutely Everything (Abridged): Adventures in Math and Science” does its best at trying to make science accessible for all. With anecdotes and examples spread around here and there, this book is anything but monotone—something that is hard to achieve when tackling scientific writing.
Touching on subjects ranging from the concept of time (solar, atomic, circadian—measured by clocks or corals or humans) to the relativity of colors (how certain are you that the green I see is the same green you see?), this book really does try to give you countless bits and pieces of information of important science-related topics.
I personally loved the audiobook. This book is written like a conversation, and having the authors of the book read it felt more like a fun podcast rather than a heavy university textbook. Being a scientist myself, there were few things in this book that I hadn’t heard before, but I am absolutely certain that this will not be the case for everyone. And even knowing these things, I found this book incredibly entertaining.
I would highly recommend this book if you’re a science enthusiast and enjoy fun science. This book reminds me of educational videos made by ASAPScience or Crash Course in its cleverness and humor. I feel like this would be an awesome gift for senior high school students who have an interest in STEM or even adults who are generally interested in science and would like to learn more.
ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
“To us, the passing of time is not fixed. No matter how accurate a clock we can build, our experience of time is subjective and depends on our psychological state from moment to moment. (…) Experience is what colors our existence.”
March 14, 2023
»Der Ultimative Guide zu ABSOLUT ALLEM* (*gekürzt)« von den beiden Science-Autor:innen und Journalist:innen Hannah Fry & Adam Rutherford erklärt alltägliche Phänomene genauso wie Grundsatzthemen der Wissenschaft und Welt anschaulich, leicht verständlich und dabei mit einer Menge Humor! In diesem Sachbuch beantworten die beiden gemeinsam Fragen, wie bspw.:
Wie können wir uns eine 4D-Kugel 🪩 vorstellen?
Wieso ist unsere Vorstellung von Außerirdischen 🛸 so limitiert?
Was ist der IKEA-Effekt und wieso gibt es Bestätigungsfehler?
Wieso ist eine Ameise 🐜 nicht TROTZ sondern WEGEN ihrer Körpergröße so stark?
Das Autor:innen-Duo gibt sehr ausführliche und gut erklärte Antworten. Die erklärten Themen sind sehr gut aufbereitet, das Buch enthält einige zusätzliche (graue) Informations-Kästen und Visualisierungen. Einziger Kritikpunkt: Bei der Auswahl der Themen kann ich keinen wirklichen roten Faden erkennen. ... ALL IN ALL: Ein wirklich interessantes und aufschlussreiches Sachbuch, das sich auch wunderbar als Geschenk an lesebegeisterte Teenies (laut dem Autor:innen-Duo übrigens ihre Hauptzielgruppe ✌🏼) eignet.
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»Complete Guide to ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING*(*Abridged)« by the two science authors and journalists Hannah Fry & Adam Rutherford explains everyday phenomena as well as fundamental topics of science and the world in a clear, easy-to-understand way and with a lot of humour! How can we imagine a 4D sphere 🪩? Why is our idea of aliens 🛸 so limited? What is the IKEA effect and why are there confirmation biases? Why is an ant 🐜 so strong not IN FAVOR of its body size but BECAUSE of it? The author duo provides insightful answers to these and many other questions. A really interesting and informative non-fiction book, which is also a wonderful gift for teenagers who love to read (according to the author duo, by the way, their main target group ✌🏼).
Wie können wir uns eine 4D-Kugel 🪩 vorstellen?
Wieso ist unsere Vorstellung von Außerirdischen 🛸 so limitiert?
Was ist der IKEA-Effekt und wieso gibt es Bestätigungsfehler?
Wieso ist eine Ameise 🐜 nicht TROTZ sondern WEGEN ihrer Körpergröße so stark?
Das Autor:innen-Duo gibt sehr ausführliche und gut erklärte Antworten. Die erklärten Themen sind sehr gut aufbereitet, das Buch enthält einige zusätzliche (graue) Informations-Kästen und Visualisierungen. Einziger Kritikpunkt: Bei der Auswahl der Themen kann ich keinen wirklichen roten Faden erkennen. ... ALL IN ALL: Ein wirklich interessantes und aufschlussreiches Sachbuch, das sich auch wunderbar als Geschenk an lesebegeisterte Teenies (laut dem Autor:innen-Duo übrigens ihre Hauptzielgruppe ✌🏼) eignet.
_______________________
🇬🇧⬇️
_______________________
»Complete Guide to ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING*(*Abridged)« by the two science authors and journalists Hannah Fry & Adam Rutherford explains everyday phenomena as well as fundamental topics of science and the world in a clear, easy-to-understand way and with a lot of humour! How can we imagine a 4D sphere 🪩? Why is our idea of aliens 🛸 so limited? What is the IKEA effect and why are there confirmation biases? Why is an ant 🐜 so strong not IN FAVOR of its body size but BECAUSE of it? The author duo provides insightful answers to these and many other questions. A really interesting and informative non-fiction book, which is also a wonderful gift for teenagers who love to read (according to the author duo, by the way, their main target group ✌🏼).
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