My Top 5 Most Influential Popular Science Books

[@alisonsimpson3620]

hey Hannah. I really enjoyed this! mostly I am encouraged to read your 'about me' section. I am also a 29 year old student who after finished my first degree (then realized how completely wrong it was for me) - decided to start pursuing my passions studying neuroscience & evolutionary biology this year. I will be following your videos and thank you for your courage to pursue your passions, it helps me do the same :) .

[@HannahColemanV]

Hi Alison, it's always great to connect with others who are doing similar things - nice to know it's not so unusual :) Neuroscience & evolutionary biology sounds awesome! Where will you be studying? Good luck!

[@mikesnyder1788]

"E=mc2: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation" by David Bodanis is an excellent book that this English Lit. major found engaging and very informative. Einstein didn't just wake up one morning and say, okay, time for me to discover the true nature of energy and matter. Bodanis does an amazing job in describing how other great scientists provided the building blocks that Einstein used when he finally put pen to paper in 1905 and thereby changed the world forever. Very highly recommended!

[@sdm7372]

The "Key to the Universe" by Nigel Calder is the best and most clearly written popular science/physics book ever written imo. Covers the Standard Model of particle physics and cosmology and black holes. (It cleverly and clearly uses Feynman-type diagrams to explain strong and weak nuclear and electromagnetic forces and particle interactions but without any math/calculations.) It came out in 1978 and there was a now long-forgotten 3-part BBC tv series too. You can always easily find a copy going cheap on Amazon. Although written 40 years ago it has not dated in the slightest since physics never dates:), but accelerator technology and computing have advanced enormously since then. I always thumb through it when I need to get inspired or excited about the subject again. Another very good one is "The First Three Minutes--a Modern View Of The Origin of the Universe" by Steven Weinberg, which has been recently updated to take into account new discoveries in cosmology, and is also available as an audio book/CD. The famous Feynman Lectures on Physics Vols. 1,2,3 are still popular introductory textbooks. Anything by Steven Weinberg is recommended, although his textbooks are all graduate level. But thanks to Amazon these are all easy to find.

[@dadt8009]

I like the "The strangest man" and "Surely..." as well. Feynman had a big influence on me when I was a teenager reading his books and books about him. Although I didn't become a physicist per se, I find that my thinking is still influenced by him. For e.g. he said something like he's already got the award by doing the research, he doesn't get more enjoyment out of a prize. He also declined all honorary degrees. Not that I have been offered any of these, but I wouldn't take up any position or role which means that I have little to no time doing the research myself even though the status of the position might be higher.

[@lduts5623]

Stephen Hawkins' A Brief History of Time will always be close to my heart.

[@HannahColemanV]

L duts I read that while travelling through Europe. Blew my mind! 🤓

[@evelinaloghin607]

Thank you for these recommendations!

[@HannahColemanV]

No problem!

[@DaniFilth87]

DK children's encyclopedias have influenced me as well. I obtained their Natural History Book most recently

[@HannahColemanV]

Yeah they're so good!

[@jimrootham964]

Godel, Escher, Bach by Richard Hofstadter. An examination of one of the other main threads of mathematics.

[@HannahColemanV]

I had not heard of this before. I will add it to the list, thanks :)

[@coreycartwright4355]

i have recently started reading a short history of nearly everything this is the first proper book i have tried to read willingly not for school in about 12 years im currently 17 and want to find a course i would like to study in college(university) so far i have read 100 pages in about 2 days which for me is a lot ialso bought at the same time a brief history of time by stephen hawking is it good and can you read it without a high level qualification thanks

[@HannahColemanV]

Hi Corey! You’ve chosen some good books there. A Brief History of Time is definitely accessible and a really good book. I loved it. Enjoy!

[@coreycartwright4355]

thanks looking forward to it even more now

[@johannadrisdale413]

Subscribed!

[@LCotgrove]

Part 2 please!

[@HannahColemanV]

Maybe I'll make a trilogy :p

[@gonzaloreina8508]

do a ¨favourite superheros¨ pls

[@HannahColemanV]

You're my favourite superhero.