Science at its most ordinary

Just another day. The science and technology of our everyday lives 

Adam Hart-Davis 

London, UK: Orion  | 2006 | 192pp | ?18.99 (HB) | ISBN 0752873342 

Reviewed by Monica Mills

Things that one does every day without even thinking often have a scientific basis, and in this lavish book Hart-Davis sets out to unfold the science that underpins our lives. He takes the reader through a typical day from getting out to bed, washing and eating breakfast, to going to work by a variety of modes of transport, at work with all its modern facilities, chilling out after work and back to bed again.  

The book is well-written and well-researched and includes discussion of many original patents for domestic appliances. Davis shows again that he has an ability to communicate and make the average reader say, ’Well, I never thought of it like that’. 

The book draws heavily from Hart-Davis’s own somewhat quirky life, which one might expect to be off-putting, but I found the personal touches and instant photographs of the author actually increased the appeal of the book; I kept contrasting my life with his. 

The book would make a good Christmas present for anyone generally interested in science.