Zen Science: Stop and Smell the Universe

by Institute of Zen Science

An inspirational collection of musings on the wonders of nature and the universe, Zen Science pairs the fun of popular science trivia with the benefits of mindfulness.

It takes 30,000 years to create a single ray of sunlight. A pinch of soil contains 1 billion living organisms. For virtually all of the earth's existence -- 99.9994% of time -- there were no human beings.

These simple reflections are also deeply profound, revealing how vast and awe-inspiring the natural world truly is. With more than 100 of the most surprising, thought-provoking facts about our planet, Zen Science leads readers towards mindfulness, wonder, and spiritual contemplation. This gentle guide is illustrated throughout with charming line drawings and can be read straight through or consulted periodically for a bite-sized piece of inspiration and joy.

Genres: Nonfiction

176 pages, Hardcover

Published March 20, 2018

Reviews

[Jim]

Scientists believe Earth formed some 4.6 billion years ago,and the first single-celled life forms appeared about 800 million years later. the first dinosaurs appeared 230 million years ago and they flourished for 160 million years before going extinct. it's estimated that our oldest primate ancestors appeared just seven million years ago and that another million years passed before they began walking upright. it wasn't until about 200,000 years ago that our Speices, Homo sapiens appeared. So humans have been around less than one hundredth of 1 percent of the 3.8 billion years that life has existed on Earth.

this is an example of a meditation science factoid that appears in this book.

[Kendall Hope]

I read the book awfully fast and not as the book is intended to be read, but I love learning one fact after another. “Zen” provides so many mind boggling, yet cathartic facts about how our lives are entangled WITH the universe. It can give you a sense of relief of just how small and amazing we are through what could be some existential thoughts and facts. I really enjoy what was provided and will read over again as reminders of the knowledge the book provides and how important we are to be alive.

[Sarah T.]

Well, this was a delightful, relaxing, and eye-opening bathtub read.

[Di]

A great book for the shelf in the loo.

[Karen Autrey]

Fun, interesting book on the natural world; lots of thought provoking science tidbits

[Catherine Couch]

I don't know if it's a printing error, but the Nothing you're made of is "you" page is repeated twice. other than that I loved reading such cool facts

[Sara Ghotb]

Zen Science, as the title suggests, blends scientific concepts with a meditative approach, covering a wide range of topics from cosmology to biology. Initially, the book is engaging with its unique presentation of quantitative facts and intriguing comparisons, such as the ratio between the Earth and billiard balls. However, as you progress, the content becomes repetitive, focusing more on numerical data rather than in-depth explanations. Despite its redundancy, the book remains a quick read, with each page dedicated to a single topic, making it easy to digest. While it starts off strong, the lack of variety in its approach may leave readers wanting more depth and narrative.

[Jennilyn Gaitan]

This book made me feel really small but really meaningful at the same time.

[Tom Quinn]

Promises of inspiration quickly fade in a haze of trivia on matters of perception, perspective, and scale.

2.5 out of 5. Too much repetition.