The Science of Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials

Using the His Dark Materials trilogy as a springboard, Mary Gribbin explores the real scientific ideas behind Pullman's imagined world. She explains how concepts like the golden compass, the subtle knife, and the bomb made from Lyra's hair connect to quantum physics, string theory, and cosmology. Each chapter takes a key element from the novels and shows how it reflects or stretches current scientific understanding. The book offers an accessible look at the physics underlying the fantasy for readers interested in science.