Everything’s Atomic
One of the central themes of the book which is referenced repeatedly throughout is that the entirety of the universe eventually is boiled down to the atomic level. The story of everything being atomic traces back to the very origins of the universe, the Big Bang. From quantum physics down to the creation of each life, everything is possible only because of atoms forming together. What is especially important about the exploration of this theme is that the author suggests that was not always true. For an unknown but expansive period, the universe existed without any atoms which raises the question of how the atomic structure of the universe as we know it came into being and, even more interesting, why it came into being. Also raised is the philosophical question of what it means that the universe started as nothing and somehow transformed into not just something but everything.
Connectivity and Dependence
The short version of this history is that everything is connected. The very same elements that coalesce to form planets stars and galaxies also come together to create an ocean, a human life, and a blade of grass. Connectivity is presented as not just the fact that the entire universe shares the basic building blocks but that this connectivity also makes anything dependent on everything. It is not merely that life is dependent upon the connectivity of the food chain, it is also the understanding of life. Each advancement in understanding the universe connects directly to a precursor. The processes of connectivity work in the opposite way as well. If a single connection breaks down the consequences will reverberate throughout everything dependent upon that one single connection in ways that are impossible to thoroughly foresee.
Scientific Advancement is Cultural Revolution
The short history of almost everything is the history of scientific advancement. At the very top of the list of significance are the three laws of motion developed by Isaac Newton. All scientific disciplines from physics to geology are interconnected through the dependence on Newton’s theories. Newton’s various theories would prove necessary in the process of disproving theories which had been believed to be true for centuries. The advancements in understanding would in turn impact non-scientific disciplines like literature. Darwin’s theory of evolution would forever impact religious beliefs. The revolutionary theories proposed by Albert Einstein would serve to formulate technology-based philosophies about the meaning—or lack thereof—of life.
