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It's Not Rocket Science
The Top Ten BestsellerBlack holes. DNA. The Large Hadron Collider. Ever had that sneaking feeling that you are missing out on some truly spectacular science?You do? Well, fear not, for help is at hand.Ben Miller was working on his Physics PhD at Cambridge when he accidentally became a comedian. But first love runs deep, and he has returned to his roots to share with you all his favourite bits of science. This is the stuff you really need to know, not only because it matters but because it will quite simply amaze and delight you.'Let me show you another, perhaps less familiar side of Science; her beauty, her seductiveness and her passion. And let's do it quickly, while Maths isn't looking' - Ben Miller'This book makes climate change actually seem interesting. Not just important - it's obviously important - but interesting. As a result I bought lots of other books about climate change, something I now regret'- David MitchellBen Miller is, like you, a mutant ape living through an Ice Age on a ball of molten iron, orbiting a supermassive black hole. He is also an actor, comedian and approximately one half of Armstrong & Miller. He's presented a BBC Horizon documentary on temperature and a Radio 4 series about the history of particle physics, and has written a science column for The Times.He is slowly coming to terms with the idea that he may never be an astronaut.
278 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 29, 2012
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October 13, 2025
The Gospel of Science According to Ben Miller
Not being British, I first met Ben Miller as a delusional local ranger in "Doc Martin", when I stumbled upon this delightful medical dramedy on Netflix, sometime around 2019. The deranged ranger and his imaginary friend Antony (who turned out to be a giant squirrel) were impossible to forget.
So I took notice of Ben Miller, but it was only when I finally made myself to watch the first episode of the UK version of "Professor T" (somehow the trailer seemed too eerie and I wasn't looking forward to Ben Miller playing what I thought would be a bloodthirsty maniac), that I became a die-hard fan.
In no time I went to audible to check if Ben Miller also narrated any audiobooks. Lo and behold: not only was he a narrator but also an author of a bunch of children's books and -- what's that?! -- two popular science books: It's Not Rocket Science and The Aliens Are Coming! The Exciting and Extraordinary Science Behind Our Search for Life in the Universe. Why would a comic and an actor write popular science books? Oh wait, before he "accidentally" became a comedian, he was working on his Physics PhD at Cambridge. So he's not only playing smart guys on screen -- he actually IS a smart guy! WHOOSH, and It's Not Rocket Science became part of my audible library.
Ben Miller (taken just before the BAFTA awards, London, 2008).
Image credit: Martin, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.
It turned out to be a delightful read (and listen, masterfully narrated by the author himself). Part a memoir about Ben Miller's lifelong love affair with science, part a potpourri of fascinating physical phenomena, explained with elegance and humor, but most and foremost a passionate hymn to the beauty of science and the pleasure of understanding of how the world we live in actually works.
If only all science and physics teachers of the world were as passionate about their subject as Ben Miller... Surely, then my youngest daughter wouldn't have quitted physics in high school. But that's another story.;)
Read in 2023.
Not being British, I first met Ben Miller as a delusional local ranger in "Doc Martin", when I stumbled upon this delightful medical dramedy on Netflix, sometime around 2019. The deranged ranger and his imaginary friend Antony (who turned out to be a giant squirrel) were impossible to forget.
So I took notice of Ben Miller, but it was only when I finally made myself to watch the first episode of the UK version of "Professor T" (somehow the trailer seemed too eerie and I wasn't looking forward to Ben Miller playing what I thought would be a bloodthirsty maniac), that I became a die-hard fan.
In no time I went to audible to check if Ben Miller also narrated any audiobooks. Lo and behold: not only was he a narrator but also an author of a bunch of children's books and -- what's that?! -- two popular science books: It's Not Rocket Science and The Aliens Are Coming! The Exciting and Extraordinary Science Behind Our Search for Life in the Universe. Why would a comic and an actor write popular science books? Oh wait, before he "accidentally" became a comedian, he was working on his Physics PhD at Cambridge. So he's not only playing smart guys on screen -- he actually IS a smart guy! WHOOSH, and It's Not Rocket Science became part of my audible library.
Ben Miller (taken just before the BAFTA awards, London, 2008).
Image credit: Martin, CC BY-SA 3.0 , via Wikimedia Commons.
