A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
Audiobook read by Bill Bryson
This is the updated version of the same book with more recent advances and since I loved the original one, I had to listen to this one too!
Bill Bryson is a magician when it comes to history and comic sense! The whole novel of more than 8 hours just flies like a breeze!
But this one should have been called the NOVEL OF ACTUAL CHAMPIONS AND INVENTORS WHO WERE SADLY NOT RECOGNIZED!
There are so many of them and the stories you hear would make you so sad! The ones who made such waves were actually undeserving while those who deserved all the acclaim are unknown to many!
Just for that you must either listent or hear to this amazing treat!
The book aims to explain the history and current state of human scientific understanding across a vast array of disciplines.
Rather than utilizing dense, technical jargon, Bryson adopts a highly accessible, witty, and engaging narrative style.
He explores not only what we know about the universe, but the chaotic, brilliant, and often eccentric stories of how scientists actually uncovered those truths.
Bill starts with the Size and Origin of the Universe. It starts at the absolute beginning with the Big Bang, charting the birth of space, time, and cosmic structure. He also tells about something called the BIG BIRTH!
Then he tracks the formation of our planet, the emergence of the elements, and the volatile geology (such as supervolcanoes and earthquakes) that shapes our environment! In between talking about super continents and how the world is going away!
Then he gets organinc and discusses the Rise of Life! The narrative moves through early microscopic organisms, the age of the dinosaurs, and the eventual evolution of Homo sapiens! Even here he tells about the neandeathals and what not!
In between he also mentions how we were the DODO! You would get the reference once you read!
He gives an elaborate history of the DNA and how there was another who was majorly responsible for giving us the final structure but many do not know her!
He then delves into the discovery of cells, the building blocks of DNA, and the microscopic chemistry that keeps us alive.
The whole novel and a major focus is placed on the overlooked rivalries, accidents, and obsessive personalities of famous and forgotten scientists (such as Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and many others)!
It is a very educational and interesting read! Feels like a story but every part it real Bill style of humour and wit!
I simply loved it! You would too!
