Other editions of book A Really Short History of Nearly Everything

Explore the mysteries of the universe without ever leaving your home! Bill Bryson takes on the world of science and answers questions big and small, perfect for curious readers looking to learn outside of the classroom!Did you know that:• Every atom in your body has almost certainly passed through several stars and been part of millions of organisms on its way to being you?• If you are an average-sized kid, you have enough potential energy inside you to explode with the force of several hydrogen bombs?And—What happened to dinosaurs? How big is the universe? Why are oceans salty? Is a meteor going to hit us?Tackling everything from the Big Bang to the rise of civilization, Bill Bryson’s inimitable storytelling skill makes the why, how, and, just as importantly, the who of scientific discovery entertaining and accessible for young readers.

Bill Bryson’s own fascination with science began with a battered old school book he had when he was about ten or eleven years old. It had an illustration that captivated him–a diagram showing Earth’s interior as it would look if you cut into it with a large knife and removed about a quarter of its bulk. The idea of lots of startled cars and people falling off the edge of that sudden cliff (and 4,000 miles is a pretty long way to fall) was what grabbed him in the beginning, but gradually his attention turned to what the picture was trying to teach him: namely that Earth’s interior is made up of several different layers of materials, and at the very centre is a glowing sphere of iron and nickel, as hot as the Sun’s surface, according to the caption. And he very clearly remembers thinking: “How do they know that?”Bill’s storytelling skill makes the “How?” and, just as importantly, the “Who?” of scientific discovery entertaining and accessible for all ages. He covers the wonder and mystery of time and space, the frequently bizarre and often obsessive scientists and the methods they used, and the mind-boggling fact that, somehow, the universe exists and against all odds, life came to be on this wondrous planet we call home.