Listen and read

Step into an infinite world of stories

  • Listen and read as much as you want
  • Over 400 000+ titles
  • Bestsellers in 10+ Indian languages
  • Exclusive titles + Storytel Originals
  • Easy to cancel anytime
Subscribe now
Details page - Device banner - 894x1036
Cover for Lightening Often Strikes Twice: The 50 Biggest Misconceptions in Science

Lightening Often Strikes Twice: The 50 Biggest Misconceptions in Science

3 Ratings

4

Duration
4H 3min
Language
English
Format
Category

Non-Fiction

Tackling some of the most common scientific myths still believed today, Brian Clegg blows these widely held misconceptions about the workings of our world out of the water in this engaging and entertaining book.

You may well be familiar with the fact that lightning, contrary to the popular saying, often strikes the same place twice. But this is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what many of us wrongly believe about the way the world works. Whether it’s word of mouth, myths you’ve read about online, or misremembered facts from school, we’re bombarded by misconceptions about the science we come into contact with every day – this book will uncover the most popular myths to help you avoid contributing to the perpetuation of these misunderstandings.

Breaking it down into fifty of the most popular misconceptions in science, each chapter of this book will be headed up with a ‘fact’, followed by the real story, providing the science and theory that debunks the myth. From fears about the exponential growth of the human population to the embarrassment of always pointing out the north star as the brightest in the sky, this is the book to read if you want to separate the science fact from fiction.

© 2022 W. F. Howes Ltd (Audiobook): 9781004088188

Release date

Audiobook: 21 July 2022

Others also enjoyed ...

  1. The Allure of the Multiverse: Extra Dimensions, Other Worlds, and Parallel Universes
    The Allure of the Multiverse: Extra Dimensions, Other Worlds, and Parallel Universes Paul Halpern
  2. Mapping Humanity: How Modern Genetics Is Changing Criminal Justice, Personalized Medicine, and Our Identities
    Mapping Humanity: How Modern Genetics Is Changing Criminal Justice, Personalized Medicine, and Our Identities Joshua Z. Rappoport, PhD
  3. The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023
    The Best American Science and Nature Writing 2023 Carl Zimmer
  4. The Irrational Ape: Why Flawed Logic Puts us all at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World
    The Irrational Ape: Why Flawed Logic Puts us all at Risk and How Critical Thinking Can Save the World David Robert Grimes
  5. The Shape of Things to Come: Exploring the Future of the Human Body
    The Shape of Things to Come: Exploring the Future of the Human Body Druin Burch
  6. Hot Air
    Hot Air Peter Stott
  7. Impact: How Rocks from Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong
    Impact: How Rocks from Space Led to Life, Culture, and Donkey Kong Greg Brennecka
  8. The Rise of the New Puritans: Fighting Back Against Progressives’ War on Fun
    The Rise of the New Puritans: Fighting Back Against Progressives’ War on Fun Noah Rothman
  9. Contraception: A Concise History
    Contraception: A Concise History Donna J. Drucker
  10. The Individualists: Radicals, Reactionaries, and the Struggle for the Soul of Libertarianism
    The Individualists: Radicals, Reactionaries, and the Struggle for the Soul of Libertarianism John Tomasi
  11. The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny
    The Super Age: Decoding Our Demographic Destiny Bradley Schurman
  12. Block by Block: The Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Thermodynamics
    Block by Block: The Historical and Theoretical Foundations of Thermodynamics Robert T. Hanlon
  13. Scienceblind: Why Our Intuitive Theories About the World Are So Often Wrong
    Scienceblind: Why Our Intuitive Theories About the World Are So Often Wrong Andrew Shtulman
  14. Aesop's Animals: The Science Behind the Fables
    Aesop's Animals: The Science Behind the Fables Jo Wimpenny
  15. The Influenza Threat
    The Influenza Threat Scientific American
  16. Bacteria: A Very Short Introduction
    Bacteria: A Very Short Introduction Sebastian Amyes
  17. Stories, Dice, and Rocks That Think: How Humans Learned to See the Future–and Shape It
    Stories, Dice, and Rocks That Think: How Humans Learned to See the Future–and Shape It Byron Reese
  18. Charles Darwin's Barnacle and David Bowie's Spider: How Scientific Names Celebrate Adventurers, Heroes, and Even a Few Scoundrels
    Charles Darwin's Barnacle and David Bowie's Spider: How Scientific Names Celebrate Adventurers, Heroes, and Even a Few Scoundrels Stephen B. Heard, PhD
  19. A Primer of Life Histories: Ecology, Evolution, and Application
    A Primer of Life Histories: Ecology, Evolution, and Application Jeffrey A. Hutchings
  20. Exoplanets: Worlds without End
    Exoplanets: Worlds without End Scientific American
  21. Chandra's Cosmos: Dark Matter, Black Holes, and Other Wonders Revealed by NASA's Premier X-Ray Observatory
    Chandra's Cosmos: Dark Matter, Black Holes, and Other Wonders Revealed by NASA's Premier X-Ray Observatory Wallace H. Tucker
  22. Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps
    Endless Forms: The Secret World of Wasps Seirian Sumner
  23. The Future of Humankind: Why We Should be Optimistic
    The Future of Humankind: Why We Should be Optimistic John Hands
  24. The Drug Hunters: The Improbable Quest to Discover New Medicines
    The Drug Hunters: The Improbable Quest to Discover New Medicines Donald R. Kirsch, Ph.D.
  25. Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory
    Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory Edward J. Larson
  26. The End of Genetics: Designing Humanity's DNA
    The End of Genetics: Designing Humanity's DNA David B. Goldstein
  27. Ten Short Lessons in Time Travel
    Ten Short Lessons in Time Travel Brian Clegg
  28. Climate Change and Extreme Weather
    Climate Change and Extreme Weather Scientific American
  29. Mosquito: The Story of Man’s Deadliest Foe
    Mosquito: The Story of Man’s Deadliest Foe Michael D'Antonio
  30. Follow the Science: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails
    Follow the Science: How Big Pharma Misleads, Obscures, and Prevails Sharyl Attkisson
  31. Revolt: The Worldwide Uprising Against Globalization
    Revolt: The Worldwide Uprising Against Globalization Nadav Eyal
  32. A Planet of Viruses
    A Planet of Viruses Carl Zimmer
  33. Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn't Fear Facebook and the Future
    Tech Panic: Why We Shouldn't Fear Facebook and the Future Robby Soave
  34. The Coming Good Society: Why New Realities Demand New Rights
    The Coming Good Society: Why New Realities Demand New Rights William F. Schulz
  35. The Primacy of Doubt: From Quantum Physics to Climate Change, How the Science of Uncertainty Can Help Us Understand Our Chaotic World
    The Primacy of Doubt: From Quantum Physics to Climate Change, How the Science of Uncertainty Can Help Us Understand Our Chaotic World Tim Palmer
  36. Mom Genes: Inside The New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct
    Mom Genes: Inside The New Science of Our Ancient Maternal Instinct Abigail Tucker
  37. Distilled: A Natural History of Spirits
    Distilled: A Natural History of Spirits Rob DeSalle
  38. The Tyranny of Big Tech
    The Tyranny of Big Tech Josh Hawley
  39. How Will Capitalism End?: Essays on a Failing System
    How Will Capitalism End?: Essays on a Failing System Wolfgang Streeck