Why Sh*t Happens: The Science of a Really Bad Day

In Why Sh*t Happens, esteemed scientist Peter J. Bentley tackles the realm of everyday disaster by taking readers through the least lucky, most accident-prone day of their lives. Bentley explores accident on a molecular level, arming the reader with an essential understanding of what went wrong and explaining how to prevent future bouts of misfortune.

Science is respected, trusted, and according to Bentley, largely misunderstood. Why Sh*t Happens urges readers to arm themselves with the power of science in order to better understand the world around them. When a car engine is damaged by the wrong gasoline or a computer is attacked by a virus, science is not to blame, but rather can provide an explanation of what happened.

In a text that exudes charm and wit, Bentley reveals the scientific truths from which our daily aggravations originate: for example, why that razor nick won't stop bleeding, why metal sparks in the microwave, what makes chewing gum stick in hair, and why milk tastes sour when it goes bad. Sh*t will always happen, but this book will teach readers exactly why.

"Things go relentlessly, inexorably wrong in this account of a day in the life of a hapless hero who should have stayed in bed. Bentley begins with his hero's failure to hear the alarm clock, a mishap the author uses to discourse on human sleep and dreaming. Next comes a fall from slipping on shampoo in the bathroom and a chance to explain what makes soap soap. (It's a marriage of alkali and oil that allows soap molecules to wrap up oil and grease from your skin while letting dirt dissolve in water.) What follows is the inevitable nick while shaving, and Bentley's exegesis on skin, hair follicles and blood-clotting mechanisms, and why blotting with tissue not only can introduce bacteria to the cut, but also disrupt the cells trying to close the wound. And so it goes through several dozen brief chapters that chart more examples of Murphy's law at work. There's burnt toast for breakfast. A tank full of diesel fuel instead of gasoline. Another fall while running after the bus. Chewing gum that gets in his hair during the ride. A missed stop. Getting soaked by rain. Lost. Stung by a bee. Of course there are more problems at the office, like liquid spilled on the keyboard and computer viruses. Then our hero arrives home and promptly spills red wine on the rug . . . All this sh*t is simply the means by which Bentley can disgorge his vast knowledge. Along the way he offers a very brief discussion of the origin of water and similarly brief briefs on the immune system and the sense of pain. Nonetheless, the author is solid in his discussions of modern technologycell phones, CDs, glues,dyes, springy ('air-filled') sneakersand he even offers helpful tips (see wine stains, for example)."Kirkus Reviews

"Everyone has one of those days when nothing seems to go right, but why? Unlike others who have broached the question, British computer science guru Bentley actually escorts readers through a really bad day, exploring the science behind all the little things that can go wrong: he looks at why you slept through the alarm (to explain the nature of sleep); why you then slipped on the spilled shampoo (a look at the nature of cleansers and lubricants); why that torrential downpour soaked you on your way to work (a look at the cycle of water in nature). This journey through the day, if sometimes strained (getting chewing gum stuck in one's hair on the bus), is a neat device for explaining the science behind everyday things such as how clothing is woven and why fabric is so strong (until it rips when you bend over) and how capsaicin in chilis fool the body and provoke a burning sensation. Each chapter ends with a brief tip on how to avoid future mishaps. Hopefully, readers and librarians won't be put off by the title and miss Bentley's reader-friendly explanations of the science behind everyday life."Publishers Weekly