Book Review – Dark Matter And The Dinosaurs: The Astounding Interconnectedness Of The Universe by Lisa Randall

Hardback by Bodley Head, £25 (ebook £13.99). Available January 14

If you’ve been craving a more substantial read following a season of stocking stuffers, renowned theoretical physicist Lisa Randall’s latest book might be just what you’re looking for. In Dark Matter And The Dinosaurs, she suggests a wildly exciting idea – that dark matter could be responsible for influencing the movement of celestial bodies.

As a result, she suggests, the asteroid or comet falling to earth that brought about the extinction of the dinosaurs could be down to this invisible force – and, in turn, have had a huge influence over the development of our own species too.

Randall is transparent from the off that this is a theory – not proven fact. So as a result, you’re drawn on an exciting journey exploring the depths of her ideas. What’s great is that Randall’s style is plain, clear to understand and engaging, even when she’s exploring the kinds of concepts that you’d usually only find inside a university’s physics department.

It helps, of course, that dinosaurs have captured our imaginations since we were children. A great read for a little more perspective than usual.