Series: 30 Second

Not only a towering figure in his own era, Newton also left an immense scientific legacy, much of which still underpins key theories today. So if the principal thing you remember about him is that an apple fell on his head, its high time you learned a little more. 30-Second Newton offers a fast-track understanding of the key theories that formed the core of Newtons thinking, and looks at the roles he played over his long life, and at the network of connections he forged with his contemporaries. A team of expert authors assess his breadth and brilliance, offering the reader not only succinct analyses of his work on gravity, light, colour, and calculus, but also a broader picture of the key role he plays in the history of science

30-Second Quantum Theory

by Brian Clegg, Philip Ball, Leon Clifford, Frank Close, Sophie Hebden, Alexander Hellemans, Sharon Ann Holgate, and Andrew May

Published 3 July 2014

The bestselling 30-Second... series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand.

Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. Each idea, no matter how complex, is explained in 300 words and one picture, all digestible in 30 seconds.

30-Second Quantum Theory tackles a mindbendingly mysterious area of physics, introducing the 50 most significant quantum quandaries and ideas. In a world where the quantum physics of electronics is an everyday essential and new quantum developments make headline news, you will visit Parallel Worlds, ride Wave Theory, and learn just enough to talk with certainty about Uncertainty Theory and to untangle the mysteries of quantum entanglement.

30-Second Physics

by Brian Clegg

Published 9 February 2016

The bestselling 30-Second series takes a revolutionary approach to learning about those subjects you feel you should really understand. Each title selects a popular topic and dissects it into the 50 most significant ideas at its heart. 30-Second Physics tackles the big ideas behind life as we know it, from electromagnetic waves that enable us to connect in an instant from opposite ends of the earth to the gravity that keeps our feet firmly on the ground. In a world where physics is an everyday essential and new quantum developments make headline news, you need to know your atoms from your anti-matter, and learn just enough to speak with fluidity about Fluid Dynamics and be certain about the Uncertainty Principle. Here is the fastest way to get up to speed with rocket science and the rest.

30-Second Energy

by Brian Clegg

Published 1 March 2018

Do you know your ﬁssion from your fusion? You will have heard of Einstein’s theory of relativity and his synonymous equation E=mc2, but do you really understand what they mean? With renewable energy a hot topic of conversation, arm yourself with the 50 most signiﬁcant theories and developments that will allow you to contribute to any debate about this integral force in the universe.

30-Second Energy charts the fascinating and fundamental topics behind this phenomenon that resides in everywhere and in everything. Exploring energy as it is best understood – by example – discover how it cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed, and how plankton and other ocean-dwelling organisms can be used to power your car. From the nuclear fusion reactor at the heart of the sun to the elusive dark energy which makes up most of the content of the universe, each topic is summarized in just half a minute using no more than two pages, 300 words and one picture.

30-Second Einstein

by Brian Clegg

Published 8 September 2016

The 50 fundamentals of his work, life and legacy, each explained in half a minute

Spend 30 seconds a day in the company of a colossus from the world of science, and you will soon have his whole story—both his scientific attainments and his extraordinary life—in your head. Einstein was not only an unparalleled scientific genius, but also a human rights campaigner, a political activist, and the iconic archetype of the mad professor. Is it any wonder that he continues to fascinate scientists and non-scientists alike? 30-Second Einstein will show you why at approximately the speed of light.

An internationally bestselling series presents essential concepts in a mere 30 seconds, 300 words, and one image
Einstein’s complex life and theories, explained concisely and without jargon
The quickest way to understand einstein’s starring role in the history of science