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螠喂魏蟻萎 喂蟽蟿慰蟻委伪 蟺蔚蟻委 蟿蠅谓 蟺维谓蟿蠅谓
Bill Bryson describes himself as a reluctant traveller, but even when he stays safely at home he can't contain his curiosity about the world around him. "A Short History of Nearly Everything" is his quest to understand everything that has happened from the Big Bang to the rise of civilisation - how we got from there, being nothing at all, to here, being us. The ultimate eye-opening journey through time and space, revealing the world in a way most of us have never seen it before.
704 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
34.1k people are currently reading
575k people want to read
About the author
Bill Bryson
106听books21.4k听followersBill Bryson is a bestselling American-British author known for his witty and accessible nonfiction books spanning travel, science, and language. He rose to prominence with Notes from a Small Island (1995), an affectionate portrait of Britain, and solidified his global reputation with A Short History of Nearly Everything (2003), a popular science book that won the Aventis and Descartes Prizes. Raised in Iowa, Bryson lived most of his adult life in the UK, working as a journalist before turning to writing full-time. His other notable works include A Walk in the Woods, The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, and The Mother Tongue. Bryson served as Chancellor of Durham University (2005鈥�2011) and received numerous honorary degrees and awards, including an honorary OBE and election as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society. Though he announced his retirement from writing in 2020, he remains one of the most beloved voices in contemporary nonfiction, with over 16 million books sold worldwide.
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October 21, 2013
A Short History of 欧宝娱乐
Surveys show that nearly 40% of all Americans believe the history of literature started in 2007, when Amazon sold the first Kindle; indeed, Amazon Fundamentalists hold it as an article of faith that Jeff Bezos actually wrote all the world's e-books over a period of six days. This is, of course, nonsense. It has been conclusively demonstrated that literature is far older than the Kindle; books already existed thousands of years ago, which were the direct ancestors of today's e-publications. For example, careful examination reveals that The Odyssey and The Gospel according to Saint Mark are primitive versions of Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters and Bared to You. Similar relationships have been shown to obtain for all modern books.
Problems arise, however, from the fact that these archaic protobooks still exist today; indeed, some have adapted to the e-reader environment and begun to thrive there. It is entirely too easy for an unsuspecting internet shopper to purchase a copy of Pride and Prejudice, incorrectly believing that it is part of the Twilight series. From the standpoint of formal literary theory, it is admittedly incorrect to say that Pride and Prejudice is "worse" than Twilight. They are simply different; neither one is "worse" than the other, since they have developed in different environments.
From a practical point of view, however, a person who buys a Jane Austen novel is almost certain to be disappointed. There are no vampires or werewolves; sex is barely even hinted at; most upsettingly of all, the book will be full of long sentences and difficult words. The combination of these factors can only lead to an intensely unpleasant reading experience, which may discourage the reader from making new Amazon purchases for days or even weeks afterwards. Particularly given the fragile state of the US economy, this is evidently not an acceptable state of affairs.
People have always exchanged recommendations and warnings with their friends, but it became clear that a more systematic approach was needed. There had to be a place where book-consumers could post advice and help each other avoid these infuriating mistakes, so that everyone could be sure of reading nothing but up-to-the-minute YA erotic paranormal romances.
Thus was born 欧宝娱乐.
This work by Manny is licensed under a
Surveys show that nearly 40% of all Americans believe the history of literature started in 2007, when Amazon sold the first Kindle; indeed, Amazon Fundamentalists hold it as an article of faith that Jeff Bezos actually wrote all the world's e-books over a period of six days. This is, of course, nonsense. It has been conclusively demonstrated that literature is far older than the Kindle; books already existed thousands of years ago, which were the direct ancestors of today's e-publications. For example, careful examination reveals that The Odyssey and The Gospel according to Saint Mark are primitive versions of Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters and Bared to You. Similar relationships have been shown to obtain for all modern books.
Problems arise, however, from the fact that these archaic protobooks still exist today; indeed, some have adapted to the e-reader environment and begun to thrive there. It is entirely too easy for an unsuspecting internet shopper to purchase a copy of Pride and Prejudice, incorrectly believing that it is part of the Twilight series. From the standpoint of formal literary theory, it is admittedly incorrect to say that Pride and Prejudice is "worse" than Twilight. They are simply different; neither one is "worse" than the other, since they have developed in different environments.
From a practical point of view, however, a person who buys a Jane Austen novel is almost certain to be disappointed. There are no vampires or werewolves; sex is barely even hinted at; most upsettingly of all, the book will be full of long sentences and difficult words. The combination of these factors can only lead to an intensely unpleasant reading experience, which may discourage the reader from making new Amazon purchases for days or even weeks afterwards. Particularly given the fragile state of the US economy, this is evidently not an acceptable state of affairs.
People have always exchanged recommendations and warnings with their friends, but it became clear that a more systematic approach was needed. There had to be a place where book-consumers could post advice and help each other avoid these infuriating mistakes, so that everyone could be sure of reading nothing but up-to-the-minute YA erotic paranormal romances.
Thus was born 欧宝娱乐.
This work by Manny is licensed under a
April 28, 2009
Good grief if I had even one textbook half this enthralling in high school, who knows what kind of impassioned -ologist I would have grown up to be. I hereby petition Bryson to re-write all curriculum on behalf of the history of the world.
I would run across things half-remembered from midterms and study guides and think, "You mean this is what they were talking about? You have got to be kidding me." It's never condescending, always a joy.
In fact, what I loved most is the acute, childlike sense of wonder seeping through the pages. How fantastic little we know about the world in which we live. All the great scientific leaps fallen through the cracks, all the billions of leaps that will never be made, every scientist who with an amiable grin shrugs to say, "I don't know. We don't know. Who has any idea?" The world is a magically baffling, enchanting place, and after nearly everything there is infinitesimally more.
I would run across things half-remembered from midterms and study guides and think, "You mean this is what they were talking about? You have got to be kidding me." It's never condescending, always a joy.
In fact, what I loved most is the acute, childlike sense of wonder seeping through the pages. How fantastic little we know about the world in which we live. All the great scientific leaps fallen through the cracks, all the billions of leaps that will never be made, every scientist who with an amiable grin shrugs to say, "I don't know. We don't know. Who has any idea?" The world is a magically baffling, enchanting place, and after nearly everything there is infinitesimally more.
January 24, 2010
Okay, so here's my Bill Bryson story. I was in The Gladstone, a public house not too far from this very keyboard, with my friend Yvonne, who will remain nameless. We had been imbibing more than freely. A guy approached our table and asked me in a sly surreptitious manner if I was him. Him who? Was I Bill Bryson? Now it is true that I bear a very slight resemblance
but you could also say that about Bjorn from Abba
and a zillion other white guys with beards and gently rounded fizzogs. Anyway, without missing a beat I said yes, I was him. So the guy immediately asked me if I'd sign two of his books, and before I could say "Come on mate, I'm not actually American, can't you bleedin well tell?" he had zapped out of the pub. Only to zap straight back with two hardbacks of Bill's deathless works. What could I do? He opened them up reverentially and told me one would be for him and one for his mother. Friends, I signed them - "Best wishes, your friend Bill Bryson". He was so grateful, so very very pleased. We drank up and got the hell out of there. I look back on this disgraceful incident and shudder. That's the last time I'm impersonating a famous author.
Short note on the book in question:
There was no way our Bill could write a gently humorous book about the history of all of science without sounding like a fairly smirky know-it-all, so that's what he does sound like, which can be just a trifle wearing. LOTS of good info in here, but it's like being forced to live on Indian takeaways and nothing else, great for a while and then GET ME A SANDWICH! Or like being stuck on a long airplane ride with a very garrolous and opinionated fellow who thinks he is the very model of the modern travelling companion, regaling you with insightful and humourous anecdotes by the bucketful while you're wondering if it would be so bad if you faked a heart attack and you could whisper to the flight attendant "I'm okay really but GET ME AWAY FROM THIS GUY!"
but you could also say that about Bjorn from Abba
and a zillion other white guys with beards and gently rounded fizzogs. Anyway, without missing a beat I said yes, I was him. So the guy immediately asked me if I'd sign two of his books, and before I could say "Come on mate, I'm not actually American, can't you bleedin well tell?" he had zapped out of the pub. Only to zap straight back with two hardbacks of Bill's deathless works. What could I do? He opened them up reverentially and told me one would be for him and one for his mother. Friends, I signed them - "Best wishes, your friend Bill Bryson". He was so grateful, so very very pleased. We drank up and got the hell out of there. I look back on this disgraceful incident and shudder. That's the last time I'm impersonating a famous author.
Short note on the book in question:
There was no way our Bill could write a gently humorous book about the history of all of science without sounding like a fairly smirky know-it-all, so that's what he does sound like, which can be just a trifle wearing. LOTS of good info in here, but it's like being forced to live on Indian takeaways and nothing else, great for a while and then GET ME A SANDWICH! Or like being stuck on a long airplane ride with a very garrolous and opinionated fellow who thinks he is the very model of the modern travelling companion, regaling you with insightful and humourous anecdotes by the bucketful while you're wondering if it would be so bad if you faked a heart attack and you could whisper to the flight attendant "I'm okay really but GET ME AWAY FROM THIS GUY!"
January 6, 2013
What I learned from this book (in no particular order)
1. Phosphor was accidentally discovered when a scientist tried to turn human urine into gold. The similarity in color seemed to have been a factor in his conviction that this was possible. Like, duh. I鈥檓 no scientist, but shouldn鈥檛 it be obvious enough?
2. 鈥淚n the early 1800s there arose in England a fashion for inhaling nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, after it was discovered that its use 鈥� was attended by a highly pleasurable thrilling鈥�. For the next half- century it would be the drug of choice for young people.鈥� How groovy is that?
3. If you are an average-sized adult, you contain within you enough potential energy to explode with the force of THIRTY very large hydrogen bombs. Assuming, that is, that you KNOW how to actually do this and REALLY want to make a point. Talk about a monstrous temper tantrum.
4. We are each so atomically numerous and so vigorously recycled at death that some of our atoms probably belonged to Shakespeare, Genghis Khan or any other historical figure. But no, you are NOT Elvis or Marilyn Monroe; it takes quite a while for their atoms to get recycled.
5. When you sit in a chair, you are not actually sitting there, but levitating above it at the height of a hundredth millions of a centimeter. Throw away those yoga mats, your ARE already levitating without knowing it.
6. The atomic particles that we now know as Quarks were almost named Partons, after you know who. The image of Ms. Parton with her, uh, cosmic mammaries bouncing around the atomic nuclei is VERY unsettling.Thankfully, that scientist guy changed his mind.
7. The indigestible parts of a giant squid, in particular their beaks, accumulate in sperm whales鈥� stomachs into ambergris, which is used as a fixative in perfumes. The next time you spray on Chanel No. 5, you鈥檙e dowsing yourself in the distillate of unseen sea monsters. * Note to self: must throw away sea monster perfume collection*
8. The 鈥榤aidenhair鈥� in maidenhair moss does NOT refer to the hair on the maiden鈥檚 head.
BUT SERIOUSLY,
this is a fascinating, accessible book on the history of the natural sciences, covering topics as diverse as cosmology, quantum physics, paleontology, chemistry and other subjects that have bedeviled a science dolt like me through high school and beyond. Yes, it鈥檚 true, I failed BOTH chemistry and physics in high school. I can't judge how accurate Mr. Bryson represents the sciences in this book, but it surely beats being bogged down in A Brief History of Time and their ilk.
1. Phosphor was accidentally discovered when a scientist tried to turn human urine into gold. The similarity in color seemed to have been a factor in his conviction that this was possible. Like, duh. I鈥檓 no scientist, but shouldn鈥檛 it be obvious enough?
2. 鈥淚n the early 1800s there arose in England a fashion for inhaling nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, after it was discovered that its use 鈥� was attended by a highly pleasurable thrilling鈥�. For the next half- century it would be the drug of choice for young people.鈥� How groovy is that?
3. If you are an average-sized adult, you contain within you enough potential energy to explode with the force of THIRTY very large hydrogen bombs. Assuming, that is, that you KNOW how to actually do this and REALLY want to make a point. Talk about a monstrous temper tantrum.
4. We are each so atomically numerous and so vigorously recycled at death that some of our atoms probably belonged to Shakespeare, Genghis Khan or any other historical figure. But no, you are NOT Elvis or Marilyn Monroe; it takes quite a while for their atoms to get recycled.
5. When you sit in a chair, you are not actually sitting there, but levitating above it at the height of a hundredth millions of a centimeter. Throw away those yoga mats, your ARE already levitating without knowing it.
6. The atomic particles that we now know as Quarks were almost named Partons, after you know who. The image of Ms. Parton with her, uh, cosmic mammaries bouncing around the atomic nuclei is VERY unsettling.Thankfully, that scientist guy changed his mind.
7. The indigestible parts of a giant squid, in particular their beaks, accumulate in sperm whales鈥� stomachs into ambergris, which is used as a fixative in perfumes. The next time you spray on Chanel No. 5, you鈥檙e dowsing yourself in the distillate of unseen sea monsters. * Note to self: must throw away sea monster perfume collection*
8. The 鈥榤aidenhair鈥� in maidenhair moss does NOT refer to the hair on the maiden鈥檚 head.
BUT SERIOUSLY,
this is a fascinating, accessible book on the history of the natural sciences, covering topics as diverse as cosmology, quantum physics, paleontology, chemistry and other subjects that have bedeviled a science dolt like me through high school and beyond. Yes, it鈥檚 true, I failed BOTH chemistry and physics in high school. I can't judge how accurate Mr. Bryson represents the sciences in this book, but it surely beats being bogged down in A Brief History of Time and their ilk.
