Author(s): Petrus Zeegers

Reference

Albert Einstein said that 'Curiosity has its own reason for existing; it is more important than knowledge'. We humans seem to have an innate need to know, to explore, to seek new ideas, and new truths. Once upon a time we scribbled down all that we had discovered using small slabs of wet clay and sheets of compressed papyrus reeds, then it was the hides of animals, and later still it was a new Chinese invention called paper. We compiled this new knowledge in scrolls and later in another Chinese invention called a book. We stored this knowledge in repositories of brick and stone called a library. But it was with the invention of the printing press in the 15th century that this idea of compiling and storing knowledge in a written form went to a whole new level. We make these repositories of knowledge available to anyone who needs to know how hot it is on Venus, how to grow better strawberries in a cold climate, or how many psychologists it takes to change a light globe. Today of course it is even easier to access this knowledge as all we have to do is to consult Dr. Google and his internet. So this book is the ultimate self-indulgence and a throwback to the past. It is a collection of information on some of life's most interesting topics, including those we are told are impolite to talk about at the dinner table, so I have included chapters on the subjects of sex, drugs and death. I have also included chapters on some of the topics most likely to come up in casual conservation around the coffee table at work like money, music, global warming, and politics. And just for good measure, I have included chapters on subjects as diverse as science, unsolved mysteries, the conflict in the Middle-East, and even on the English language