The Science of Why

Back by popular demand: a brand-new volume of science queries, quirks, and quandaries in the mega-bestselling Science of Why series, sure to enlighten and entertain readers of all ages.

Have you ever wondered why we close our eyes when we sneeze? Or how far underground things can live? Or if there’s a way to choose the fastest lineup at the grocery store?

Yes? Then fasten your seat belts! Bestselling author Jay Ingram is here to take you on a rollercoaster ride through science’s most perplexing puzzles. From the age-old mysteries that have fascinated us to the pressing unknowns about our future and all the everyday wonderings in-between, Jay answers questions that confound and dumbfound, such as:

Why do zebras have stripes?
How many universes might there be?
Can we live for 200 years?

...along with everything you ever wanted to know about alien civilizations, photographic memories, nanobots, poop, and (conveniently) toilet paper.

Bursting with laugh-out-loud illustrations, jaw-dropping marvels, and head-scratching science fictions, The Science of Why, Volume 4 will give readers of all stripes a real thrill.

Jay Ingram has hosted two national science programs in Canada, Quirks & Quarks on CBC radio and Daily Planet on Discovery Channel Canada. He is the author of nineteen books, which have been translated into fifteen languages, including the bestselling five-volume The Science of Why series. In 2015, he won the Walter C. Alvarez Award from the American Medical Writers’ Association for excellence in communicating health care developments and concepts to the public, and from 2005 to 2015 he chaired the Science Communications Program at the Banff Centre. Jay has six honorary degrees, was awarded the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and is a Member of the Order of Canada. He is cofounder of the arts and engineering street festival called Beakerhead in Calgary. He lives in Calgary, Alberta. Connect with him on Twitter @JayIngram.