Thought experiments about the human condition

Neil deGrasse Tyson's collection of essays challenges common assumptions through counterfactual data and provocative thought experiments, leaving even the most informed readers much to chew on

Starry Messenger: Cosmic Perspectives on Civilisation

Author: Neil deGrasse Tyson

Publisher: PB Harper Collins

Pages: 288

Price: Rs 599

“Black Boys Rape Our Young Girls But Violet Gives Willingly”. The Afro-American author learnt this mnemonic referencing the colour-coding of resistors in a Harvard physics class, circa 1975.  It is a stunning example of racism and misogyny permeating a subject with no inherent cultural affect.
 

This book contains a mix of similar striking anecdotes and data-driven musings about the human condition. It is a series of short essays examining society and trends through a scientific lens to deliver “ego checks on our self-importance”. The title is