A Short History of Nearly Everything, by Bill Bryson

A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson

Bryson is one of my favourite writers. This book though, is not a typical Bryson book. The "everything" in the title refers to all physical objects on our planet: from the inner earth core to the highest of mountains, from the smallest known particles to the largest creatures. In other words, Bryson gives an overview on the development of all physical sciences: physics, chemistry, biology, and geology. He tells many interesting stories about the strange and fascinating personalities throughout history who have had major discoveries that led to Man's better understanding of Earth. It's a wonderful read albeit not an easy one (which is why it took me the better part of May to finish it). The stories also confirm what I've always known, that science isn't mathematics. What was at one point held as unassailable truth by all of the most learned men of the era often turned out to be completely false when more advanced instruments were invented to offer better insights into nature. This is why I view anyone who claims a debate on a complex scientific topic to be "over" as one who knows nothing about science.