Physics will not judge you

book review

A compendium of impractical but entertaining and scientifically solid advice that will help you see everyday issues in a new light

When we run into a problem, most of us are inclined to look for the simplest solution. Randall Munroe, on the other hand, seems to have a very different philosophy when it comes to handling problems: make them as complicated as humanly possible and see where that leads you.

That is precisely the approach he takes in his book, How To: Absurd Scientific Advice for Common Real-World Problems, a tome that shows there’s clearly no issue that can’t be made more complicated with a little bit of science and a whole lot of imagination!

Best known for his delightful webcomic xkcd, Munroe — formerly a roboticist at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) — has been amusing us with his nerdy stick-figure creations for nearly 15 years. Along with his online offerings, he has also employed his wit and wisdom to create interesting books, such as 2014’s What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions, in which he provides logical answers to humorously bizarre user-submitted queries, and 2015’s Thing Explainer: Complicated Stuff in Simple Words — another very self-explanatory title.

Munroe’s latest volume finds him exploring unusual approaches to accomplishing seemingly simple (as well as some not-so-simple) tasks. Each of the book’s 28 chapters is dedicated to a different topic and applies science, research and creativity to come up with fascinatingly convoluted scenarios.

Many subjects seem like practical concerns before the author takes them to impractical extremes. In ‘How to Throw a Pool Party’, for instance, Munroe doesn’t provide us with a tutorial on putting together the invitations, snacks and décor for a social gathering. What we get instead is a humorously thorough manual on how to build and fill the pool that you would need for the aforementioned party. And, thanks to the magic of science, you are no longer bound to create an average, conventional pool. “Physics doesn’t care if your question is weird. It just gives you the answer, without judging,” Munroe reassures us — before explaining how we can construct a pool out of cheese and fill it with 150,000 bottles of Fiji water.

The discussions don’t degenerate into absurdity, though. The author and illustrator makes sure that he examines interesting ideas along the way. There is something fascinating in every chapter. For instance, ‘How to Tell If You’re a Nineties Kid’ explains the impact of nuclear tests on unsuspecting humans; ‘How to Send a File’ delves into the migration of butterflies; and ‘How to Take a Selfie’ teaches us about occultation (when an object in the foreground blocks an object in the back).

While most chapters are inspired by fairly routine tasks — such as jumping really high, digging a hole, sending a file online, charging your phone or mailing a package — a few stranger ones are also thrown into the mix. If you want to learn how to build a lava moat, keep your house from moving, or power your house on Mars, then this book has you covered.

Munroe’s intelligence and knowledge shine through with his unique take on each subject. Along with his own insights (which are often built upon research or backed by calculations), the author also occasionally reaches out to some experts in their fields in order to “apply their unique expertise to ridiculous tasks.” Most prominently, he interviews astronaut Chris Hadfield on emergency landings and, in what is perhaps the book’s most memorable moment, recruits tennis superstar Serena Williams to help test whether tennis serves could be an effective countermeasure against hovering drones.

The writer’s witty geek humour, and the stick-figure cartoons that accompany the text, make the book a fun read. The more theoretical elements have generally been made accessible to the layperson, although there are a few parts that might still be a little difficult to follow if you aren’t well-versed in basic science.

The material is perhaps easier to digest if it’s read a section at a time instead of being devoured in larger chunks. The mathematical components can occasionally be a bit dry, while some theories and formulae might leave you wishing you’d paid more attention in your high-school physics class. It’s a good thing then that Munroe’s enthusiasm for science is absolutely contagious. How To is likely to motivate you to further explore the ideas discussed therein, and might even inspire you to look at the world in a fascinatingly offbeat way.

All in all, this compendium of impractical advice might not teach you how to actually do anything in a simple, easy way, but its amusingly convoluted takes serve as an entertaining, thought-provoking read that will help you understand different topics, learn random scientific trivia and see things in a new light.

- Sameen Amer

Books & Authors, Dawn - 8th November, 2020 *