Chaos Theory, Unification, the Theory of Relativity? Schrödinger’s Cat, and the Laws of Motion? Sure, you know what they all mean. That is, you’ve certainly heard of all of them. But do you know enough about them to join a dinner party debate or dazzle the bar with your knowledge?

30-Second Theories takes a revolutionary approach to understanding the 50 most significant and intriguing scientific theories. It challenges leading scientific experts to abandon their beloved jargon and explain the most complex of theories in half a minute— using nothing more than two pages, 300 words, and a picture. Time might well be relative, but it’s also precious in a world that seems to spin ever faster, and here, in one unique volume, you have the chance to pick the potted brains of our leading scientists and understand the key notes of our harmonious universe in less time than it takes to scratch your head.