42 Reasons to Hate the Universe
(And One Reason Not To)
- Publisher
- Sourcebooks
- Initial publish date
- Feb 2024
- Category
- Reference, Astrophysics & Space Science, General
-
Paperback / softback
- ISBN
- 9781728272825
- Publish Date
- Feb 2024
- List Price
- $26.99
Classroom Resources
Where to buy it
Description
If you've always suspected the universe was out to get you… you were right!
Yes, the universe we live in is cosmically beautiful and mysterious and all that crap. But it's also a bit of an asshole. After all, remember that you are just a group of atoms structured in a specific way for barely long enough to try to understand this thing we call existence. Those atoms could just have easily been used to make the dog shit you're cleaning off your shoe or the mold that grows on your bread! The fact is, when you zoom out to look at the universe and how it functions, you'll see that it's usually not in our favor, and many of the laws of physics are actively working against our survival. In this book, you'll discover why:
- You're an aging mutant
- Invisible rays are melting our genetic code
- The Earth is covered in explosive pimples
- Literally everything is poisonous
- And more true and terrifying scientific facts!
But don't worry! While it's true that there are (at least) forty-two grudges to hold against the universe, the good news is that there is also one very good reason to forgive them all and embrace the wild, improbable fact that we are alive (for now) and we should take advantage of it while we can. 42 Reasons to Hate the Universe (And One Reason Not To) is a hilarious, no-holds-barred exploration of all the reasons we shouldn't exist—but somehow do anyway. Rooted in scientific research but written simply so that evolved apes such as ourselves can understand where the heck we came from and where we're likely going, this book is for all the nerds and nihilists who know they're going down in the end but want to enjoy the rollercoaster ride of existence on the way.
About the authors
Contributor Notes
Chris Ferrie is an award-winning physicist and Senior Lecturer for Quantum Software and Information at the University of Technology Sydney. He has a Masters in applied mathematics, BMath in mathematical physics and a PhD in applied mathematics. He lives in Australia with his wife and children.
Wade David Fairclough is an Australian author and educator. His work has been nominated for multiple awards, such as the Australian Podcast of the Year - Science and Technology and has also charted on iTunes Comedy Podcast in Australia, Europe, and North America. He is the coauthor of Pranklab: 25 Hilarious Scientific Practical Jokes for Kids and 42 Reasons to Hate the Universe (And One Reason Not To).
Byrne LaGinestra is a science communicator known for his unique approach to education. He has a diverse body of work from textbooks, children's books and adult non-fiction to public presentations and podcasts. Based in Australia, his work has received widespread recognition both nationally and internationally. He has helped teachers, students, and enthusiasts alike learn to love science.
Editorial Reviews
"I’ve never laughed and learned so much while reading about 42 ways I’m completely stuffed!" — Adam Spencer, comedian, author, and math geek
Funny, snarky, and bleak while still being informative and engrossing. It’s an apt approach for our cynical times.
"Finally, an antidote to all that breathless, too-damn-excited-by-half pop sci out there, and its relentlessly exhausting enthusiasm about just how the universe is such an amaaaazing, wondrous, awesome place. Ferrie, Fairclough, and Laginestra instead tell it like it is: the Universe is gonna get you, technology ain’t gonna save you, and we’re stuck in the shittiest version of The Matrix ever. Deal with it. Imagine Douglas Adams, Leonhard Cohen, and your favourite grumpy science teacher joining forces to reveal the secrets of the universe. That’s nothing like this book. It’s much more pessimistic, considerably more sweary, and lots, lots funnier. I finished it last week and still haven’t finished chuckling. In a multiverse of dystopian possibilities, let’s just be thankful that we live in a universe where this book exists." — Philip Moriarty, Professor of Physics, University of Nottingham, and author of When The Uncertainty Principle Goes To 11 (or How To Explain Quantum Physics With Heavy Metal)
"An irreverent survey of unsettling scientific findings and ideas." — Publishers Weekly
"Brilliantly funny. The universe is hell-bent on your demise and this entertaining and compelling guide expertly highlights the fragility—but also the resilience—of life." — Michael Banks, author of The Secret Science of Baby
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