The Magic of Reality: How We Know What's Really TrueMagic takes many forms. Supernatural magic is what our ancestors used in order to explain the world before they developed the scientific method. The ancient Egyptians explained the night by suggesting the goddess Nut swallowed the sun. The Vikings believed a rainbow was the gods’ bridge to earth. The Japanese used to explain earthquakes by conjuring a gigantic catfish that carried the world on its back—earthquakes occurred each time it flipped its tail. These are magical, extraordinary tales. But there is another kind of magic, and it lies in the exhilaration of discovering the real answers to these questions. It is the magic of reality—science. Packed with clever thought experiments, dazzling illustrations and jaw-dropping facts, The Magic of Reality explains a stunningly wide range of natural phenomena. What is stuff made of? How old is the universe? Why do the continents look like disconnected pieces of a puzzle? What causes tsunamis? Why are there so many kinds of plants and animals? Who was the first man, or woman? This is a page-turning, graphic detective story that not only mines all the sciences for its clues but primes the reader to think like a scientist as well. Richard Dawkins, the world’s most famous evolutionary biologist and one of science education’s most passionate advocates, has spent his career elucidating the wonders of science for adult readers. But now, in a dramatic departure, he has teamed up with acclaimed artist Dave McKean and used his unrivaled explanatory powers to share the magic of science with readers of all ages. This is a treasure trove for anyone who has ever wondered how the world works. Dawkins and McKean have created an illustrated guide to the secrets of our world—and the universe beyond—that will entertain and inform for years to come. |
Contents
What is reality? What is magic? | 12 |
What are things made of? | 76 |
5 | 96 |
What is the sun? | 118 |
What is a rainbow? | 140 |
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actually Africa African plate aliens ancestors animals at’s bad things ball barcode beam believe called cells chapter chimpanzees coach colours crystals ction denite dierent dierent kinds distance Earth earthquake eect elements ellipse energy ere’s Eta Carinae Eurasian plate evolved example explain eyes fossils FoxP2 frogs galaxy gene pool gods gravity happen Here’s Homo erectus humans iguanas imagine immune system island languages legend liquid look lots magic mammals means million years ago miracle modern molecules moving myths natural selection Neil Gaiman neutrons night nucleus orbit parasites picture planets plate prism protons Proxima Centauri rainbow raindrop reected rock scientic scientists sleep paralysis sodium solid South South American plate space species spectrum spinning star story sun’s supernatural supernova telescopes tell tiny travels trick turn understand Utnapashtim waves winter