May 21, 2023
賷丨賰賶 兀賳 賷賴賵丿賷丕 賯乇乇 丕賱匕賴丕亘 廿賱賶 丿賲賷丕胤 賱賱鬲噩丕乇丞 賵 丨賷賳賲丕 賵氐賱 廿賱賷賴丕 兀乇丕丿 丕禺鬲亘丕乇 兀賴賱賴丕 賯亘賱 兀賳 賷亘丿兀 賲卮乇賵毓賴 賮兀卮丕乇 賱賱氐亘賶 丕賱匕賶 兀爻鬲兀噩乇賴 賱賷賰賵賳 丿賱賷賱丕 賱賴
禺匕 賴匕丕 丕賱賯乇卮 賮丕卮鬲乇 賱賳丕 睾丿丕亍 賵 卮乇丕亘 賵 丨賱賵賶 賵 賱丕 鬲賳爻賶 胤毓丕賲 賱賱丨賲丕乇 賵 卮賷卅丕 兀鬲爻賱賶 亘賴 賮賶 胤乇賷賯賶
賰丕賳 丕賱賯乇卮 賱丕 賷卮鬲乇賶 亘丕賱賰丕丿 賵噩亘丞 胤毓丕賲 賱卮禺氐 賵丕丨丿 丕賱丕 丕賳 丕賱卮丕亘 丕賱丿賲賷丕胤賶 - 賵 丕賱丿賲賷丕胤賶 賱賲賳 賱丕 賷毓乇賮 賰丕賱禺賱賷賱賶 賮賶 丕賱兀丿亘賷丕鬲 丕賱賮賱爻胤賷賳賷丞 鈥� 匕賴亘 廿賱賶 丕賱爻賵賯 賵 丕卮鬲乇賶 亘胤賷禺丞 亘賳氐賮 賯乇卮 賵 兀毓丕丿 賱賱賷賴賵丿賶 丕賱賳氐賮 丕賱兀禺乇 賯丕卅賱丕 賱賴
賴賶 睾丿丕亍 賱賳丕 賵 賮賶 賳賮爻 丕賱賵賯鬲 鬲丨賱賷丞 賵 卮乇丕亘 賵 賳毓胤賶 賱賱丨賲丕乇 賯卮乇賴丕 賵 賳鬲爻賱賶 亘賱亘賴丕 胤賵丕賱 丕賱胤乇賷賯
兀丿丕乇 丕賱賷賴賵丿賶 丨賲丕乇賴 毓丕卅丿丕 賵 賯丕賱 賯賵賲 賲孬賱 賴匕丕 賱丕 賷乇噩賶 賲賳 賵乇丕卅賴賲 賲賰爻亘.
賮賱賳鬲乇賰 賴匕賴 丕賱丨賰丕賷丞 賵 爻兀賯氐 毓賱賷賰賲 丨賰丕賷丞 兀禺乇賶 鬲禺氐 亘胤賷禺丞 兀禺乇賶
賳丿禺賱 賮賶 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓
- 胤賱亘賰 毓賳丿賶 賷丕 爻賷丿賳丕 丕賱兀賮賳丿賶
賯丕賱賴丕 兀賲賷賳 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 丕賱賰賴賱 賵 賴賵 賷毓丿賱 賵囟毓 賳馗丕乇鬲賴 匕丕鬲 丕賱睾胤丕亍 丕賱爻賲賷賰 賵 賷賳馗乇 亘丿賴卮丞 廿賱賶 賴匕丕 丕賱賮鬲賶 丕賱賲鬲兀賳賯 丕賱匕賶 賰丕賳 胤賱亘賴 睾乇賷亘丕 賵 賲乇亘賰丕 亘毓囟 丕賱卮賶亍
- 兀乇賷丿 卮賷卅丕 毓賳 丕賱賰賵賳 賵 亘丿丕賷鬲賴 .. 丕賱廿賳賮噩丕乇 丕賱賰亘賷乇 賵 丕賱賲賳馗賵賲丞 丕賱卮賲爻賷丞 ... 丕賱賳噩賵賲 賵 丕賱賲爻鬲毓乇丕鬲 丕賱囟賵卅賷丞 賵 丕賱賳賷丕夭賰 .. 丕賱賲匕賳亘丕鬲 賵 鬲丕乇賷禺賴丕 賵 賰賷賮 賷賲賰賳 兀賳 鬲賴丿丿 丕賱兀乇囟 .. 兀乇賷丿 兀賷囟丕 兀賳 兀毓乇賮 賰賷賮 賷賯賷爻賵賳 賴匕賴 丕賱賲爻丕賮丕鬲 丕賱卮丕爻毓丞 丕賱賲賯丿乇丞 亘毓卮乇丕鬲 丕賱爻賳賵丕鬲 丕賱囟賵卅賷丞.
- 毓賳丿賶 賰鬲丕亘 賴賷毓噩亘賰 賯賵賶 亘鬲丕毓 賴丕賵賰賷賳噩. 丨丕噩賴 賰丿賴 賲賳 丕賱兀禺乇
- 兀賱丿賷賰 兀賷囟丕 卮賷卅丕 毓賳 丕賱兀丨丕賮賷乇 賵 丕賱賲爻丨丕孬丕鬲 賷賰賵賳 爻賴賱 賵 卮丕賲賱 賵 賮賶 賳賮爻 丕賱賵賯鬲 賷卮乇丨 賰賷賮 丕賳賯乇囟鬲 丕賱丿賷賳丕氐賵乇丕鬲 賵 賰賷賮 賳賯丿乇 兀毓賲丕乇 丕賱賲爻鬲丨丕孬丕鬲 賵 賮鬲乇丕鬲 賲毓賷卮鬲賴丕 賵 毓氐賵乇賴丕 賵 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱噩賷賵賱賵噩賶 賱賱兀乇囟
- 毓賳丿賶 賰鬲丕亘 賴賷毓噩亘賰 賵 賰賲丕賳 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賲賯丿賲丞 賯氐賷乇丞 噩丿丕 賮賷賴丕 卮賵賷丞 賰鬲亘 賲毓賯賵賱賷賳 賵 禺丿 賰賲丕賳 丕賱鬲丨賮丞 丕賱毓賱賲賷丞 丕賱爻賲賰丞 丿丕禺賱賰
- 胤賷亘 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賱賰賷賲賷丕亍 賵 丕賱噩丿賵賱 丕賱丿賵乇賶 賱賱毓賳丕氐乇 賵 丕賰鬲卮丕賮 丕爻乇丕乇 丕賱賲丕丿丞
- 賱丕 丿賶 亘賯賶 鬲丕禺丿 賱賴丕 賮賷賱賲 賮賷丿賷賵 賲賳 孬賱丕孬 兀噩夭丕亍
- 丌賷賳卮鬲賷賳 賵 賳賷賵鬲賳 賵 兀爻丕胤賷賳 丕賱賮賷夭賷丕亍 兀爻賲毓 毓賳賴賲 賰孬賷乇丕 賮賴賱 兀噩丿 賱丿賷賰 卮賷卅丕 賲賳 兀毓賲丕賱賴賲 賵 鬲兀孬賷乇賴賲 賮賶 丕賱毓賱賲
- 毓賳丿賶 胤亘毓丕 賲噩賲賵毓丞 賰鬲亘 賰賵賷爻丞 亘爻 賱賱兀賲丕賳賴 亘毓囟賴丕 賱爻賴 賴賯乇兀賴 亘爻 亘賷卮賰乇賵丕 賮賷賴丕 噩丕賲丿
- 丨爻賳丕 賲丕匕丕 毓賳 丕賱匕乇丞 賵 鬲丕乇賷禺賴丕 賵 丕賱賰賵丕乇賰爻 賵 賲賷賰丕賳賷賰丕 丕賱賰賲 賵 賳馗乇賷丞 丕賱兀賵鬲丕乇 丕賱賮丕卅賯丞
- 毓賳丿賶 賰鬲丕亘 丕賱孬賵乇丞 丕賱毓賱賲賷丞 賵 賰鬲丕亘 丕賱賮賷夭賷丕亍 丕賱賲爻賱賷丞 賴丕噩賷亘賴賲 賱賰
- 兀乇賷丿 賰鬲丕亘 兀賷囟丕 毓賳 丕賱鬲賱賵孬 賵 丨賲丕賷丞 丕賱亘賷卅丞 賵 賰賷賮 爻丕賴賲 丕賱廿賳爻丕賳 賮賶 匕賱賰
賵 兀賷囟丕 丕賱亘乇丕賰賷賳 賵 丕賱夭賱丕夭賱 賵 丕賱兀賱賵丕丨 丕賱鬲賰鬲賵賳賷丞 賵 鬲賰賵賳 丕賱噩亘丕賱 賵 丕賱噩夭乇 兀賷囟丕 兀賳丕 賲賴鬲賲 亘賴丕 賵 亘胤乇賷賯丞 賲毓乇賮鬲賳丕 賱賴丕 賵 鬲賵賯毓賴丕
賵 賱賵 鬲賵賮乇 賱丿賷賰 卮賶亍 賮賶 胤亘賯丕鬲 丕賱噩賵 賵 毓賱賵賲 丕賱兀乇氐丕丿 丕賱噩賵賷丞 賵 鬲兀孬賷乇丕鬲 丕賱亘丨丕乇 賵 丕賱賲丨賷胤丕鬲 毓賱賶 丕賱賲賳丕禺 丕賱毓丕賱賲賶
- 賱丕 丿賶 氐毓亘 鬲賱丕賯賷賴丕 賴賳丕
- 賲丕匕丕 毓賳 丕賱禺賱賷丞 賵 丕賱賰丕卅賳丕鬲 丕賱丿賯賷賯丞 賲賳 賲賷賰乇賵亘丕鬲 賵 賮賷乇賵爻丕鬲 賵 賲鬲毓囟賷丕鬲 賵 鬲賰賵賷賳賴丕 賵 胤乇賷賯丞 毓賲賱賴丕 賵 鬲氐賳賷賮賴丕 賵 鬲胤賵乇賴丕
- 毓賳丿賶 賰鬲亘 賰鬲賷乇 賴鬲毓噩亘賰 賲賳 賱賵賷爻 亘丕爻鬲賷乇 賱鬲卮丕乇賱夭 丿丕乇賵賳 賱賱噩賷賳賵賲 賴鬲丨鬲丕噩 丨賵丕賱賶 禺賲爻 賰鬲亘 毓賱卮丕賳 鬲睾胤賶 丕賱賲賵囟賵毓 丿賴.
賰賳鬲 亘丕賱賲氐丕丿賮丞 噩丕賱爻丕 賮賶 賳賮爻 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 亘丕賳鬲馗丕乇 鬲睾賱賷賮 賲噩賱丿 賲賷賰賶 賵 賲賳卮睾賱丕 亘賯乇丕亍丞 毓丿丿 禺丕氐 賲賳 爻賱爻賱丞 乇噩賱 丕賱賲爻鬲丨賷賱 賵 乇睾賲 匕賱賰 鬲丕亘毓鬲 丕賱丨賵丕乇 丕賱匕賶 丕賳鬲賴賶 亘兀賲賷賳 丕賱賲賰鬲亘丞 丕賱匕賶 噩賴夭 丨賵丕賱賶 禺賲爻丞 毓卮乇 賰鬲丕亘丕 賱賴匕丕 丕賱卮丕亘
丕毓鬲丿賱鬲 賯賱賷賱丕 賵 丨賷賷鬲 丕賱卮丕亘 賵 禺丕胤亘鬲賴 賯丕卅賱丕
- 亘賯賵賱賰 丕賷賴 賷丕 賲毓賱賲 .. 丕賱賰鬲亘 丿賶 賰鬲賷乇 噩丿丕 賵 卮賰賱賰 賱爻賴 噩丿賷丿 賮賶 丕賱爻賰丞 丿賶
賲丕 鬲丕禺丿
賰鬲丕亘 乇丕卅毓 賵 賲賲鬲毓 賵 賲賰鬲賵亘 亘廿爻賱賵亘 兀丿亘賶 亘賱賷睾 賵 賴賵 爻丕禺乇 兀丨賷丕賳丕 賱丿乇噩丞 丕賱賰賵賲賷丿賷丕. 鬲噩賳亘 賮賷賴 丕賱賲丐賱賮 兀賶 鬲毓賯賷丿 毓賱賲賶 兀賵 賲毓丕丿賱丕鬲 兀賵 乇爻賵賲丕鬲 鬲賵囟賷丨賷丞 賵 亘賴 賰賱 賲丕 鬲爻兀賱 毓賳賴 賵 夭賷丕丿丞 賮賶 丨賵丕賱賶 禺賲爻賲丕卅丞 氐賮丨丞 賲賳 丕賱賯胤毓 丕賱賲鬲賵爻胤
亘丕禺鬲氐丕乇 賴鬲賯乇兀賴 賵 鬲丿毓賷賱賶
賴夭夭鬲 乇兀爻賶 亘孬賯丞 賵 賳馗乇鬲 廿賱賶 丕賱卮丕亘 賱兀乇賶 乇丿 賮毓賱賴 毓賱賶 賳氐賷丨鬲賶 賵 賱卮丿丞 丿賴卮鬲賶 賱賲 兀噩丿 賱丕 卮丕亘 賵 賱丕 賲賰鬲亘丞 賵 賵噩丿鬲賳賶 賲丕 夭賱鬲 兀爻胤乇 賴匕賴 丕賱賲乇丕噩毓丞 賱賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 丕賱乇丕卅毓
賱賲丿賲賳賶 丕賱亘胤賷禺 賲賳 兀賲孬丕賱賶 兀賴丿賶 賴匕賴 丕賱亘胤賷禺丞 丕賱丨賱賵丞 丕賱賲鬲賳賰乇丞 賮賶 氐賵乇丞 賰鬲丕亘
賵 兀禺賷乇丕 亘毓囟 丕賱廿賯鬲亘丕爻丕鬲
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丕賱丨賷丕丞 賲賳 賵噩賴丞 賳馗乇 丕賱賰賷賲賷丕亍
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賲丕匕丕 賱賵 賱賲 賳賰賳 賵丨丿賳丕 賮賶 賴匕丕 丕賱賰賵賳 丕賱卮丕爻毓
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丕賱毓賱賲 賯丿 賱丕 賷賰賵賳 賲毓賯丿丕 賵 賱賰賳 丕賱毓賱賲丕亍 賴賰匕丕 賷賮毓賱賵賳
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賱賷爻 賲賳 丕賱爻賴賱 兀賳 鬲賰賵賳 毓丕賱賲丕
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賱賲丕匕丕 賵噩丿鬲 丕賱丨賷丕丞
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丨鬲賶 賰丕賲賷乇賵賳 丿賷丕夭 爻鬲噩丿賴丕 亘賷賳 氐賮丨丕鬲 丕賱賰鬲丕亘
September 21, 2021
A Short History of Nearly Everything, Bill Bryson
A Short History of Nearly Everything by American author Bill Bryson is a popular science book that explains some areas of science, using easily accessible language that appeals more so to the general public than many other books dedicated to the subject.
