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book_cryptid's review against another edition
4.25
definitely not simple enough for the average reader, but for me it was the perfect balance of factual scientific information and metaphors to bring it into real life. learned lots of interesting stuff, will be reading up more on them, and just overall had fun :)
sharppointysticks's review
3.0
Fairly science heavy, so this book probably isn't for everyone... but I find this stuff fascinating so I enjoyed it very much.
leannaaker's review against another edition
4.0
Really great laypersons' guide to the way science really works. Arguments, upwellings, and some interesting topics to boot. Very good read.
deservingporcupine's review
4.0
This book blew my mind a little. So much so that when the story of the discovery of the Higgs boson broke my first reaction was doubt. I guess I knew that scientific studies could often be skewed, but had no idea how political and downright catty everything about science is -- down to ostracizing scientists for studying unpopular theories.
I also had a lot of trouble wrapping my brain around many of the details in the book -- dark matter still baffles my imagination. Of course, even more baffling is that dark matter may not be what we've accepted it to be at all. And we might need to revise the theory of relativity? You see what I'm saying.
Kind of an amazing read, but definitely a slow go, which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
I also had a lot of trouble wrapping my brain around many of the details in the book -- dark matter still baffles my imagination. Of course, even more baffling is that dark matter may not be what we've accepted it to be at all. And we might need to revise the theory of relativity? You see what I'm saying.
Kind of an amazing read, but definitely a slow go, which is why I gave it 4 stars instead of 5.
apatrick's review against another edition
4.0
Listened to this one on a long road trip, and when we were home, I was compelled enough to finish listening to it on my commute. It tackles everything from cold fusion and quantum electrodynamics to the placebo effect and homeopathy. Great for people who wonder why the world is the way it is, and are fascinated by ideas.
shawnwhy's review
5.0
fun book about Scientific Unorthodox ideas that might be right. the Eukeryotic cells beign the sythesis of a Virus and a bactirum is one of the more interesting Ideas purposed, as well as the Idea that the speed of light and the cosmological constant being relative to the age of the universe. the appearance of these numbers uses as natural constants by the scientists , with out completely understanding them is a great Idea.