Brief History

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Bothwell
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Joined: Thu Nov 25, 2004 1:35 am

Brief History

Post by Bothwell »

Hard on the heels of finishing the story of Isaac Newton I have been listening to A Brief History of nearly Everything by Bill Bryson on cd. It is marvellous, it explains very complex theories in an understandable manner. I might drop in the odd amazing factoid as I get through it but here is one to start.



We are probably all familiar with the representation of an atom, a neutron and a proton being circled by an electron, it's the scale of these drawings that is all wrong.



e.g. If the atom was magnified to the size of a Cathederal then the Nucleus (neutron and proton) would be the size of a fly, yet it would be 99.99999% of the weight of the cathederal!
"I have done my duty. I thank God for it!"
lady cop
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Joined: Wed Nov 24, 2004 1:00 pm

Brief History

Post by lady cop »

i loved his book "notes from a small island" that you gave me. wonderful writer.
john8pies
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Joined: Thu Apr 21, 2005 10:53 am

Brief History

Post by john8pies »

Yes, the Brief History is one of the best selling books over here too. Curiously I`ve been told I look like him (poor Bill!) and I really enjoy reading his stuff
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spot
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Location: Brigstowe

Brief History

Post by spot »

The Lost Continent was eye-opening, I commend it to anyone wanting a description of the corporate death of civilization.

A Walk In The Woods was just screamingly funny, even if it was informed by the same consciousness of loss.
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