It turned out to be a delightful read (and listen, masterfully narrated by the author himself). Part a memoir about Ben Miller's lifelong love affair with science, part a potpourri of fascinating physical phenomena, explained with elegance and humor, but most and foremost a passionate hymn to the beauty of science and the pleasure of understanding of how the world we live in actually works.
If only all science and physics teachers of the world were as passionate about their subject as Ben Miller... Surely, then my youngest daughter wouldn't have quitted physics in high school. But that's another story.;)
Read in 2023.
May 23, 2013
Ben Miller is probably best known for playing a detective in the gentle, rather underrated comedy drama Death in Paradise, and as half of the comedy duo Armstrong and Miller, but he studied physics at Cambridge and was en route to a doctorate when he realized that getting a real job was much more useful. (I would like to apply a large kick to Brian Cox for writing the most condescending puff for the book I’ve ever seen: ‘A fun and insightful ride through the whole of science – it’s almost as if he’d finished his PhD.’)
I don’t know why it is, but people always get a little excited when an entertainer has a science qualification. (Think Brian May or Dara O’Briain for instance.) No doubt many others have, say, English or history degrees, but for some reason this doesn’t cause the same amazement. Perhaps the assumption is that all entertainers are a bit, well, thick. But either way we really have to take the book on its merits. And they are considerable.
Miller conducts a rambling tour of some of the best bits (in the terms of being mind boggling) of science. He takes us into the world of particle physics and the Large Hadron Collider, into the depths of the universe and black holes, looks at how the solar system formed, at the wonders of evolution and geology, DNA, the chemistry of cookery, global warming, and how space travel requires Newton’s laws of motion. All this is done in a good humoured light-hearted fashion. Particularly engaging are the sections where he describes how he got into science, his experiences at Cambridge and taking on Gordon Ramsay in making a sponge cake.
I’d say the ideal audience for this book is someone who has never read a popular science book and wants a primer. It is probably too simplistic for any regular science reader, but for the newcomer, Miller’s enthusiasm (much more Magnus Pyke than Brian Cox) is infectious. Just occasionally it gets a bit too childish and hand wavy, but mostly it works well. Admittedly even Miller can’t make geology exciting. And there is one out-and-out error, when he describes Einstein’s 1905 papers as general rather than special relativity, but these are small issues. He hits most of the good bits on the nail (except quantum theory, which is hardly covered at all) and carries the reader along effortlessly.
Not a book for everyone, then, but for teenagers or adults taking a first step into the world of popular science, this is a cracker.
Review first published on www.popularscience.co.uk and reproduced with permission
I don’t know why it is, but people always get a little excited when an entertainer has a science qualification. (Think Brian May or Dara O’Briain for instance.) No doubt many others have, say, English or history degrees, but for some reason this doesn’t cause the same amazement. Perhaps the assumption is that all entertainers are a bit, well, thick. But either way we really have to take the book on its merits. And they are considerable.
Miller conducts a rambling tour of some of the best bits (in the terms of being mind boggling) of science. He takes us into the world of particle physics and the Large Hadron Collider, into the depths of the universe and black holes, looks at how the solar system formed, at the wonders of evolution and geology, DNA, the chemistry of cookery, global warming, and how space travel requires Newton’s laws of motion. All this is done in a good humoured light-hearted fashion. Particularly engaging are the sections where he describes how he got into science, his experiences at Cambridge and taking on Gordon Ramsay in making a sponge cake.
I’d say the ideal audience for this book is someone who has never read a popular science book and wants a primer. It is probably too simplistic for any regular science reader, but for the newcomer, Miller’s enthusiasm (much more Magnus Pyke than Brian Cox) is infectious. Just occasionally it gets a bit too childish and hand wavy, but mostly it works well. Admittedly even Miller can’t make geology exciting. And there is one out-and-out error, when he describes Einstein’s 1905 papers as general rather than special relativity, but these are small issues. He hits most of the good bits on the nail (except quantum theory, which is hardly covered at all) and carries the reader along effortlessly.
Not a book for everyone, then, but for teenagers or adults taking a first step into the world of popular science, this is a cracker.
Review first published on www.popularscience.co.uk and reproduced with permission
February 1, 2014
I have a complex relationship with science. On the one hand, I find it interesting - the search for the Higgs boson, climate science, evolution and so on - while on the other my educational experience is such that the merest hint of the word 'mathematics' makes my brain shut down.
