Steve Jones’ barnstorming survey is science writing at its best, veering nimbly from the chemistry of gold to the failures of funding, the chaos in the heavens to the fight against creationism, the optical illusions of tartan plaid to the mathematics of elections. Witty and packed with human interest, it also features interviews with playwrights, poets, and film directors, along with plenty on the Double Helix and the author’s own specialty, the Snail Helix. In a hundred succinct pieces, he reveals the extraordinary breadth and the profound shallowness of scientific knowledge. Educational and entertaining, this is a brilliant meditation on modern science.