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Up: A Scientist's Guide To The Magic Above Us
'Entertaining and unusual' Tristan Gooley, author of The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs
'Lucy Rogers’s book, Up, does something genuinely she changes your perspective on life by encouraging you to tilt your head backwards and look – really look – at what is going on above us ... I learned so much from this book.' Tim Minshall, author of Your Life is Manufactured
The sky is a world of endless wonder. From the intricate dance of clouds and the vibrant hues of the aurora borealis to the marvel of effortless soaring birds and the silent majesty of the stars, it is a living storybook.
In Up, inventor and engineer Dr Lucy Rogers explores the beauty, science, and surprises of the world above.
Join her on a marvellous adventure through a kite market in India, creep through the Borneo jungle to witness millions of bats pour out of a cave at dusk, venture to Tornado Alley to chase the raw power of storms, and journey to Mexico to stand in awe of a total solar eclipse.
Up is for anyone who has ever paused to marvel at a shooting star, wondered about the ingenuity of human flight, or dreamed of touching a rainbow. Bringing rich insights, personal stories, and a very real sense of awe for the natural world, Dr Rogers explores the science behind these phenomena and reveals all there is to discover if you look Up.
'My only complaint about the writing of Lucy Rogers is that there isn't enough of it' Tim Radford, Guardian
'Lucy Rogers’s book, Up, does something genuinely she changes your perspective on life by encouraging you to tilt your head backwards and look – really look – at what is going on above us ... I learned so much from this book.' Tim Minshall, author of Your Life is Manufactured
The sky is a world of endless wonder. From the intricate dance of clouds and the vibrant hues of the aurora borealis to the marvel of effortless soaring birds and the silent majesty of the stars, it is a living storybook.
In Up, inventor and engineer Dr Lucy Rogers explores the beauty, science, and surprises of the world above.
Join her on a marvellous adventure through a kite market in India, creep through the Borneo jungle to witness millions of bats pour out of a cave at dusk, venture to Tornado Alley to chase the raw power of storms, and journey to Mexico to stand in awe of a total solar eclipse.
Up is for anyone who has ever paused to marvel at a shooting star, wondered about the ingenuity of human flight, or dreamed of touching a rainbow. Bringing rich insights, personal stories, and a very real sense of awe for the natural world, Dr Rogers explores the science behind these phenomena and reveals all there is to discover if you look Up.
'My only complaint about the writing of Lucy Rogers is that there isn't enough of it' Tim Radford, Guardian
- GenresNatureScienceNonfiction
335 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 16, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 19, 2026
4 Stars
Up is a book by scientist Dr Lucy Rogers which takes us through different amazing things to see, if only we look Up! I was so excited for this book and it definitely didn't let me down.
The book is split into three sections: Air, Sky and Space.
In the first section Air, we learn about Butterflies, Fireflies, Bats, Kites (not the birds!), Starling Murmurations and Hot Air Balloons.
As a nature lover, those chapters were definitely my favourite. I feel I know a lot about nature and insects, however I did not know that Monarch butterflies migrate for far in their short lifetimes. I also had no idea they could be tagged! I loved learning more about fireflies and had no idea of the amount of tourism to go see them or that they have in a way aided chemotherapy treatments. As a bird nerd, I have seen Starling murmurations multiple times and it is a natural wonder. I loved that section learning more about the actual murmurations.
In the second section Sky, we learn about Condors, Gliders, Aircraft, Clouds, Storms and Lightning and Optical Phenomena. I enjoyed the the nature sections the most. I have a geography degree so didn't learn much but it is a nice intro into clouds, storms, lightning and rainbows for those that want to learn a little!
In the third section Space, the chapters are on Meteors, Aurora, Rocket Launches, Satellites and Space Stations, Solar Eclipse, Planets we can see and the stars. This was my least favourite section but it was still very well written, interesting and had some brilliant history and stories woven in.
This is such an interesting and well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the detail level and shortish length of chapters which makes it really accessible. It has enough information to learn without becoming boring and is a quick, fun, interesting read. The writing is engaging and there is some good humour too.