This book, therefore, could have been written for me. Miller takes several of the big ideas in science and breaks them down for the lay person, gently leading us through ideas about particle physics, evolutionary biology, and yes, rocket science without ever seeming patronising or like he's 'dumbing down'. Of course he's simplifying and glossing - he admits as much throughout the book - but he's simplifying in the way that someone who thoroughly understands a subject and doesn't feel they have to use big words does it, while always remembering he's talking to adults. It's a fine line to walk, and he does it with aplomb.
I actually found the final chapter about rocket science the least interesting, but once he got away from the workings of actual rockets and into what space exploration (and other scientific concepts such as evolution) can tell us about the possibility of life on other planets, I was back into it. The other chapters I really enjoyed.
In short, a fun read, and as a confirmed non-scientist, one I'd definitely recommend for other people who feel like they don't get science.
This book, therefore, could have been written for me. Miller takes several of the big ideas in science and breaks them down for the lay person, gently leading us through ideas about particle physics, evolutionary biology, and yes, rocket science without ever seeming patronising or like he's 'dumbing down'. Of course he's simplifying and glossing - he admits as much throughout the book - but he's simplifying in the way that someone who thoroughly understands a subject and doesn't feel they have to use big words does it, while always remembering he's talking to adults. It's a fine line to walk, and he does it with aplomb.
I actually found the final chapter about rocket science the least interesting, but once he got away from the workings of actual rockets and into what space exploration (and other scientific concepts such as evolution) can tell us about the possibility of life on other planets, I was back into it. The other chapters I really enjoyed.
In short, a fun read, and as a confirmed non-scientist, one I'd definitely recommend for other people who feel like they don't get science.
December 2, 2024
To be honest, I had hoped this would be much funnier, however silly such an expectation might have been. I guess it's just that my primary reason for going with it was that I like Ben Miller as a comedic actor (the Worst Week of My Life series is brilliant and hilarious, and I also think he steals the show as Rowan Atkinson's sidekick in the first Johnny English). But as a casual reader introduction to the sciences, it's fine. Just nothing outstanding.
November 13, 2015
Enjoyable enough, as long as you skip the first chapter, which has barely any science in it.
August 18, 2023
Spennende!! Var på tide å lære litt biologi og
July 15, 2017
Oldum olası popüler bilim kitaplarını severim. Kitap okurken tür değişikliği yapmak zihni dinlendirmek için oldukça işe yarar bir yöntem. Aynı zamanda son bilimsel gelişmelerden haberdar olmak da artısı olarak cebinizde kalıyor. Evet adından da anlayabileceğiniz üzere okurken sık sık gülümsüyorsunuz. Üslubu bir bilim kitabı için olabilecek en iyi ölçüde eğlenceli. Son yılların popüler konusu olan büyük hadron çarpıştırıcısı bölümü, konu hakkında ilk kez okuduğumdan, pandispanyaların kimyasal tepkimeleriyle ilgili olan bölümü de yıllardır yaptığım işe farklı bir açıdan bakmamı sağladığı için favori bölümlerim oldu. Neticede sadece yeni bilgi yüklenmek değil yeni bakış açıları kazanmak hayatla olan ilişkimizin niteliği açısından önemlidir, hatta kuru kuru bilgi yüklenmekten daha önemlidir..
January 29, 2025
Classificação: 4.5
Se o meu eu de 14-18 anos me visse a ler um livro sobre ciência certamente não acreditaria. Não por não ter curiosidade por este mundo, mas sim porque o ensino nunca tornou a área propriamente...estimulante. Contudo, tenho 100% de certeza que se o Ben Miller tivesse sido meu professor, ter-me-ia conquistado de imediato. A escrita com toque de humor e a abordagem simples com que desenvolveu temas complexos deixaram-me rendida ao "It's Not Rocket Science". A chamada "endless wonder" com os segredos do universo voltou a acordar, bem como a certeza de que, em boa verdade, tanto a ciência como a vida não são estanques - há sempre algo por descobrir.
Se o meu eu de 14-18 anos me visse a ler um livro sobre ciência certamente não acreditaria. Não por não ter curiosidade por este mundo, mas sim porque o ensino nunca tornou a área propriamente...estimulante. Contudo, tenho 100% de certeza que se o Ben Miller tivesse sido meu professor, ter-me-ia conquistado de imediato. A escrita com toque de humor e a abordagem simples com que desenvolveu temas complexos deixaram-me rendida ao "It's Not Rocket Science". A chamada "endless wonder" com os segredos do universo voltou a acordar, bem como a certeza de que, em boa verdade, tanto a ciência como a vida não são estanques - há sempre algo por descobrir.