Bryson describes graphically and in layperson's terms the size of the universe and that of atoms and subatomic particles.
He then explores the history of geology and biology and traces life from its first appearance to today's modern humans, placing emphasis on the development of the modern Homo sapiens.
Furthermore, he discusses the possibility of the Earth being struck by a meteorite and reflects on human capabilities of spotting a meteor before it impacts the Earth, and the extensive damage that such an event would cause. ...
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦鬲丕乇蹖禺趩賴 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭禄貨 芦卮乇丨 賲禺鬲氐乇蹖 丕夭 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭禄貨 芦毓賱賲 賵 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 丌賳禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 卮卮賲 賲丕賴 噩賵賱丕蹖 爻丕賱 2005賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 鬲丕乇蹖禺趩賴 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲丕夭蹖丕乇貙 1384貙 丿乇 615氐貙 卮丕亘讴 9645676487貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 毓賱賵賲 亘賴 夭亘丕賳 爻丕丿賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 21賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 卮乇丨 賲禺鬲氐乇蹖 丕夭 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲賵丿 夭賳噩丕賳蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿丕蹖乇賴 丕賱賲毓丕乇賮 丕蹖乇丕賳卮賳丕爻蹖貙 1388貙 丿乇 512氐貙 卮丕亘讴9786005204155貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 毓賱賲 賵 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 丌賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲噩蹖丿 毓賲蹖賯貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲賴乇丕亘 賯賱賲 讴鬲丕亘賴丕蹖 賲賴鬲丕亘貙 1390貙 丿乇 171氐貙 卮丕亘讴9786001033636貨
賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲蹖 诏賵賳丕诏賵賳貙 丕夭 芦賲賴亘丕賳诏禄 诏乇賮鬲賴貙 鬲丕 芦賲讴丕賳蹖讴 讴賵丕賳鬲賵賲禄貙 賵 丕夭 芦鬲讴丕賲賱禄貙 鬲丕 芦夭賲蹖賳 卮賳丕爻蹖禄貙 亘賴 亘丨孬 賲蹖倬乇丿丕夭賳丿貨 丕蹖卮丕賳 丿乇 讴鬲丕亘卮丕賳 丕夭 乇丕賴 賲丕噩乇丕賴丕蹖 芦讴丕卮賮丕賳禄 賵 芦丿丕賳卮賲賳丿丕賳禄 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲 毓賱賲蹖 乇丕貙 亘賴 亘丨孬 賲蹖诏匕丕乇丿貨 丕蹖卮丕賳 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 讴賵卮卮 賲蹖讴賳賳丿 亘乇禺賱丕賮 丿乇爻賳丕賲賴 賴丕蹖 毓賱賲蹖貙 讴賴 亘賴 賳馗乇 丕蹖卮丕賳貙 卮賵賯蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丿丕賳爻鬲賳貙 丿乇 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇丕賳 亘乇賳賲蹖丕賳诏蹖夭賳丿貙 趩乇丕 讴賴 賴蹖趩诏丕賴 亘賴 趩乇丕賴丕貙 趩诏賵賳賴 賴丕 賵 趩賴 賴賳诏丕賲 賴丕貙 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 丕讴鬲卮丕賮丕鬲 毓賱賲蹖 賳賲蹖倬乇丿丕夭賳丿貙 丕蹖卮丕賳 鬲賵丕賳爻賴 丕賳丿 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲 毓賱賲蹖 乇丕 亘賴 卮讴賱蹖 噩匕丕亘 丕乇丕卅賴 丿賴賳丿
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳: (賳賲蹖丿丕賳爻鬲賲 芦倬乇賵鬲賵賳禄 蹖丕 芦倬乇賵鬲卅蹖賳禄 趩蹖爻鬲貙 芦讴賵丕乇讴禄 乇丕 丕夭 芦讴賵丕爻丕乇禄 鬲卮禺蹖氐 賳賲蹖丿丕丿賲貙 賳賲蹖丿丕賳爻鬲賲 夭賲蹖賳卮賳丕爻賴丕 趩诏賵賳賴 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳賳丿 賳诏丕賴蹖 亘賴 蹖讴 賱丕蹖賴 丕夭 鬲賵丿賴 爻賳诏 丿蹖賵丕乇賴 蹖 蹖讴 丿乇賴 亘蹖賳丿丕夭賳丿貙 賵 毓賲乇 丌賳 乇丕 鬲卮禺蹖氐 丿賴賳丿貙 丨賯蹖賯鬲丕賸 賴蹖趩 趩蹖夭 賳賲蹖丿丕賳爻鬲賲貨 蹖讴 丕卮鬲蹖丕賯 丌乇丕賲 賵 禺丕乇賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴貙 亘乇丕蹖 蹖丕丿 诏乇賮鬲賳貙 賵 丿丕賳爻鬲賳 亘乇禺蹖 賳讴丕鬲貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲貙 賵 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲賳 丕蹖賳讴賴 鬲丕 讴賳賵賳 趩賳丿 賳賮乇 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲賴 丕賳丿 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 爻乇 丿乇丌賵乇賳丿貙 丌乇丕賲 丌乇丕賲 亘乇 賵噩賵丿賲 趩蹖乇賴 卮丿貨 丕蹖賳 賴賲賵丕乇賴 亘夭乇诏鬲乇蹖賳 卮诏賮鬲蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賲 亘賵丿賴 丕爻鬲 賭 丿丕賳卮賲賳丿丕賳 趩诏賵賳賴 丕夭 賲爻丕卅賱 爻乇 丿乇賲蹖丌賵乇賳丿...)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 11/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 29/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
A Short History of Nearly Everything by American author Bill Bryson is a popular science book that explains some areas of science, using easily accessible language that appeals more so to the general public than many other books dedicated to the subject.
Bryson describes graphically and in layperson's terms the size of the universe and that of atoms and subatomic particles.
He then explores the history of geology and biology and traces life from its first appearance to today's modern humans, placing emphasis on the development of the modern Homo sapiens.
Furthermore, he discusses the possibility of the Earth being struck by a meteorite and reflects on human capabilities of spotting a meteor before it impacts the Earth, and the extensive damage that such an event would cause. ...
毓賳賵丕賳賴丕蹖 趩丕倬 卮丿賴 丿乇 丕蹖乇丕賳: 芦鬲丕乇蹖禺趩賴 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭禄貨 芦卮乇丨 賲禺鬲氐乇蹖 丕夭 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭禄貨 芦毓賱賲 賵 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 丌賳禄貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 鬲丕乇蹖禺 賳禺爻鬲蹖賳 禺賵丕賳卮: 乇賵夭 卮卮賲 賲丕賴 噩賵賱丕蹖 爻丕賱 2005賲蹖賱丕丿蹖
毓賳賵丕賳: 鬲丕乇蹖禺趩賴 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲丿鬲賯蹖 賮乇丕賲乇夭蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲丕夭蹖丕乇貙 1384貙 丿乇 615氐貙 卮丕亘讴 9645676487貨 賲賵囟賵毓: 毓賱賵賲 亘賴 夭亘丕賳 爻丕丿賴 丕夭 賳賵蹖爻賳丿诏丕賳 丕蹖丕賱丕鬲 賲鬲丨丿賴 丌賲乇蹖讴丕 - 爻丿賴 21賲
毓賳賵丕賳: 卮乇丨 賲禺鬲氐乇蹖 丕夭 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲丨賲賵丿 夭賳噩丕賳蹖貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 丿丕蹖乇賴 丕賱賲毓丕乇賮 丕蹖乇丕賳卮賳丕爻蹖貙 1388貙 丿乇 512氐貙 卮丕亘讴9786005204155貨
毓賳賵丕賳: 毓賱賲 賵 爻乇诏匕卮鬲 丌賳貨 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴: 亘蹖賱 亘乇丕蹖爻賵賳貨 賲鬲乇噩賲: 賲噩蹖丿 毓賲蹖賯貨 鬲賴乇丕賳貙 賲賴乇丕亘 賯賱賲 讴鬲丕亘賴丕蹖 賲賴鬲丕亘貙 1390貙 丿乇 171氐貙 卮丕亘讴9786001033636貨
賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲蹖 诏賵賳丕诏賵賳貙 丕夭 芦賲賴亘丕賳诏禄 诏乇賮鬲賴貙 鬲丕 芦賲讴丕賳蹖讴 讴賵丕賳鬲賵賲禄貙 賵 丕夭 芦鬲讴丕賲賱禄貙 鬲丕 芦夭賲蹖賳 卮賳丕爻蹖禄貙 亘賴 亘丨孬 賲蹖倬乇丿丕夭賳丿貨 丕蹖卮丕賳 丿乇 讴鬲丕亘卮丕賳 丕夭 乇丕賴 賲丕噩乇丕賴丕蹖 芦讴丕卮賮丕賳禄 賵 芦丿丕賳卮賲賳丿丕賳禄 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲 毓賱賲蹖 乇丕貙 亘賴 亘丨孬 賲蹖诏匕丕乇丿貨 丕蹖卮丕賳 丿乇 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 讴賵卮卮 賲蹖讴賳賳丿 亘乇禺賱丕賮 丿乇爻賳丕賲賴 賴丕蹖 毓賱賲蹖貙 讴賴 亘賴 賳馗乇 丕蹖卮丕賳貙 卮賵賯蹖 亘乇丕蹖 丿丕賳爻鬲賳貙 丿乇 禺賵丕賳卮诏乇丕賳 亘乇賳賲蹖丕賳诏蹖夭賳丿貙 趩乇丕 讴賴 賴蹖趩诏丕賴 亘賴 趩乇丕賴丕貙 趩诏賵賳賴 賴丕 賵 趩賴 賴賳诏丕賲 賴丕貙 丿乇 賲賵乇丿 丕讴鬲卮丕賮丕鬲 毓賱賲蹖 賳賲蹖倬乇丿丕夭賳丿貙 丕蹖卮丕賳 鬲賵丕賳爻賴 丕賳丿 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲 毓賱賲蹖 乇丕 亘賴 卮讴賱蹖 噩匕丕亘 丕乇丕卅賴 丿賴賳丿
賳賯賱 丕夭 賲鬲賳: (賳賲蹖丿丕賳爻鬲賲 芦倬乇賵鬲賵賳禄 蹖丕 芦倬乇賵鬲卅蹖賳禄 趩蹖爻鬲貙 芦讴賵丕乇讴禄 乇丕 丕夭 芦讴賵丕爻丕乇禄 鬲卮禺蹖氐 賳賲蹖丿丕丿賲貙 賳賲蹖丿丕賳爻鬲賲 夭賲蹖賳卮賳丕爻賴丕 趩诏賵賳賴 賲蹖鬲賵丕賳賳丿 賳诏丕賴蹖 亘賴 蹖讴 賱丕蹖賴 丕夭 鬲賵丿賴 爻賳诏 丿蹖賵丕乇賴 蹖 蹖讴 丿乇賴 亘蹖賳丿丕夭賳丿貙 賵 毓賲乇 丌賳 乇丕 鬲卮禺蹖氐 丿賴賳丿貙 丨賯蹖賯鬲丕賸 賴蹖趩 趩蹖夭 賳賲蹖丿丕賳爻鬲賲貨 蹖讴 丕卮鬲蹖丕賯 丌乇丕賲 賵 禺丕乇賯 丕賱毓丕丿賴貙 亘乇丕蹖 蹖丕丿 诏乇賮鬲賳貙 賵 丿丕賳爻鬲賳 亘乇禺蹖 賳讴丕鬲貙 丿乇亘丕乇賴 蹖 丕蹖賳 賲賵囟賵毓丕鬲貙 賵 丿乇蹖丕賮鬲賳 丕蹖賳讴賴 鬲丕 讴賳賵賳 趩賳丿 賳賮乇 鬲賵丕賳爻鬲賴 丕賳丿 丕夭 丌賳賴丕 爻乇 丿乇丌賵乇賳丿貙 丌乇丕賲 丌乇丕賲 亘乇 賵噩賵丿賲 趩蹖乇賴 卮丿貨 丕蹖賳 賴賲賵丕乇賴 亘夭乇诏鬲乇蹖賳 卮诏賮鬲蹖 夭賳丿诏蹖 丕賲 亘賵丿賴 丕爻鬲 賭 丿丕賳卮賲賳丿丕賳 趩诏賵賳賴 丕夭 賲爻丕卅賱 爻乇 丿乇賲蹖丌賵乇賳丿...)貨 倬丕蹖丕賳 賳賯賱貨
鬲丕乇蹖禺 亘賴賳诏丕賲 乇爻丕賳蹖 11/08/1399賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 29/06/1400賴噩乇蹖 禺賵乇卮蹖丿蹖貨 丕. 卮乇亘蹖丕賳蹖
May 17, 2011
Picked this up on audiobook when I was on tour and listened to it in my car.
