The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials

Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy is renowned for its mystery and magic. What’s the truth behind it all? Is the golden compass actually based in science? How does the subtle knife cut through anything? Could there be a bomb like the one made with Lyra’s hair? How do the Gallivespians’ lodestone resonators really work? And, of course, what are the Dark Materials? Drawing on string theory and spacetime, quantum physics and chaos theory, award-winning science writers Mary and John Gribbin reveal the real science behind Philip Pullman’s bestselling fantasy trilogy in entertaining and crystal-clear prose.

Publishers Weekly

Readers who were fascinated by the inner workings of the Golden Compass, the nature of Dust and whether or not there truly are "hidden dimensions," introduced in the trilogy that began with The Golden Compass, may wish to delve into The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials by Mary and John Gribbin, with an introduction by Pullman himself. The authors open with a quote from the books and segue into a discussion of the scientific underpinnings of some of the trilogy's themes. Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Mary and John Gribbin are award-winning science writers for both adults and children whose books include Eyewitness: Time & Space. John Gribbin has a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Cambridge and is a Research Fellow in Astronomy at the University of Sussex. The Gribbins live on the Sussex coast in England with two sons, one dog, one cat.