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    The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less)
    The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less)
    The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less)
    Ebook219 pages3 hours

    The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less)

    By David Bercovici

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Covering 13.8 billion years in some 100 pages, a concise, wryly intelligent history of everything, from the Big Bang to the advent of human civilization.

    With wonder, wit, and flair—and in record time and space—geophysicist David Bercovici explains how everything came to be everywhere, from the creation of stars and galaxies to the formation of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans, to the origin of life and human civilization. Bercovici marries humor and legitimate scientific intrigue, rocketing readers across nearly fourteen billion years and making connections between the essential theories that give us our current understanding of topics as varied as particle physics, plate tectonics, and photosynthesis. Bercovici’s unique literary endeavor is a treasure trove of real, compelling science and fascinating history, providing both science lovers and complete neophytes with an unforgettable introduction to the fields of cosmology, geology, genetics, climate science, human evolution, and more.

    “For determined minds hoping for cogent, clever explanations for what we know of the history of the universe, Bercovici nails it.” —Shelf Awareness 

    “Explaining life, the universe and everything in 100 pages may be a tall order, but physicist and volcano enthusiast Bercovici rises to the challenge. . . . Origins delivers on its promise—and (bonus!) it’s even fun to read.” —Discover

    “Clear, concise, comprehensive, and written with verve and a sense of humor, The Origins of Everything is a delightful journey through time from the big bang to the present day.” —Doug Macdougall, author of Frozen Earth
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherYale University Press
    Release dateNov 22, 2016
    ISBN9780300224979
    The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less)

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    Reviews for The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less)

    3.5/5

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    • 3/5
      A fun, quick read. Really quick. Despite being really condensed. This should be part of the "short introduction to" series.
    • 4/5
      Summing up the universe in 114 pages reminds me of Herman Wouk’s 2016 memoir (Sailor and Fiddler). At 100, he summarized it all in less than a hundred pages. I called it chutzpah. Origins too is obviously top line, but there is a remarkable amount of detail, the occasional jab, and a lot of balance. It flows terrifically. It is a very worthwhile read.What I liked most is that Bercovici notes where we don’t know for sure, and cites scientists and their hypotheses (pre-theories) as being actively considered and therefore in flux.I was however disappointed that he relied on the Standard Theory, and ignored the theories of astrophysicist Marvin Herndon, who has straightforward answers to Bercovici’s conundrums (conundra?). For example, Bercovici claims the inner solar system was created with bare rock planets, while the outer solar system developed gas giant planets, divided by a “Snow Line”. But he doesn’t say why. He also says other solar systems have all gas giants, so there are two kinds of solar systems in the galaxy. Herndon says all solar systems consist of gas giants; that’s how they form. When our sun ignited, the blast blew the gas covers off the inner planets, along with a sizeable chunk of Mercury. The force sent the pieces out past Mars to an area of miscellaneous junk we call the Asteroid Belt (Bercovici’s Snow Line). Similarly, Herndon says the baseball seams up and down the ocean floors are splitting apart precisely because the Earth is relaxing from the loss of the high pressure gas cover. And while Bercovici marvels at our magnetic field, “amazingly powered by a liquid-iron generator at the center of our planet“, (which he can’t explain), Herndon says the core is solid nickel silicide. It is a georeactor, a natural nuclear reactor, pulling in uranium for fuel, in ever decreasing amounts. This is why our magnetic field has not been able to reverse itself in 700,000 years – it is running low on fuel. While most planets and moons have detectable georeactors, they must all run out at some point, which is why some have none today. This is a far more elegant, reasonable and intuitive theory than the unsatisfying Standard Theory of kludges, patches and unanswered questions, and needs to be offered in more places.Summarizing 14 billion years in a hundred pages is an accomplishment if it leaves you far better informed, and Bercovici does it. From the Big Bang to the beginning of life and the subtleties of the Earth’s changes, you leave this book feeling more complete.David Wineberg

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    The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less) - David Bercovici

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