Seeing Further: The Story of Science, Discovery, and the Genius of the Royal Society

“Bill Bryson is as amusing as ever. … As a celebration of 350 years of modern science, Seeing Further is a worthy tribute.” — The Economist Join Bill Bryson on an unforgettable exploration of scientific genius, discovery, and invention. Edited and introduced by Bryson, with original contributions from “a glittering array of scientific writing talent” ( Sunday Observer ) including Margaret Atwood, Richard Dawkins, and Neal Stephenson, Seeing Further tells the spectacular story of modern science through the lens of the international Royal Society, founded on a damp November night in London in 1660. Isaac Newton, John Locke, Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking—all have been fellows. Its members have split the atom, discovered the double helix and the electron, and given us the computer and the World Wide Web. Gorgeously illustrated with photographs, documents, and treasures from the Society’s exclusive archives, Seeing Further is an unprecedented celebration of the power of ideas. Featuring contributions from more than twenty of the world’s greatest scientific—and science-fiction—thinkers, including: Richard Dawkins ( The Selfish Gene , The God Delusion ), James Gleick ( The Information ), Neal Stephenson ( Cryptonomicon ), Richard Holmes ( The Age of Wonder ), Margaret Atwood ( The Handmaid’s Tale ), and Martin Rees (former President of the Royal Society).