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How to Design a Universe
- Author
- Catherine Heymans
- Narrator
- Catherine Heymans
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Publish Date
- 10 September 2026
- Run Time
- 10 hours 5 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
How to Design a Universe: The Science of Real and Virtual Worlds
Written and read by Professor Catherine Heymans
Could we be living in a computer simulation? How would we even know?
In How to Design a Universe, acclaimed astrophysicist Catherine Heymans takes you on a humorous and mind-bending journey through the science of reality itself. From the quantum quirks of subatomic particles to the cosmic mysteries of dark matter and the secrets of the human senses, Heymans explores whether humanity could ever create a virtual universe as rich and diverse as our own – and what that means for our sense of self, free will and consciousness.
Blending personal stories, pop culture, cutting-edge technology and ground-breaking experiments, this book makes the biggest questions in science accessible and urgent. How to Design a Universe will change the way you see the world – and your place in it.
Critics Review
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How to Design a Universe’s brilliance lies in its dazzling breadth: from the nature of light to the inner workings of computer memory, from the philosophy of the scientific method to the mind-bending idea of the multiverse, this is popular science that joyfully breaks the mould. Prof. Heymans offers a treasure trove of answers to questions you’ve always wondered about but never quite dared to ask, answering them with an infectious and unapologetic sense of wonder. The result is a charming, disarming ramble through the scientific landscape that invites you to learn, without ever feeling judged or talked down to.
Emma Chapman, author of Radio Universe: How to Explore Space Without Leaving Earth
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How to Design a Universe is a fun yet in-depth exploration into how we can design our own universe from scratch. Catherine Heymans brings warmth, humour and a very real human perspective to guide us through both the real and unreal (virtual) worlds.This book takes physics and mathematical concepts including quantum and dark energy and grounds them in the real—and therefore also virtual—worlds, showing how things actually work, right down to the building blocks of a transistor and even sunshine.
Lucy Rogers, author of Up: A scientist's guide to the magic above us
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‘Truly unique. Sparkling with charm and interest, and uncompromisingly clear’
Chris Lintott, presenter of The Sky at Night
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A remarkable book. Catherine Heymans, a distinguished astronomer, writes with a light touch that eloquently conveys her enthusiasm for scientific wonders and mysteries. Informative, fascinating and entertaining.
Martin Rees, author of Just Six Numbers: The Deep Forces That Shape the Universe
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An absolute delight. How to Design a Universe somehow makes the vastness of the Universe feel intimate. The personal anecdotes and pop culture references make you forget you're learning and leave you with the pure joy of science. This is how I wish I'd learned about astrophysics.
Becky Smethurst (Dr Becky), author of A Brief History of Black Holes: and why nearly everything you know about them is wrong
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There's a lot going on in a universe! For any would-be designers out there, this is absolutely the book you want to read. Like any good instruction manual, it doesn't just give a list of ingredients like quarks and black holes. It explains the logic behind the design, why things work the way they do. The implications will make you think about reality in new ways.
Sean Carroll, author of The Biggest Ideas in the Universe series
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Details
- Author
- Catherine Heymans
- Narrator
- Catherine Heymans
- Duration
- 10 hours 5 minutes
- Release Date
- 10 September 2026
- ISBN
- 9781399421485
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Bloomsbury Publishing
- Genre
- Popular science, Cosmology and the universe
Synopsis
Bloomsbury presents…How to Design a Universe: The Science of Real and Virtual WorldsWritten and read by Professor Catherine HeymansCould we be living in a computer simulation? How would we even know?In How to Design a Universe, acclaimed astrophysicist Catherine Heymans takes you on a humorous and mind-bending journey through the science of reality itself. From the quantum quirks of subatomic particles to the cosmic mysteries of dark matter and the secrets of the human senses, Heymans explores whether humanity could ever create a virtual universe as rich and diverse as our own – and what that means for our sense of self, free will and consciousness.Blending personal stories, pop culture, cutting-edge technology and ground-breaking experiments, this book makes the biggest questions in science accessible and urgent. How to Design a Universe will change the way you see the world – and your place in it.
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