Ask a Scientist

In this unique science book, Professor Robert Winston answers more than 100 real-life questions from children all around the world. Questions cover all the popular science topics, including the biology: “Why do freckles come in dots on your face?”; physics: “Could you jump off the world?”; Earth: “Why is the sky blue?”; chemistry: “Why are there bubbles in boiling water?”; natural science: “Do dogs cry?”, and space: “Why will the Sun explode and make us extinct?”. This new edition includes eight pages of additional questions relating to the hot topics in science, including the COVID-19 pandemic.

Robert Winston was inspired to write this book by the many questions posed by his grandchildren and by children from the schools he has visited over the years. The book includes some of these questions, plus many more gathered from countries all over the world – including the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe, Canada, the USA, India, China, and Japan. The questions cover the main science topics: chemistry, physics, biology, Earth, space, and natural science.

Packed with weird and wacky questions and clear and lively answers – Ask a Scientist puts the fun back into science. And who could be a better scientist to ask questions to than Professor Robert Winston?

Author Biography

Lord Robert Winston is Professor of Science and Society and Emeritus Professor of Fertility Studies at Imperial College London. Robert is one of a kind – a world-renowned scientist who has combined groundbreaking academic work with an ability to communicate ideas and understanding to the general public.