"If you want to understand the science issues that get into the news, this is the book for you. Author Robert Dinwiddie spells out the history of the problems modern science is confronting, tells you what's at stake, and explains what the technical jargon really means in clear and simple English,"--back cover.

Includes index.

Introduction -- Chapter one : Very small stuff, or the nature of matter -- Chapter two: Energy stuff -- Chapter three: Very big stuff, or the observable universe -- Chapter four: Origins stuff -- Chapter five: Earth stuff -- Chapter six: Environment stuff -- Chapter seven: Health stuff -- Chapter eight: Genes stuff -- Chapter nine: Harder stuff -- Index -- Credits.