by Mario Livio
First published 2017
Mario Livio tackles one of humanity's most distinctive traits: our relentless need to understand why things happen. The astrophysicist begins with a simple puzzle. Research shows people become more distracted listening to half a phone conversation than hearing both speakers talk. This asymmetry reveals something fundamental about how curiosity operates in our minds. Livio interviews scientists across multiple disciplines to uncover what drives our questioning nature. He studies two legendary figures known for their insatiable wonder: Leonardo da Vinci and physicist Richard Feynman. He also speaks with modern polymaths, including a rock guitarist who doubles as an astrophysicist and an astronaut trained in computer science, biology, literature, and medicine. Despite curiosity's central role in art, literature, and scientific discovery, researchers still lack consensus on its neurological mechanisms. Livio weaves together psychology, neuroscience, and biography to illuminate this mysterious human drive that pushes us to seek answers.
Genres: biography, science, psychology, non-fiction, academic, science-nature
Vibes: intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: academic, biographical
272 pages · Paperback · Simon & Schuster Export