"As much a tale of intrigue as it is of science . . . A book full of gems for anyone interested in history, geography, astronomy, navigation, clock making, and—not the least—plain old human ambition and greed."—The Philadelphia Inquirer

"A wonderful tour of modern cosmology, wittily directed by one of the most gifted practitioners of the field. A pleasure to read."—Mario Livio, Senior Scientist, Space Telescope Science Institute, and author of The Equation That Couldn’t Be Solved

"Why can't a broken teacup reassemble itself? How do stars turn hydrogen into iron? This lively, nontechnical look at the physics behind the world around us is rich with entertaining anecdotes and examples of some pretty complex ideas. Caltech astronomer Chown (The Quantum Zoo) uses simple examples from everyday life—a reflection on a windowpane, the solidity of the ground underfoot, the heat of our sun, the immense variety of objects in the world—to reveal evidence of everything from the Big Bang to the life cycle of stars and the inner structure of the atom. Skillful explanations are leavened with humor. Invocations of pop culture and literary references, from Homer Simpson and Walt Whitman to Edgar Allan Poe and Douglas Adams, help introduce each complex idea and enhance the discussion. Chapter notes and a comprehensive glossary offer additional information. Both deliberate readers and those who like to jump into things at random will be entertained and informed by this charming book."—Publishers Weekly