I found it fascinating and informative. Kinda like a reader's digest version of the history of science. And even though I knew a fair chunk of what was mention, there was a lot of material I'd never even had a glimmer of before.
Fair warning: If you are prone to worry about, say, the end of the world. This probably isn't the book for you.
I found it fascinating and informative. Kinda like a reader's digest version of the history of science. And even though I knew a fair chunk of what was mention, there was a lot of material I'd never even had a glimmer of before.
Fair warning: If you are prone to worry about, say, the end of the world. This probably isn't the book for you.
September 6, 2007
Bryson's dead serious: this is a history of pretty much everything there is -- the planet, the solar system, the universe -- as well as a history of how we've come to know as much as we do. A book on science written by a non-scientist, this a perfect bridge between the humanities and the natural sciences. A course in the history of science should be mandatory for every teenager, and this should be the textbook.
Yes, it's a big, chunky book. No, it can't be trimmed down any further: when you're addressing cosmology, earth science, ecology and zoology, with healthy doses of chemistry and physics, plus the historical development of each, you're going to end up with a doorstop of a text, no matter how smoothly written. The wonder of Bryson's writing is that the reader doesn't get lost in these sweeping surveys. When name-dropping, Bryson always gives a short description of the person in question; if mentioned earlier in the book, he drops in a quick reminder to the reader. This is fabulously effective at giving the names some context, not to mention a little personality.
And indeed, isn't that what science education needs most: more humanity and less intimidation? Those science-phobes out there who freely admit their near-complete ignorance of the subject should do themselves a favor and buy a copy of this book. No, don't get it from your library. There's so much here you'll want to have a copy on hand to refer to later.
To those nerds in the audience -- myself included -- don't think your degrees mean you can pass this one over. As hyper-specialized as science has become, it's refreshing as hell to step back and take a look at things with new eyes. While there's not a lot here I haven't encountered before, there's a lot of information about how our current theories were developed that I didn't know.
(Also? It's heartening to read about the social ineptitude, blind spots, and how utterly incompetent many of these scientist were in other aspects of life. Makes me feel better about never finishing that PhD -- at least I have a life.)
Thorough, humorous, engaging, and educational: what's not to like?
Yes, it's a big, chunky book. No, it can't be trimmed down any further: when you're addressing cosmology, earth science, ecology and zoology, with healthy doses of chemistry and physics, plus the historical development of each, you're going to end up with a doorstop of a text, no matter how smoothly written. The wonder of Bryson's writing is that the reader doesn't get lost in these sweeping surveys. When name-dropping, Bryson always gives a short description of the person in question; if mentioned earlier in the book, he drops in a quick reminder to the reader. This is fabulously effective at giving the names some context, not to mention a little personality.
And indeed, isn't that what science education needs most: more humanity and less intimidation? Those science-phobes out there who freely admit their near-complete ignorance of the subject should do themselves a favor and buy a copy of this book. No, don't get it from your library. There's so much here you'll want to have a copy on hand to refer to later.
To those nerds in the audience -- myself included -- don't think your degrees mean you can pass this one over. As hyper-specialized as science has become, it's refreshing as hell to step back and take a look at things with new eyes. While there's not a lot here I haven't encountered before, there's a lot of information about how our current theories were developed that I didn't know.
(Also? It's heartening to read about the social ineptitude, blind spots, and how utterly incompetent many of these scientist were in other aspects of life. Makes me feel better about never finishing that PhD -- at least I have a life.)
Thorough, humorous, engaging, and educational: what's not to like?
January 5, 2013
It's easy to nitpick A Short History of Nearly Everything. Bryson, by his own cheerful admission anything but a scientist, makes a fair number of mistakes. He says that all living creatures contain hox genes; he omits Alexander Friedmann and George Gamow from his description of how the Big Bang theory was developed; when talking about Darwin and Paley, he doesn't seem to be aware that Natural Theology was one of Darwin's favorite books and had a huge influence on him. Those are just a few of the glitches I happened to notice. I'm sure a real expert would have spotted many more.
But so what? The author is incredibly entertaining, and I came across dozens of great stories from the history of science. He has done a fantastic job of tracking down details that you won't find in the other books! Continuing with Darwin, everyone's heard about the evolution debate between T.H. Huxley and Samuel Wilberforce; this was the dozenth time I'd seen Huxley's contemptuous reply to Wilberforce's question about whether he claimed descent from a monkey though his grandmother or his grandfather. But I'd never before read that Lady Brewster fainted, or that one of Darwin's Beagle colleagues wandered through the crowd, holding a Bible aloft and shouting "the Book, the Book!" Similarly, everyone tells you that Newton only published the Principia after Halley persuaded him to do it. But I hadn't heard that Newton intentionally made it as difficult as possible to read because he didn't want amateurs bothering him, or that Halley's reward was to be told by the Royal Society that since they could no longer afford to pay his salary in pounds sterling, he would instead be given remaindered copies of The History of Fishes.
And there were numerous other stories I'd never seen at all. If you don't find plenty here to amuse and instruct, you're either encyclopedically well-read in all branches of science or you have no interest in it whatsoever.
But so what? The author is incredibly entertaining, and I came across dozens of great stories from the history of science. He has done a fantastic job of tracking down details that you won't find in the other books! Continuing with Darwin, everyone's heard about the evolution debate between T.H. Huxley and Samuel Wilberforce; this was the dozenth time I'd seen Huxley's contemptuous reply to Wilberforce's question about whether he claimed descent from a monkey though his grandmother or his grandfather. But I'd never before read that Lady Brewster fainted, or that one of Darwin's Beagle colleagues wandered through the crowd, holding a Bible aloft and shouting "the Book, the Book!" Similarly, everyone tells you that Newton only published the Principia after Halley persuaded him to do it. But I hadn't heard that Newton intentionally made it as difficult as possible to read because he didn't want amateurs bothering him, or that Halley's reward was to be told by the Royal Society that since they could no longer afford to pay his salary in pounds sterling, he would instead be given remaindered copies of The History of Fishes.
And there were numerous other stories I'd never seen at all. If you don't find plenty here to amuse and instruct, you're either encyclopedically well-read in all branches of science or you have no interest in it whatsoever.
December 10, 2020
The Written Review:Want a whirlwind worldwide romance adventure minus the romance? This is the book for you.
Big bois. Long bois. Extra extra page bois.
Everyone's heard of them. The Libraries are full of them. But are they worth it?
for my video review of the big bois in my life.
This book really does cover nearly everything. From the Big Bang to current life on earth, Bill Bryson does wonderful job of breaking down complex theories and concepts to their essential message:
Protons give an atom its identity, electrons its personality.
Though, sometimes he gets a bit wordy.
Not one of your pertinent ancestors was squashed, devoured, drowned, starved, stranded, stuck fast, untimely wounded, or otherwise deflected from its life's quest of delivering a tiny charge of genetic material to the right partner at the right moment in order to perpetuate the only possible sequence of hereditary combinations that could result -- eventually, astoundingly, and all too briefly -- in you.
This was such an interesting book to read and I walked away learning so much. This is the sort of book that requires two or three times reading through it to fully understand and digest everything. I can barely comprehend how much time and effort went into research. Truly a masterpiece.
Audiobook Comments:
While he did not narrate his own book, the Richard Matthews does a great job of reading it. Though, this is one of those books that you cannot tune out on without missing something crucial.
This is a great big-picture book. For a fun microhistory, I'd recommend also by Bill Bryson.
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January 3, 2015
A Short History of Nearly Everything is Bill Bryson's summation of life, the universe, and everything, a nice little easy-reading science book containing an overview of things every earthling should be aware of.
As I've repeatedly mentioned over the years, every time one of the casual-readers tells me I have to read something, like Harry Potter or the DaVinci Code, I dig my feet in deeper and resolve to never read it. This is one of the occasions I should have shaved a decade off of my stubbornness and caved in right away.
Bryson covers a wide range of topics, from the formation of the universe to the evolution of man for our apelike forebears, and all points in between. Atoms? Cells? These are just stops along the enlightenment highway that Bill Bryson has paved! He touches upon quantum physics, geology, the size of our solar system, the year without a summer, and other topics innumerable.
The writing style is so accessible that I have to think I'd be some kind of scientists if my high school and college text books were written by Bill Bryson. His easy, breezy style makes even the most complicated topics easier to digest.
It's not often that I come away from a book having felt like I learned something new, criminal techniques from my usual reads excepted. Bryson has succeeded where many have failed before him. He has used chicanery to get me to read nonfiction and enjoy myself while doing it. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
As I've repeatedly mentioned over the years, every time one of the casual-readers tells me I have to read something, like Harry Potter or the DaVinci Code, I dig my feet in deeper and resolve to never read it. This is one of the occasions I should have shaved a decade off of my stubbornness and caved in right away.
Bryson covers a wide range of topics, from the formation of the universe to the evolution of man for our apelike forebears, and all points in between. Atoms? Cells? These are just stops along the enlightenment highway that Bill Bryson has paved! He touches upon quantum physics, geology, the size of our solar system, the year without a summer, and other topics innumerable.
The writing style is so accessible that I have to think I'd be some kind of scientists if my high school and college text books were written by Bill Bryson. His easy, breezy style makes even the most complicated topics easier to digest.
It's not often that I come away from a book having felt like I learned something new, criminal techniques from my usual reads excepted. Bryson has succeeded where many have failed before him. He has used chicanery to get me to read nonfiction and enjoy myself while doing it. 4.5 out of 5 stars.
August 30, 2024
That was epic! Probably not something one would say about nonfiction, but for me it was one of the best books read this year.
Although the book is 20 years old and contains some outdated info (like Pluto being a planet) it still fascinating to read. Bryson not only manages to present various scientific describes and theories interestingly, but he also links everything together showing us a bigger picture. We can see how humanity's understanding of the universe was changing gradually and how the world we're living in was getting bigger with every generation.
In addition to interesting content, Bryson has great writing style. His ironic comments are really funny. And the way he talks about pity little dramas surrounding science! I couldn't imagine how many of great scientific minds were involved in stupid rivalries, plagiarism or simply were colossal assholes.
The other great thing about this book that it destroys prevailing myth of almighty science - there're actually so many things science is still uncapable to explain, and we haven't even studied our own planet properly.
And last but not least powerful environmental message: how much humans have destroyed during our short existence as a species.
Although the book is 20 years old and contains some outdated info (like Pluto being a planet) it still fascinating to read. Bryson not only manages to present various scientific describes and theories interestingly, but he also links everything together showing us a bigger picture. We can see how humanity's understanding of the universe was changing gradually and how the world we're living in was getting bigger with every generation.
In addition to interesting content, Bryson has great writing style. His ironic comments are really funny. And the way he talks about pity little dramas surrounding science! I couldn't imagine how many of great scientific minds were involved in stupid rivalries, plagiarism or simply were colossal assholes.
The other great thing about this book that it destroys prevailing myth of almighty science - there're actually so many things science is still uncapable to explain, and we haven't even studied our own planet properly.
And last but not least powerful environmental message: how much humans have destroyed during our short existence as a species.
October 12, 2007
This is one of the most enjoyable books I have ever read. There, I said it
Bryson's book combines the best qualities of science writers like Attenborough, Diamond, Durrell, and Wilson; presenting the information with the wit he is most known for. It is an amazing achievement to condense the entire base of human scientific knowledge into 478 pages, but Bryson has done it. I completely agree with Tim Flannery, who writes on the jacket that "all schools would be better places if it were the core science reader on the curriculum." I certainly would have gained much if I had read it when I was 15.
This is one of the few books that has truly challenged what I had previously held to be conventional wisdom (at least in my own mind). Two main changes have come about:
1. I had always been jealous of the "true" zoologists, such as Audubon and Darwin, who were around when the world was as yet unexplored, and discovering a species was as simple as being the first to walk into a patch of forest. I left science because the idea of being tied to a sterile lab held no interest for me. However, after reading Bryson's vignettes of early scientific/zoological exploration (much of which was both comic and tragic), I realize that those days weren't quite as idyllic as I had imagined.
2. Bryson does a "good" job of scaring the hell out of you by showing just how precarious our daily existence really is. I probably shouldn't say this, but it puts such problems as global climate change into context when you read how an eruption of the supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park would wipe out most of the life on earth in a painfully slow manner; especially when Bryson describes how this eruption is overdue by 30, 000 years by historical average.
Combined with those two new impressions, I am left with the following conclusions, and a slightly rearranged outlook on life.
First off, it is clear that science benefits from a large degree of serendipity. We as a species/civilization have been lucky to have some truly great minds working on deciphering the way our world works. Some of these are household names [Newton, Halley, Einstein], some are not [Henry Cavendish, Rosalind Franklin]. However, as with everything that us humans put our hands on, this endeavor wasn't perfect. Egregious mistakes, pathological lying, childlike rivalries and tantrums - they all occurred. On balance, whether they helped or hurt the effort isn't clear. But what is clear is that our present level of understanding was by no means assured.
Secondly, the fact that life is so tenuous makes one a little more philosophical. Since I've finished the chapter about Yellowstone and similar catastrophic threats, I find myself asking "what if today is the day?" It can be rough when you get on the bus at the end of a particularly annoying workday, when the disagreements were petty and you didn't get much done, and think "is that what I did on the last day of my life?"