However, I do wish there had been some photographs in the book of things like the fireflies, glowworms, the different bat species and Condors etc. I personally wish there was some more depth in many of the chapters but the book definitely served it's purpose.
Overall, a fun read that has something for everyone. I definitely recommend it to people that want to learn a little about multiple subjects of things above us!
Please note that I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
Up is a book by scientist Dr Lucy Rogers which takes us through different amazing things to see, if only we look Up! I was so excited for this book and it definitely didn't let me down.
The book is split into three sections: Air, Sky and Space.
In the first section Air, we learn about Butterflies, Fireflies, Bats, Kites (not the birds!), Starling Murmurations and Hot Air Balloons.
As a nature lover, those chapters were definitely my favourite. I feel I know a lot about nature and insects, however I did not know that Monarch butterflies migrate for far in their short lifetimes. I also had no idea they could be tagged! I loved learning more about fireflies and had no idea of the amount of tourism to go see them or that they have in a way aided chemotherapy treatments. As a bird nerd, I have seen Starling murmurations multiple times and it is a natural wonder. I loved that section learning more about the actual murmurations.
In the second section Sky, we learn about Condors, Gliders, Aircraft, Clouds, Storms and Lightning and Optical Phenomena. I enjoyed the the nature sections the most. I have a geography degree so didn't learn much but it is a nice intro into clouds, storms, lightning and rainbows for those that want to learn a little!
In the third section Space, the chapters are on Meteors, Aurora, Rocket Launches, Satellites and Space Stations, Solar Eclipse, Planets we can see and the stars. This was my least favourite section but it was still very well written, interesting and had some brilliant history and stories woven in.
This is such an interesting and well written book. I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the detail level and shortish length of chapters which makes it really accessible. It has enough information to learn without becoming boring and is a quick, fun, interesting read. The writing is engaging and there is some good humour too.
However, I do wish there had been some photographs in the book of things like the fireflies, glowworms, the different bat species and Condors etc. I personally wish there was some more depth in many of the chapters but the book definitely served it's purpose.
Overall, a fun read that has something for everyone. I definitely recommend it to people that want to learn a little about multiple subjects of things above us!
Please note that I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2026
My mate Dr Lucy Rogers has written a book! This is a charming and thought provoking exploration of everything that goes on above our heads. This isn't an impersonal and imperious manuscript, it's a deeply personal and joyful book filled with science, anecdotes, and the thrill of discovery.
It's spectacularly accessible. Written in a relaxed and casual tone, it encourages domestic science. I don't mean bakery, I mean the sorts of observations you can do at home without access to a multi-million pound laboratory. The afterword of the book contains dozens of resources for people who want to get involved in science. Dr Rogers eloquently makes the case that you don't need to dedicate yourself full time - it's perfectly acceptable to engage with it on your own terms.
What I liked most about it was that she gets her hands dirty. It would have been easy to write a literature review from the comfort of a safe and dry office. Instead we get a travelogue of all the places she's been - each trek through the forest, every laboratory, and all the foreign festivals are brilliantly recounted. It's a proper adventure from America's tornado alley down to the Vatican Archives.
I find it remarkable how slow some modern science is. As she points out, "there have been only eight transits of Venus since the telescope was invented" - our knowledge rests on the shoulders of giants, but they can be slow, lumbering beasts.
If, like me, you only have a hazy memory of the science you learned at school, this book will top up your knowledge (and vocabulary). It will reignite your passion and curiosity about the world around you - and make you want to buy a round the world ticket to chase solar eclipses!
It's spectacularly accessible. Written in a relaxed and casual tone, it encourages domestic science. I don't mean bakery, I mean the sorts of observations you can do at home without access to a multi-million pound laboratory. The afterword of the book contains dozens of resources for people who want to get involved in science. Dr Rogers eloquently makes the case that you don't need to dedicate yourself full time - it's perfectly acceptable to engage with it on your own terms.
What I liked most about it was that she gets her hands dirty. It would have been easy to write a literature review from the comfort of a safe and dry office. Instead we get a travelogue of all the places she's been - each trek through the forest, every laboratory, and all the foreign festivals are brilliantly recounted. It's a proper adventure from America's tornado alley down to the Vatican Archives.
