The Things that Nobody Knows
501 Mysteries of Life, the Universe and Everything
Published on 1. November 2012
Book
Paperback/Softback
384 pages
978-0-85789-622-3 (ISBN)
Description
HERE ARE MANY, MANY THINGS THAT NOBODY KNOWS . . .
Why are so many giraffes gay?
Has human evolution stopped?
Where did our alphabet come from?
Can robots become self-aware?
Can lobsters recognize other lobsters by sight?
What goes on inside a black hole?
Are cell phones bad for us?
Why can't we remember anything from our earliest years?
Full of the mysteries of life, the universe and everything, The Things that Nobody Knows is a fascinating and unputdownable exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond.
Why are so many giraffes gay?
Has human evolution stopped?
Where did our alphabet come from?
Can robots become self-aware?
Can lobsters recognize other lobsters by sight?
What goes on inside a black hole?
Are cell phones bad for us?
Why can't we remember anything from our earliest years?
Full of the mysteries of life, the universe and everything, The Things that Nobody Knows is a fascinating and unputdownable exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond.
Reviews / Votes
Each mystery is delightfully penned in bite-sized chunks that often includes humorous repertoire... highly enjoyable... Captivating and inspiring * New Scientist * Properly researched, and the elegance of its pop-cosmology or pop-biology mini-narratives rivals that of many specialists. It is slyly witty, and pleasingly optimistic. -- Steven Poole * Guardian * Discovering the many undiscovered things that one thought had been discovered already is one of the joys of this book... You might have thought that wallowing in ignorance is a tedious and fruitless occupation. As Hartston proves entertainingly, how wrong you would be. * Daily Express * A rigorous and playful exploration of human limits in scientific knowledge about the planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond * Publishers Weekly * A delightful collection for trivia buffs and browsers. * Booklist *More details
Edition
Main
Language
English
Place of publication
London
United Kingdom
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Illustrations
100 b&w line drawings
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 136 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
427 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-85789-622-3 (9780857896223)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
E-Book
10/2011
Atlantic Books
€5.49
Available for download
Person
William Hartston is a Cambridge-educated mathematician and industrial psychologist. Between 1962 and 1987 he played chess competitively, becoming an international master and winning the English chess championship in 1973 and 1975. He also writes the off-beat Beachcomber column for the Daily Express and and is one of the viewers on Channel 4's Gogglebox.