How to Make an Apple Pie From Scratch: In Search of the Recipe for Our Universe From the Origins of Atoms to the Big Bang

Physicist Cliff (The Sun) takes readers on an enthusiastic tour of the universe and modern physics in this enlightening survey. Using Carl Sagan’s quote, “If you wish to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first invent the universe” as a prompt, Cliff describes how the concept of the atom has changed over centuries, profiling relevant thinkers and scientists and giving accessible explanations of their research (Aristotle, for example, dismissed atomic theory in ancient Greece, while John Dalton’s work with atoms in the late 18th century caused a stir). Cliff highlights the curiosity behind the experiments and discoveries that led to the modern understanding of the universe, covering the troublesome standard model of particle physics and the cutting-edge labs, “like a Bond villain’s mountain lair,” where experiments yield clues to the Big Bang and stellar evolution. Cliff describes complex ideas vividly and accessibly, and he’s got a knack for making theory exciting. This enlightening and entertaining outing is worth savoring. (Aug.)