A witty and fascinating exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond. There are many, many things that nobody knows... Do animals have a sense of humour? Why do we have five fingers? What did Jesus do in his youth? Has human evolution stopped? Can robots become self-aware? What goes on inside a black hole? Bringing together The Things That Nobody Knows and Even More Things That Nobody Knows, this bumper volume takes us on a guided tour of 1,001 gaps in our knowledge of cosmology, mathematics, animal behaviour, medical science, music, art and literature.

There are many, many things that nobody knows. Do animals have a sense of humor? Why do we have five fingers? What did Jesus do in his youth? Has human evolution stopped? Can robots become self-aware? What goes on inside a black hole? Bringing together The Things That Nobody Knows and Even More Things That Nobody Knows, this bumper volume takes us on a guided tour of 1,001 gaps in our knowledge of cosmology, mathematics, animal behavior, medical science, music, art and literature.

A playful and diverting, yet always scientifically rigorous look at those simple mysteries that are yet to be solved Why are so many giraffes gay? Has human evolution stopped? Where did our alphabet come from? Can robots become self-aware? Can lobsters recognize other lobsters by sight? What goes on inside a black hole? Are cell phones bad for us? Why can't we remember anything from our earliest years? Full of the mysteries of life, the universe, and everything, this is a fascinating and unputdownable exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond.

The first mainstream history of humour. Hilarious and well-researched, this book from household name William Hartston, a presenter, author and journalist, makes a perfect gift. Of all human qualities, humour is perhaps the most puzzling. In this very first history of humour, author and humourist William Hartston looks at every aspect of the evolution of humour and our attitudes towards it with a view to developing a proper Theory Of Everything Humorous. From comedy in ancient Greece and jokes in ancient Rome, to laughter in the Bible and the secret of comic delivery; from how humour changed following the American civil war, to how Mark Twain changed written comedy in the English-speaking world, William leaves no stone unturned in his quest to understand what makes us chuckle. Besides being academically well-founded, A History of Humour will, unlike almost everything else written on the subject, be both seriously humorous and humorously serious.

"Let's have Nobodies review the book before we publish it. That'll give us a jump on the critics!" Nobody! "Nobody! has written a book for Nobodies everywhere. Who knew there was a market?" Nobody on Madison Avenue "Equivalent to Martin Luther's '95 Theses' only nailed to the door of science!" Nobody in Wittenberg "Balanced skepticism!" Nobody at the Bureau of Weights and Measures

A fascinating and unputdownable exploration of the limits of human knowledge of our planet, its history and culture, and the universe beyond, from the author of The Things that Nobody Knows.

When was the last time you climbed a tree? Picked blackberries? Held a snail race? Made maple syrup candy, an old-fashioned quill pen from a bird feather you found, or a plaster cast of an animal track? If the ­answer is "can't remember" or quite possibly ­"never," The Bumper Book of Nature will inspire you to get outdoors and enjoy the very best kind of free entertainment for you and your family. Who wouldn't love to discover a colorful butterfly ­hibernating in a woodshed for the winter or look at a ­snowflake under a magnifying lens? In warmer weather, why not explore rock pools by the seaside, pick wild ­meadow flowers (and then fry up elderflower fritters!), or go on a city safari? Whether you live in the heart of the city, the suburbs, or the deepest countryside, The Bumper Book of ­Nature will bring out the child in you with its treasure trove of offbeat, playful nature activities arranged by season. With lovely full-color illustrations as well as related trivia, quotes, and bits of poetry, it's a wonderful keepsake as well as a one-of-a-kind field guide.