I find it remarkable how slow some modern science is. As she points out, "there have been only eight transits of Venus since the telescope was invented" - our knowledge rests on the shoulders of giants, but they can be slow, lumbering beasts.
If, like me, you only have a hazy memory of the science you learned at school, this book will top up your knowledge (and vocabulary). It will reignite your passion and curiosity about the world around you - and make you want to buy a round the world ticket to chase solar eclipses!
June 12, 2026
Stop.
Pause.
Look outside.
Then look up.
Really, really look up.
The sky out there is a whole world of wonder. And it’s time to appreciate all of it. And that’s exactly what you can do with this book. Inventor and engineer, Dr Lucy Rogers, takes the reader on a fascinating and enlightening journey of our skies.
Separated into three sections; air, sky and space, each chapter focuses on a specific phenomena within each area. From the magic of a metamorphosing butterfly, to the ingenuity of the very first gliders and then of course the unbelievable spectacle of rocket launches, this book is a veritable cornucopia of delight, astonishment, knowledge and triumph. Although there is a fair bit of detail (after all some of it IS rocket science 😂) it’s relayed as simplistically as possible - so even I could attempt to understand the complexities of how birds fly and how auroras occur.
I found the entire book an utter joy to read. When you’re busy rushing through life at 100mph this is the perfect opportunity to slow down and look around you. Appreciating starling murmurations, trying to spot the International Space Station as it floats past and considering the impact of global warming is something we should all be doing. As is evident from this book, we’re custodians of this planet for such a short time, so we should really make the most of it while we’re here.
Pause.
Look outside.
Then look up.
Really, really look up.
The sky out there is a whole world of wonder. And it’s time to appreciate all of it. And that’s exactly what you can do with this book. Inventor and engineer, Dr Lucy Rogers, takes the reader on a fascinating and enlightening journey of our skies.
Separated into three sections; air, sky and space, each chapter focuses on a specific phenomena within each area. From the magic of a metamorphosing butterfly, to the ingenuity of the very first gliders and then of course the unbelievable spectacle of rocket launches, this book is a veritable cornucopia of delight, astonishment, knowledge and triumph. Although there is a fair bit of detail (after all some of it IS rocket science 😂) it’s relayed as simplistically as possible - so even I could attempt to understand the complexities of how birds fly and how auroras occur.
I found the entire book an utter joy to read. When you’re busy rushing through life at 100mph this is the perfect opportunity to slow down and look around you. Appreciating starling murmurations, trying to spot the International Space Station as it floats past and considering the impact of global warming is something we should all be doing. As is evident from this book, we’re custodians of this planet for such a short time, so we should really make the most of it while we’re here.
April 16, 2026
I love a moody sky, a full moon, a flock of geese, all things this book encourages us to look at. The author suggests we look away from our mobiles and look up at the world above - the blue sky, the butterflies, the bats, the beauty. I loved the idea of an invitation to wonder, to be curious about a rainbow, a sunrise and sunset. From daylight show to twilight glow the book has wonderful descriptions of bats in Borneo, a hot air balloon trip and a powerful lightning storm. I particularly enjoyed the chapter Dancing in the Dark: Aurora - something on my bucket list to see one day. The whole book is fascinating as is the Afterword - noting the human harm to the environment and the changes we all need to make so that future generations will also be able to look up and see these wonders. A magical read.
May 27, 2026
Well what can I say? What an absolutely fascinating read this was.
Exploring the wonderful world above us, it's a book packed to the brim with rich, astonishing tales of the places above our heads. From clouds, to bats, birds and the aurora borealis and many others, it was just a joy to read.
Both entertaining and informative, it's one of my favourite reads of the year up to now.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Exploring the wonderful world above us, it's a book packed to the brim with rich, astonishing tales of the places above our heads. From clouds, to bats, birds and the aurora borealis and many others, it was just a joy to read.
Both entertaining and informative, it's one of my favourite reads of the year up to now.
A big 5 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟 's from me.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews