There has been a long tradition of trying to find ways of explaining complex scientific ideas in an understandable way. People from all walks of life have had a punt at it, Isaac Asimov wrote them. Today Neil deGrasse Tyson writes them.

Many subjects have been covered from discussing philosophy by linking it with Bladerunner (1982) in Philosophy and Blade Runner (2014) by T. Shanahan to Stephen Hawking’s, A Brief History of Time (1988). Yep, I read it and understood little. It certainly lacked a level of humour and pop culture reference which would have made it a more palatable read.

The Science of Rick and Morty: An Unofficial Guide, What Earth's Stupidest Show Can Teach Us About Quantum Physics, Biological Hacking and Everything Else in Our Universe (2019. 333 pages), takes a popular show to try and explain complex scientific ideas.

Matt Brady makes his daily wodge by teaching science at a North Carolina school, he is also the founder of the web site ‘The Science of’ which tries to explain scientific ideas, using pop culture. It’s a great site, thescienceof.org/ well worth checking out.

If you don’t know the show upon which the book is based, Rick and Morty is an irreverent animated show featuring Rick, a mad genius scientist and his grandson, Morty. The show has the pair roaming around the multiverse, having adventures. It intersperses this with more domestic scenes.

The book uses references from the show as a way of introducing scientific theories. Brady has a greater depth of knowledge of the show than me. I like and watch the show, but many of the references passed me by. On the other hand, if you’re an obsessive fan of the show then the references will be more than just an in for the science.

So, the book is divided into nineteen chapters covering everything from cloning to the possibility of all of us living in an artificial reality. He can discuss some complex and fascinating subjects using scenes from the show, Brady looks at what might be possible and what is unlikely.

The book should appeal to both science nerds and Rick and Morty fans.

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Charles Packer