Thankfully, that attitude only lasted for a short while, until I was able to reframe it in a more productive way. Now I tell myself not to worry about big problems that might happen in the future, because I know that we will be hit by a meteor, we will experience a supervolcano eruption. It's best to just enjoy every day, doing what you really know to be what it is that you want to do. Does that mean that I won't recycle anymore, that I will leave the tap running while I brush my teeth? No! Because doing things to reduce my impact makes me feel good, that I'm thinking about society's needs - not just my own. It's what I want to do.
So, in an incredible way (that even Bill Bryson probably didn't predict) this book can really change your life.
Bryson's book combines the best qualities of science writers like Attenborough, Diamond, Durrell, and Wilson; presenting the information with the wit he is most known for. It is an amazing achievement to condense the entire base of human scientific knowledge into 478 pages, but Bryson has done it. I completely agree with Tim Flannery, who writes on the jacket that "all schools would be better places if it were the core science reader on the curriculum." I certainly would have gained much if I had read it when I was 15.
This is one of the few books that has truly challenged what I had previously held to be conventional wisdom (at least in my own mind). Two main changes have come about:
1. I had always been jealous of the "true" zoologists, such as Audubon and Darwin, who were around when the world was as yet unexplored, and discovering a species was as simple as being the first to walk into a patch of forest. I left science because the idea of being tied to a sterile lab held no interest for me. However, after reading Bryson's vignettes of early scientific/zoological exploration (much of which was both comic and tragic), I realize that those days weren't quite as idyllic as I had imagined.
2. Bryson does a "good" job of scaring the hell out of you by showing just how precarious our daily existence really is. I probably shouldn't say this, but it puts such problems as global climate change into context when you read how an eruption of the supervolcano beneath Yellowstone National Park would wipe out most of the life on earth in a painfully slow manner; especially when Bryson describes how this eruption is overdue by 30, 000 years by historical average.
Combined with those two new impressions, I am left with the following conclusions, and a slightly rearranged outlook on life.
First off, it is clear that science benefits from a large degree of serendipity. We as a species/civilization have been lucky to have some truly great minds working on deciphering the way our world works. Some of these are household names [Newton, Halley, Einstein], some are not [Henry Cavendish, Rosalind Franklin]. However, as with everything that us humans put our hands on, this endeavor wasn't perfect. Egregious mistakes, pathological lying, childlike rivalries and tantrums - they all occurred. On balance, whether they helped or hurt the effort isn't clear. But what is clear is that our present level of understanding was by no means assured.
Secondly, the fact that life is so tenuous makes one a little more philosophical. Since I've finished the chapter about Yellowstone and similar catastrophic threats, I find myself asking "what if today is the day?" It can be rough when you get on the bus at the end of a particularly annoying workday, when the disagreements were petty and you didn't get much done, and think "is that what I did on the last day of my life?"
Thankfully, that attitude only lasted for a short while, until I was able to reframe it in a more productive way. Now I tell myself not to worry about big problems that might happen in the future, because I know that we will be hit by a meteor, we will experience a supervolcano eruption. It's best to just enjoy every day, doing what you really know to be what it is that you want to do. Does that mean that I won't recycle anymore, that I will leave the tap running while I brush my teeth? No! Because doing things to reduce my impact makes me feel good, that I'm thinking about society's needs - not just my own. It's what I want to do.
So, in an incredible way (that even Bill Bryson probably didn't predict) this book can really change your life.
December 17, 2022
This book explains everything from a little proton atom to Bing Bang's theory.
It tells more about popular science than the history of everything.
I found it interesting and also challenging to understand all the science jargon and theories.
For those who want to know more about our universal, I recommend you to read this book.
I like the history of Charles Darwin's life particularly and the discovery of his theory of evolution.
It tells more about popular science than the history of everything.
I found it interesting and also challenging to understand all the science jargon and theories.
For those who want to know more about our universal, I recommend you to read this book.
I like the history of Charles Darwin's life particularly and the discovery of his theory of evolution.
November 23, 2020
I was never any good at science. At the grammar school I attended we were shepherded into laboratories for lessons on physics, chemistry and biology. These were scary places; I鈥檇 never been anywhere like this before. The physics lab had gas taps and Bunsen burners and the walls were filled with incomprehensible charts. The chemistry lab held rows of specimen jars, more gas taps and burners and an underlying smell of something unpleasant and vaguely dangerous. The biology lab displayed pictures and diagrams of human body parts and there were constant rumours of creature dissections and other nasty things to come. Beyond the physical fears it was clear that each subject had its own language. I was fluent in none of them. I ceased study on all of these subjects at the earliest opportunity.
But I left school feeling that I鈥檇 missed out on part of my core education. And I had. So I鈥檇 had my eye on this book for some time. I鈥檝e long been a fan of Bryson鈥檚 insightful yet amusing take on the world. Surely his commentary of all things scientific couldn鈥檛 be too painful, could it? The book walks through just about every significant scientific discovery from the creation of the universe to the present day. Well, not quite the present day, given this book was published some fourteen years ago. But given the universe is currently thought to be some 13.7 billion years old, I鈥檓 comfortable it covers the mother lode.
The list of sciences included is exhaustive, I spotted whole bunch but I鈥檓 also convinced I missed a few. My list comprises:
Anthropology
Astronomy
Botany
Cosmology
Chemistry
Ecology
Geology
Human Biology
Meteorology
Oceanography
Physics
Zoology
It鈥檚 fascinating stuff 鈥� staggering, in fact. I鈥檇 heard of the Big Bang theory, of course, but I鈥檇 never delved into the detail of it. The explanation here is clear and concise - it鈥檚 still mind bending, but I was able to follow most of the explanation. There were some sections where the detail did become a little heavy 鈥� the account of plant life being categorised lumbered on interminably 鈥� but on the whole the pacing felt spot on. It鈥檚 also very well structured, with relevant topics being grouped together. It flowed well and told a compelling story.
As I worked my way through this book, the thought that kept leaping to the fore was that these brilliant theories and discoveries came about largely as a result of scientists and non-scientists working something out via observation, association and calculation 鈥� the kicker being that nearly all of these milestone events predate computers, email and the internet. It鈥檚 incredible. In one example twenty years was spent on a calculation using pencil, paper and a slide rule. The same calculation could now be completed using a computer in a single day.
Yes, because of its publication date there are a few recent finds that aren鈥檛 included - confirmation of the existence of the Higgs boson particle in 2012 is one example 鈥� but I really don鈥檛 think it missed out too much of any significance. For anyone looking for a comprehensive but easy to follow history of scientific discovery, from the very beginning, look no further. I can鈥檛 recommend this book highly enough.
But I left school feeling that I鈥檇 missed out on part of my core education. And I had. So I鈥檇 had my eye on this book for some time. I鈥檝e long been a fan of Bryson鈥檚 insightful yet amusing take on the world. Surely his commentary of all things scientific couldn鈥檛 be too painful, could it? The book walks through just about every significant scientific discovery from the creation of the universe to the present day. Well, not quite the present day, given this book was published some fourteen years ago. But given the universe is currently thought to be some 13.7 billion years old, I鈥檓 comfortable it covers the mother lode.
The list of sciences included is exhaustive, I spotted whole bunch but I鈥檓 also convinced I missed a few. My list comprises:
Anthropology
Astronomy
Botany
Cosmology
Chemistry
Ecology
Geology
Human Biology
Meteorology
Oceanography
Physics
Zoology
It鈥檚 fascinating stuff 鈥� staggering, in fact. I鈥檇 heard of the Big Bang theory, of course, but I鈥檇 never delved into the detail of it. The explanation here is clear and concise - it鈥檚 still mind bending, but I was able to follow most of the explanation. There were some sections where the detail did become a little heavy 鈥� the account of plant life being categorised lumbered on interminably 鈥� but on the whole the pacing felt spot on. It鈥檚 also very well structured, with relevant topics being grouped together. It flowed well and told a compelling story.
As I worked my way through this book, the thought that kept leaping to the fore was that these brilliant theories and discoveries came about largely as a result of scientists and non-scientists working something out via observation, association and calculation 鈥� the kicker being that nearly all of these milestone events predate computers, email and the internet. It鈥檚 incredible. In one example twenty years was spent on a calculation using pencil, paper and a slide rule. The same calculation could now be completed using a computer in a single day.
Yes, because of its publication date there are a few recent finds that aren鈥檛 included - confirmation of the existence of the Higgs boson particle in 2012 is one example 鈥� but I really don鈥檛 think it missed out too much of any significance. For anyone looking for a comprehensive but easy to follow history of scientific discovery, from the very beginning, look no further. I can鈥檛 recommend this book highly enough.
May 25, 2011
Oh my gods, what a waste of perfectly good paper! I am flabbergasted that this has such consistently high reviews...
Three problems with this tripe:
1. falsity of the science (most blatantly around cosmology, but not limited to any one field) and misunderstanding of scientific principles;
2. a focus more on "biography" rather than on real "history";
3. trivial worthlessness of the information.
Number 1 is briefly chronicled below. Within just the first 20 pages or so, there are ridiculous factual errors and misrepresentations of scientific knowledge. Even in 2003 when the book was published, these errors would have been unforgivable. Where the bloody hell were the editors?! Apparently the author came out later to mention his "lack of scientific chops," or the like. How can a book about the history of science fuck up the science?!
Number 2 is just downright sad. Apparently the author felt that if he could spend about a page per scientist, he would make the material more interesting. No, man, I want science and history, not abbreviated and hackneyed biography. He doesn't even move smoothly between people... it's just a meandering of random scientific endeavors, somewhat brought into chronology.
Number 3 is a difficult criticism, because with this kind of book, it is hard to get away from misc. trivia. And I'll even acknowledge that I learned a lot of trivia... and that the book does a great job of showing us just how much we don't know. But as I reached page 360 and realized (for the fifth or so time) that this was info that I could get in a quick google search, I just couldn't do it anymore.
What a gods awful waste. What's more disappointing than the book though, is the overwhelming praise the book has gotten. I don't even want to sell this book back, but throw it away (and I thought I would never say something like that)! I'd rather have someone go slightly ignorant than have them be fed this mess of misinformation and dredge.
Below were reactions I had when reading was "in progress."
Start (05/08/11):
Okay, so the "approachable textbook"... does it live up to the hype? Every review I have seen is about how great this book is. Let's see.
So far, this book shows its 2003 date by providing currently inaccurate data; I also did not realize the author would assume zero scientific knowledge on the part of the reader... this could be interesting.
Finally, the Introduction is full of annoying straw men and non-sequitors that really make me wonder if the author has learned much about scientific inquiry at all. He really doesn't understand probability. Eh, I'm only on page 16. Let's see if this improves.
(05/09/11)
Oh, bloody frak. "In the long term, *gravity* may turn out to be a little too strong, and one day it may halt the expansion of the universe and bring it collapsing in upon itself, till it crushes itself down into another singularity... On the other hand it may be too weak and the universe will keeping racing away..." (emphasis mine) NOTHING about those statements is correct. Gravity has nothing to do with the expansion of spacetime. Ugh, I thought this book had fantastic reviews! The term he is talking about here is "dark energy," NOT gravity.
"Astronomers these days can do the most amazing things. If someone struck a match on the Moon, they could spot the flare."
... You have got to be fucking kidding me. A redox oxidation in a vacuum. Dude...
Oh my frak. He just lost all respect from me. "...even with the most conservative inputs [in the Drake equation] the number of advanced civilzations... always works out to be somewhere in the millions." Fucking no. Dude, how the hell did this even get published?!
Three problems with this tripe:
1. falsity of the science (most blatantly around cosmology, but not limited to any one field) and misunderstanding of scientific principles;
2. a focus more on "biography" rather than on real "history";
3. trivial worthlessness of the information.
Number 1 is briefly chronicled below. Within just the first 20 pages or so, there are ridiculous factual errors and misrepresentations of scientific knowledge. Even in 2003 when the book was published, these errors would have been unforgivable. Where the bloody hell were the editors?! Apparently the author came out later to mention his "lack of scientific chops," or the like. How can a book about the history of science fuck up the science?!
Number 2 is just downright sad. Apparently the author felt that if he could spend about a page per scientist, he would make the material more interesting. No, man, I want science and history, not abbreviated and hackneyed biography. He doesn't even move smoothly between people... it's just a meandering of random scientific endeavors, somewhat brought into chronology.
Number 3 is a difficult criticism, because with this kind of book, it is hard to get away from misc. trivia. And I'll even acknowledge that I learned a lot of trivia... and that the book does a great job of showing us just how much we don't know. But as I reached page 360 and realized (for the fifth or so time) that this was info that I could get in a quick google search, I just couldn't do it anymore.
What a gods awful waste. What's more disappointing than the book though, is the overwhelming praise the book has gotten. I don't even want to sell this book back, but throw it away (and I thought I would never say something like that)! I'd rather have someone go slightly ignorant than have them be fed this mess of misinformation and dredge.
Below were reactions I had when reading was "in progress."
Start (05/08/11):
Okay, so the "approachable textbook"... does it live up to the hype? Every review I have seen is about how great this book is. Let's see.
So far, this book shows its 2003 date by providing currently inaccurate data; I also did not realize the author would assume zero scientific knowledge on the part of the reader... this could be interesting.
Finally, the Introduction is full of annoying straw men and non-sequitors that really make me wonder if the author has learned much about scientific inquiry at all. He really doesn't understand probability. Eh, I'm only on page 16. Let's see if this improves.
