Human Universe

Brian Cox and Andrew Cohen William Collins £24.99 HB

We have learned that our planet is an inconsequential speck within a vast, dark and largely empty Universe and that our history is vanishingly brief on cosmic timescales. Does this underscore our insignificance or illustrate how remarkable we are?

Brian Cox’s latest book, Human Universe , takes a refreshingly multi-disciplinary approach to this question and comes down firmly on the side of a wondrous humanity. The book, like the television series it accompanies, is structured around five big questions. After establishing where we are and whether we’re likely to be alone, it asks how we became human, why we’re here and what our future might hold. In search of answers, it delves into fundamental science, celebrates technological advances and draws on cutting-edge research in astronomy, biology, physics and archaeology.

Human Universe is, on the whole, a hugely engaging read. The pace is brisk and the tone is warmly conversational, enriched with candid personal reflections and a genuine and infectious enthusiasm for the subject. Written for an educated popular audience, some fascinating digressions – such as Kepler’s study of snowflakes – add interest to sometimes familiar material. The volume is also lavishly produced, with thoughtfully sourced and beautifully reproduced illustrations throughout. There is perhaps a surfeit of photos of Cox looking thoughtful on location, however, and the story occasionally seems driven by the priorities of documentary film-making rather than by the underlying science.

Cox describes the book as “a love letter to humanity”. In general, it’s a good one. OLIVIA JOHNSON is an astronomer specialising in science education

Reader price £20.99, subscriber price £19.99 P&P £1.99 Code: S0215/2 (until 25/03/15)