December 4, 2015
Science and I have never really gotten along. All through high school science was tedious boring and annoying. I ran over the arms of messy smiling history. The goofy kid with tousled hair and over sized shoes, while science was equivalent of Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. So why was I reading a book about science? I'm not sure how it happened either. I originally bought the book for my boyfriend who likes fazers, aliens, stars, explosions, and big guns. In the past three years I have sat in many a movie which consisted of, monsters/aliens blowing up stuff, while hero runs around with a BFG (not the giant) like they have just stepped out of a 90's music video. So yes the Chef enjoyed the book. But why did I?
Author Ben Miller is a British comedian with Footlight connections, something I find impossibly sexy. The Chef was excited about it, I had just watch an episode of QI featuring said Footlights comedian, he made out with Rob Brydan, it was a good show, and during a pretty nasty flu found myself on the couch watching a BBC science documentary. So I picked Miller's book, it was just lying on the coffee table, I was only meant to read a few pages, just to get a taste......... I read the whole thing.
I liked the premise. Miller wanted to introduce you too science, nothing serious just a quick fling. So he gave you the sexy stuff, no graph's no equations (except for maybe the most famous one), more things like the hadron colliders, black holes, planets, sending space shuttles to an asteroid, e=mc2 (yeah that famous equation), evolution, DNA, global warming, and even the chemical reactions in food.
He filled the book with interesting tid bits, like adults who can consume cows milk without their intestines doing the conga, you are weird and a mutant. Due to Dairy Farming which started about 7 thousand years ago, it caused a mutation in I think it was the lactose gene (I could be wrong remember this was a one night stand), most mammals cannot process milk into adulthood. Interesting huh?
Needless to say in the great tradition of reading and my book buying binges, I have ordered a bio on Einstein. God help me, but it is by the same guy who wrote the Steve Jobs bio so I should be ok. I'm not sure this is going to spark a complete love of science, but it is nice to fool around some times.
Author Ben Miller is a British comedian with Footlight connections, something I find impossibly sexy. The Chef was excited about it, I had just watch an episode of QI featuring said Footlights comedian, he made out with Rob Brydan, it was a good show, and during a pretty nasty flu found myself on the couch watching a BBC science documentary. So I picked Miller's book, it was just lying on the coffee table, I was only meant to read a few pages, just to get a taste......... I read the whole thing.
I liked the premise. Miller wanted to introduce you too science, nothing serious just a quick fling. So he gave you the sexy stuff, no graph's no equations (except for maybe the most famous one), more things like the hadron colliders, black holes, planets, sending space shuttles to an asteroid, e=mc2 (yeah that famous equation), evolution, DNA, global warming, and even the chemical reactions in food.
He filled the book with interesting tid bits, like adults who can consume cows milk without their intestines doing the conga, you are weird and a mutant. Due to Dairy Farming which started about 7 thousand years ago, it caused a mutation in I think it was the lactose gene (I could be wrong remember this was a one night stand), most mammals cannot process milk into adulthood. Interesting huh?
Needless to say in the great tradition of reading and my book buying binges, I have ordered a bio on Einstein. God help me, but it is by the same guy who wrote the Steve Jobs bio so I should be ok. I'm not sure this is going to spark a complete love of science, but it is nice to fool around some times.
October 14, 2015
I love most aspects of science, I’d like to say that first off, however what interests me about science and what I’m good at are two completely separate things. Before I get into my science love I’d just like to have a little vent about the people who complain that this book is too easy for them. If your science knowledge is so good then why are you reading a science book designed for the people who have not bonded with science? (like it? A little chemistry joke there for you) It’s like someone who buys milk and then complains that it’s not chocolate milkshake. Dude, you bought it, it was clearly labelled, shut the hell up.
My science knowledge is very good. It’s very good in certain areas and poor in others. I have a background in chemistry however I love physics; specifically particle physics and cosmology. I knew all the facts about those subjects in the book however my knowledge of geology and the natural sciences is quite poor so I learned something reading those chapters. Long story short is I like Ben Miller, I liked this book and I thought it was worth reading and surely that’s the point of any book?
