Bugs, Drugs and Three-pin Plugs

There is no one who writes quite like Andrew Morris. This is a great collection of chapters on everyday science. If only more of us had been taught like this at school, our universities would be bursting with people trying to get in to study science.

Michael J. Reiss, Professor of Science Education, University College London, UK

I wish science in school could have been this fascinating and accessible. This book is full of ‘mind blown’ moments! I love that it’s about learning about the world through curiosity and discovery, not fusty textbooks. I love learning about the science behind everyday things without it being too complicated - or patronising. Perfect for dipping into on the train in the morning!

Hilary Davies, Civil Servant, Kent, UK

With this book, Dr Morris has opened doors for the everyday person who may have thought that science was only for the brainiacs of this world. His desire to bring us all along, coupled with his cheery down-to-earthness, is refreshing and welcoming. A gem of a book!

Janet Johnston, curious adult, Florida, USA

In this book Dr Andrew Morris admirably achieves what he sets out to achieve – making science accessible to readers like myself, who know very little about any one of the sciences, and to bring them alive in just the way that suits the interested amateur, starting with questions we are likely to ask, proceeding by way of vivid example, plain English and exactly the right amount of science to take us all the way with him to gain the understanding we were looking for. The pitch is perfect: nothing patronising and no dumbing down, but nor are there demands on readers that only natural born scientists are likely to meet. Dr Morris is a lucid and persuasive advocate, with many years of experience of working with groups of adults doing just what he is doing in this book – helping adults to understand science for themselves. I cannot imagine a better introduction to bugs, drugs and three pin plugs than what is contained in these pages.

John Vorhaus, Professor of Moral and Educational Philosophy, University College London, UK

Mission accomplished! A passionate teacher determined to build confidence and knowledge in those whose past encounters with science were a turn-off, Andrew succeeds in both with his engaging and accessible book. It certainly worked for me!

Liz Walton, retired Principal of William Morris Sixth Form, London, UK

Andrew Morris has that rare talent for using everyday observations and experiences to unpick and explain the most complex of scientific ideas. He does so in this book, as in previous works, by tapping into our natural curiosity about the world around us. An explanation of why our ears pop during a flight and how a crisp and silvery scene was captured in the pond of a winter garden lead us to understand the science behind solids, liquids and gases.

Ian Nash, freelance journalist, senior partner in Nash&Jones Partnership and former assistant editor of the TES, UK

The global climate crisis and the impact of AI technologies, among others, clearly show that effective basic science education is essential for the whole population. COVID-19 has shown that we don’t have enough of it. Andrew Morris’s book makes an important contribution to addressing this deficit: it is written and illustrated clearly and straightforwardly, and organised around questions arising from everyday life. Scientific explanations are pitched at a non-specialist level, avoiding hype, and manages brilliantly to avoid patronising readers. Morris is a great science communicator and teacher.

Dr Jay Derrick, UCL Institute of Education, UK

At last! Fun, relatable everyday science for readers who - like me - are curious and keen to learn but haunted by classroom memories. Top marks!

Will Lake, West Yorkshire, UK

Although this is not a book you sit down to read at a single sitting, it is a conversation you are warmly invited to join. It is a very good conversation... It is a book by adults for adults – not because there is anything ‘adult’ about the content, but because of its style. Teachers would do well to sit down with a copy, however, and to reflect on their own ‘explanatory conversations’ in the classroom.

Colin H. Johnson in SSR in Depth March 2023

There is no one who writes quite like Andrew Morris. This is a great collection of chapters on everyday science. If only more of us had been taught like this at school, our universities would be bursting with people trying to get in to study science.

Michael J. Reiss, Professor of Science Education, University College London, UK

I wish science in school could have been this fascinating and accessible. This book is full of ‘mind blown’ moments! I love that it’s about learning about the world through curiosity and discovery, not fusty textbooks. I love learning about the science behind everyday things without it being too complicated - or patronising. Perfect for dipping into on the train in the morning!

Hilary Davies, Civil Servant, Kent, UK

With this book, Dr Morris has opened doors for the everyday person who may have thought that science was only for the brainiacs of this world. His desire to bring us all along, coupled with his cheery down-to-earthness, is refreshing and welcoming. A gem of a book!

Janet Johnston, curious adult, Florida, USA

In this book Dr Andrew Morris admirably achieves what he sets out to achieve – making science accessible to readers like myself, who know very little about any one of the sciences, and to bring them alive in just the way that suits the interested amateur, starting with questions we are likely to ask, proceeding by way of vivid example, plain English and exactly the right amount of science to take us all the way with him to gain the understanding we were looking for. The pitch is perfect: nothing patronising and no dumbing down, but nor are there demands on readers that only natural born scientists are likely to meet. Dr Morris is a lucid and persuasive advocate, with many years of experience of working with groups of adults doing just what he is doing in this book – helping adults to understand science for themselves. I cannot imagine a better introduction to bugs, drugs and three pin plugs than what is contained in these pages.

John Vorhaus, Professor of Moral and Educational Philosophy, University College London, UK

Mission accomplished! A passionate teacher determined to build confidence and knowledge in those whose past encounters with science were a turn-off, Andrew succeeds in both with his engaging and accessible book. It certainly worked for me!

Liz Walton, retired Principal of William Morris Sixth Form, London, UK

Andrew Morris has that rare talent for using everyday observations and experiences to unpick and explain the most complex of scientific ideas. He does so in this book, as in previous works, by tapping into our natural curiosity about the world around us. An explanation of why our ears pop during a flight and how a crisp and silvery scene was captured in the pond of a winter garden lead us to understand the science behind solids, liquids and gases.

Ian Nash, freelance journalist, senior partner in Nash&Jones Partnership and former assistant editor of the TES, UK

The global climate crisis and the impact of AI technologies, among others, clearly show that effective basic science education is essential for the whole population. COVID-19 has shown that we don’t have enough of it. Andrew Morris’s book makes an important contribution to addressing this deficit: it is written and illustrated clearly and straightforwardly, and organised around questions arising from everyday life. Scientific explanations are pitched at a non-specialist level, avoiding hype, and manages brilliantly to avoid patronising readers. Morris is a great science communicator and teacher.

Dr Jay Derrick, UCL Institute of Education, UK

At last! Fun, relatable everyday science for readers who - like me - are curious and keen to learn but haunted by classroom memories. Top marks!

Will Lake, West Yorkshire, UK

Although this is not a book you sit down to read at a single sitting, it is a conversation you are warmly invited to join. It is a very good conversation... It is a book by adults for adults – not because there is anything ‘adult’ about the content, but because of its style. Teachers would do well to sit down with a copy, however, and to reflect on their own ‘explanatory conversations’ in the classroom.

Colin H. Johnson in SSR in Depth March 2023