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  • The Science of Everyday Life

  • Why Teapots Dribble, Toast Burns and Light Bulbs Shine
  • By: Marty Jopson
  • Narrated by: Marty Jopson
  • Length: 6 hrs and 16 mins
  • 4.4 out of 5 stars (498 ratings)

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The Science of Everyday Life cover art

The Science of Everyday Life

By: Marty Jopson
Narrated by: Marty Jopson
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Summary

Have you ever wondered why ice floats and water is such a freaky liquid? Or why chilis and mustard are both hot but in different ways? Or why microwaves don't cook from the inside out?

In this fascinating scientific tour of household objects, The One Show presenter and all-round science bloke Marty Jopson has the answer to all of these and many more baffling questions about the chemistry and physics of the everyday stuff we use every day.

©2015 Marty Jopson (P)2015 Audible, Ltd

What listeners say about The Science of Everyday Life

Average customer ratings
Overall
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

curiouser and curiouser

book full of very interesting facts but not ideal for listening to in the car, as i don't think you can pay it requited full attention...

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Dear Marty,

Any additional comments?

Thank you for a very engaging book, I loved it, please make another. But next time, perhaps ease up on the over-emphatic enunciation and the slightly naff humour at the end of each chapter.

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13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Too much in too little detail

It's nice and interesting, but overall too much packed in too little detail to take much out of this book.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Some interesting info

I listened to some interesting information on why things work like they do, however some parts didn't have a scientifically backed explanation or outcome so I'm not sure why they were added.

It's an okay listen for a car journey but I did zone out at certain parts that weren't particularly interesting. I would be unlikely to purchase another book of this kind, but I did retain some interesting facts hence the rating.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening

I highly recommend this audiobook. It is read by the author who has a great voice, but more to the point the nuggets of science are very clearly and mostly concisely explained for keen science enthusiasts and the lesser nerds among us. The diverse variety of subjects captures the attention, answering questions you didn't even know you wanted answering. There are some items that are as yet unexplained but the various hypotheses are interesting in themselves. All-in-all excellent entertaining and informative listening.


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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Great listen!

Extremely interesting book, very good for a non technical reader, would recommend to anyone, will look for more of his books

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4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Fun, well explained science

A lively, fun and well explained dive into the science that makes the thing we take for granted work. I particularly loved the discussion about the uniqueness of rainbows at the end.
Really interesting read, would definitely recommend to anyone with a curiosity about science.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Brilliant!

Brilliant book! So many interesting and useful things things to learn about everyday things. Easy to listen to, nice narration, highly recommended!!

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Not best enjoyed as an audiobook

What did you like best about The Science of Everyday Life? What did you like least?

Unlike others I had no difficulty with the author reading his own book. I thought his reading was enthusiastic and engaging. The difficulty lay with the content. I felt that presented as a series of newspaper columns then I would have greatly enjoyed them but without an obvious thread to link them together as a progressive whole then it all just seemed tremendously bitty.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I never reached it - a section on coffee stain rings was as far as I could reach.

Have you listened to any of Marty Jopson’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No.

Do you think The Science of Everyday Life needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Mr
  • 21-02-18

A fun and interesting little book.

Lots of intriguing trivia to impress you friends and family with, and a surprising number of everyday phenomena that science has yet to fully understand.

The author does a decent job as his own narrator.

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