My science knowledge is very good. It’s very good in certain areas and poor in others. I have a background in chemistry however I love physics; specifically particle physics and cosmology. I knew all the facts about those subjects in the book however my knowledge of geology and the natural sciences is quite poor so I learned something reading those chapters. Long story short is I like Ben Miller, I liked this book and I thought it was worth reading and surely that’s the point of any book?
November 1, 2013
I am a fan of DEATH IN PARADISE and followed Chief Inspector off the screen and into the bookstore. I learned more about science from this book than I had previously mastered in far too many years of education, Ben Miller's credentials come from a Ph.D program at Cambridge University...but what makes this book click is the humor. I now have at least a basic idea of a quark...and a good shot at the correct pronunciation of the word. Especially enjoyed the chapter on Astronomy. Never thought I would voluntarily read a "science book"...much less find such pithy, enjoyable and most surprisingly, A very very good read!
January 4, 2018
Бен Милър е докторант по физика в Кеймбридж, когато прегръща актьорското поприще. С дисертация, озаглавена: "Novel quantum effects in low-temperature quasi-zero-dimensional mesoscopic electron systems", нищо чудно, че избира комедията като поле за изява. Страстта и голямата любов към науката така и не угасват. Двете книги, които издава през 2014г. и 2017г., са плод на тази любов.
В "It's Not Rocket Science" Милър ни повежда през удивителния свят на науката, засягайки теми като: физика на елементарните частици, астрофизика, еволюция, генетика, химия (маскирана като кулинарна глава), климатология...
В "It's Not Rocket Science" Милър ни повежда през удивителния свят на науката, засягайки теми като: физика на елементарните частици, астрофизика, еволюция, генетика, химия (маскирана като кулинарна глава), климатология...
February 9, 2016
An excellent attempt by Ben Miller to break down into simple terms the world of seemingly complex science around us - from sub atomic particles to biological evolution to food science to the formation of the cosmos ... and everything else trending in science.
Although some parts of ‘It’s Not Rocket Science' does still seem like ‘rocket science’, this book launches readers into a world of scientific marvel and escapism, propelled by clear, factual and logical explanations and theories.
The author's sense of humour might need some getting used to.
Although some parts of ‘It’s Not Rocket Science' does still seem like ‘rocket science’, this book launches readers into a world of scientific marvel and escapism, propelled by clear, factual and logical explanations and theories.
The author's sense of humour might need some getting used to.
November 2, 2014
Intelligent, accessible, fun and funny. I wish parts of it were available as pamphlets to hand to people to explain climate change and the moon landings, for starters. Miller's enthusiasm for the joys of science is infectious!
June 20, 2017
The book basically takes all your favourite Science subjects from school (Biology, Physics, and Chemistry), strips out the boring stuff (Blast furnaces for example) and as Ben Miller states in a metaphor that I am now going to mix, removes all the 'first principles' stuff and just feeds you the exciting 'tip of the iceberg' stuff (my metaphor).
So, for Biology, we have a whole section devoted to evolution, Darwin etc. and how DNA works (ever wondered what a Haplatite is, or Mitochondrial Eve???). For Physics, we get how we know about the Big Bang and what Einstein and Hawking have taught us. For Chemistry, we learn about the weird and wonderful world of the very small and how it completely needs a new way of thinking about stuff.
We also learnt that unlike his TV persona, Gordon Ramsay's actually a bit of a dude. :-)
It was a brilliant book and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the universe they live in.
So, for Biology, we have a whole section devoted to evolution, Darwin etc. and how DNA works (ever wondered what a Haplatite is, or Mitochondrial Eve???). For Physics, we get how we know about the Big Bang and what Einstein and Hawking have taught us. For Chemistry, we learn about the weird and wonderful world of the very small and how it completely needs a new way of thinking about stuff.
We also learnt that unlike his TV persona, Gordon Ramsay's actually a bit of a dude. :-)
It was a brilliant book and I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning more about the universe they live in.
November 25, 2021
1 star (dropped).
After the third false-start, I finally decided that this is just not the book for me and to just move it on. I liked the premise, and although I have a day job in science I do enjoy reading about public science, and the promise of comedy + science (including fields that I know close to nothing about) sounded right up my street. I think Miller and I got off to a bad start almost right away, while I liked the tone of the writing and his backstory made me chuckle, once we got into the first science chapter I still thought it read far too textbook-ey for “light” reading. Didn’t really work for heavier non-fiction reading either, as the nature of the way it was written makes it difficult to work in that respect. Perhaps the humour just wasn’t working on me, and after two chapters I called it quits.
