Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience

It’s probably not a good idea to use a title for a book that writes cheques the book might struggle to cash, so the first thing to say about this interesting little book don’t expect to take the title too literally. Having said that, the author makes a reasonable fist of writing a book that will provide insights into how some key discoveries in physics came about and how they have subsequently influenced our lives.

There will always be controversy over which ten discoveries or inventions are the most important or significant. However, the ten examples chosen certainly warrant consideration for an all time top ten. The writing is clear, although the author has not, perhaps, settled in his own mind what the typical reader might look like - is it a complete layman, an interested and scientifically literate non-physicist or someone with a good understanding of the issues involved? It’s probably fair to say that, generally, the book is aimed at the interested observer with little detailed knowledge of science. On this basis, the book is reasonably successful, although a reader with a little more background knowledge is likely to be frustrated on some occasions. The author’s conclusions over possible future developments in related areas are well chosen.

I've read two of Brian Clegg's previous books and really enjoyed them. He has a really accessible writing style and I've found out a lot of interesting information about the world and especially physics from him. I read a lot of popular science books in general so I was really excited to read his new book.

It was certainly enjoyable, and a very quick read. There wasn't a whole lot of new information in here for me but I did appreciate some of the chapters were about people I hadn't read about before. It was a great selection of scientific discoveries and applications and I liked the layout of each chapter, with a lot of background information and then focus on the individual(s) themselves. I also really appreciated information about the year the event took place in as this provided great context as we moved quickly through the years.

Some of the chapters were certainly more interesting than others (total personal preference) and some seemed to jump up in scientific detail and prior knowledge required. I'd also love for each of the chapters to go into a bit more detail as the book was (sadly) over very quickly. I would recommend it for a quick tour through the ages though and I'm in awe of, and so grateful to, the dedication shown by the people featured in this book.

*Disclaimer: I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Physics and astronomy is something that I am fascinated by with regards to documentaries and television programmes but that I haven’t delved into much in written form. In this book Brian Clegg explores ten advancements in physics that changed the world in some way, giving an overview of the scientists involved and the impacts that their work had, whether intended or not.

I learned some fascinating things about each of the physicists, many of which I hadn’t heard of previously. This is definitely going to serve as a great jumping off point to dive into more indepth scientific works.

4 out of 5 stars!

This was a fascinating and easy-to-follow science book. I liked how this was laid out and explored the topics well and clearly. This is a good starter book for those new to science non-fiction as it presents the information in a way that is accessible to many.

The importance of ten breakthroughs in physics that have shaped our modern world, on ten momentous days - from Isaac Newton to the early internet - presented in chronological order, are the subject of this concise and enjoyable book by Brian Clegg.
The scientists and their breakthroughs celebrated range from the legendary -Einstein’s famous equation, Newton’s “Principia”, Michael Faraday’s paper on electrical induction - to the less well known but equally important - Rudolf Clausius and thermodynamics, Steve Crocker and Vint Cerf and the birth of the internet.
Each chapter contains a brief contextual note on the year each event took place, short bio(s) of the scientist in question (“In A Nutshell”) and an examination of the breakthrough. There are also examples of the direct practical uses of the discoveries in relation to recognisable, everyday applications. There is also a chapter on the various possibilities for a future “Day 11”.
The scientific breakthroughs depicted will be familiar to most readers but there is much to be learned from the less renowned stories. There’s a lot in this book for beginners but seasoned boffins will enjoy it too. There are illustrations of the various devices pertaining to each discovery, as well as photographs of the scientists.
It’s well-written, not too heavy on the technical stuff and short enough for an easy, quick read.