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

by David Bercovici

Covering 13.8 billion years in some 100 pages, a calculatedly 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.

• ISBN10: 0300215134
• ISBN13: 9780300215137
• Publish Date: 11 November 2016
• Publish Status: Out of Print
• Out of Print: 5 February 2021
• Publish Country: US
• Imprint: Yale University Press
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 152
• Language: English

Reviews

[Mystereity Reviews]

See my full review at Mystereity Reviews

David Bercoivci's The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less) is actually closer to 150 pages, which still makes it a short, concise book considering there's 14 billion years of history packed into it.

I've always had an interest in the origins of the universe and life on Earth, but my knowledge is rudimentary. Before starting the book, I'd say my knowledge of the subject was pretty basic, limited to a few college courses years ago, some science documentaries on tv and an article here and there.

The author admits that "the goal of this book is not meant to be deep and comprehensive, but instead to be boldly (or badly) shallow and superficial in the best sense of these words." Which is a good thing, because although the book is written to be understood by anyone, part of it were still over my head. I had to read this bit by bit, because it was easy to overload on the information and at that point, it was hard for me to absorb the information. So I'd take a break for a bit, then go back to it.

Starting with The Big Bang and the formation of Earth, continuing through plate techtonics and finally the evolution of life on Earth, The section that interested me the most was the formation of our planet, including how and why Earth is the only temperate and habitable planet. I was fascinated by the explanations that answered many of the questions I had, such as why Venus didn't evolve like our planet did and even raised new questions that I can explore.

Overall, The Origins of Everything in 100 Pages (More or Less) is an excellent book that covers the basics of Planetary physics and Geophysics and is a great overview for those starting out in learning, or who want to expand their knowledge.

Thank you to Yale University Press and Netgalley for providing an advanced copy in return for my honest review.