Giving 1 star as that’s how I mark out my DNFs. I’m sure this book has its intended audience, people who will find it both accessible and informative.
After the third false-start, I finally decided that this is just not the book for me and to just move it on. I liked the premise, and although I have a day job in science I do enjoy reading about public science, and the promise of comedy + science (including fields that I know close to nothing about) sounded right up my street. I think Miller and I got off to a bad start almost right away, while I liked the tone of the writing and his backstory made me chuckle, once we got into the first science chapter I still thought it read far too textbook-ey for “light” reading. Didn’t really work for heavier non-fiction reading either, as the nature of the way it was written makes it difficult to work in that respect. Perhaps the humour just wasn’t working on me, and after two chapters I called it quits.
Giving 1 star as that’s how I mark out my DNFs. I’m sure this book has its intended audience, people who will find it both accessible and informative.
May 10, 2023
"I like Ben Miller; I think he's a funny guy. I loved him in Armstrong & Miller – hilarious stuff. Therefore, I thought I'd give his book a try, assuming it would be funny, right? Unfortunately, I was wrong. Don't get me wrong, the book was very informative, and I learned a lot from it. It covered a diverse range of subjects, from black holes to Gordon Ramsey. A lot of science stuff – you know, the serious things. He says it's not rocket science, but I beg to differ! It is bloody rocket science!
Although he dumbed it down, it was still over my head. What's the expression people use? 'Explain it to me like I'm a five-year-old.' Well, with me, take another four years off that, and we might be in the ballpark!
Overall, it's a very informative book, but to me, it's like throwing a large lead weight to a drowning man!
On the periodic table of elements, lead is represented by the symbol Pb. It has an atomic number of 82 because it has 82 protons in its nucleus. Heavy stuff!"
Although he dumbed it down, it was still over my head. What's the expression people use? 'Explain it to me like I'm a five-year-old.' Well, with me, take another four years off that, and we might be in the ballpark!
Overall, it's a very informative book, but to me, it's like throwing a large lead weight to a drowning man!
On the periodic table of elements, lead is represented by the symbol Pb. It has an atomic number of 82 because it has 82 protons in its nucleus. Heavy stuff!"
May 30, 2018
3.75 stars. Very interesting. When I started this, I had no idea it was written by a comedian, so all the joke-ish bits came as a surprise to me. I really liked that he put science in a simple form. I hate maths and always did, so while I found science interesting, I shied away from it, as I always thought it would include too much math (which is technically true). But in that way, these sort of books, not too seriously written, are perfect for me, as they fulfill my craving for science knowledge that I don't really need, but am interested in, without feeling like a lecture I want to run from. My only complaint is, that sometimes I felt his jokes and funny bits were too much. It could have been more toned down in that aspect, but then again, he is a comedian, so he has to do what he does.
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December 31, 2024A perfect charity shop find for me, pop science with a catchy gimmicky title, not rocket science, indeed. This is Ben Miller, from ‘Miller and Armstrong’, but not Zander from Pointless!
Who knew that BM was a proper scientist at Cambridge before foregoing his PhD studies for comedy writing and acting. I get the feeling that he took a wrong turn, better to do real research and educate the masses (before Prof. Brian Cox took all the best gigs!) than be another comedian IMHO.
Miller takes us on a journey through an incredible breadth of subject matter, from the quantum world to the mysteries of the universe, our evolution (and diet!), the weather, Newton and the space race. The science was mostly explained well, although with some showing-off and a few cringey attempts at humour.
Who knew that BM was a proper scientist at Cambridge before foregoing his PhD studies for comedy writing and acting. I get the feeling that he took a wrong turn, better to do real research and educate the masses (before Prof. Brian Cox took all the best gigs!) than be another comedian IMHO.
Miller takes us on a journey through an incredible breadth of subject matter, from the quantum world to the mysteries of the universe, our evolution (and diet!), the weather, Newton and the space race. The science was mostly explained well, although with some showing-off and a few cringey attempts at humour.
February 6, 2021
Two attempts but DNF. I don't think this is a bad book, but it's not for me. Without wanting to sound up myself, a lot of the science is very basic (I mean I teach it at GCSE and A-level), and as such I didn't really get anything from it, and the more interesting stuff hasn't aged well...I was not on the edge of my seat regarding the Higgs boson or gravitational waves. It's probably a decent book for someone who hasn't thought about physics for a while but not someone for whom it's their bread and butter.
