"From the Pythagorean theorem to DNA's double helix, from the discovery of microscopic life-forms to the theory of relativity--the big ideas of science and technology shape an era's worldview. Open this book, grasp the newest ideas from thought leaders of today, then spring off from them to move back through the past, one big idea at a time. Meet the people who gave birth to these ideas--and those who fought against them. Meet the MIT electrical engineer...

Is Earth the product of intelligent design? Many characteristics that make our planet suitable for complex life, also provide the best conditions for astronomical discovery. What does this correlation of factors indicate about the origin and purpose of the cosmos?

A theoretical astrophysicist explores the ideas that transformed our knowledge of the universe over the past century. The cosmos, once understood as a stagnant place, filled with the ordinary, is now a universe that is expanding at an accelerating pace, propelled by dark energy and structured by dark matter. Priyamvada Natarajan, our guide to these ideas, is someone at the forefront of the research-an astrophysicist who literally creates maps of...

"With decades of scientific knowledge behind him and a ... sense of fun in his approach, Jan Paul Schutten rewards curiosity with ... explanations about some of the most complicated scientific issues that exist, and tells readers that there is much left to discover. For example: Why does the paramecium deserve a standing ovation? How do you build a planet? Does a tree want to be tall? How does a bacterium turn into a blue whale?"--

"Grace in All Simplicity narrates the saga of how we have prospected for some of Nature's most tightly held secrets, the basic constituents of matter and the fundamental forces that rule them. Our current understanding of the world (and universe) we inhabit is the result of curiosity, diligence, and daring, of abstraction and synthesis, and of an abiding faith in the value of exploration. In these pages we will meet scientists of both past and present....

"A new blockbuster science fiction adventure from world-wide phenomenon and #1 New York Times bestseller Christopher Paolini, set in the world of New York Times and USA Today bestseller To Sleep in a Sea of Stars. July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly. On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide. Its curve not of nature, but design. Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across...

"Take a dive into the great unknown and go on a daring journey across land, sea, and sky--exploring everywhere from the highest mountains to the deepest ocean. In addition, visit the workshops, labs, and studios of history's most important minds and meet inventors, explorers, pirates, daredevils, and more. Read about the pioneers who dared to go where nobody had been before, archaeologists who made startling discoveries, and all of the exciting adventures...