Structure

Tyson purposefully structured this book so that each chapter can be read independently and quickly, but this does not prevent him from ordering concepts in a building-block fashion. The first few chapters discuss some of the most leaned-on pillars in the scientific community, like general relativity, conservation laws, and the big bang, before Tyson jumps into the more complex topics like dark matter and dark energy. Cushioning these tiresome topics but still adding to the overall depth of his analysis, Tyson provides the reader with a chapter on the periodic table and a chapter on cosmic objects’ natural tendency to be round. He then jumps back into technical detail on the electromagnetic spectrum, before gently concluding his book with not a summary of the precious chapters, but a reflection on the societal, physical, and political benefits of understanding the sciences. This back-and-forth structure keeps the reader balanced...