A short history of nearly everything. Bill Bryson

A short history of nearly everything. Bill Bryson. 2004. ISBN 0385660049. When I want to armchair travel, Bryson is the writer I enjoy. This is a very different and good book. If you are anything like me, having last thought about all the "other" sciences when you were in university, then this book is for you. Bryson looks at all the tough questions going on in natural science, makes them lifelike and brings us up to date on current thinking. His descriptions of quantum physics are as clear as his discussion of tectonic plates theory right through to what paleontologists are saying about homo sapien and its roots. The genetics chapter is useful even if you are up to date on DNA and RNA. The bonus is his delight in the people who have made the discoveries and mistakes over time. I had never heard about Lord Kelvin described just this way before - he brings them to life in a few short pages. I predict that this will be a science classic. Lots of answers to "Why is ?"