October 20, 2021
Loved this book. I'm a bit of science nerd, so it's always nice to find a "popular" book that teaches me lots of new things. The author is funny, clearly loves what he's writing, and is a serious science guy. Even if his day job is as a comedian.
I was happily surprised by the chapter on climate change. I guess this book is old enough that the political hardening has made asking questions dangerous hadn't kicked in yet. So he asks all the right questions and takes nothing for granted. I'm not sure if I agree with his conclusions, but I very much enjoyed his lack of catastrophizing.
I was happily surprised by the chapter on climate change. I guess this book is old enough that the political hardening has made asking questions dangerous hadn't kicked in yet. So he asks all the right questions and takes nothing for granted. I'm not sure if I agree with his conclusions, but I very much enjoyed his lack of catastrophizing.
December 20, 2022
I know Ben Miller from "Death in Paradise," so when he was a guest on "Would I Lie to You," I was fascinated with the man rather than the D.I. One question concerned crows, where I learned that not only did Mr. Miller write two books, he is a scientist. I ordered the books and started on the Rocket Science. Amusing, full of digestible facts, he covers physics and astronomy with humor and clearly-understood concepts. Loved it and am looking forward to the Alien (crow) book, too. An amazing man. A gifted writer. Highly recommended no matter what grade you got in science in school.
January 18, 2025
Very fun and interesting book! I enjoy the light hearted and comedic way that the author explains complex subjects, and love the concept of a book about the ‘fun’ bits of science. Some chapters were a bit boring (food science and DNA) while others were great (the large hadron collider , black holes, rocket science were my favourites) - but I guess that is personal preference. I do think that some concepts were explained too much i.e getting too into the details of the science where less science-y readers like myself get lost. But overall really fab! Would re-read.
July 19, 2025
A light-hearted and informative cantor through different scientific topics that cover topics from the origins of life to the possibility of extraterrestrial life and loads in between.
The author includes discussion linked to biology, chemistry, physics, maths, geography, geology and much more and links this to our continued existence on Earth.
If you are a hard core scientist then you might find it too simplistic but for the enthusiastic amateur with a healthy interest in science and our journey from the Big Bang to now then it’s a great starter for 10.
The author includes discussion linked to biology, chemistry, physics, maths, geography, geology and much more and links this to our continued existence on Earth.
If you are a hard core scientist then you might find it too simplistic but for the enthusiastic amateur with a healthy interest in science and our journey from the Big Bang to now then it’s a great starter for 10.
March 9, 2021
Amusing and entertaining enough, as expected, just not very wow. The problem with pop science books is they all seem to cover the same kind of topics and at the same depth. The only thing that sets them apart is the way the author tells it. He does do a good job of making scientific concepts accessible to those who may not have looked into it for a while (although, be aware it came out 2012 so it's not the most up to date.) I just wasn't blown away by it.
March 29, 2022
This was interesting. Quite a few subjects covered and dumbed-down far enough to make light reading that you can dip in and out of without feeling insulted or patronised (too much). It doesn't go too deep into any particular topic and there is a nice touch with the addition of margin notes for topics where more detail is probably necessary in order to understand the subject but not essential if you prefer to just skim the main points.
A nice, easy overview.
A nice, easy overview.
January 31, 2022
If you are new to popular science books then this one might be a good start, but not an excellent start. The part about physics will probably fly over your head if you did not read other things before. I liked the part about climate change, the other sections were more of a repeat for me. For each subject I know better books than this one.
February 22, 2023
Some chapters were more interesting than others, some were more easy to follow that others, but so is my science knowledge: is good in some areas and poor in others. It is a accessible, smart and funny book to read that treats some of the most interesting science subjects (evolution, DNA, global warming, food chemistry, universe and black holes).
October 31, 2024
This was okay. Found myself skim reading some of the maths and physics (happily left that behind at school the subjects being two of my four highers. I share the author's bemusement at the sandwich short of picnic brigade who believe the moon landings were faked
April 30, 2025
An enlightened view of science
A gripping read that stimulates interest in so many directions. A vein of humour runs through the content which for the most part adds a human perspective to the tale.
A gripping read that stimulates interest in so many directions. A vein of humour runs through the content which for the most part adds a human perspective to the tale.
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