(05/09/11)
Oh, bloody frak. "In the long term, *gravity* may turn out to be a little too strong, and one day it may halt the expansion of the universe and bring it collapsing in upon itself, till it crushes itself down into another singularity... On the other hand it may be too weak and the universe will keeping racing away..." (emphasis mine) NOTHING about those statements is correct. Gravity has nothing to do with the expansion of spacetime. Ugh, I thought this book had fantastic reviews! The term he is talking about here is "dark energy," NOT gravity.
"Astronomers these days can do the most amazing things. If someone struck a match on the Moon, they could spot the flare."
... You have got to be fucking kidding me. A redox oxidation in a vacuum. Dude...
Oh my frak. He just lost all respect from me. "...even with the most conservative inputs [in the Drake equation] the number of advanced civilzations... always works out to be somewhere in the millions." Fucking no. Dude, how the hell did this even get published?!
July 30, 2019
" 鬲亘丕乇賰 丕賱賱賴 兀丨爻賳 丕賱禺丕賱賯賷賳 "
賴匕丕 賲丕 爻鬲賳胤賯賴 卮賮鬲丕賰 丨賷賳 鬲賳鬲賴賷 賲賳 賰賱 賮氐賱 賲賳 賮氐賵賱 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 爻鬲卮毓乇 亘賰賲 丕賱毓噩夭 丕賱匕賷 賳丨賳 賮賷賴 賱賷爻 賱賳氐賳毓 兀賵 賳亘鬲賰乇 廿賳賲丕 賮賯胤 賱賳賮賴賲 賰賷賮 鬲爻賷乇 丕賱兀賲賵乇 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰賵賳
爻鬲噩丿 賲賳 亘賷賳 丕賱爻胤賵乇 賲賯賵賱丕鬲 賰賴匕賴 " 廿賳賴 毓丕賱賲 賷鬲噩丕賵夭 丕賱賮賴賲 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賲毓馗賲賳丕 "
賵亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 賮賴賵 賰鬲賱丞 賲賳 丕賱丕亘丿丕毓 睾夭丕乇丞 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 賵丿賯丞 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 賵賱賵 賯乇乇 丕賱賲丐賱賮 兀賳 賷爻鬲乇爻賱 亘賰鬲丕亘鬲賴 6000 氐賮丨丞 亘丿賱丕 賲賳 600 賱丕爻鬲胤丕毓 匕賱賰 賲賳 賯賵丞 丕賱丕賲鬲丕毓 賮賷 丕賱爻乇丿
賵丕賱賲丐賱賮 兀賰丕丿 兀噩夭賲 兀賳賴 賰丕賳 毓亘丕乇丞 毓賳 賲賵爻賵毓丞 賲鬲丨乇賰丞 賲賳 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 賮賲賳 賷賰鬲亘 賴賰匕丕 賰鬲丕亘 賷噩亘 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 賲賵爻賵毓丞 賵賱賷爻 賰丕鬲亘 賵賲丐賱賮 賮賯胤 賵 賰賲 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵丕賱丕亘丨丕孬 賵丕賱賲乇丕噩毓 賯丿 賯乇兀 賱賷氐賱 賱賴匕丕 丕賱賰賲 賲賳 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲
賵爻兀丨乇氐 兀賳 兀鬲鬲亘毓 亘賯賷丞 賲丐賱賮丕鬲賴 賱毓賱賷 兀噩丿 賲丕 賮賯丿鬲賴 丨賷賳 兀賳賴賷鬲 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘
兀賳氐丨 丕賱噩賲賷毓 亘賴
賴匕丕 賲丕 爻鬲賳胤賯賴 卮賮鬲丕賰 丨賷賳 鬲賳鬲賴賷 賲賳 賰賱 賮氐賱 賲賳 賮氐賵賱 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 爻鬲卮毓乇 亘賰賲 丕賱毓噩夭 丕賱匕賷 賳丨賳 賮賷賴 賱賷爻 賱賳氐賳毓 兀賵 賳亘鬲賰乇 廿賳賲丕 賮賯胤 賱賳賮賴賲 賰賷賮 鬲爻賷乇 丕賱兀賲賵乇 賮賷 賴匕丕 丕賱賰賵賳
爻鬲噩丿 賲賳 亘賷賳 丕賱爻胤賵乇 賲賯賵賱丕鬲 賰賴匕賴 " 廿賳賴 毓丕賱賲 賷鬲噩丕賵夭 丕賱賮賴賲 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賲毓馗賲賳丕 "
賵亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賱賰鬲丕亘 賮賴賵 賰鬲賱丞 賲賳 丕賱丕亘丿丕毓 睾夭丕乇丞 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 賵丿賯丞 丕賱鬲賮丕氐賷賱 賵賱賵 賯乇乇 丕賱賲丐賱賮 兀賳 賷爻鬲乇爻賱 亘賰鬲丕亘鬲賴 6000 氐賮丨丞 亘丿賱丕 賲賳 600 賱丕爻鬲胤丕毓 匕賱賰 賲賳 賯賵丞 丕賱丕賲鬲丕毓 賮賷 丕賱爻乇丿
賵丕賱賲丐賱賮 兀賰丕丿 兀噩夭賲 兀賳賴 賰丕賳 毓亘丕乇丞 毓賳 賲賵爻賵毓丞 賲鬲丨乇賰丞 賲賳 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲 賮賲賳 賷賰鬲亘 賴賰匕丕 賰鬲丕亘 賷噩亘 兀賳 賷賰賵賳 賲賵爻賵毓丞 賵賱賷爻 賰丕鬲亘 賵賲丐賱賮 賮賯胤 賵 賰賲 賲賳 丕賱賰鬲亘 賵丕賱丕亘丨丕孬 賵丕賱賲乇丕噩毓 賯丿 賯乇兀 賱賷氐賱 賱賴匕丕 丕賱賰賲 賲賳 丕賱賲毓賱賵賲丕鬲
賵爻兀丨乇氐 兀賳 兀鬲鬲亘毓 亘賯賷丞 賲丐賱賮丕鬲賴 賱毓賱賷 兀噩丿 賲丕 賮賯丿鬲賴 丨賷賳 兀賳賴賷鬲 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘
兀賳氐丨 丕賱噩賲賷毓 亘賴
May 13, 2021
賲賵噩夭 鬲丕乇賷禺 賰賱 卮賷亍 鬲賯乇賷亘丕賸
乇睾賲 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰亘賵 兀丨賷丕賳丕賸貙 賵乇睾賲 賲丕 賷賯丕賱 亘兀賳 賴賳丕賰 賮氐賱 爻賯胤 賮賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞!! 廿賱丕 兀賳 賴匕丕 賰鬲丕亘 毓馗賷賲 亘丨賯貙 毓賲賱 賲亘賴乇 賵賱匕賷匕貙 賵囟毓 亘賷賱 亘乇丕賷爻賵賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賱賱廿噩丕亘丞 毓賱賶 丕賱兀爻卅賱丞 丕賱毓賱賲賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷噩賴賱賴丕 丨賵賱 丕賱兀乇囟 賵丕賱胤亘賷毓丞 亘卮賰賱 毓丕賲貙 賴匕賴 丕賱兀爻卅賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 丕賳賴丕賱鬲 毓賱賷賴 賵賴賵 賷丨丿賯 賮賷 丕賱亘丨乇 賲賳 賳丕賮匕丞 胤丕卅乇丞貙 鬲丨賵賱鬲 廿賱賶 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞貙 賱賴 賵賱賳丕貙 賮亘乇丕賷爻賵賳 賱丕 賷乇賴賯賳丕 亘丕賱丨賯丕卅賯 丕賱毓賱賲賷丞 賰兀賳賲丕 賴賵 賲賵爻賵毓丞貙 賵廿賳賲丕 賷丿爻賴丕 賱賳丕 賮賷 丨賰丕賷丕鬲 賲鬲卮丕亘賰丞貙 毓賳 丕賱毓賱賲 賵丕賱毓賱賲丕亍 賮賷 爻毓賷賴賲 賱賱賮賴賲貙 賵亘賳丕亍 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱毓賱賵賲 賲賳 丕賱噩匕丕匕丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 亘賷賳 兀賷丿賷賴賲貙 賱賴匕丕 鬲卮毓乇 亘丕賱丕賴鬲賲丕賲 賵丕賱鬲賵丕胤丐 賵賲賳 孬賲 亘丕賱丕賲鬲賳丕賳 賱賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱噩賴賵丿 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕賲 亘賴丕 丕賱毓賱賲丕亍貙 賵賷鬲丨賵賱 丕賱毓賱賲 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賰 賲賳 賲丕丿丞 孬賯賷賱丞 廿賱賶 賲丕丿丞 丨賷丞貙 賲卮亘毓丞 亘丕賱廿賳爻丕賳貙 胤賲賵丨丕鬲賴 賵丌賱丕賲賴 賵爻毓賷賴 賱賱丨賯賷賯丞 賵丕賱賲毓乇賮丞貙 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞貙 賱丕 鬲賮賵鬲賵賴丕.
乇睾賲 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞 丕賱鬲賷 鬲賰亘賵 兀丨賷丕賳丕賸貙 賵乇睾賲 賲丕 賷賯丕賱 亘兀賳 賴賳丕賰 賮氐賱 爻賯胤 賮賷 丕賱鬲乇噩賲丞!! 廿賱丕 兀賳 賴匕丕 賰鬲丕亘 毓馗賷賲 亘丨賯貙 毓賲賱 賲亘賴乇 賵賱匕賷匕貙 賵囟毓 亘賷賱 亘乇丕賷爻賵賳 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 賱賱廿噩丕亘丞 毓賱賶 丕賱兀爻卅賱丞 丕賱毓賱賲賷丞 丕賱鬲賷 賷噩賴賱賴丕 丨賵賱 丕賱兀乇囟 賵丕賱胤亘賷毓丞 亘卮賰賱 毓丕賲貙 賴匕賴 丕賱兀爻卅賱丞 丕賱鬲賷 丕賳賴丕賱鬲 毓賱賷賴 賵賴賵 賷丨丿賯 賮賷 丕賱亘丨乇 賲賳 賳丕賮匕丞 胤丕卅乇丞貙 鬲丨賵賱鬲 廿賱賶 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞貙 賱賴 賵賱賳丕貙 賮亘乇丕賷爻賵賳 賱丕 賷乇賴賯賳丕 亘丕賱丨賯丕卅賯 丕賱毓賱賲賷丞 賰兀賳賲丕 賴賵 賲賵爻賵毓丞貙 賵廿賳賲丕 賷丿爻賴丕 賱賳丕 賮賷 丨賰丕賷丕鬲 賲鬲卮丕亘賰丞貙 毓賳 丕賱毓賱賲 賵丕賱毓賱賲丕亍 賮賷 爻毓賷賴賲 賱賱賮賴賲貙 賵亘賳丕亍 賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱毓賱賵賲 賲賳 丕賱噩匕丕匕丕鬲 丕賱鬲賷 亘賷賳 兀賷丿賷賴賲貙 賱賴匕丕 鬲卮毓乇 亘丕賱丕賴鬲賲丕賲 賵丕賱鬲賵丕胤丐 賵賲賳 孬賲 亘丕賱丕賲鬲賳丕賳 賱賰賱 鬲賱賰 丕賱噩賴賵丿 丕賱鬲賷 賯丕賲 亘賴丕 丕賱毓賱賲丕亍貙 賵賷鬲丨賵賱 丕賱毓賱賲 亘丕賱賳爻亘丞 賱賰 賲賳 賲丕丿丞 孬賯賷賱丞 廿賱賶 賲丕丿丞 丨賷丞貙 賲卮亘毓丞 亘丕賱廿賳爻丕賳貙 胤賲賵丨丕鬲賴 賵丌賱丕賲賴 賵爻毓賷賴 賱賱丨賯賷賯丞 賵丕賱賲毓乇賮丞貙 賴匕丕 丕賱賰鬲丕亘 乇丨賱丞 賲賲鬲毓丞貙 賱丕 鬲賮賵鬲賵賴丕.
March 11, 2019
Well deserving of its popularity and praise, this book manages to be fun even though it contains a massive amount of information delivered at a rapid rate. The title is hyperbolic; this is an introduction to scientific building blocks that will give the reader a basic understanding about the world, our place within it, and of the history behind major scientific discoveries. Though it has the ability to make one feel overwhelmed, I think it has an equal potential to be a good kicking off point for further readings about science.
September 22, 2018
2.5 Stars
This is probably going to make me sound as thick as two short planks but I didn't like it, I knew going into this book that it was going to be a challenge as Science is not really my preferred bedtime reading but I do think its good to try new things but unfortunately yes this was just hard work for me and I struggled through this one.
But on the plus side I did learn some STUFF just dont ASK me to EXPLAIN it to you and it did encourage discussion with my Nerdy other half which cant be a bad thing and there are quite a few amazing facts in the book and some entertaining stories. I will probably tell the other half that I gave it 5 stars :-)
This book is extremely well written and researched and for those interested in science I am sure this is an amazing read as Bill Bryson travels through time and space to explain the world, the universe and everything. I don't regret picking it up this book and giving it a go and my rating only reflects my reaction to the book and certainly not the quality of the information or how it is presented.
I would like to read something else (less challenging) by this author so perhaps I will pick up another one of his books sometime in the future.
This is probably going to make me sound as thick as two short planks but I didn't like it, I knew going into this book that it was going to be a challenge as Science is not really my preferred bedtime reading but I do think its good to try new things but unfortunately yes this was just hard work for me and I struggled through this one.
