In this highly entertaining scientific tour of the world around us, all-round science bloke Marty Jopson addresses conundrums such as: Why do your fingers wrinkle in the bath? Why does thunder rumble? And have you ever wondered why sheep don’t shrink in the rain or why chillies and mustard are both hot but in different ways?This book also serves as a practical guide to life by explaining some of the modern world’s most critical problems, such as how to stop an open bottle of wine from going off (and not just by drinking it), how to avoid a dribblesome teapot, and why you should never keep bread in the fridge.The Science of Everyday Life has the answer to all of these and many more baffling questions about the chemistry and physics of things we use every day.

In this fascinating and easily digestible book, Marty Jopson takes us on a mouth-watering tour of the twenty-first century kitchen and the everyday food miracles that we all take for granted. Ever wondered what modified starch is and why it's in so much of the food we buy? What do instant mash and freeze-dried coffee have in common? What's the real truth behind the five-second rule? And as the world population grows and the pressure on agriculture to produce more cost-effective and sustainable products increases, what could the future hold for both farmers and consumers? From mindboggling microbiology to ingenious food processing techniques and gadgets, The Science of Food takes a look at the details that matter when it comes to what we eat and how we cook.

From topics as diverse as why we have no close biological relatives to some uncomfortable truths about why our bodies die, The Science of Being Human examines the latest science behind some of the less travelled corners of our experience. Discover why it is that needing the toilet helps you concentrate, how bacteria may be influencing your mood , how to spot a liar, and many more fascinating and unusual quirks of the human condition. This tour of not just biology, but also the maths, physics and psychology of being human, will give you a new outlook on your own everyday existence. Just how Neanderthal are you and where did all your hair go? Why is your queue mathematically proven to be slower? And - are we still evolving?