But on the plus side I did learn some STUFF just dont ASK me to EXPLAIN it to you and it did encourage discussion with my Nerdy other half which cant be a bad thing and there are quite a few amazing facts in the book and some entertaining stories. I will probably tell the other half that I gave it 5 stars :-)
This book is extremely well written and researched and for those interested in science I am sure this is an amazing read as Bill Bryson travels through time and space to explain the world, the universe and everything. I don't regret picking it up this book and giving it a go and my rating only reflects my reaction to the book and certainly not the quality of the information or how it is presented.
I would like to read something else (less challenging) by this author so perhaps I will pick up another one of his books sometime in the future.
January 12, 2022
11/10 - a book everyone should read simply because of the knowledge it imparts to the reader.
This is one of those books where I realised after a few pages that I couldn't even plan to write this book, let alone put the words on to the page.
A stunning achievement and if I had to recommend one anecdote, it would be Edmond Halley (of comet fame) going to see Isaac Newton about the path the Earth follows around the sun.
Halley and Christopher Wren (in the time when he was a famous mathematician / astronomer before he became a famous architect) and Robert Hooke (the man who proved the law of elasticity) couldn't agree on the path - was it a circle, an ellipse, a parabola?
Isaac was able to prove what kind of curve the Earth took around the sun, however he couldn't put his hand on the written-down proof because his desk wasn't too tidy, so Isaac wrote it down again and sent the proof to Edmond Halley.
This is one of those books where I realised after a few pages that I couldn't even plan to write this book, let alone put the words on to the page.
A stunning achievement and if I had to recommend one anecdote, it would be Edmond Halley (of comet fame) going to see Isaac Newton about the path the Earth follows around the sun.
Halley and Christopher Wren (in the time when he was a famous mathematician / astronomer before he became a famous architect) and Robert Hooke (the man who proved the law of elasticity) couldn't agree on the path - was it a circle, an ellipse, a parabola?
Isaac was able to prove what kind of curve the Earth took around the sun, however he couldn't put his hand on the written-down proof because his desk wasn't too tidy, so Isaac wrote it down again and sent the proof to Edmond Halley.
March 7, 2017
A short history of nearly everything
This is a remarkable accomplishment. From the author, of course, but also from me, to have read it. I'm not a scientist, so when I started reading this book, I expected that I would skip some parts. But I didn't ; I read every single page of this highly readable and enjoyable book.
I won't bother you with all the scientific stuff I learned. Instead, I compiled a top 5 list of the frightful fates of some scientists.
1. Max Planck (1858-1947) was a German theoretical physicist whose work on quantum theory won him the Nobel Prize in physics in 1918. Max Planck had to deal with many tragedies in his life. His beloved first wife, Marie, died at a young age in 1909, probably from TBC. They had four children (with his second wife Magda he had a fifth child Hermann). During the first world war, his son Erwin was taken prisoner by the French in 1914, while his other son Karl was killed in action at Verdun. His daughter Grete died in 1917 while giving birth to her first child, and two years later her twin sister Emma died the same way, after having married Grete's widower. In February 1944 his home in Berlin was completely destroyed by an air raid, annihilating all his scientific records and correspondence. In 1945, Erwin was sentenced to death by the Nazi Volksgerichtshof and executed, because of his participation in the failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in july 1944. His death destroyed much of Max Planck's will to live.
Tragic
2. Doctor Thomas Midgley Jr. (1889听鈥� 1944) was an American mechanical engineer and chemist. He was a key figure in a team of chemists that developed the lead additive to gasoline (TEL) as well as some of the first CFCs. His work led to the release of large quantities of lead into the atmosphere as a result of the large-scale combustion of leaded gasoline all over the world. Thomas Midgley Jr. died three decades before the ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas effects of CFCs in the atmosphere became widely known. Bill Bryson remarked that Midgley possessed "an instinct for the regrettable that was almost uncanny". In 1940, at the age of 51, Midgley contracted poliomyelitis, which left him severely disabled. This led him to devise an elaborate system of strings and pulleys to help others lift him from bed. This system was the eventual cause of his own death when he was entangled in the ropes of this device and died of strangulation at the age of 55.
Horrible
3. Gideon Mantell (1790 鈥� 1852) was an English obstetrician, geologist and paleontologist. He and his wife discovered several large teeth of an Iguanodon in 1822, but they were dismissed as belonging to a fish or mammal or rhinoceros, by other scientist. Mantell was mocked by his peers, and especially sir Richard Owen (the coiner of the word "dinosaur") made his life a hell. Mantell became financially destitute and his wife left him in 1839. His son emigrated to New Zealand that same year, and his daughter died in 1840. In 1841 Mantell was the victim of a terrible carriage accident in London. Somehow he fell from his seat, became entangled in the reins and was dragged across the ground. Mantell suffered a debilitating spinal injury. He became bent, crippled and in constant pain. Richard Owen took advantage from this and tried to ruin Mantell's reputation as an important contributor to the science of paleontology. In fact, Owen even transferred claim of a number of discoveries from Mantell to himself. Mantell could no longer bear the pain of his spine and the burden of Owen鈥檚 hatred and on 10 November 1852, Mantell took an overdose of opium and later lapsed into a coma. He died that afternoon. An anonymous obituary appeared shortly afterwards in the Literary Gazette, which denigrated Mantell鈥檚 achievements and claimed his scientific work was no more than mediocre at best 鈥� although anonymous, the style of the obituary quickly identified it as coming from Owen鈥檚 pen. Then, as a final act of indignity, Owen had a section of Mantell's spine removed and displayed his pickled spine in a jar in his museum.
Dreadful
4. Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) was a German polar reseacher, geophysicist and meteorologist. Today he is most remembered as the originator of the theory of continental drift by hypothesizing in 1912 that the continents are slowly drifting around the Earth. Wegener's fourth and last Greenland expedition was in 1930. The 14 participants under his leadership were to establish three permanent stations from which the thickness of the Greenland ice sheet could be measured and year-round Arctic weather observations made. Success depended on enough provisions being transferred from West camp to Eismitte ("mid-ice") for two men to winter there, and this was a factor in the decision that led to his death. On 24 September, although the route markers were by now largely buried under snow, Wegener set out with thirteen Greenlanders and his meteorologist Fritz Loewe to supply the camp by dog sled. During the journey, the temperature reached 鈭�60听掳C (鈭�76听掳F) and Loewe's toes became so frostbitten they had to be amputated with a penknife without anesthetic. Twelve of the Greenlanders returned to West camp. On 19 October the remaining three members of the expedition reached Eismitte. There being only enough supplies for three at Eismitte, Wegener and Rasmus Villumsen took two dog sleds and made for West camp. They took no food for the dogs and killed them one by one to feed the rest until they could run only one sled. While Villumsen rode the sled, Wegener had to use skis, but they never reached the camp: Wegener died and Villumsen was never seen again. Wegener died probably of a heart attack (Bill Bryson wrote he froze to death). Villumsen buried Wegener鈥檚 body in the snow and marked the grave with skis. Villumsen then resumed his journey, but did not complete it. His body was never found. In May 1931, after a search, Kurt Wegener discovered his brother鈥檚 grave. He and other expedition members built a pyramid-shaped mausoleum in the ice and snow, and Alfred Wegener鈥檚 body was laid to rest in it. The mausoleum has now, with the passing of time, been buried under Greenland鈥檚 ice and snow.
Terrible
5. Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) was an American astronomer who is known for playing a vital role in the development of extragalactic astronomy. What became of Edwin Hubble after his death at his home on the 28th of September 1953, is a mystery. The whereabouts of his body were known only to his widow. It is not known whether he was buried or cremated or where his remains now lie. This secret his widow took to her own grave. His wife who adored him, devoted years of her life to writing an almost mythical account of her husband's life, much of which is evidently false.
Creepy
9/10
This is a remarkable accomplishment. From the author, of course, but also from me, to have read it. I'm not a scientist, so when I started reading this book, I expected that I would skip some parts. But I didn't ; I read every single page of this highly readable and enjoyable book.
I won't bother you with all the scientific stuff I learned. Instead, I compiled a top 5 list of the frightful fates of some scientists.
1. Max Planck (1858-1947) was a German theoretical physicist whose work on quantum theory won him the Nobel Prize in physics in 1918. Max Planck had to deal with many tragedies in his life. His beloved first wife, Marie, died at a young age in 1909, probably from TBC. They had four children (with his second wife Magda he had a fifth child Hermann). During the first world war, his son Erwin was taken prisoner by the French in 1914, while his other son Karl was killed in action at Verdun. His daughter Grete died in 1917 while giving birth to her first child, and two years later her twin sister Emma died the same way, after having married Grete's widower. In February 1944 his home in Berlin was completely destroyed by an air raid, annihilating all his scientific records and correspondence. In 1945, Erwin was sentenced to death by the Nazi Volksgerichtshof and executed, because of his participation in the failed attempt to assassinate Hitler in july 1944. His death destroyed much of Max Planck's will to live.
Tragic
2. Doctor Thomas Midgley Jr. (1889听鈥� 1944) was an American mechanical engineer and chemist. He was a key figure in a team of chemists that developed the lead additive to gasoline (TEL) as well as some of the first CFCs. His work led to the release of large quantities of lead into the atmosphere as a result of the large-scale combustion of leaded gasoline all over the world. Thomas Midgley Jr. died three decades before the ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas effects of CFCs in the atmosphere became widely known. Bill Bryson remarked that Midgley possessed "an instinct for the regrettable that was almost uncanny". In 1940, at the age of 51, Midgley contracted poliomyelitis, which left him severely disabled. This led him to devise an elaborate system of strings and pulleys to help others lift him from bed. This system was the eventual cause of his own death when he was entangled in the ropes of this device and died of strangulation at the age of 55.
Horrible
3. Gideon Mantell (1790 鈥� 1852) was an English obstetrician, geologist and paleontologist. He and his wife discovered several large teeth of an Iguanodon in 1822, but they were dismissed as belonging to a fish or mammal or rhinoceros, by other scientist. Mantell was mocked by his peers, and especially sir Richard Owen (the coiner of the word "dinosaur") made his life a hell. Mantell became financially destitute and his wife left him in 1839. His son emigrated to New Zealand that same year, and his daughter died in 1840. In 1841 Mantell was the victim of a terrible carriage accident in London. Somehow he fell from his seat, became entangled in the reins and was dragged across the ground. Mantell suffered a debilitating spinal injury. He became bent, crippled and in constant pain. Richard Owen took advantage from this and tried to ruin Mantell's reputation as an important contributor to the science of paleontology. In fact, Owen even transferred claim of a number of discoveries from Mantell to himself. Mantell could no longer bear the pain of his spine and the burden of Owen鈥檚 hatred and on 10 November 1852, Mantell took an overdose of opium and later lapsed into a coma. He died that afternoon. An anonymous obituary appeared shortly afterwards in the Literary Gazette, which denigrated Mantell鈥檚 achievements and claimed his scientific work was no more than mediocre at best 鈥� although anonymous, the style of the obituary quickly identified it as coming from Owen鈥檚 pen. Then, as a final act of indignity, Owen had a section of Mantell's spine removed and displayed his pickled spine in a jar in his museum.
Dreadful
4. Alfred Wegener (1880-1930) was a German polar reseacher, geophysicist and meteorologist. Today he is most remembered as the originator of the theory of continental drift by hypothesizing in 1912 that the continents are slowly drifting around the Earth. Wegener's fourth and last Greenland expedition was in 1930. The 14 participants under his leadership were to establish three permanent stations from which the thickness of the Greenland ice sheet could be measured and year-round Arctic weather observations made. Success depended on enough provisions being transferred from West camp to Eismitte ("mid-ice") for two men to winter there, and this was a factor in the decision that led to his death. On 24 September, although the route markers were by now largely buried under snow, Wegener set out with thirteen Greenlanders and his meteorologist Fritz Loewe to supply the camp by dog sled. During the journey, the temperature reached 鈭�60听掳C (鈭�76听掳F) and Loewe's toes became so frostbitten they had to be amputated with a penknife without anesthetic. Twelve of the Greenlanders returned to West camp. On 19 October the remaining three members of the expedition reached Eismitte. There being only enough supplies for three at Eismitte, Wegener and Rasmus Villumsen took two dog sleds and made for West camp. They took no food for the dogs and killed them one by one to feed the rest until they could run only one sled. While Villumsen rode the sled, Wegener had to use skis, but they never reached the camp: Wegener died and Villumsen was never seen again. Wegener died probably of a heart attack (Bill Bryson wrote he froze to death). Villumsen buried Wegener鈥檚 body in the snow and marked the grave with skis. Villumsen then resumed his journey, but did not complete it. His body was never found. In May 1931, after a search, Kurt Wegener discovered his brother鈥檚 grave. He and other expedition members built a pyramid-shaped mausoleum in the ice and snow, and Alfred Wegener鈥檚 body was laid to rest in it. The mausoleum has now, with the passing of time, been buried under Greenland鈥檚 ice and snow.
Terrible
5. Edwin Hubble (1889-1953) was an American astronomer who is known for playing a vital role in the development of extragalactic astronomy. What became of Edwin Hubble after his death at his home on the 28th of September 1953, is a mystery. The whereabouts of his body were known only to his widow. It is not known whether he was buried or cremated or where his remains now lie. This secret his widow took to her own grave. His wife who adored him, devoted years of her life to writing an almost mythical account of her husband's life, much of which is evidently false.
Creepy
9/10
August 1, 2020
What I appreciated most about this book is that it recognizes the lesser-known pioneers of our time. To be more precise, the book in large part, introduces and acknowledges some of the barely known Western scientists (along with the famous ones) that researched, discovered, and in part laid out the foundation for modern astronomy, geology, paleontology, chemistry, physics, biology, but never received the deserved recognition!
The author answers the questions, how and with whom, we arrived at the scientific knowledge we know today, and what those results are. The book very briefly discusses the evolution of the cosmos and our planetary system and in more details the evolution of planet Earth and its living organisms. We also see that the field of science, like in any other field of profession, is full of greed, deceit, and bitterness.
As far as the title and content of the book is concerned, I have my remarks. The book is called A Short History of Nearly Everything and it only covers science and scientists. Not what I expected.
Also, not introducing and discussing, in a history of science book, the Mesopotamian, ancient Egyptians and Greeks, Mesoamerican civilization, the Islamic Golden Age period, and others, deprives the reader from seeing and grasping the whole picture of the chronological development of the study of the physical and natural world.
Lastly, all the short stories revolve around Western European and North American scientists. Which I personally love and appreciate. For example, as far as Asia is concerned, the author dedicated space within the book to inform us that Tokyo could be expecting a devastating earthquake, and the Asian shark finning cruel practice brings in their restaurants up to $100+ per bowl of shark fin soup. But, no mention of Asian scientists, and their achievements.
Therefore, in general the content of the book can be viewed as US-Eurocentric, which in return presents the reader with a short-sighted view of the history of science, all wrapped up in an ambiguous title.
Not to end on a negative note, Bryson is an enjoyable storyteller and the many short stories, along with the science lessons, nicely flow together. Bryson is not a scientist, but he did a fine job.
(3.5/5)
The author answers the questions, how and with whom, we arrived at the scientific knowledge we know today, and what those results are. The book very briefly discusses the evolution of the cosmos and our planetary system and in more details the evolution of planet Earth and its living organisms. We also see that the field of science, like in any other field of profession, is full of greed, deceit, and bitterness.
As far as the title and content of the book is concerned, I have my remarks. The book is called A Short History of Nearly Everything and it only covers science and scientists. Not what I expected.
Also, not introducing and discussing, in a history of science book, the Mesopotamian, ancient Egyptians and Greeks, Mesoamerican civilization, the Islamic Golden Age period, and others, deprives the reader from seeing and grasping the whole picture of the chronological development of the study of the physical and natural world.
Lastly, all the short stories revolve around Western European and North American scientists. Which I personally love and appreciate. For example, as far as Asia is concerned, the author dedicated space within the book to inform us that Tokyo could be expecting a devastating earthquake, and the Asian shark finning cruel practice brings in their restaurants up to $100+ per bowl of shark fin soup. But, no mention of Asian scientists, and their achievements.
Therefore, in general the content of the book can be viewed as US-Eurocentric, which in return presents the reader with a short-sighted view of the history of science, all wrapped up in an ambiguous title.
Not to end on a negative note, Bryson is an enjoyable storyteller and the many short stories, along with the science lessons, nicely flow together. Bryson is not a scientist, but he did a fine job.
(3.5/5)
September 6, 2011
Stunning in scope and execution. Loved every page of it, even geology was made exciting. That really is some feat.
September 15, 2016
The best thing about this book is that it introduces other books you would like. It showed me that I should probably read more about Newton and Einstein, and that astronomy is something that I am still interested in. I did find myself scanning through certain sections because I already understood them well (the vastness of the universe) or I don't think I will ever understand them (complicated aspects of biology). Like all science book, they get outdated fast but this one is still holding up, at least for now.
July 2, 2015
丕夭 毓賳賵丕賳 卮乇賵毓 讴賳蹖賲
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丌蹖丕 讴鬲丕亘 禺賵亘蹖 丕爻鬲責
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丌禺乇 讴丕乇
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丌蹖丕 丕蹖賳 讴鬲丕亘 丕乇鬲亘丕胤蹖 亘賴 賲丕 丿丕乇丿責
禺賵亘. 丕蹖賳 蹖賴 爻賵丕賱 噩丿蹖 亘乇丕蹖 賲賳 亘賵丿. 趩賵賳 卮禺氐丕 賴蹖趩 丕乇鬲亘丕胤蹖 亘丕 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й� 毓賱賲蹖 賳丿丕卮鬲賲 賵 賳丿丕乇賲. 丕賲丕 禺蹖賱蹖 賵爻賵爻賴鈥屫з嗂屫操� 讴賴 讴鬲丕亘蹖 乇賵 亘禺賵賳蹖 讴賴 鬲賵卮 毓氐丕乇賴鈥屰� 賴賲賴鈥屰� 毓賱賵賲 诏賳噩賵賳丿賴 卮丿賴 亘丕卮賴. 讴鬲丕亘鈥屬囏й屰� 讴賴 亘賴 丕蹖賳 卮讴賱 賵噩賴 丿丕蹖乇賴鈥屫з勝呚关ж辟佦� 丿丕乇賳 丕蹖賳 賮乇氐鬲 乇賵 亘賴 禺賵丕賳賳丿賴鈥屬囏ж促堎� 賲蹖丿賳 讴賴 亘丕 蹖賴 賲胤丕賱毓賴鈥屰� 賲禺鬲氐乇 乇丕噩毓鈥屫ㄙ� 丕蹖賳 卮丕禺賴鈥屬囏� 丨賵夭賴鈥屰� 賲賵乇丿 毓賱丕賯賴鈥屰� 禺賵丿卮賵賳 乇賵 倬蹖丿丕 讴賳賳
丌蹖丕 讴鬲丕亘 禺賵亘蹖 丕爻鬲責
鬲賵蹖 賲乇賵乇賴丕蹖蹖 讴賴 乇賵蹖 讴鬲丕亘 賳賵卮鬲賴 卮丿賴 丕蹖乇丕丿賴丕蹖蹖 乇賵 亘賴卮 賵丕乇丿 讴乇丿賳丿. 亘丕 賴賲賴鈥屰� 丕蹖賳 丕丨賵丕賱 賯胤毓丕 鬲丕乇蹖禺趩賴鈥屰� 鬲賯乇蹖亘丕 賴賲賴 趩蹖夭 讴鬲丕亘 禺賵亘蹖賴. 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 丕賳爻丕賳 卮賵禺 賵 丿賵爻鬲鈥屫ж簇嗃屸€屫й� 賴爻鬲 賵 爻毓蹖 讴乇丿賴 噩丕 亘賴 噩丕 丕夭 丕鬲賮丕賯鈥屬囏й� 噩丕賱亘 毓賱賲蹖 亘诏賴 讴賴 卮丕蹖丿 鬲賵蹖 賲鬲賵賳 "乇爻賲蹖" 毓賱賲蹖 賴蹖趩鈥屬堎傌� 丕夭卮賵賳 氐丨亘鬲蹖 亘賴 賲蹖賵賳 賳賲蹖丕丿 [亘禺卮鈥屬囏й屰� 丕夭 賴賲蹖賳 鬲蹖讴賴鈥屬囏� 乇賵 鬲賵 丕爻鬲鬲賵爻鈥屬囏з� 賲蹖鈥屫堎嗃屫� 倬蹖丿丕 讴賳蹖丿]. 丿蹖诏賴 丕蹖賳鈥屭┵� 賳賵蹖爻賳丿賴 蹖賴 賳蹖賲鈥屬嗂з� 禺蹖賱蹖 噩丿蹖 丿丕卮鬲賴 亘賴 鬲丕乇蹖禺 睾蹖乇乇爻賲蹖 毓賱賵賲 賲賵乇丿 亘丨孬 賵 爻毓蹖 讴乇丿賴 丕夭 讴爻丕蹖蹖 賴賲 丕爻賲 亘亘乇賴 讴賴 丿乇 丕孬乇 亘蹖鈥屫堌囒� 賲乇丿賲 乇賵夭诏丕乇卮賵賳 蹖丕 丿夭丿蹖丿賴 卮丿賳 胤乇丨 蹖丕 丕蹖丿賴鈥屫促堎� 亘賴 卮賴乇鬲 賵丕賯毓蹖 賵 丿乇禺賵乇 賮毓丕賱蹖鬲鈥屫促堎� 賳乇爻蹖丿賳.
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丌禺乇 讴丕乇
讴鬲丕亘 丿賵爻鬲鈥屫ж簇嗃� 賵 禺賵卮鈥屫堎嗃� 賴爻鬲 亘丕 蹖賴 鬲乇噩賲賴鈥屰� 禺賵亘. 賴乇趩賳丿 讴賴 丕賳鬲馗丕乇 丿丕卮鬲賲 亘禺卮 賲乇亘賵胤 亘賴 丨蹖丕鬲 賲賵噩賵丿丕鬲 夭賳丿賴鈥屫� 噩匕丕亘鈥屫� 丕夭 丕蹖賳 亘丕卮賴. 丕賲丕 丿乇 讴賱 蹖讴蹖 丕夭 亘賴鬲乇蹖賳 诏夭蹖賳賴鈥屬囏� 亘乇丕蹖 蹖賴 丌丿賲 睾蹖乇賲鬲禺氐氐 [賲孬賱 賲賳] 賴爻鬲 讴賴 亘亘蹖賳賴 亘丕賱丕蹖 爻乇卮貙 夭蹖乇 倬丕卮 賵 鬲賵蹖 亘丿賳卮 趩賴 丿賳蹖丕賴丕蹖蹖 賴爻鬲
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May 24, 2022
*3.5 stars *
November 24, 2022
Take note, science lovers and science-phobes alike!
This time it's not the Appalachians or England.
In A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, Bill Bryson has taken his readers on an exciting, informative and always entertaining tour of both the history of science and the details of the science itself. Essays covering an eclectic diversity of scientific topics ranging from the Big Bang and quantum physics, to paleontology, geology, biology, pandemics, genetics, evolution, glaciation, plate tectonics, weather patterns, volcanism and beyond are pitched at the perfect level to be accessible to the layman without being patronizing to a reader who happens to be more informed about a particular topic. Even the most esoterically learned science-ready polymath will find at least one or two of the topics set at a level high enough to be challenging as well.
Beautiful illustrations peppered throughout the text, a dash of humour and cynicism plus a wonderful series of amusing anecdotes and side bars make A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING a delicious confection of eye candy and brain candy. The multiplicity and diversity of the ideas covered means that A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING can be read in bite-sized chunks with the interested reader taking a random walk through the book starting at virtually any paragraph on any page. But the intelligent organization of the topics and the chronology that Bryson follows also guarantees a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience for those that want to travel from first page to last in order!
Science-phobes take note! If you've been looking for a way to set your fears aside, A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING just might be the ticket you've been looking for. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
This time it's not the Appalachians or England.
In A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING, Bill Bryson has taken his readers on an exciting, informative and always entertaining tour of both the history of science and the details of the science itself. Essays covering an eclectic diversity of scientific topics ranging from the Big Bang and quantum physics, to paleontology, geology, biology, pandemics, genetics, evolution, glaciation, plate tectonics, weather patterns, volcanism and beyond are pitched at the perfect level to be accessible to the layman without being patronizing to a reader who happens to be more informed about a particular topic. Even the most esoterically learned science-ready polymath will find at least one or two of the topics set at a level high enough to be challenging as well.
Beautiful illustrations peppered throughout the text, a dash of humour and cynicism plus a wonderful series of amusing anecdotes and side bars make A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING a delicious confection of eye candy and brain candy. The multiplicity and diversity of the ideas covered means that A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING can be read in bite-sized chunks with the interested reader taking a random walk through the book starting at virtually any paragraph on any page. But the intelligent organization of the topics and the chronology that Bryson follows also guarantees a thoroughly enjoyable reading experience for those that want to travel from first page to last in order!
Science-phobes take note! If you've been looking for a way to set your fears aside, A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING just might be the ticket you've been looking for. Highly recommended.
Paul Weiss
September 15, 2010
First off, this is a huge departure from Bryson's breezy, excellent travel logs. Secondly, this book should be read with some frequency. It is so densely packed with valuable insight, and sound bites of discovery that you could not possibly absorb it all with one pass. This is my second time reading it and I plan on doing it again next year. The organizational structure is a wonderful series of loosely connected cameos covering several essential and enlightened discoveries of man. As an added bonus, the book actually attempts to pay off on the cheeky title. Bryson's light, common man鈥檚 writing style 鈥渟cats鈥� from universal, to global, to biological with a loosely constructed cause and effect outline. His books (thankfully, including this one) are all peppered with wit and charm and a heavy snatch of sarcasm. Further and maybe more importantly, he has the good sense to skip over heavy deep dives into mathematics, theories or anything at an ivy graduate level. I love this guy. I feel like he wrote this book for me and I hope he writes 10 more just like this. 10/4/07
I abhor cliches, but in honor of Bryson's incredible achievement I'll indulge in one. I might very well choose "A Short History" as the ONE book I'd choose over all others ...if ...I was stranded on the proverbial desert island. Bryson has created a true encyclopedic kaleidoscope. Imagine the fun he had writing this book as he allowed his mind to logically wormhole through and across time!
I abhor cliches, but in honor of Bryson's incredible achievement I'll indulge in one. I might very well choose "A Short History" as the ONE book I'd choose over all others ...if ...I was stranded on the proverbial desert island. Bryson has created a true encyclopedic kaleidoscope. Imagine the fun he had writing this book as he allowed his mind to logically wormhole through and across time!
December 2, 2024
A great book, with a little bit of everything.. Bill Bryson articulate it in a very familiar manner and its incredibly simple to read. The book offers different perspectives regarding science and evolution. The impact of religion on the history of modern science, however, has generated a great deal of debate every now and then but i ve learned from this piece .. a handful lessons and as a believer in a high power my self i find it very informative and insightful. There are parts in the book that are hard to swallow but that's the beauty of narration. It puts the study, research, findings and the facts to the table and the golden spoon is on our hand. Overall the book Ignify my curiosity to explore and attain more knowledge and adore science. There is a lot to take in and I recommend it for readers who wants to know more about modern science, thoughts and theories.
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